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>>For people who are strong in their non-Catholic Chrisitan faiths, they have probably been strongly indocrinated into the "Catholics are evil" way of thinking (and I don't mean "evil" literally).<<

Actually, I think this is false.

I was raised in a Reformed church, and we honestly never discussed Roman Catholicism in church school.

If I wasn't married to a Catholic, I wouldn't give it a second thought.

I was very surprised to learn, through my wife, that many Catholics are laboring under the misapprehension that Protestants are constantly, obsessively thinking and talking about the Roman Church.

With the exception of supposed "former Catholics" (who are obsessed with Roman Catholicism), nothing could be further from the truth.

If anything, we don't think about it enough. The Protestant walk with Jesus is fairly self-contained.

many Catholics are laboring under the misapprehension that Protestants are constantly, obsessively thinking and talking about the Roman Church

Few Catholics are laboring under such misapprehension. Few Catholics care what other denominations think of our faith.

However, those of us engaged in Catholic apologetics do care. But even we are not under such misapprehension. We realize that it is a small subset of protestantism that is obsessed with the Church of Rome. Entire ministries are committed to trying to steal folks away from Catholicism, and in some churches there is no positive preaching of their own Gospel but merely a preaching of how evil the doctrines of Rome are (I've been to them.)

So, just as few protestants care to think about Catholicism, few Catholics worry about what protestants think. Those that do are generally engaged in apologetics with anti-Catholics. There is a wide gulf between the non-Catholic protestant and the anti-Catholic protestant. If we can convert an "anti-"Catholic into a simply "non-"Catholic Christian, we have won a major battle.

My comments on this thread --as well as any LONG threads on Catholicism and its defense would be one or two -- one on explanation and a second (if any) which would border on anger, and a follow-up which, if any, does ring with anger and insult, because there are many who choose to deny, denigrate, etc. the Catholic Faith.

Continuing to defend becomes an exercise in futility and results in feelings that lack in Charity, to say the least.

Your answer is interesting -- so in brief, I will respond to your own sheltered life from other sects of Christianity which do defile the Catholic Church.

For social and easy reasons, one of my adult children attends a Fundamental Christian church ... her children take part in the "Theatrical Presentations" of that church about two or three times a year.

I have always attended their "plays" (perhaps, three so far) -- but will no longer ... to their dismay -- as their half-brother (in my Guardianship) and I walked out on the last one, after about ten minutes. In that time the "script" had led up to a song of praise for Martin Luther and his nailing of his challenge of the Faith (schism and heresy), on the doors of the Church with a refrain of "nya, nya, nya, nya, nya nya" -- and verbal scorn, disrespect and hatred for the Pope and the Catholic Church.

These two grandchildren are being indoctrinated in anti-Catholicism, there is absolutely no doubt about it!

Their congregation is a First Assembly of God -- but the "pageant/play" is one that goes around in many fundamental churches.

With the exception of supposed "former Catholics" (who are obsessed with Roman Catholicism), nothing could be further from the truth.

You are probably right Jim as a "former Catholic" I know the error first hand and I fear for the souls bound by Rome.

So many very good people..that I really like..are going to hell out of ignorance or pride..