The WatchTower Quotes from "The Catholic Encyclopedia"?

Yes, it's misleading and deceitful if they're misquoting it. Considering all of the misconceptions my niece and nephew have about Catholicism and the Trinity (my sister is a Jehovah's Witness), I would not be surprised if they were misquoting Catholic sources in their books and pamphlets to support their beliefs.

Ironically, even though they have these quotes from "Catholic sources", my niece, nephew and sister absolutely REFUSE to read any book I offer them that has "Catholic" in the name. And they have never attended Mass with me, even though I've attended their church (or whatever it is they call it) on several occasions.

However, I always correct my niece and nephew (not to mention any Jehovah's Witnesses who knock on my door) whenever they say anything that's not factual. I've even given them to read a few books with writings from first century Christians telling them that it's just that: first century Christian writings, which they don't have a problem with, apparently.

Maybe they'll one day notice something decidedly different in those books with their own faith and perhaps a similarity with something ole Aunt Cathy said about her Church and Mass? OOPS. *wink*

Check your local public library, or a parish or diocesan library.

The OLD Catholic Encyclopedia is available online here:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/

The New Catholic Encyclopedia was published in 1967 by McGraw-Hill and updated several times since then, most recently by Thomson Gale/Cengage Learning in 2002. It will be available in electronic form for purchase next year here:

http://www.gale.cengage.com/servlet/ItemDetailServ...

The fact that JWs may be quoting it is not terribly surprising. It is a very comprehensive source on religious issues, and the Watchtower is known for using whatever sources it can exploit to improve its credibility. Of course, it wouldn't do for the faithful to realize that the competition has better literature, so the Catholic/catholic canard is obviously intend to protect fragile minds.

The WT loves to quote from so-called Catholic sources because they believe that it is the original source for the Trinity doctrine since the counsel of Nicea. They believe the doctrine is of pagan origins.

After a closer examination, we find that the Church fathers who were the students of the Apostles believed in the deity of Christ. http://www.dtl.org/trinity/article/who-said.htm And that's 175 years BEFORE the counsel of Nicea.

When the WT quotes from the Catholic Encyclopedia; it is either misquoted, or quoted out-of-context. Take the 'Truth that leads to Eternal Life' book 1968, p. 22. Where is says "...the doctrine of the Holy Trinity is not taught in the OT. It also admits that the doctrine must be dated as from about three hundred and fifty years after the death of Christ. So the early Christians who were taught directly by Jesus Christ did not believe that God is a "Trinity"

This is very misleading. Although the creeds that are used to explain how the Trinity doctrine is found in scripture was not yet formulated; the principles of the belief in the "deity" of Christ, was well established by the early Church fathers as seen in the link above.

The 1968 p. 22 is (supposedly) quoting from the 'New Catholic Encyclopedia, Catholic University of America 1967 ed., Vol. XIX, p. 306.' But as you read p. 306, you find that it never said (in context) what the WT publication said it said. What was omitted from the NCE was this:

"In the gospels evidence of the Trinity if found explicitly only in the baptismal formula of Mt. 28:19."

This willful omittance can only mean one thing: The WT's commitment to a false belief that the Catholic Church is responsible for a doctrine that they insist is pagan.

I have tried to bring this to the attention of JW elders, and JW's I have talk to by email, and in my home. I have offered to fax the correct page so they can read it in context. No JW has been interested in doing so.

"The Catholic Encyclopedia: Revised and Updated" is the only one I have, and it's publishing date is 1987. Maybe a bit behind the times, sad to say. You should know that everyone else will use whatever ruse they can to attempt to disrupt a Roman Catholic. I even heard somewhere last week or so that the Catholic Church was ordaining women into the priesthood. Knowing (and hoping) that that was still not true, I read closer to find that it was a "Catholic Community" with some obvious "liberal" / corrupt background that was doing that and promo'ing it as the Roman Catholic Church doing such. I'm glad you're differentiating between the capital "C" and the lower case "c", just like people here to "God" and "god". God Bless you.

The Watchtower often quote from diverse sources. The New Catholic Encyclopedia should be available from most good book shops. You can get a copy of that encyclopedia also online through Amazon (see below).

As far as I know the "New Catholic Encyclopedia" is not produced by the Church, it is not an official document.

It is also very expensive. I can't imagine too many people "quoting" from it actually own a copy. I have found many quotes from it used on anti-Catholic sites.

From what I gather... the Catholic Encyclopedia IS as it sounds.. by the Catholic Church, or at least by Catholic Institutions, endorsed by the Catholic church.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/00001a.htm

Unless there are 2, one by the Catholic Church and another completely unrelated Encyclopedia which happens to call itself "universal" - But I doubt that, because the Correct word for Universal in Latin is Catholicus, not Catholic.

But that does not necessarily MEAN they are decieving others. It may merely be that the JW you talked to is unaware that the Catholic Encyclopedia is not "The Universal Encyclopedia" but is a real Catholic document. (and from the looks of it, quite pricey too)

So you may have ran into someone who is misinformed, not that they were lied to.

Katholos in Greek, or Catholic in Latin -- both mean Universal, but they ALSO refer to the largest denomination in Christianity and the world.

The Lutherans, I've been told, still recite the Nicean Creed which says "one Catholic and Apostolic Church" -- they simply mean "universal" and not Catholic

I am aware of some orgs. stating as catholic, but technically they are not of the Roman Catholic Church. E.g. Most Holy Family Monastery is a non-profit sedevacantist organization run by Michael Dimond. It broke away from Roman Catholics due to some postVatican 11 disagreement.

The New Catholic Encyclopedia with the Catholic University of america, wants to address US catholics.

Catholic Encyclopaedia/New Advent services the Roman Catholic Church globally.

What they do not seem to realize is that all encyclopedias merely reflect the opinions of different writers whether favorable or not to the Catholic Church. The best source for true Catholic teaching is from the Catholic catechism.

The WT's quoting of the Catholic Encyclopedia is both misleading and deceitful.

It is part of their strategy to target Catholics who do not know their Faith.