Does Ex-Catholic Expose TWISTED Teachings of the Catholic Church?

Anti-Catholic Mike Gendron went viral with an hour-long presentation arguing that Catholics aren't really Christians... but what many viewers don't realize is that many of his claims about Catholicism and Church history were pure falsehoods. Here's why he doesn't want you to read the Church Fathers for yourself.

00:00:00 Introduction
00:02:23 Claim #1: Indulgences
00:02:56 Response #1: Misattributed Quote
00:06:52 Claim #2: Two Christian Churches?
00:08:20 Response #2: Gnostic Apostates
00:15:06 Claim #3: Doctrines of Demons
00:15:27 Response #3: Gnostic Beliefs
00:20:06 Christianity Predates Heresy
00:21:48 Jerome's Purity Test
00:25:54 Claim #4: Church History Timeline
00:27:01 Response #4: Common Ground
00:28:14 Claim #5: Avoid the Church Fathers
00:29:09 Response #5: History Converts Evangelicals to Catholicism
00:31:27 Claim #6: Shared Common Truths
00:32:23 Response #6: Amen
00:33:18 Claim #7: Scripture Over Tradition
00:33:53 Response #7: Paul Preached Tradition
00:37:38 Claim #8: Traditions Oppose the Gospel
00:38:05 Response #8: Sola Scriptura is Tradition
00:42:41 Claim #9: Things Went Wrong with Baptism
00:43:12 Response #9: Protestant Scholars, Scripture, and the Church Fathers
00:51:50 Claim #10: The Mass Continues the Finished Work of Jesus
00:52:02 Response #10: The Mass is Our Passover Sacrifice
00:59:14 Claim #11: The Invention of Indulgences
00:59:27 Response #11: Indulgences are more Ancient
01:00:27 Claim 12: The Invention of Transubstantiation
01:00:45 Response #12: The Mass Does Not Predate the Eucharist
01:02:17 Claim #13: The First Pope
01:02:34 Response #13: The Bishop of Rome was Defined Earlier than the Trinity
01:05:11 Claim #14: Catholicism Changes its Doctrine
01:05:42 Response #14: Misrepresenting how Doctrines are Defined and Declared
01:07:40 Claim #15: The Invention of the Immaculate Conception
01:08:11 Response #15: Augustine on Mary
01:10:30 Claim #16: The Invention of Mary's Assumption
01:11:48 Response #16: Time Traveling Catholics

Timestamps by Crux Sacra Apologetics. Thank you!

[mikegendron]

There are 131 anathemas from the Council of Trent.

[kendrarotton]

Sadly I've met this man. It was last year about a week after I was confirmed. My parents are both Protestant and we're hoping Mike would “help me see through the Catholic lies”. Honestly, it was one of the worst two hours of my life. He made me want to puke. The lies he told were such nonsense. The environment of this lecture was the most bizarre thing I have ever encountered. It felt like I was in some kind of cult. I wanted to run out of there as fast as I could. To make this story even sadder, my father is still in contact with him and now both of them are trying to tear my engagement apart. I am engaged to a wonderful Catholic man and could not be happier. If anyone reads this could you please pray for us? It's been an excruciating time in my life.

[johnflorio]

I’ve listened to Mike Gendron extensively and I’ve come to one of two conclusions: Either Mike (1) slept through Mass or (2) he was never Catholic in the first place.

[brianh]

I can only believe that Mike Gendron is making considerable money off of his anti-catholic remarks (both books and speaking engagements) because he's been corrected by many Catholic apologist (which isn't hard to do), but he keeps stating the same thing over and over again. It's very disturbing... Pray for that man!

[thecatechumen]

His shameless twisting of church history needs to be called out. Thanks for this episode!

[jonatasmachado]

I was a Baptist for over 50 years. I read the Church Fathers on topics such as the Trinity, Church, Papacy, Eucharist, Canon, Mary, Communion of Saints or Relics and... I became a Catholic! There I stood, I could do no other.

[frankmcgowan]

Mike Gendron should start by reading a decent book on world history. The Church did not "hide scripture" from anyone.
Books were *_expensive_* because they took a lot of physical resources and a lot of processing before you could even start the labor of *copying the Bible* *_by hand._* The whole process would be measurable in "man years."

