We believe in Christ as the Son of God, Born of a virgin, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, was crucified and rose again. We are to strive to live our lives accordingly.
2006-09-04 19:23:09 · 28 answers · asked by Debra M. Wishing Peace To All 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Added info for those unaware: I am Catholic.
2006-09-04 19:27:25 · update #1
of course Catholics are christians. they beleive in god.
in fact Catholisisum was the firs of the christian religions.
we just dont go around comdemming people for being different.
2006-09-04 19:26:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
No, I don't see Catholics as Christians.
1) they use Idols in their worship, which is strictly against God's laws.
2) they use rote or memorized prayers in their worship , which is also something God doesn't approve of.
3) Where in the Bible does it set up a system for the usage of woman as Nuns and a series of men for use as priests , and cardinals and all that? And who said in the Bible that there should be one head honcho guy that would wear ultra fine garb and only come out on certain occasions and rarely be seen? (i.e. the Pope , who , by the way is NOT a direct decendant of ANY of the Apostles. )
4)Many of the Catholic beliefs are not Bible based, but came into the church thru the infusion of Pagan religious beliefs during the first few centuries of the catholic church, while it was determined to 'convert the pagans'. It was a kind of '' we'll take this practice into the church, if you'll come with it'' attitude. This included many of the traditions used now in Christmas, and Easter . The Cross, the Trinity concept which has no bible basis, the hellfire concept which has no bible basis either which neither does the 'once saved, always saved' doctrine or the all people go to heaven or hell doctrine or the Immortal soul doctrine. All pagan beliefs.
5) The theory that Mary was an Eternal Virgin. Sorry, But Mary went on to have RELATIONS with her Husban Joseph and had other children. And, even so, why would SHE be worthy to pray to ? Yes, God found her worthy to carry the child that would grow to become Jesus as a human, but other than that , she was only a very special human. She was no angel or anything of a spiritual creature. She was a human and no creature to worship. Making her into a statue and figurines and necklaces and medals only makes her into a demi-god that people worship, thus taking further Glory away from god .
So, those are just a few of the reasons I don't see the catholic church as a true Christian religion. I do, however , see it as a major world power on the political level and a severely corrupted bedfellow that has slept her way around the world with many of the world's political system's to get her way thru history. She covered many of the sins of the Nazi party , not even to this day having discommunicated Hitler. ( and they have the nerve to fuss about Madonna.. hmph! LOL ). The only good thing I can say about them is that they DID help bring to light the crimes that Franco was committing, especially the horrific tragedy that he wrought upon Guernicca, a small town in Spain. I don't see how it balances out its sins, but I give it a point for that one.
2006-09-05 02:53:24 · answer #2 · answered by heatherlovespansies 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Catholics are Christians because through the faith of the Holy Catholic Church, we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior, the Son of God as well as the second person in the Trinity which makes up God as a whole.
But, just being Catholic is not to be consdered Christian in the sense of what a Christian is by definition.
Even those who are active members of the Catholic Church are far from being considered Christian. Which in turn gives fuel to the fire attacking the Church since it's very beginings.
The fact that we are Followers of Chist does not necessarily warrant our being called Christians. In order to be a true Christian we must follow all of the teachings Jesus Christ gave us ina Each and Every one of his lessons on how to attain the Kingdom. All of us fall very short, some fall short in ways which give the rest of the Catholic Chirch a bad wrap. Which is sad because, those who are usually used as examples for why some believe the Catholic Church is Bad only constitutes less than 1% of those who are Catholics.
The fact that we strive to live our lives accordingly, even though the bad apples try to ruin the bunch, is at least an attempt of which through prayer and fogiveness we will be forgiven and attain that which Jesus has promised us in Heaven.
2006-09-05 02:43:21 · answer #3 · answered by Kelly S 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I think Catholics are a lot like Protestants, in more ways than we realize. They might be Christians, or they might not. Being a Christian is more than membership; it means you believe the Bible is true and God is real, that you trust God for salvation and everything you have, and you've chosen to be a follower of Christ, in thought, deed, and word.
In either group, Catholic or Protestant, a person could very well be a believer, with an active, living faith, with an understanding of the foundational tenets of the faith, and all that.
Or, that person could be hung up on the ritual, being religious without really believing, having faith, or a relationship with God.
