why do people think catholics arn't christians?

Question

when people talk they are like "well christians or catholics" well arn't catholics christians too? it seems like people i know don't think so. catholics are people that believe in God and we are just catholic...just like someone who is another religion like baptist.....

it happend to me back in elementary school and in junior high...they said i couldn't be both.....makes no sense.

actually we believe in God,Jesus Christ,Mary and all the rest

Answer 1

Catholics are christians. Anyone who believes that Jesus Christ if God is a christian.

Answer 2

I am a Catholic Christian. There is a huge divide over this (see Ireland). In the south where I'm from originally, many people think Catholics are going to H***. Why? Becuase many people have misconceptions about Catholicism. There was already an answer with one such misconception.

First, Catholics do not worship anything or anyone but the triune Lord (Father, Son, Holy Spirit).

Second, Mary is revered (NOT worshipped) as a HUMAN who said yes to the Lord and lived a great life. She is not viewed as a diety at all. She is the #1 saint, though, and an awesome person worthy of reverence and a great example.

Third, people are confused by the statues. There is no idolotry going on. It's just a stuatue -- a reminder of the person who is the subject. It's idolotry if you think the statue IS God, needing to be worshipped. Catholics DO NOT think that -- the statues are a wonderful reminder of saints and Jesus.

Then, there's the eucharist. It is true, Ctholics believe the body and blood of the Lord becomes present in the Eucharist upon receiving it. That is a miracle and mystery we cannot explain, rather we just believe by faith. It doesn't change our blelieif in the Lord, rather it enhances the belief.

Next, it is the matter of the Bible. Catholics DO read the Bible and the Bible is the sacred text. Before the changes in Vactican II in the 60's, it was believed that the people couldn't handle the full Bible. Now, Catholics pray scripture directly and have powerful Bible study.

Of course confession is mizunderstood! People think we have to pray to a priest who gives our prayers to God. Untrue. The priest represents the community. When you confess your sins publicly, there is a great cleansing and healing that takes place. The priest is the public's representative, because all sins hurt the community in which you live to some extent. Catholics do (and should) pray directly to God almost always.

Finallly, I guess our short masses and casual church attire seems not enough. Well, it is just one way to fellowship -- some Protestant churches dress down and have scaled back the length of their services.


These, I believe, are the issues that mainly stand between Protestants and Catholis -- largley out of misinformation. The "reform" came about when people did not believe in the eucharist and some of the tenants of the Church. The split still has left a wound with many Protestants. In the end, we still all believe in Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. Can't we all just get along?

(spell check is down -- sorry for the typos)

Answer 3

Catholics have a long and strange history. Were it not for the Protestant Revolution (Luther, Calvin, et al.), Catholicism might still be the only game in town... Competing with the Church of England...

I think the reason many people don't consider Catholicism as Christianity stems from the fact that neither do most Catholics.
Most Catholics I know marry other Catholics, or won't acknowledge the religion of an aquaintence that isn't Catholic. And forget about letting one of your Catholic kids marry a non Catholic... (gasp!)

Catholics, for the most part, have a sense of entitlement. Which, by the way, is ironic, because entitlements started the aforementioned Revolution.

Catholics also believe in things that are not in the Bible.
Like Hail Mary's, confession, and the big one - Purgatory. I've never read a Hail Mary in the Bible. Someone made that up. I've never read that my sins must be confessed in a small box through a window. And last but not least, nowhere in the Bible is Purgatory mentioned.

Different religions have their own customs and sacraments. Some religions don't allow for dancing, some give up meat on certain days, some believe you go to heaven when you die while others believe you go to some magical mystical place to wait out your pennance, completely negating the need for a place called hell. I mean, if everyone goes to purgatory, and eventually gets into heaven, who goes to hell?

Bottom line is, which one is right?
None of them.
All of them.
It's a case of what you believe, what you have faith in, and what you choose to follow.

However, there are definite, identifiable differences between typical Christianity and Catholicism.