It was not _the Reformers_ who made the Bible available to the common (but still wealthy) man, *_it was Gutenberg_* _and whoever made his_ *_paper._*

[KyleWhittington]

I'm really enjoying the attention that Gendron is getting lately. This man has been getting away with this for far too long.

[bigfootapologetics]

A lot of Protestants have brought up Mike Gendron to me of late, dropping his video and leaving me to explain why he failed basic catechesis. Thanks for saving me a lot of work with your amazing apologetics!

[loyaltotruth]

Kudos to Mike Gendron that he viewed this podcast. It's clear that Gendron is presenting falsehoods that Heschmeyer easily refutes. God knows the hearts of men. Gendron, you are elderly and will meet your Maker soon. As an ex Catholic, you have received the Sacraments so your rejection of the Church is more egregious. Get your spiritual house in order before it's too late. You seem to have malicious self-interest in your discourses. Repent, pray, study and stop leading others astray. The most merciful God holds teachers to a higher standard.

[Forester-]

Nothing makes me disregard an anti-Catholic more than identifying themselves as an ex-Catholic. Plain falsehoods are sure to follow.

[arsenicrice]

Can confirm Gendron is correct on why Protestants join the Catholic Church. The Eucharist and the early Church fathers convinced me.

[Vigula]

Perhaps the most charitable thing we can say is that Mr Gendron seems to be clinically delusional and really has no idea of the state he is in. Pray for his soul,
God bless,
A

[Ellie]

I stumbled across Mike before I started my investigation into Catholicism. I found him very unsettling and dishonest, I couldn’t get through one video

[J-PLeigh]

Btw Your book "The Early Church Was Catholic" is outstanding, very helpful & informative, I encourage others to read it...especially Protestants

[snappyjo]

My cousin told me very confidently that Constantine started the Catholic Church in the 4th century. I said have you ever read St Ignatius of Antioch, he said wherever Christ is so is the Catholic Church. She ran out screaming at me. Ignatius said this in 107 AD. Protestantism is built on fear and why they don’t read the Church Fathers.

[st.gabrielthearchangelstl]

You're doing the Lord's work, Joe. It was an honor to be at Kenrick w/you for at least a year:)

[CruxSacraApologetics]

0:00 Introduction
2:23 Claim #1: Indulgences
2:56 Response #1: Misattributed Quote
6:52 Claim #2: Two Christian Churches?
8:20 Response #2: Gnostic Apostates
15:06 Claim #3: Doctrines of Demons
15:27 Response #3: Gnostic Beliefs
20:06 Christianity Predates Heresy
21:48 Jerome's Purity Test
25:54 Claim #4: Church History Timeline
27:01 Response #4: Common Ground
28:14 Claim #5: Avoid the Church Fathers
29:09 Response #5: History Converts Evangelicals to Catholicism
31:27 Claim #6: Shared Common Truths
32:23 Response #6: Amen
33:18 Claim #7: Scripture Over Tradition
33:53 Response #7: Paul Preached Tradition
37:38 Claim #8: Traditions Oppose the Gospel
38:05 Response #8: Sola Scriptura is Tradition
42:41 Claim #9: Things Went Wrong with Baptism
43:12 Response #9: Protestant Scholars, Scripture, and the Church Fathers
51:50 Claim #10: The Mass Continues the Finished Work of Jesus
52:02 Response #10: The Mass is Our Passover Sacrifice
59:14 Claim #11: The Invention of Indulgences
59:27 Response #11: Indulgences are more Ancient
1:00:27 Claim 12: The Invention of Transubstantiation
1:00:45 Response #12: The Mass Does Not Predate the Eucharist
1:02:17 Claim #13: The First Pope
1:02:34 Response #13: The Bishop of Rome was Defined Earlier than the Trinity
1:05:11 Claim #14: Catholicism Changes its Doctrine
1:05:42 Response #14: Misrepresenting how Doctrines are Defined and Declared
1:07:40 Claim #15: The Invention of the Immaculate Conception
1:08:11 Response #15: Augustine on Mary
1:10:30 Claim #16: The Invention of Mary's Assumption
1:11:48 Response #16: Time Traveling Catholics
1:16:16 Final Notes

[jcf_]

THANK YOU! Finally someone big had the patience to do a Mike Gendron response. Thank you!

[grosty]

I strongly dislike Mike. He comes off as strongly disingenuous or just REALLY incompetent. I remember when he claimed to quote the catechism but was really just quoting a quotation the catechism made to make an argument.