Is there still tension between Southern Protestants and Catholics? (salvation, church, Baptist)

[MillTownCath]

A friend who now lives in the South described to me how people down their react a little strange when he tells them he is Catholic. Of course it isn't violent or anything like that, but it is radically different than how things are in the Midwest.

Being a Catholic Midwesterner myself, I hadn't really known there was still tension or at least isolation between Catholics and Protestants in the South. I might make fun of some of my Lutheran friends for having such a modern Church service, and they might make fun of the Pope, but there isn't really much to it.

Does anybody have any insight on modern relations between Catholics and Protestants in the South?

[Boxcar Overkill]

It would be pretty rare if there were.

[jimmiej]

There are a lot of Catholics in my area (south). No one thinks twice about it.

I'm Baptist. The main problem I have with Catholicism is that they believe salvation is at least partially works-based.

[Thomas R.]

In the early 1980s my eldest siblings faced a good deal of hostility for being Catholics. This was in rural Northwest Arkansas. I think this has gone down a great deal, but the "Mountain South" was largely settled by Scots-Irish who had basically been used to attack Irish Catholics. Tony Alamo, who was highly Anti-Catholic, was based in Northwest Arkansas before his arrest. Although he was very much a fringe figure, more like the stereotype of a "cult leader" than a regular Protestant minister.

Possibly outside of that Bob Jones University is based in Greenville, South Carolina and as late as 2000 its then President referred to Catholicism as a cult.

My guess would be that you might still find it in the moral rural parts of the "Mountain South", Appalachia and Ozarks, and maybe in a few of the more isolated Southern towns.

[Nighteyes]

Background:

1. My wife and I are from the Deep South. I was born in '46, and she in '51.

2. My wife was raised Roman Catholic. In fact, she attended/graduated from a Roman Catholic school system.

3. I was raised in a fundamentalist Protestant church.

Now, to answer the question:

Yes, there is still some tension between certain groups of fundamentalist/ pentecostal Southern Protestants (e.g. Jimmy Swaggart, his family & his followers) and Roman Catholics. It is practically invisible/nonexistent in the cities, certain neighborhoods notwithstanding. It is, however, both present and visible in some of the smaller towns, particularly if the dominant Protestant church in the community is fundamentalist/pentecostal.

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by jimmiej

There are a lot of Catholics in my area (south). No one thinks twice about it.

I'm Baptist. The main problem I have with Catholicism is that they believe salvation is at least partially works-based.

Hm. Sounds as if you thought twice about it.

[jimmiej]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

Hm. Sounds as if you thought twice about it.

Their doctrine, yes. That someone here is Catholic, no. It's quite common.

[Miami HurricaneZ]

Unfortunately yes. However from my experiences living in the south it is not only some protestants attacking Catholics but some protestants attacking other protestants. I have seen some very Methodist VS. Baptist discussions as well as Baptist VS. Presbyterian discussions. I have had my fair share of attacks from southern protestants for being Catholic. I think it is totally uncalled for and I also do not like Catholics attacking protestants either.

[Eresh]

I do not notice tension between Catholics and Protestants where I live, but that might be I live in a large metro area with a lot of religious diversity.
Way back in the dark ages, I went to a Catholic high school (I'm not Catholic) and noticed some tension between Catholics and everyone else (Protestants and Jewish mostly).

[cpg35223]

I'm a Southern Protestant who married into a Midwest Catholic family. And when the tables are turned, you betcha. There are Catholics who are just as narrow-minded and intolerant of other beliefs as any snake-handling fundamentalist, and don't you forget it.