I have always thought that any religion that believe that Christ is our only savior was considered Christian. Regardless of the denomination. However I have a friend that is Catholic and he refuses to identify himself as a Christian. What do you think? Do you consider yourself a Christian or a totally different religion all together?
I'd love to hear what Catholics think but all thoughtful answers are welcome.
2006-08-23 05:17:58 · 26 answers · asked by Native 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Catholics hold allegience to Catholicism, not to God. Get in a discussion with one, and you'll see. They vehemently defend Catholic beliefs, but know little (if anything) about the nature of God, or the reason Jesus died. The 3 "thumbs down" attached to my answer proves it. Those were all Catholics defending Catholicism.
Catholics are taught that they are the only ones going to heaven. When I was a Catholic, I had no idea what a Christian was. I had no idea how to get to heaven. I thought I was going to heaven simply because I was a Catholic. I truly felt sorry for anyone who was not a Catholic. I was a very devout Catholic and believed everything they taught us in Catholic school.
We were allowed to read the Bible for ourselves in the mid-sixties. We were given a copy of the New Testament in Catholic school. I was so scared to read it because I was fully convinced that I would never understand it.
I did not pick up a Bible again until I was in the middle of a bad marriage. I had gone to a priest for counselling. My husband was committing adultery, and the priest was more concerned that my husband didn't want children than he was about the adultery. Feeling completely betrayed by my husband and my church, I eventually ended up in a Christian Bible Study Group. Still Catholic to the core, I bought a Catholic Bible to use read. One day, the Lord led me to several Scriptures that showed me the error of Catholic beliefs - right there in that CATHOLIC Bible!
Now, I truly understand how to get to heaven. I am truly a Christian. I read my Bible daily, and look to God for daily guidance.
Contrary to popular belief, Paul was not the first pope, nor was he EVER a Catholic. After reading the Bible for myself, it's plain to see that the Catholic doctrine wanted to attach itself to powerful men of God to exploit their false teachings. Neither Peter nor Paul EVER called themselves "pope" or "Catholic". They did, however, go about teaching salvation only through accepting the shed blood of Jesus as our ONLY means to approach the Father.
2006-08-23 05:22:41 · answer #1 · answered by tangerine19 2 · 1⤊ 5⤋
Many fundamentalist Christians don't believe Catholics are Christians, because they pray to Mary, look to the Pope to lead the church and speak for God, etc. I think fundamentalists have a lot of misconceptions about Catholicism. I had to convince many of my friends that Catholics are Christians. Catholics do indeed accept Jesus as their Savior and that he died for their sins, so CATHOLICS ARE CHRISTIAN!
Most Catholics, I believe, consider themselves Christians though, and don't understand why other Christians don't accept them. So I am surprised that your friend does not. Did he say why he is not a Christian? The Catholic religion itself claims to be Christian, and in fact believe that it is the True church, being older than most other Christian denominations and having a long history of traditions.
Yes, Catholics pray to saints, but something I read once said that this is no different than asking your friends to pray for you. They pray to the saints because the saints have a close relationship with God. A good book to read is Catholic and Christian: An Explanation of Commonly Misunderstood Catholic Beliefs, by Alan Schreck
2006-08-23 05:25:42 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
I am a Christian and Catholic.
Some Catholics don't identify with the term Christian because other denominations have made that a much more controversial term and many non-Catholic Christians do not consider us as Christian. As a result, some people choose to identify themselves as only Catholic. It also reflects that we Catholics are not in communion with all other Christian faiths.
2006-08-23 05:20:59 · answer #3 · answered by kingstubborn 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Catholics are indeed Christians.
Almost all important doctrine is completely agreed upon between Catholic Christians and other Christians.
Here is the joint declaration of justification by Catholics (1999), Lutherans (1999), and Methodists (2006):
By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping us and calling us to good works.
There are some minor doctrine issues and some major cultural traditional differences which, I believe, do not matter that much.
A Catholic worships and follows Christ in the tradition of Catholicism which, among other things, recognizes that Christ made Peter the leader of His new Church and Pope Benedict XVI is Peter's direct successor.
Unfortunately some people in all religions, like your Catholic friend, are not very educated.
With love in Christ.
2006-08-23 17:09:35 · answer #4 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
That's interesting. I was raised Catholic but now I consider myself more of just a basic christian, not born-again or anything like that. I believe in God. I don't agree with everything that Catholics believe, but those that do seem to believe that they are more Catholic than Christian.
