And still, with all that, I've come away with the same things we started with. There is a chasm which separates us which no amount of "unity" or "ecumenacalism" can overcome, unless we just give up our beliefs and follow for the sake of getting along.
With only two exceptions. Mary is "venerated", not "worshiped" by Catholics. That is so thin as to not be worthy of normal conversation. And Proddys are considered "separate brethren" by Catholics, not saved with the fullness that Catholics will enjoy.
Two things. And that is being kind. Can anyone add anything else they have learned that they did not know when this thread began?
False.
Good points.
I’ve gotten to know both Mad Dawg and Legatus better and for that, I’m thankful and it is worth all the rest.
I’ve also realized how horribly bitter, resentful, hostile, angry, seemingly willfully blind etc. some of the rabid clique folks are . . . and that is good to know.
I have come to appreciate at a deeper level the futility in communicating with many of those sorts of characters. That is worth knowing.
I’ve seen a very treasured FREEPER DISABLED VET insulted beyond all reason for not the faintest rational reason or decency. I was shocked and outraged at that. Yet, it was good to find out how low some of the RC’s would stoop on such scores.
I was also shocked to see how relentlessly some would post brazenly untrue stuff out of their bitterness, hostility, vengeance, anger etc. That was also good to learn.
There’s more, no doubt. But that’s enough.
It was in this or some other thread (but a recent one) in which I learned that many non-Catholics are “materialists”.
I also learned that many non-Catholics have don’t really have what we call “Ascetical Theology” and confuse the ‘dark night’ with faithlessness and consolations with faith.