why other Christians think Catholics do not know God?

Question

I am a Catholic, I read the bible, I experienced the Holy Spirit, I love Jesus Christ, I received the gift of tongues when I was 16, I have a good spiritual life, I have seen people who miraculously healed by God and they are Catholics.

I view Mary and the saints as my inspirations... they deserve to be respected.

but why if I meet my fellow christians they always think that I don't know God because I am a Catholic?

I did not lie!!! See - now this happens again.

i received the gift when i was 15 actually

Answer 1

Be proud of what you believe. It is a great gift that God has allowed you the freedom to choose. The Catholic Church was the original church. The Catholic faith, at its core, has their belief in Jesus, just like the rest of the Christians. All Christians believe in Jesus, ( they are supposed to anyway), but it is done in different ways. This is why there are more than one denomination that exists today. Four people eat at a cafe. Each one does so in a different form or fashion. At the core, they are all are putting nourishment's into their body, but each person does it a little different. Who is wrong? People judge because they do not understand. What others might think is not important, what God thinks is. Stay true to your beliefs.

Answer 2

First, congratulations on the life and bredth of your faith.

Second, I'm a Protestant who went to a Catholic school ("almost" converted), so believe me when I say I have no animas toward Catholics. I realize if I was born before 1500 (Martin Luther), I would be a Catholic today.

But some Catholics have no direct knowledge of the Bible, and their "faith" has become a mere custom and tradition passed down through the family. Look at Ted Kennedy, Mario Cuomo, John Kerry: Catholics all, but promoting views and saying things that are in direct conflict with the scripture revelation of God and His Son.

Also, Catholics (shockingly, for this "should" be their "home field") are startling weak on doctrine. Within the last year I sold off my Dad's estate. We had a Catholic friend across the street recommend a convent to help take away some furniture. I spent a half hour talking to the nun who came over about two subjects. The first "dispensationalism", she had no idea what it was! And she's a nun! (Imagine my shock when I innocently asked, "What's the Catholic position on Dispensationalism?") Then she ran off the page and started talking about her relationship with God, and ALWAYS used the female pronoun "she". This nun said it is good to think of God as being in OUR image! What?! God, The Father, is a girl? In OUR??? image???

There are many Catholics out there who are weak on everything in the Apostle's Creed.

Blessed are you that you are not one of these.

Lastly, its clear that the very blessed Pope John Paul was a bit "mystified" by many people in his church. Go and find your blessing and feeding where you can - I'm sure The Lord, and Pope John Paul (the best arbiter of Catholicism in the 20th Century) will understand.

Answer 3

As a Protestant, I can tell you that a lot of Protestants don't really know very much about Catholicism. I went to a Protestant high school and all they taught us about the Catholic Church was pre-Reformation. What knowledge most Protestants have about Catholicism is probably mostly based on history classes where we learn about all that Catholicism did in Medieval times and all the problems like the Avignon popes, if I remember that right, combined with what we see in the news, namely the molestation scandals.

You said you view Mary and the saints as inspirations, and I believe that came about as a result of Vatican II? Anyway, Catholics have an image as Mary-worshippers and saint-worshippers among Protestants, and I think that also has a lot to do with it.

Answer 4

Because a lot of people are very judgmental. They don't understand what the Bible means by judging and they confuse judgmentalism with condemnation. That's really up to God.

Although I'm not Catholic, I believe that you and I will meet some day in heaven and I'm pleased to see that you have a relationship with Him.

I think that the reason so many Protestants disagree with Catholicism is because of the big differences in doctrine. For instance, different version of the Bible, and having to go through priests for prayer (at least in traditional Catholic churches). But it sounds like that inspiration doesn't get in your way of your relationship with God.

Answer 5

Were all Christians (follower of Christ) Diana. I know many Catholics who dont "worship" the statues and read the bible and stuff. If you meet fellow Christians and they think that then be the example for you religion! Show what its done for you and be the leader.

Of course the "saints" deserve to be respected but the Bible says to "pray FOR the saints" not "TO the saints". But esp in the Southern countries like Mexico the Virgin of Guadalupe is HUGE over there. They have shrines dedicated to her. In south Texas we use to visit "La virgen de San Juan de los lagos" It does not even have a cross!! It has ornated, golden, larger than life statues of her, but I dont recall seeing Jesus. To answer you question, I feel like that because a few Cat. have had the wrong ideas about it.

Answer 6

I'm a born again Spirit filled Christian and you sound like a born again Spirit filled Christian to me. I believe Christians are in the Catholic church. I never attended a Catholic church. I have Christian friends that have left the Catholic church because of the images and praying to Mother Mary or Saints.

