Times have changed. We are a far graver problem than pagans pretending to be Christians. WE are so terrible a problem that we MUST be mocked, and no attempt to understand what we truly think must be made because it's like we're infectious. Roosevelt allied with Stalin to stop Hitler. This chunk of our FR separated brethren would, in the same situation, blame Stalin on Hitler and ally with Hitler to wipe out Stalin. They think we are the focus of evil in the modern world.
Often, pride is at the core of such discussions, in which matters of faith are turned into “gotchas” and “scoring points”. At times, when I spoke out in defense of the Universal Church it had more to do with me proving something to myself than it had to do with sharing my faith with others, in retrospect I was at fault.
Yep! that's the tragedy. They force the conversation there. They cannot suppress their disdain and disgust for us, and feel morally obliged to repeat, over and over again, repetitiously, and possibly even redundantly, that trusting God's promise to the Church could be hazardous to our Spiritual health. The use of mocking terms is a bonus.
Peace.
They are not interested in peace. We are an evil so great that we simply must be repudiated at every opportunity, and others warned against it.
Of course, all in a spirit of brotherhood ....
That's simmply not true.
Yes, there are elements of the RC edifice which many of us are convinced are eternally deadly to some sorts of people. I have not identified any such individuals because I don't know. I prefer to leave that to God's turf unless He gives me a specific order to warn a specific individual that they've crossed over some line. But that would be for a non-FR context, anyway. My peace here is to abide by forum rules about avoiding making things personal.
The RC folks feel similarly about some elements of various Proty denominations. When they warn or even pontificate out of caring hearts--it's touching and I'm not THAT bothered even when they get shrill.
But, for me, I'm talking about a centuries ancient edifice, organization, system of man, structure, etc. and the hazards I am utterly convinced that certain elements of it present to some types of more vulnerable folks. And, some of us feel it is our duty to state our perspective--particularly in the face of very vigorous and often shrill RC presentations. The lurkers deserve to have both sides to consider.
I've actually grown in my affections for the most shrill RC's hereon. I have a lot of respect for their zeal. Am not about to roll over and play dead re some of what I consider their sillier notions. But I can still respect a lot about them. They don't have to agree with me about a lot of things to still merit my respect and affections.
My best guess is that the angst is not about me nor about my satire. It appears much deeper and longer standing.