2006-08-23 05:26:10 · answer #5 · answered by dmc81076 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I am a Catholic and I consider myself a Christian. The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus is God, savior, and one and only mediator between God and man. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the light.
Not all Christians are Catholics.
I do not know why your friend does not consider himself a Christian.
Contact me if you want to discuss this any further.
2006-08-23 05:23:31 · answer #6 · answered by Sldgman 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Actually Catholics are the first Christians. Started by the Apostle Peter. All the other Christian religions broke away as time went on.
In fact the mass is all about the last supper of Jesus Christ.
I think your friend refuses the identify himself as a Protestant Christian.
2006-08-23 05:25:58 · answer #7 · answered by Digital Angst 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I married a Catholic man, and until about 20 years ago the Church itself was telling its parisheners that they were not Christan.
Now a days, many will say they are.
The divide between Christians and Catholics is not over one little point in the bible. There are many.
For instance, in the bible, Jesus states point blank that you must be born again of the holy spirit once you have accepted the free gift of salvation, this occurs.
Catholics do not believe in being born again. They believe that you baptize an infant into the kingdom of God and they now belong to God. They forget that we all belong to God, and we all need to accept this and believe it in our heart. An infant cannot make this decision.
Catholics believe that new prophets and messages are received and therefore the bible is updated and thats where the doctrines of the Pope take presedence over the bible. (MY mother in law will tell you this to your face. She believes it wholeheartedly, and looks to the pope for all things because the bible doesnt have everything you need to be saved in it)
Catholics believe that Jesus will answer their prayers only if they ask his mother (mary) to ask for them. Some how they believe that we arent good enough or important enough to Jesus, but his Mother will believe we are and ask for us.
Catholics believe that if they make or buy a statue of any given Catholic saint, that this saint will hear their prayer or request and grant it. For example burying a statue of a certain saint in your back yard to sell your home, or hanging a statue of a certain saint in your car for driving safety.
Christians believe in the bible and the bible alone, we understand we are to go directly to the father (God) through the son (Jesus). No other person or saint or statue or mother needed or allowed.
There is so much more and most Catholics have never read their own bibles. My mother in law owns one, but it collects dust on a shelf. She does, however, read with earnest and believes anything with Catholic written on it as in the misselettes that she is handed at Church.
She believes she can lose her salvation if she does not follow the pope and his teachings, if she does not pray at church her alloted and time scheduled times given to her by the church.
She curses God for not making her life what she wants it to be.
She never asks what she must learn from her trials. She sees them as punishments for not obeying the pope or her local church.
2006-08-23 05:34:43 · answer #8 · answered by cindy 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
confident, i'm a practising Catholic. I do experience undesirable whilst, at Christmas and Easter, all those "two times a 300 and sixty 5 days" Catholics come out - yet then I comprehend that it must be worse. it ought to very nicely be achieveable they do no longer come out in any respect. this is trouble-free for somebody, who attends Church a week, to bypass to Mass on Christmas, Easter, and Holy Days of criminal accountability. I often ask your self in basic terms how lots harder it somewhat is for individuals, who do no longer attend Mass often, to get out and bypass to Mass some time consistent with 3 hundred and sixty 5 days. we will not think of it, because of the fact all of us comprehend what we would be lacking. i do no longer think of those "two times a 300 and sixty 5 days" varieties can totally get excitement from what it somewhat is they're lacking. in the event that they did, they had be at Mass greater desirable than two times a 300 and sixty 5 days. i'm proud to be Catholic, so this is each and all of the greater disappointing when I see people taking an "oh hum: thoughts-set in direction of their vocation as lay Catholics. All we can somewhat do approximately it somewhat is pray, and desire that they occasion we set will, sometime, inspire them to start up residing the Catholic existence-type all 3 hundred and sixty 5 days around.
2016-10-02 10:59:04 · answer #9 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am absolutely, positively, without a doubt, a CHRISTIAN!!! It really, really bothers me that other Christians don't consider me a Christian. Your idea of what a Christian is, is exactly right, which is why it bothers me so much when other Christians don't think I am a Christian. Perhaps your friend is annoyed with the Fundamentalists Christians claiming he's not a Christian and wants to separate himself from them as much as he can. I don't blame him for that. But, CATHOLICS ARE CHRISTIANS!! In fact, we were the first.
2006-08-23 05:26:55 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Catholics are Christians. Catholics are the original Christians in fact. I'm Catholic and proud of it. I don't know what your friend is talking about.
2006-08-23 05:21:26 · answer #11 · answered by Swordsman 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