I believe, as Christians, we are to pray to our Heavenly Father, in Jesus name. I know the Saints that have gone to Heaven before are interceding. But Jesus is the middle man. A High Priest forever. Forever making intercession for us.. As Christians on earth we also are to pray for one another & be Holy because God is Holy. Holy = Saint.

God said to not make images and bow to and serve them. Some Catholic churches get caught up in this. I believe this is the root of the pediphile problem in it. I do not believe any sexually abusive priest is a Christian. If they would trust & obey Jesus and read His Word & the 10 commandments, they would know the serious conscequences to those who offend the children of God. These priests are really hypocrites. They can't practice this iniquity and say they know Jesus.

A test on idolatry. If one has a Mary image & they sense a spirit around it and pray to it, it is an idol.

God never gives His Glory to images. Nor will any of God's Kingdom.

Thank God for Mary and the Saints in Heaven and all those in God's Kingdom. Give thanks in all things, for this pleases God.. But We are to go straight to the Father or Jesus the Son first. Jesus is the one who died on the cross for our sins. That is why He is our High Priest. He was without sin so death could not keep Him in the grave.

Also the Catholic Cannon has some apocraphal writings in it, that should be removed, because Jesus Christ hates other doctrines. Also the doctrine that Mary was of an emaculate conception. There is no prophecy of this in the bible. It is adding to God's Word. If a book is adding or taking away from God's Word, it needs to be tossed. Read what Jesus thinks about other doctrines in Revelations to the 7 churches.

It doesn't matter what other people think. What matters is what God thinks. If you prayed about it, & you know in your knower what God has revealed to you, that is what matters.

I have seen/ heard people testify of healing. I have praised God in Holy language myself & in the process have been delivered from much confusion. I believe you are being Honest.

Pray in the Spirit every morning. Read His Word. Ask Him for direction through the day. He will never leave you or forsake you. Today there are so many things coming against God's Word, that a Christian has to know what is in it and that is true. I purchased an apocraphal once. I skimmed through it and it belittles women too much. Jesus told me to toss it. I couldn't even bring it back to the store for a refund.

Answer 7

If your bible is the same king James version, than maybe it's because there are practices that catholics do that bother them such as confessing to a priest, Jesus said nobody comith onto my father but Thur me, so confessing to a priest in their minds is not something you do, preying to saints and the mother Mary, when you prey you must prey to god followed by "in Jesus name" amen, in the bible it says prey to no others nor idols for I am a jealous god and do not have others before me, I believe what the bible teaches and do not say I am with this group or that group, I have my faith and its me, my bible, and god. if you are truly practicing the same stuff out of the same bible you will see what I am passing on too you, I don't agree with the Cristian snake handlers I am not going to "pick up serpents" cause god gave me enough brains to know that it will bite me, the bible is talking about "people serpents" that if your living as the bible says and hold the commandments then no serpents (people), can challenge your faith.

Answer 8

I am glad to hear you love our savior to be a Christian is to be like Christ so many people claim to be christian and are still living there life's in sin and these people give true Christians a bad name if you have asked Jesus Christ to lead your life and you believe he died for your sins and he rose again on the 3rd day
and you are living your life for him you are a christian it doesn't matter what denomination you are just as much christian as a Baptist or a Pentecost i am a child of God saved by my Lord and Savior and i will meet you some day in heaven.

Maybe you should have a bible study with your friends maybe they are the ones who don't know God don't preach but teach.

Answer 9

I am a
Christian, who was raised a Catholic. I received all the Sacraments of the church. I no longer consider myself a Catholic. In the church I attend now we do not pray to Saints,
we have pastors instead of priests or monsigniors. We still receive the communion as a sign of the body of Christ, and unity.
My church knows that I was a catholic, and they accept me as well as Jews, or any other faith, as long as they are Christian NOW. I tried other Christian religions as an adult, and with this Charimatic Church I feel welcomed as never before.
I think of all Christians as 'the family of Christ'.
I am sorry that you are feeling that other Christians are judging you this way. We all believe in Christ, as our savioI bless you, and I am proud to call you my fellow Christian. God bless.

Answer 10

Unfortunately, Catholics have a bad reputation of going through a series of rituals without the reality of what the meaning of it is. You ask any Catholic why do they take communion, and they'll almost always say because they've been doing it since they were kids, or something to that effect.

You maybe in the minority of Catholics that do care. But just like any bad reputation, you must fight to prove yourself different.