Do Plain Catholics exist?

[Valerie]

If you don't see these pictures and replies being used to take shots at what they believe, then I don't know what it would take for you to see that this is going far beyond the thread title of whether Plain Catholics exist or not.

You and others, imo, are taking this 'Plain Catholic' site and using it, not just to prove if what it said on this sight truthfully supports that Plain Cathoics exist, but to attack certain Catholic beliefs. And, imo, there appears to me to be some 'get even' going on by attacking Catholic beliefs found in this site because Max has chosen to not respond to some questions. This is how it looks to me and others may see it differently.

You initiated that picture of Mary and Jesus and posted it as 'A prominent picture from that website:' So what does that have to do with whether or not Plain Catholics exist ? Imo, absolutely nothing. And one response you got was that it was 'near blasphemy'. So, to me, that was taking a shot at Cathoic belief and the quest for truth seems to me to have shifted from Plain Catholics existing, supported by this site, to the truth about Catholic doctrine.

Well, this is my last on this and I likely got some of this for saying I'm through with any further discussion on this thread. I have been admonished various times before to stick to the OP as I too tend to wander. To me, this was an example of what it means to wander off topic.

This post is also off topic, for what it's worth.

It may be but he's ever so correct in thought and observation. This obsession is so weird

I saw a sign today that said "Jesus did not die for us to treat others the way they treated Him" and my thought immediately came to this topic.

[Bootstrap]

It may be but he's ever so correct in thought and observation. This obsession is so weird.

We're obviously different people.

I agree that we should treat people as Jesus did. Can you tell me how Jesus responded to people who promote lies? How would Jesus respond to religious people who create websites with fake pictures on the Internet to tell grand tales about themselves? Any comments about the pictures? Or the discrepancies in age from year to year? Or other discrepancies in facts? Nobody else promotes such a romantic picture of their own spiritual life here on MN.

Pointing out where these pictures actually came from feels like an attempt at truth. Sure, it could become obsessive, but I posted on two pictures yesterday. Any comments about those pictures?

I saw a sign today that said "Jesus did not die for us to treat others the way they treated Him" and my thought immediately came to this topic.

So ... lies should not be exposed because Jesus died for our sins? Or Jesus would not point it out if a religious person said something that isn't true? Or ... what exactly are you saying here?

I don't think that this is the same thing as groups where we must not notice that someone is abusing group members. But I do think that pointing out obvious lies is a good thing to do in any group that wants to have truth.

[temporal1]

It may be but he's ever so correct in thought and observation. This obsession is so weird ..

He is as you describe, IN SOME WAYS.
When he first registered, i encouraged him, i was interested, i saw him as a devout Catholic, RCC, i wasn’t concerned about “plain.”
Others were. Some were (i thought, aggressive). Some accused me of .. being Catholic, being “involved with” Max in some way.
He seemed to have interest in Anabaptists. Who doesn’t, upon registering?

He PMd and emailed me, a lot. i don’t do much of either, preferring to stay on open forum.
i engaged, thinking it was harmless. maybe it was harmless. it was candid. it wasn’t all sunshine+roses. he had decided views on how the forum “should be” run, and who should be allowed. i assured, admin+mods are on it.

Years passed, he began aggressively ignoring me, not a problem on my part.

i’ve read enough from him to not believe he’s just an affable wise old man looking for friendship.
i no longer question others’ questions. i understand why you do.

i continue to see him as a devout RC.
one who tries to conflate language to claim Catholics are Protestants, or what have you. using guffawing icons as if they will iron out all wrinkles. i’ve never met a Catholic quite like this. i sense insincerity in it. i didn’t at first.

it’s not uncommon for members to be certain they could run the forum better than existing.
i seriously don’t agree. i now see it as a naturally occuring phenom of human nature, esp in men. “my way!”

i think the Bible, mostly addressing men, was no accident. i’m willing to accept that as a good thing.

my 2 cents.

Devout Catholic -
With regular references to the Vatican, and other formal Catholic sources, how could anyone not see this as devout RCC?
This part is consistent. To me, not confusing. There’s no straying from the RCC. Not when any question “gets down to it.”
The question is, why not just own it?

P.8:

I debated whether to say something or not. Max isn’t here to convert us. I can give you the key to what’s going on here: once you’ve met and figured out one pathological liar (it’s hard the first time) it’s a lot easier to pick up on them when they come along.

Some people would rather climb a tree to tell a lie than stand on the ground and tell the truth.

i happen to know someone who seems to enjoy lying so much, it’s done without any “necessity” at all.
the smallest, most innocuous things can be lies. it seems to be for entertainment, without purpose.

i once suggested writing fiction as a constructive outlet. nope. decades later, no change.

[Soloist]

Which round is this? I lost count

[temporal1]

Which round is this? I lost count

i agree with you.
i thot about PMing Valerie. i wanted to address her puzzlement. i understand it. everyone sees thru a slightly different lens.
i don’t think my experience is important. it’s part of the whole. sometimes i have regrets.

i hadn’t read this topic earlier.

God sees in full.

[Judas Maccabeus]

Which round is this? I lost count

Once again, I see no proof of life. Closest my next door neighbor could think of is SSPX. That are not plain, but very conservative.

[Valerie]

It may be but he's ever so correct in thought and observation. This obsession is so weird ..

He is as you describe, IN SOME WAYS.
When he first registered, i encouraged him, i was interested, i saw him as a devout Catholic, RCC, i wasn’t concerned about “plain.”
Others were. Some were (i thought, aggressive). Some accused me of .. being Catholic, being “involved with” Max in some way.
He seemed to have interest in Anabaptists. Who doesn’t, upon registering?

