Assembly of good Christians:

How is Catharism Misrepresented?

In general, there are four ways:
1. Through ignorance. Many who speak unkindly of Cathar Christians do not know what the facts are about us. They are looking through the tainted glasses of corrupted (roman) Catholicism or political Protestantism. If the Cathars do not harmonise with their misconceptions, they brand it as odd and out of step with the historic faith. Ignorance may lead one to do many things contrary to Christ and His church. Peter said that ignorance caused the Jews to crucify Christ (Acts 3:15, 17).

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2. Through prejudice. Prejudice means "judging beforehand," or deciding before all the facts are known. Many times it boils down to not wanting to know the facts. Jesus spoke of those who were determined not to learn what He said in Matthew 13:15, "This people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." The unbelieving Jews of Thessalonica tried to poison the minds of the Bereans against Paul and Silas. Acts 17:13 says, "But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of GOD was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also and stirred up the people." The Jews of Asia did the same thing to Paul at Jerusalem, accusing him of defiling the temple by taking Greeks into it, when truthfully, they had only seen him in the city with Trophimus, an Ephesian. (Acts 21:27-29)

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3. Through misunderstanding. Because Saul of Tarsus, who later became the apostle Paul, did not understand what the church was, he did many things against it. He said in Acts 26:9-11, "I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having receibed authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme: and being exceeding mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities."

4. Through malicious talk. Jesus' enemies were not very careful about telling things the way they really were when they spoke of Him. Some things they said were deliberate lies. They even accused Him of casting out demons by the prince of demons. They said He broke the Sabbath. They "quoted" Him as having said He would destroy the temple of Jerusalem and rebuild it in three days. Likewise, enemies of the church Jesus built have used much spiteful talk. They spoke of Paul as being "a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes." (Acts 24:5) Paul said in I Corinthians 4:13, "We are made of the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day." Some of the philosphers at Athens called him a babbler. (Acts 17:18) They also accused him of setting forth "strange gods." Paul and his brethren were accused of "turning the world upside down," and doing "contrary to the decrees of Caesar." (Acts 17:6-7) Peter said in I Peter 2:12, "Having your conversation honourable among the Gentiles: that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify GOD in the day of visitation." In II Peter 2:12 Peter speaks of those who "speak evil of the things they understand not" and says they shall utterly perish in their own corruption.