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For all who care to comment, I would like to share some personal thoughts.

I have lived in different countries and traveled fairly extensively. I have NEVER seen the anti-Catholic hate or simple rhetoric that exsists in this country. For those that argue otherwise, simple google search Pope-devil, will show you. Scary people out there.

In any case, what I find amazing is that this anymosity is almost identical to that of the hate-America crowd in the world. It also ranges from benign to scary, and it is identical in so many ways.

Now perhaps it is just a case of us being judged, the way we judge? I don't know.

Of course I love this country, when I try to talk to my anti-American friends, who are usually good people otherwise. There is NOTHING I can say to make them understand. It isn't that they don't get it. It is that they don't want to get it, they have some kind of guilty pleasure from it. When I comment, for example, don't you think that your country is also imperfect? (I'm really thinking, "How can this person who lives in a corrupt banana republic, call Americans ignorant?"). They just disregard my point. I don't understand it. But for some reason, certain people, seem to enjoy, and think it is OK to bash others. Even in the name of God.

Let's pray for God's enlightenment, and mercy. May God bless this country, protect us from our enemies, and help our leaders.

Thank you for sharing your insights and testimony, dear mgist!

I have lived in different countries and traveled fairly extensively. I have NEVER seen the anti-Catholic hate or simple rhetoric that exsists in this country. For those that argue otherwise, simple google search Pope-devil, will show you. Scary people out there.

In any case, what I find amazing is that this anymosity is almost identical to that of the hate-America crowd in the world. It also ranges from benign to scary, and it is identical in so many ways.

By comparison, how many countries out there have Protestant roots?

Here is interesting source on Primary Source Documents pertaining to early American history. The Protestant influence is unmistakable.

Among them, The New England Primer is most telling. Not only for the founders but for most of our history as a country, it was the primary schoolbook and it included the Westminster Catechism. Students were required to memorize it. First published around 1690, the New England Primer has been republished as recently as 1996 for homeschoolers.

Here is the text of the 1843 edition. In particular, note the section on the "Burning of Mr. John Rogers" which says in part:

MR. JOHN ROGERS, minister of the gospel in London, was the first martyr in Queen Mary's reign; and was burnt at Smithfield, February the fourteenth, 1554. His wife, with nine small children, and one at her breast, followed him to the stake, with which sorrowful sight he was not in the least daunted, but with wonderful patience died courageously for the gospel of JESUS CHRIST.

p. 25

A few days before his death, he wrote the following advice to his children:--

Abhor that arrant whore of Rome, And all her blasphemies, And drink not of her cursed cup; Obey not her decrees...

IMHO, it takes a very long time for a people to recover from perceived wrongs especially when it has been educated not to forget. Some Southerners today still resent the "war of Northern aggression" - some Orthodox still resent the Vatican seizing their beloved icons - and some Protestants still resent the persecution of their forebears.

You also said:

Let's pray for God's enlightenment, and mercy. May God bless this country, protect us from our enemies, and help our leaders.

I join in your prayer.

To God be the glory!

I have lived in different countries and traveled fairly extensively. I have NEVER seen the anti-Catholic hate or simple rhetoric that exsists in this country. For those that argue otherwise, simple google search Pope-devil, will show you. Scary people out there.

I assume you missed Northern Ireland. Two way hatred by the way. And the many places in Central America where Protestant converts are still persecuted.

Simple Google searches will bring thousands of hits. Within the past few days I posted a direct quote of a Pope and gave the Vatican.va link. One of the "non-Catholic" haters (by a "I am a victim" definition) searched the direct quote through 138,000 google hits and found hate and porn sites apparently to "prove" I searched hate sites for "dirt". It proved nothing except you'll find trash if that's what you are looking for.

For an exercise do a simple google search on Protestant-heretic, review the 213,000 hits and you'll find hatred directed towards Protestants. What does this prove? NOTHING!

Is it just possible you mistake rejection of Catholicism as hatred?

When the Jehova Witness or the polite pair of Mormon Missionaries knock on your door and you dismiss them, politely or otherwise, as a non-Christian cult is it because you hate them?

How often do you proselytize amongst strangers and aquaintances, as you do here, and are dismissed out of hand. Is it hatred? If that is in the forefront of your thought you'll find it. (My personal thoughts.)

mgist, what we are trying to do here is not anti-catholic HATE or bashing. I know when one is under what they perceive to be an attack, it can feel like hate. We born again protestants on these threads know that the only way to be saved is to have faith and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we see here how many people believe they can be saved through baptism, through Mary, or the Eucharist, it really makes us hurt for those who do believe that, because it may lose them their salvation. There are SO many differences between our pathways to salvation that we feel we need to speak out against them. It has NOTHING to do with you or any other Catholic personally.

Hopefully the truth will set you free from the bondage of not knowing until you die whether or not you will be in heaven for all eternity.