roman catholicism vs eastern orthodoxy

[Cristina100]

it seems that Roman Catholicism one thousand years ago is more violent then the Eastern Orthodox Church why is that so.

[Ross]

The Romans had blended more religions; thought they were right; and then they tried to correct everyone else to justify their own beliefs. The institution of torture was included in that conversion- they thought that getting someone to follow them, or else, would save them from eternal damnation, so they thought they were doing the right thing.
Pretty much still going on today, just a little less violent.

[eaglesway]

I think a big part of the reason for that is that the Roman church was a political entity. Ever since Constantine, on one level or another the rule of the empire was funnelled through the power of the church and bishops became provincial rulers wielding a lot of power. Popes and arch-bishops interacted on a king making and breaking level of intrigue and any threat to the earthly power of Rome was reacted to as an assault against God, when in reality it was simple self preservation of an earthly principality ruling through twisted religion.

The Eastern Orthodox Chrurch never really operated on that same level of earthly governance, and also was more Greek in nature, having regard for ideas and philosophies whereas the Romans were all about dominion and unity through control- hence, more violence, resisting any "life" that tried to renew manifestations of the glorious freedom of the children of God.

After the Renaissance era, as reason began to prevail throughout Europe, the Catholic Church quickly lost the authority to torture, imprison and execute dissidents as the rule of intelligent laws and education began to increase.   :2c:

[anti_nietzsche]

The church as a group is always composed of good and bad people and so every church can be good and bad depending what the humans make out of it. I like the current catholic church and the current pope very much and am in the process of converting to this church. It's really not a bad church in this time and has known many saints and martyrs. The medievals sins of the church didn't come from the faithful but from corrupted sinners that had gotten in power. But protestant churches were not completely innocent either, consider for example the Salem witch burnings or what some people go through in fundamentalistic world hating churches. The catholic church, for example, believes that non-christians can be saved too and treats amicably with other religions, which is important for world peace. I know that in America there can be a bad hatred for catholics but this does not happen in Europe so much anymore.

[marie glen]

I have some Catholicism in my roots / childhood, and I think I'm pretty grounded in His Word, so able to separate the true ideas from the fancy.. I've always liked how Catholicism has included images (perception) of Jesus with Mary and Joseph.  As to me this is an image of family.. that important building block of life and humanity.

And it's true, the protestants carried out a bit of inquisition/persecution also, but it's not as well known. Any branch of Christianity not totally rooted and grounded in His Word (minus the mistranslation(s!!) can descend into the black hole of error! :eek: Yep, it's a narrow way.. and how easy it is to lose that narrow path (which opens up into the broadest of ways! IF we stay on the narrow path/His Word, sans aNy error/mistranslation or perception :gsmile:

....I always think of those inquisitions/persecutions as 'religion' USED for politics(power) so not really religion at all! Not Christianity/the faith at all!