Why Do Catholics Do That?

Rating:
Summary: Useless!!
Review: Dear writer/readers I would like to know if any Catholics out there are reading this book. If there are, they would most likely feel that this book is not straightforward, and in some passages are indirectly persecuting us catholics. The explanations that this book provide is not clear and not lucid enough. No pictures were added into the book. The chapters often start of with irrevalent information, making it irritating and not straightforward. The writer also uses American slangs like 'flunk' instead of fail.

If the writer is so incapable of writing a proper book, I suggests he stops.

Rating:
Summary: Really informative book
Review: Being a Protestant, I read this book out of curiosity, as I have heard so many terrible things about the Catholic religion. It answered a lot of questions for me and helped me understand the reasons for the Catholic traditions. It showed me the ignorance of the Protestants in condemning a religion that preserved the Scriptures for us, the monks hand copying the Bible for us. It showed me that the Catholic church is based completely on Scripture. The book is very easy to read, to the point, and enlightening. I highly recommend this, especially to Protestants. There is a lot of condemnation from the Protestant church based on ignorance. I'm glad I became informed. At least I will know what I'm talking about if I disagree.

Rating:
Summary: Easy and entertaining reading; very informative.
Review: An outstanding discussion of many of the Church's rites, rituals, and traditions. As the title suggests, it answers many questions about the form of Catholic religious practice. It does not attempt to discuss in depth the topics of Church history, theology, Canon Law, apologetics, etc. It is not a catechism nor an encyclopedia. While many of those topics are discussed to some extent, it is in support of answers to common questions about the most visible signs of Catholic practice, liturgical rites, etc. I have shared this book with friends who are non-Catholic Christians already familiar with Christian theology and practice... who found it extremely informative in understanding the "mysteries" of Catholic practice.

Rating:
Summary: Catholicism made simple
Review: This is another boonie dog review from Wolfie and Kansas. We listened to the audio cassettes of Kevin Orlin Johnson's "Why Do Catholics Do That?" because we live half a block away from a Catholic church, and we have many questions about Catholics. For example, do Catholics have regular traffic jams and processions in front of our yard because they like to hear us bark? If Catholics share our canine belief in a vigilant but kind supreme being who watches over His/Her flock, why do they continue to spell that deity's name backwards in English?

Dr. Johnson does not answer these particular questions. He does answer a lot of others. This is not a balanced or critical work (and not intended as such.) You will not hear the word "inquisition" a single time despite much discussion of the Church's history. Nonetheless, if you are a boonie dog on an island where ninety percent of the noncanine animals of primate derivation are Catholic, this tape is a good introduction and overview that will give you some idea just what those Catholic humans are doing and, as the title says, why they do it

Rating:
Summary: Thanks to everybody who has read the book
Review: I am glad that so many people have found the book useful and enjoyable. You might also want to have a look at my next book, Rosary: Mysteries, Meditations, and the Telling of the Beads, published by Pangaeus Press here in Dallas. It's a broader and deeper reference on the skills of Christian prayer, covering not just the Rosary itself but other important devotions from Apostolic times to the present, the various kinds of prayer (vocal, meditative, and contemplative), and the ways in which people can learn to pray better, whatever their walks of life may be. Its hints about the techniques of prayer are drawn from the writings of the great prophets, saints, and theologians from the days of the Old Testament to today. And along the way it explains all kinds of images, customs, and practices that you've always seen but always wondered about. I think that if you like Why Do Catholics Do That? you'll enjoy Rosary even more--it gets into the heart of why we do what we do, and why we do it the way we do. Check Amazon.com for the listing, or visit your local bookstore. Also, I am available for personal appearances and seminars; your group can contact me at Pangaeus Press at [e-mail]. Thanks again

Rating:
Summary: An excellent explanation of Catholic traditions and rites.
Review: Dr. Johnson provides an excellent resource for those new to the Catholic church, or those who are curious about this often misunderstood religion. His writing is extremely readable (almost conversational), yet retains a scholarly flair which will not only educate but entertain. I found his discussion on biblical history particularly revealing. He is careful to provide appropriate biblical or Church references when appropriate. Consequently, this text could serve as an excellent source for the beginning Catholic Apologist to begin their studies. As a life-long Catholic, I learned more about my religious heritage and the underlying philosophical/theological symbolism of most of the Church's rites and traditions. I believe this book to be a refreshing, educational, and modern explanation of the Church.

Rating:
Summary: Research your opponent - Don't Assume!
Review: Alright, I paid fifty cents for this book at a used book store. Reading into it some I realized I had been ripped off. While Dr Johnson claims he's trying to show reasons for Catholic belief and practice, he seems more concerned with attacking Protestants. It's a polemic - and it's not even a good polemic! He has no idea of why we believe what we believe and assumes that everything we do is us trying to change things around and lying and why we're all going to hell and blah, blah, blah. There are many Protestant books about Catholicism that use hearsay as well as out-of-context statements; this book is similar against Protestants but more hearsay.

