I will reiterate again, and make clear my support for the current system of caucus labeling.
For all the complaining I'm hearing about whether Orthodox folks should be included by right in Catholic Caucus threads, I nevertheless see one Orthodox who proudly proclaims right here in this thread that he won't even address Catholics as Catholics. We are merely "Latins." Not good enough to be called Catholics. LOL.
Then, another of these posters happens to be someone who says that Catholics are “bishop worshippers.” This is ironic for two reasons. First, it betrays the idea that we're all together in this, Catholic and Orthodox alike. Calling folks universally as a set of idolaters doesn't strike me as declaring affinity with the same set of folks. But as well, the party who said this, that “Catholics” worship their bishops, certainly wasn't saying this about his Orthodox fellow believers. Herein, the poster was making a clear distinction between Catholics [bad] and Orthodox [good].
Thus, he had no compunction to address us as “Catholics” and as a group of people apart from his group - the Orthodox - when he accused us of idolatry, but now he complains that he won't be included by right in our threads.
This very same soul goes on about how we terrible Catholics just don't understand the superior Orthodox or there phronema. He has said many times in this forum that the Orthodox are wary of reunion with we Catholics because of all our alleged faults and shortcomings. He has stated many times that Catholics and Orthodox should remain separate for the foreseeable future.
That's fine. I often don't agree with much of what the poster is saying, but if he wants to say it, free and open discussion is important at FR. And even though sometimes he ventures into pure insult, it is not usually hysterical and never blasphemous or degrading of Catholicism, like the commentary of some of the non-Catholics around here.
But these sort of attitudes give very strong practical evidence that although we may share one, holy, catholic and apostolic church in spite of the schism between us, nonetheless, we are, at this point, two separate groups, and having separate caucuses is completely appropriate and reflects actual reality. And just as we don't begrudge the Orthodox the term “Orthodox,” even though we believe that we hold to the Catholic and Orthodox faith every bit as much as they do (and perhaps more so), I don't see why they would begrudge us the term “Catholic” even though they see themselves as also part of the Catholic Church.
There is a place for Catholic/Orthodox Caucus threads. But there is also a place for Catholic [only] Caucus and a place for Orthodox [only] Caucus threads, too.
sitetest
Thank you. Peaceful dialogue among like minded believers is the objective of the “caucus” designation on the Religion Forum.
Yes, and so are those Latin rite groups who broke communion with Rome, the SSPX. and Sedevacantists, and Old Catholics, etc. With these, as with the Orthodox, this is an inhouse disagreement.
In all fairness, the one particular poster you mention is every bit as harsh at times when it comes to some things or issues Orthodox. That same poster has on numerous occasions defended the Church of the West against those who berate Catholics for their devotion to Mary and accuse the Church of the West of idolatry. That same poster has on more than one occasion reminded everyone that most of the heresies came from the East and that the orthodoxy of Rome was the saving grace of the Church in the first millennium.