Why are there only "christians" out here, not.....?

Question

....specific religions?

It just struck me as odd that you rarely see a reference to a specific christian religion out here. The non-christians define themselves as X. But the christians mostly seem to call themselves just christians, not Lutheran, Methodist, Protestant, Greek Orthodox, Episcopalian, Baptist, etc.

A rare exception is an occasional catholic reference.

This just made me go hmmm, because I know there are so many different religions, and I'm sure they all have their own set of rules and beliefs. It seems unlikely that they're all so similar that someone would call themselves a christian rather than saying they're lutheran or whatever.

As a former catholic, I was raised to believe that was the one true religion, and you were damned proud to be one. If asked your religion, you wouldn't say christian, you would say catholic.

Ok, additional explanation time! First, it does seem like it IS at least partially a catholic thing. Maybe it was just my little church, but the "catholics rule!" thing was what I was taught. I do NOT believe that any longer. My last statement was merely an explanation of WHY this thing struck me.

I'm not suggesting that everyone SHOULD list their specific religion, nor do I feel a need to label everyone in this respect.

I just found it curious, is all!

It looks like I've got some good answers already; I'm surprised this was so misinterpreted in some cases! I'm just a theological ignoramus wonderin' why....

One more thing - I KNOW that protestants, lutherans, etc. are all christian religions. That wasn't the question.

And I wouldn't have said I'm Catholic, not christian. It's like this - if c:\christian\catholic is true, then catholics (my branch anyway) probably re-map that drive so that it reads k:\catholic. The christian is implied.

Answer 1

That's a good point. For me, I tend to be listened to more if I simply say I'm Christian. Since I'm actually Mormon (LDS) a lot of Christian religions actually say that I'm not Christian. That would impede any effort I may make at open and honest communication.
Another reason I don't worry about defining my specific religion is that it can take up time without getting me closer to answering most of the questions that I'm answering. When we're talking about Jesus or the Bible, I see my religion as less important than giving an answer to the question.
Sometimes the time and effort it takes to explain my religion can make it not worth the effort to pose answers to questions.

Answer 2

Lutheran, Methodist, Protestant, Greek Orthodox, Episcopalian, Baptist, etc. are all denominations of the Christian religion. They are still Christians regardless.

Answer 3

Quite right, almost.

Most low church Christians, meaning most protestants, are oft times very vague and fuzzy on many doctrinal teachings and so they all kind of blend together. Also, these protestants usually believe in the "invisible church" which is comprised of all people who truly "believe in Jesus", whatever their particular denomination might be.

The high church Christians,meaning Orthodox, Roman Catholics, and most Anglicans are much more willing to call their particular denomination "thee" Church, or at least see themselves as the denomination believing closest to how the true Church should. There are even some (usually Orthodox, myself included) who see their Church as the only Church and believe that there is no such thing as "Christian" outside of the Church, hence seeing themselves as the only Christians truly able to be called such.

Answer 4

Well you don't hear specific 'christian religions' because they aren't religions, they are denominations. They are Christian first and foremost, then they worship Christ and his words in their fashion as determined by their denomination.

It's like a file system:
C:/Faith/Christian/Catholic or
C:/Faith/Christian/Lutheran

Whereas Judaism would be more like
C:/Faith/Judaism

As a Catholic, you more than likely raised to believe that being Christian is the one true faith, not Catholicism. Catholicism would be the one true way to follow that path.

And other religions do this also. Look at Muslims. There are Shi'ite Muslims, Sunni Muslims and so on but they all consider themselves part of Islam. Just like there are Orthodox Jews, Refomist, Atheist (which I don't get) Jews, but they are all Jewish.

Answer 5

There are sects of every religion. Sometimes they are so different that battles rage between sects of the same religion, such as the Shiite and Sunii Muslims, and Catholic and Protestant Ireland. The difference between many so called "Hindu" sects is far greater than the difference between the three Abrahamic religions, but people still group them together. In the US, people tend to focus on Christianity because it's the most predominate.

Answer 6

I know what you mean - I actually didn't know Catholicism was part of Christianity until I was in jr. high. I would never have said I was a Christian. Actually, I never heard the word Christianity associated with our religion at all.

The more I think about it, the more I realize I thought Catholicism was separate and all those "Christian" religions were just half-assed and poorly organized with country-bumpkin ideas. Funny the way a church will teach you those things. A good question to make you think about your own "denomination".

Answer 7

If I am in a group of Christians I say I am a Catholic.

If I am in a larger group, I say I am a Catholic Christian, just because some may not know that Catholics are Christians.

Peace!

Although I used to be a Disciple of Christ. Protestant.

Answer 8

Your last paragraph is WHY I don't name a specific religion! Do you really think there is ONE TRUE RELIGION? Personally, I hate that "damned proud to be one" mentality, because you're just saying that what YOU believe, and how YOU worship is better, and God LOVES you more, which is absurd.

I love the fact that alot of people here don't identify a specific religion. Labels are just another way of keeping people apart. In THIS corner, the Lutherans! And in THIS corner, the Meethodiiists. What does that have to do with loving God and knowing God loves us?

Answer 9

I go to a presbyterian church, but I know thats not the "one, true religion" because they worship the sabbath on the wrong day, which is fine, because you can worship everyday, as long as you hold the real sabbath for yourself, which is Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. The denominations that worship on the correct day are usually followers of that whacko that kept giving false end time dates, so not going that route. So basically, I guess I'm partially presbyterian with messanic Judaism bits and pieces, so its just easier to call myself christian, since I don't really belong to any specific denomination.

Answer 10

It's all Christianity. All of it. Protestant, Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic: all Christians. Of course, you all interpret the same thing differently.

When you say "I'm not Christian, I'm Catholic," you just sound silly.