Psychological projection was conceptualized by Sigmund Freud in the 1890s as a defense mechanism in which a person unconsciously rejects his or her own unacceptable attributes by ascribing them to objects or persons in the outside world. For example, a person who is rude may accuse other people of being rude.
(Sigmund Freud, Case Histories II (PFL 9) p. 132 - qtd. on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_projection )
Have you ever noticed how some (if not most) Protestant apologists will try to point out divisions within the Catholic Church? They are attempting to show we're not "one" - even though fundamentally we are. What is really going on here is a psychological defense mechanism Freud called "projection." One of the more serious of the flawed characteristics of Protestantism is the fact that they are not "one" as Jesus declares is His desire for us (John 17:21-22). Rather than face this glaring fault, they "project" this toward Catholicism and attempt to point out every little disagreement they can find - as if to say, "see, they are no better than we are!" It is as if to justify them being separated from the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church which Jesus Christ Himself built. Like Luther, et al, they would rather be separated from that One instead of being within it and working to solve perceived problems.True "reform" happens from the inside, not the outside. There is no reformation among Protestantism, for they formed new churches and rejected THE Church they left behind. The true history of any church of Protestantism is no more than 500 years old! The history of the Church they abandoned is nearly 2000 years old! Rather than build bridges back to their heritage, they continue to put up walls to reinforce their separation instead of seeking to be One - as Jesus Christ desires (John 17:21-22).
Rather than seek union, many Protestant apologists attempt to justify their separation by pointing out divisions among Catholics. Think of the logic going on here, or lack thereof. If there are divisions in Catholicism (which I am not denying there are) then these are scars within the Church which need to be healed. It is not a valid argument to use comparisons of said divisions to justify being wholly separated from the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. A stark difference in this comparison is that those divisions "within the Catholic Church" are still WITHIN the Catholic Church and not schismatic separations which are contrary to the will of God. This "projection" of separation as a justification of their own separation must be truly disappointing to Jesus.
Perhaps next time you see the Protestant apologist preaching a "blueprint for anarchy" or the like, you will be reminded how opposed to God's Will these arguments are and how disappointed God is in them.
