Why do other denominations not think that Catholics are Christians?

Question

That is like a poodle saying a schnauzer is not another dog.

Answer 1

A Catholic is a type of Christian.
A Christian is not necessarily a Catholic.

It's like "All squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares."

A Christian, simply put, is someone who believes that Jesus is the Christ or the Messiah.

Answer 2

First I must say that I am an agnostic/athiest and do not like the way many of the 'Christian' religions behave themselves.

My vote would go to the guy that said "my poodle rejects your schnauzer" except my brothers black lab will hump anything given the chance and thinks most people are dog

I believe the bases for the belief that Catholic are not Christian is the Catholics belief in confession and the need for Mary Mother of Jesus(god) as an intercededer on one behalf. There is also the issue of the Pope and the power that he has.

These people also do not believe that Mormons or Latter Day Saints are Christian.

Believing that one or another religion is not the 'true' religion is just one of may ways for those in power to justify their deeds of hatred (war, prejudice, etcetera).

Good luck in finding a 'real' thought-provoking and inspiring answer.

Answer 3

There are a few reasons why other denominations, many of which would be considered evangelical or fundamentalist, believe that Catholics are not Christians. The big reason has to do with authority. In the Catholic Church, the Church (the earthly institution) and its leader the Pope have the authority to create doctrine, laws, creeds, etc. These rules are binding to Catholics (and to all Christians in the Catholic view). There is a familair part of Scripture that most Catholics use to justify this view (Matthew 16:19). Catholics extrapolate the power Christ gave to the apostles to the current leaders of their church through something called Apostolic Succesion.

Now, the reason why some Christians find issue with this is that in their mind, the Catholics are merely following the rules of humans, not the divine. In many Protestant circles, the Bible is the only authority to go to in issues relating to rules and doctrine, since the whole of humanity is fallen and cannot be fully trusted to create totally Godly rules and doctrine. Baptist, like myself, go so far as to say that the Bible takes prescedent over all earthly creeds. Thus, in some people's minds, if the Catholic Church is following an authority other than the Bible than they are misguided and may not be considered to be true Christians.

It should be noted, however, that this works both ways. The Catholic Church has taken a similar stance in the idea that we Protestants are the ones who are misguided, breaking off from the true Church founded by Christ, and that the authority of the apostles from Christ is the true authority. Thus, there are Catholics who would say that since I am a Baptist and have not taken part in the sacraments of the Church, in their opinion, I am the one who is not a true Christian.

There are other reasons for anti-Catholic sentiment amongst some Protestant, evangelical, and fundamentalist groups, some of which deal with racism and classism, while others have more to do with ignorance about the Catholic Church and what it believes (Like that Catholics worship the Saints instead of Jesus).

Answer 4

One person rating another has it's limits and saying that Catholics are or are not Christians is assuming that all catholics are the same. A better approach, I think, would be to come to a point of accepting a catholic as a unique individual rather than someone from a certain religion.

Answer 5

Some people don't get the fact that all denominations came out of the Catholic church, that they were one of the first "churches." People like to isolate catholics because they have a different view of christianity, using the Virgin Mary and the Saints. I don't get it either, sometimes I like to point out different things about a denomination of chrisianity that are the same as a catholic mass. Some people don't like it.... but it all comes from the same place!!

Answer 6

The thing is that Catholicism has twisted some of the Bible and added their own ideas and even their own Books to it. A lot of Catholics also pray to Mary, which is not found in the Bible. Most cathoics do not believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life(John 14:6). Jesus did not say "pray to Mary." Contrary, he instructed believers that He is the only way to the Father. If you need forgiveness of sins, go to Jesus.

Answer 7

im not a catholic, but i am a christian. I believe that catholics are christians, they just interperet some things slightly differently, or have different traditions. Its like a poodle and a schnauzer. their both dogs, but they have slight differences.

Answer 8

Because it's true!
Do some research on your own about where Catholicism originated. Their ceremonies are ritualistic and their statues are paganistic in origin. They pray to Mary, instead of God in the name of Jesus!
There's so much, I can't even begin to share it all here!
It began in Rome, (hence, the Roman Catholic Church), as a way to counter the Christian revolution that was taking place back then. Rome wanted some of that action, (and money), so they craftily created their own version from their pagan religion, with just enough Christian overtones to trick the uneducated!
There's plenty of books on the subject "IF" you're truly interested... (and you should be for your own sake)!

Answer 9

Excuse me, but let me clear something up for those who are confused about the bible and the Catholic teachings. The bible is not changed by the Catholic religion but was left original by the Catholics. It is the different religions like the baptists, protestants, methodists, etc...that removed books that they thought didnt belong their. You need to get your facts clear before you make statements out of the air that you can't back up. Our mass is the Celebration of Jesus' Life, Death, & Resurrection and we do have our scripture readings before the Eucharistic celebration. Their are Two bible readings and one Gospel reading, from this the priest will give us the lesson to ponder for the week, like Jesus did when He preached on the hillsides. During the Eucharistic Celebration we are doing what the bible tells us to do, in fact it's what Jesus told us all to do at the last supper, word for word...He said, "Do this in Rememberance of Me". Jesus is no longer present in the form of the flesh but He is present to us in the form of the Holy Spirit when we receive Him we feel His presence in the form of Grace and peace, love, etc. We need Him to always be there for us to help us through our daily walk with Him. He truly blesses us in more ways than we can conceive. As for the saints, they were role models for us who set examples for us to live by. Don't you have pictures of your loved ones in your house and don't you talk to them once in awhile well I don't see any difference if it's someone you admire. Mary, needs no explaination, she is God's mother. She also was a good role model who led a good clean life. By the way Catholic means "universal" Peter was our first Pope, he followed Jesus and he wrote down Jesus' teachings in the bible. So don't go knocking a church that Jesus told the apostles to start....you could be judged one day.

Answer 10

I go to a southern Baptist church, but I know I go there for fellowship, and to worship the Lord with others, The church lives within us, since Jesus Christ died on the cross, our bodies have become the tabernacles that hold the Holy Spirit, hence when Jesus said, if they destroyed the tabernacle, Jesus could raise it in 3 days, Jesus rose in 3 days, In the Bible, It is stated, that when Jesus was sacrificed we would not be left without a comforter(hence, the Holy Spirit), so anyone that believes in Christ and that he died for a sacrifice to our sins, would in all essentiality be a christian.

Answer 11

No one has a right to say if you are a christian or not. Only God knows your heart and as long as anyone believes that Jesus is the way and have a personal relationship with Him, it doesn't matter what denomination you are.