Anyway, if you want a good introduction to Catholicism, try the "Catholicism for Dummies" book. It's bigger, deep and easy to read, and the authors are actually trying to inform and don't have a chip on their shoulder like this guy.

Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Catholic Background Book
Review: This is my favorite "Why do Catholics" book, and I have read quite a few, as I was raised Catholic and had to learn to defend my beliefs when my parents moved to the Bible belt in my late teens. If I had known about this book then, my life would have been much easier.

Dr. Johnson's book is much more entertaining and thorough than work of a similar nature, such as Karl Keating's better known books. Dr. Johnson converses with the reader, which makes the writing style engaging and memorable; he does not say use the dry approach of "some people think this," but rather uses and approach of "We Catholics believe." He does not discuss beliefs of other religions, except when comparing the different approach used for compilations of scriptures. This makes me more comfortable in recommending to books to other Christians, unlike Keating's work, in which the terms used sometimes appeal slanderous to people from denominations such as Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses.

This is a book of Catholic practices and religious beliefs and explores illustrates from where they came. It does not address moral theology, but is more concerned with issues such as "why does the Old Testament comprise these books," "why is there a Pope," "what is the official stances on alleged apparitions," "what is the roles of saints," ect. But is also has fun tid bits of information that many Catholic information guides fail to address, like the use of incense, the dress of clergy, and terms used for the religious. It also explains popular devotions and their history; such as The Way of the Cross and the rosary.

Amazon recommended it to me for some time. I wish I bought it sooner, but I thought that it looked too basic to be a wise investment for me. Then some one gave me a gift certificate for Christmas and this book was at the store; I flipped though it and found so much entertaining trivia, that I purchased it on the spot- wishing I had listened to Amazon sooner.

I have since given them as gifts to people who wanted to learn more about Catholicism, and contrary to a few opinions expressed form other reviews here, they did not find the book offensive, but appreciated it. I highly recommend it. The broad range of information it contains makes it an ideal reference for the uninitiated and curious, as well as for the person who has had much experience and education in Catholicism seeking to fill in any gaps of knowledge.

Rating:
Summary: Solidified My Decision to Join the Church
Review: During the late 90's, I was investigating a number of Christian faiths. For many years I was bouncing around from Protestant church to Protestant church with no real clue as to what I was looking for. Becoming Catholic never entered my mind. Eventually I ran into a Catholic friend who explained a few of the basics of the Church to me. Intrigued, I began to study on my own and found "Why Do Catholics Do That?" The title seemed straightforward enough, so I picked up the book and read it from cover to cover. It was amazing. Kevin Orlin Johnson's book answered all of my major questions about the Church and most of my minor questions. I had read a number of other books up to that point and none of them gave me answers as honestly or inoffensively as this one. It didn't try to hammer anything down my throat. Instead, it gave me answers in plain English and with no intent to brush me off as "just another Protestant." After reading the book, I decided to enter the RCIA process, where I entered the Church at Easter in 2000.

I can honestly say that this book was the decision maker for me. It is written in a way that isn't too "bookish" or intellectual for the casual reader, yet has a good amount of information in it. The writing style used, which has a lot of humor in it, lessened the blows of what some consider "cocky Catholicism." Another reviewer felt that in her original review this book came across as too cocky. I understand what she is talking about. I've met quite a few people with that cocky attitude. That attitude was one of the major things that turned me off from the Church originally. This book to me, however, wasn't too cocky. I enjoyed it. It gave the reader information in a straight manner. I also found nothing anti-Semitic about this book, as another reviewer mentions.

With this book, I learned that a number of the things that I was taught as a child about the Catholic Church was mere propaganda or, in most cases, misinformation. A lot of what I thought I knew about the Church was actually a misunderstanding of practices and beliefs.

I believe this book, with its simplicity, could easily challenge some of the harder hitting Protestant theories about the Catholic faith. Although it doesn't really go into any major theological arguments, it openly explains why Catholics do the things they do. It's hard to argue with someone when they are straightforward and honest with their beliefs. Perhaps that's what we need a little more of in the world today.

Rating:
Summary: Led me back to the Church
Review: It's a shame that a handful of disingenuous reviews weighed-down the overall rating for Johnson's wonderful book.

One reviewer claims that the Church recanted in recent years and came to agree with Luther's view of salvation. That's simply false; the Church has always believed in salvation by grace. Pope John Paul II's recent dialogue with Lutherans was an example of ecumenism, not backsliding.

Moreover, Johnson's book is in part a work of apologetics, and he ably defends the Faith against common accusations leveled against it by critics. If those defenses offend one's tender ears, then simply avoid apologetics.