Answer 4

Catholis have not always been Christian until a few years ago.: You know what changed this?

The Catholic Church has been accused of depending on works to get to heaven, however, scores of headlines several months ago where Pope John Paul II said the only way is through Jesus and His precious shed Blood, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Now, to do away with all suspicion about the Catholic Church Believing in works, the Pope signed an agreement with the Lutheran federation of the world admitting that Luther was Right.

It is justification by faith alone. Romans 1:17. Not by works. But then the Pope added, I want to just say I don't believe we are saved by works, but I believe that when we are saved, the works will manifest. That is what we teach. We are saved by grace in Ephesians 2:8. We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do the good works. Faith without works is dead James 2:20.

Answer 5

Why do people think LDS are not Christian? Because everyone's religion is better than yours.

I am a Baptist and worked for an all Baptist Organization. My family were all Catholic. When my grandmother passed away, my boss asked me, "Was she saved or was she still a Catholic?"

This was a man who was suppose to be a Christian...

I don't like people who ignorantly judge anothers religion without finding out the facts first.

Answer 6

Some Protestants/evangelicals feel that Catholics are caught up in a "works-based" way of living, prioritizing what they do over what God has done. This is seen on a larger scale in many major religions, though-- a large mass of people following without really "believing". People who think Catholics aren't Christians have different criteria for the term Christian-- usually "born-again Christian".

Answer 7

While Catholics ARE Christians, they refer to themselves as Catholics, NOT Christians.

Protestant Christians usually, state they are Christians first, and their church affiliation seems to be secondary.

I'm sure there are exceptions to what I am saying however, that has been my observation.

There are differences between Catholic Christians and Protestant Christians however there are so many different sects of Protestantism that some of the differences are major and some are subtle.

Most Protestants believe in Salvation by FAITH alone.
Catholics believe in Salvation by Faith & WORKS.

Protestantism began when Martin Luther, a catholic priest, challenged some of the teachings of the church, his "protest" is the root of the word Protest(ant). He is the founder of the Luther(an) faith.

If you ever attend a Lutheran Service, you will see similarities between the Lutheran Service and the Catholic Service.

Hope this helps.

Answer 8

wha? Catholics aren't Christians? Guess Sean Hannity better knock it off with that Christian disguise....
just kidding babe. I live in the south, so trust me, I know all about "Them Catholics aint really Christian." some people think their denom is the only way to heaven. I actually have heard that at funerals, if she didn't get Baptised here, she wasn't really saved that kind of thing.
all I can say is, I think catholics are Christians too, and a lot of prots agree with me.
but please give prots some space on this. for a long time, Catholics said Protestants weren't real Christians. so I guess it's just a back-and-forth thing.

Answer 9

Catholics are christians. A christian is one who follows Christ's teachings. However catholics do weird things like pray to saints, to Mary, and use prayer beads. Jesus never did that and would tell you to pray to the Father. Catholics are also caught up in a bunch of rituals the stuff that Jesus spoke out to the pharisees and saducess about. I think when catholics get to heaven he's going to ask them what's with that prayer bead stuff.

Answer 10

Catholics pray to more people than they do to God or Christ. They give more reverence to Mary for having baby Jesus than to Jesus himself. Catholics symbol is Jesus hanging on a cross. A symbol of death and sacrifice. Christians symbol is a cross... a symbol of LIFE, peace, love, hope... A symbol remembering the ressurrection. Jesus said that in order to get to the father we must go through him... The Bible also says that everyone is accountable for thier own sins... Catholics belive that even after you die someone can pray for you and you are forgiven... also... the only person that you can repent to is the Lord.. not some guy in a box... Also, nowhere in the Bible does it say.. if you lie or do something you shouldn't say 10 hail mary's...

Catholics are full of it...

Answer 11

Catholics are Christians. THe divergence come from people thinking only protestants are Christians. It dates back to Martin Luther's time.

Just remember only Catholics have St. Peter (the Rock) the only one Jesus said he would found his church on.