Irrational distrust of Catholicsm

[jake-the-peg]

I have noticed that when I see a highly ornate Catholic church interior, complete with gold and statues of saints and madonnas and the like I feel an instinctive distrust and words like "superstition" spring to mind.

As a long standing atheist this seems completely irrational -there's no reason to see it as more superstitious than a whitewashed puritan church - I don't get the same feelings looking at a Hindu shrine.

Any other atheists feel the same? Do you think of all religions as equally suspect or do you have a league table?

Is this the subtle effect of a centuries old national culture of distrust of Catholics? If so how is it transmitted when we scarely ever go to church?

[Scylax]

Jake, like you, I have little time for Roman Catholicism. This is based mainly on its history, including the Inquisition, Bloody Mary, burning alive, autos da fe, etc.

Add to these Papal infallibility (!), transubstantiation and the confessional, and it all amounts to some dodgy un-Christian thinking. The rather cynical 'bling' of the decoration of Catholic churches brings it all back into sharp focus.

Barge-poles and long spoons come to mind.....

[jaydah]

Modern western RCs adapt church dictates for their usage and still practise their faith in church. We dont ride donkeys & have babes in stables.

Buddhist gold:

http://members.virtua...ist.com/m/p/m/46edb7/

[naomi24]

jaydah, your link is irrelevant to this discussion. Unlike Christians, Buddhists aren't taught that poverty is a virtue, and therefore there is no glaring contradiction between what they believe and what their temples contain. They don't seek special favours from an unseen God - they seek spiritual enlightenment and wealth is immaterial to their philosophy.

[jaydah]

Buddhists do ask for favours from Buddha by burning joss sticks & leaving money in temples for the monks. Not that different from RCs & other faiths. It all amounts to finance for spiritual favours.

[naomi24]

jaydah, that's not what we're talking about. You posted a picture of a golden Buddha as evidence that other religions also display ostentatious wealth, and I simply pointed out that it doesn't negate the glaring inconsistency between the philosophy and the reality of Roman Catholicism since that religion bears no comparison to Buddhism. When I spoke of special favours I was referring to the forgiveness of sins - something absolutely fundamental to Christian teaching.