He PMd and emailed me, a lot. i don’t do much of either, preferring to stay on open forum.
i engaged, thinking it was harmless. maybe it was harmless. it was candid. it wasn’t all sunshine+roses. he had decided views on how the forum “should be” run, and who should be allowed. i assured, admin+mods are on it.

Years passed, he began aggressively ignoring me, not a problem on my part.

i’ve read enough from him to not believe he’s just an affable wise old man looking for friendship.
i no longer question others’ questions. i understand why you do.

i continue to see him as a devout RC.
one who tries to conflate language to claim Catholics are Protestants, or what have you. using guffawing icons as if they will iron out all wrinkles. i’ve never met a Catholic quite like this. i sense insincerity in it. i didn’t at first.

it’s not uncommon for members to be certain they could run the forum better than existing.
i seriously don’t agree. i now see it as a naturally occuring phenom of human nature, esp in men. “my way!”

i think the Bible, mostly addressing men, was no accident. i’m willing to accept that as a good thing.

my 2 cents.

Devout Catholic -
With regular references to the Vatican, and other formal Catholic sources, how could anyone not see this as devout RCC?
This part is consistent. To me, not confusing. There’s no straying from the RCC. Not when any question “gets down to it.”
The question is, why not just own it?

P.8:

I debated whether to say something or not. Max isn’t here to convert us. I can give you the key to what’s going on here: once you’ve met and figured out one pathological liar (it’s hard the first time) it’s a lot easier to pick up on them when they come along.

Some people would rather climb a tree to tell a lie than stand on the ground and tell the truth.

i happen to know someone who seems to enjoy lying so much, it’s done without any “necessity” at all.
the smallest, most innocuous things can be lies. it seems to be for entertainment, without purpose.

i once suggested writing fiction as a constructive ou8tlet. nope. decades later, no change.

Temp you said that he pmd you and emailed you a lot and you don't do much of either, but I know you have pmd and emailed a lot of people on the forum, you have mentioned several, know more about most people that isn't revealed via forum, I know you did me, etc. so I cant imagine why you would say you don't. I remember someone years ago you did quite a bit, he's been gone awhile. He told me via pm you two had quite a lengthy pm relationship - it's odd to me why you said that then-

It's just odd that you said that as I know it was an ongoing practice for you.

Max never pm'd me- so I don't know. The "huge" deal here is he calls himself a plain Catholic which WHO CARES. Our good friends are "plain" Orthodox which just means they are Orthodox that dress like Amish. They are just that way.

The things we harp about on the forum astounds me.

[temporal1]

Temp you said that he pmd you and emailed you a lot and you don't do much of either, but I know you have pmd and emailed a lot of people on the forum, you have mentioned several, know more about most people that isn't revealed via forum, I know you did me, etc. so I cant imagine why you would say you don't. I remember someone years ago you did quite a bit, he's been gone awhile. He told me via pm you two had quite a lengthy pm relationship - it's odd to me why you said that then-

It's just odd that you said that as I know it was an ongoing practice for you.

Max never pm'd me- so I don't know. The "huge" deal here is he calls himself a plain Catholic which WHO CARES. Our good friends are "plain" Orthodox which just means they are Orthodox that dress like Amish. They are just that way.

The things we harp about on the forum astounds me.

i PM and email, that’s true, i didn’t intend to say i didn’t. i avoid it.
in ratio of my forum activity, it’s not much, not often. i don’t intend to mislead.

in the past, some members highly valued PMs, and, i think much good can be done through PMs.
not by me.

you and i have PMd a bit, not for a long while.
i count that as “rare.” you might see it differently.

i’m more with you about not being so put off by Max’s claims to plainness, but his refusal to answer direct questions, for instance, from the start, he’s found it important to say he was invited to the forum to represent Catholicism, he’s been asked several times over the years, “by whom?” no response.

honestly, it seems odd anyone would make that request, esp without saying so, and openly welcoming Max.
Max seemed to not understand, there are former Catholics on forum, most left to choose Anabaptism, not in ignorance.

His input on Catholicism is interesting, has value, like others’. i don’t see him as The Designated Forum Catholic.
He seemed to want to assume that title.

the combination of evasion, and references to the Vatican, etc., while routinely suggesting established Catholic practices “somehow aren’t,” are unsettling. i sense use of passive-aggressiveness in some of the evasion. which undermines the Christian spirit.

enough has happened, i no longer think about it when some members “go after” him.
i believe they’re seeing things i might not be seeing. i have a high regard for most members here, based on years of reading, i accept they will see things, know things, i do not.

i use too many words.
my intent was to relay, as can be expected with humans, there’s more than meets the eye.

[Valerie]

Maybe whoever invited him would rather not be revealed.
I see the mob mentality against him. I liken it to those after Trump, no matter how Max would answer any questions the relentless accusations and pursuit to insist he came here to proselytize will never end. He knows this. Our dear Orthodox friend tried to teach here and received the same ill treatment so it is not unique to Max.
People need to quit treating other Christians outside of their own denominations like enemies.

[Josh]

People need to quit treating other Christians outside of their own denominations like enemies.

I don't do that, and in fact maintain cordial relations with other Catholics - indeed, a Catholic person and myself will be organising an ecumenical summit (as much as one is possible) between Mennonites and Catholics in a few months.

I don't consider MaxPC an enemy, either. I don't consider "Plain Catholics" an enemy, either. I just sincerely doubt that they exist, outside of MaxPC's claims about himself.