Seven Lies about Catholic History: Infamous Myths about the Church's Past and How to Answer Them

By: Diane Moczar

Narrated by: Kevin F. Spalding

Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

The world hates the Church that Jesus founded, just as He said it would (John 15:18). It reviles her doctrines, mocks her moral teachings and invents lies about her history. In every age, but especially in our modern day, historians and political powers have distorted the facts about her past (or just made up novel falsehoods from scratch) to make the Church, and the civilization it fostered, seem corrupt, backward, or simply evil.

In Seven Lies about Catholic History, Diane Moczar (Islam at the Gates) tackles the most infamous and prevalent historical myths about the Church - popular legends that you encounter everywhere from textbooks to TV - and reveals the real truth about them.

She explains how they got started and why they're still around, and best of all, she gives you the facts and the arguments you need to set the record straight about:
• The Inquisition: How it was not a bloodthirsty institution but a merciful (and necessary) one
• Galileo's "Trial": Why moderns invented a myth around it to make science appear incompatible with the Catholic faith (it's not)
• The Reformation: Why the 16th-century Church was not totally corrupt (as even some Catholics wrongly believe) and how the reformers made things worse for everybody
• and other lies that the world uses to attack and discredit the Faith.

This book provides the lessons that every Catholic needs in order to defend and explain - not just apologize for - the Church's rich and complex history.

©2010 Diane Moczar (P)2015 TAN Books

excellent read

Excellent read for the serious student. The author deftly demolishes the ohhhh so tiring myths concerning several topics such as the myths of the Inquisition, the myths of the Crusades, the myths of the persecution of Galileo, the myth of church vs science, and the myth of church versus women.

Certainly a book that will be hated by the political left whose entire stance against the Catholic Church relies on the propagation of baseless myths.

Great variation!

Great work specially all the resources at the end of the appendix. Perfect narration
thank you Kevin

brilliant!

this book is a must read for every Catholic. It changes your view on not just Catholic history, but also history in general. I wish this material would be taught in schools. Even the views of non Catholics can be changed.

A truly enlightening review of Catholic historical myths

Very informative and readable. The factual basis was impressive. The author gives a balanced perspective and sticks with facts while avoiding mere opinions in dealing with history.

Bashes Opposes Parties without Ample Evidence

Those who actually want to understand the issues proposed in this work need to take Moczar's approach with a giant grain of salt. I think the core of her problem is presenting all of these discrepancies as LIES, essentially calling every group throughout history who does not believe her point of view as LIARS.

This felt like it was written by a Catholic high school debate team or political speech, not a historian! There is some last minute redemption in the Afterward where she lists her primary sources and explains in two or three sentences why each one was helpful & what it brings to the conversation, but this fact based approach is mostly lost throughout the meat of the work because she doesn't cite her sources properly.

Making sweeping generalizations about scientists, for example, instead of recognizing the ways in which Catholic or other Christian religious scientists are using their faith to inspire their work, is completely unproductive. She blows over feminist concerns with the church by saying that because there have been some helpful women in Catholic history, that desire to have women more involved in contemporary church leadership is stupid. Moczar descends to name-calling, accusing non-believers as "heretics, ignorant, base, immoral, idiotic, atheists, liars, sadistic, cruel," etc.

This work was really disappointing and off-putting to myself, as a Catholic, because I wanted to hear an informed historical background on common misconceptions.... and this is not worthy.

Great insight into Historical truth

It was very engaging and reliable. It gives extensive analysis on the myths about the Catholic church, which are perpetrated by many people who are ignorant as to the true nature of Catholic history.

Excellently written

I'm have to apologize for not reading this sooner. I had known of them book for some time, but for some reason only read it recently. This is a well-researched work, and equally as well written. Easy to listen to, and fascinating.

Not Sufficiently Professional

I felt the book took things way too personally and came off as unprofessional. This comes from a Catholic who 100% agrees with the content of the book. I just disagree with the way it's presented. Books of this sort should stay more neutral while still conveying the message in a strong and passionate way.

Ponderous

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

I found this heavy and slow and I was unable to concentrate enough to absorb what was being said. 'Im sure the information is good for me, just unpalatable, like many things that are good. I couldn't take it in.

Would you ever listen to anything by Diane Moczar again?

no

How did the narrator detract from the book?

dry sounding and not engaging

every catholic should listen

this is a book that every Catholic in this day and age should listen to if not just for the sake of feeling better about your religion but also for the sake of dispelling the myths that are still too prevalent in today's age

Unprofessional

It does not feel as a book written by a professional historian. The personal opinions expressed through name calling are present on "every page". Some of the author's opinions I find very disturbing (remembering that it is the 21st century's work). F. ex. the claim that the inquisition rarely turned to torture, and only in order to obtain information otherwise unobtainable.