I suspect that Catholics, and some Protestant groups, with a high level of ritual and formality, may have a higher percentage of people who are religious without truly believing and having an active faith, but anybody can fall into that, regardless of denominational label they choose to apply to themselves. I just think some groups may attract more people like that, because those groups are more into ritual and formality, and it's easier to blend in and not have anybody notice that you're religious without having any real faith or conviction of your own about what is true. (Not that ritual and formality are bad; worship is a personal thing and some people commune with God in that ritual, just as others commune in a casual, free-form manner.)
2006-09-05 02:33:55 · answer #4 · answered by Gen 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes.
It's confusing how people divide Christianity into this and that. I guess it's just a demonstration of human fallibility. I hate to say it, but the reformation was very necessary. Our Church had been somewhat infultrated by some less than scrupulous characters. Even though the rise of the reformation caused bitter dissent and even warring, it raised peoples' awareness and made us look at Christianity like never before.
I think when Jesus said "I come not to bring peace, but a sword. It will make sons go against their fathers...", this is exactly the kind of dissention he knew would happen. Whether we embrace "faith + works" or "faith alone", or the policies implimented by the Pope, the fact that Jesus is at the heart of our understanding of the Father makes us all Christian.
Peace
2006-09-05 02:44:39 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Hi!
It is amazing that some Catholics still try to justify their religion to be Christian:
I will show you biblically why they cannot be Christian:
1.As a Christian, you are not to talk or worship A DEAD HUMAN BEING or spirit:
Isaiah 8:19
And when they say to you, "Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter," should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?
In this chapter, God was warning the Israelites not to ask the dead for anything!
2. THERE IS NO OTHER MEDIATOR BUT JESUS CHRIST:Mary should not mediate in any way.
1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and there is ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD and MEN, the man CHRIST JESUS,
3. MARY WAS A SINNER LIKE ALL OF US:
A sinner cannot intercede for other sinners! Mary is a sinner because she was born of man, and all men are born in sin(Psalm 51:5).She also needed the Blood of Jesus to be cleansed of sins.
Mary called God her "Savior" in Luke 1:47 meaning that she ALSO NEEDED SALVATION LIKE ALL OF US!
Why is it that only after critisism, some Catholics start denying the fact that they pray through Mary?
John 14:6-Jesus saith unto him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
2006-09-05 02:54:18 · answer #6 · answered by Hope Dollar 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Christianity is just the catagory that Catholicism falls under. Along with Catholicism, there is Roman Catholic, Protestants, Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Anabaptist, Mennonites, and many more. It mostly just depends on where your family orginated from.
2006-09-05 02:35:43 · answer #7 · answered by Leather M 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Catholicism does not teach Bible as much as it teaches tradition.
It believes the pope is the Vicar of Christ. The Holy Spirit is Christs only Vicar.
It believes men can forgive sins, only God can forgive sins.
It disregards the 10 commandments, (the 2nd, 4th and 10th). Read you catechism then read exodus 20
It teaches that Jesus is crucified every mass, this is not the case, Christ was offered up once and once only.
This is just the tip of the ice berg. Take alook of the books of Daniel and Revelation, they predict such a power.
Daniel 7:7,8,19-25
Revelation 12, 13
2006-09-05 02:36:24 · answer #8 · answered by Sky_blue 4 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Yes, Catholics are Christians. I'm not Catholic. I understand that the apostle Peter founded it. I've always heard that it is on the list of mainstream Christian religions, along with Methodist, Lutheran, Protestant, Baptist, etc.
2006-09-05 02:54:04 · answer #9 · answered by J Z 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I don't like the word "religion" or to sterotype anyone so I will say this. The only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ. It is in my understanding that you become a christian when you accept Christ as your savior...ask for forgiveness....turn away from your sinful nature and try to live your life to be more like Jesus was. To be a Christian is to be "Christ-like." I WILL NOT say what catholics believe is wrong or right because it is not for me to judge. What I will say is if the catholic church believes that the only way to heaven is through Christ Jesus....then I would say you are a christian. Please grab a bible and read the book of John. Its one of the best books in the New Testement and it will show you Christ's teachings. If we want to call ourselves christians....we must strive to be "Christ-like."
2006-09-05 02:29:09 · answer #10 · answered by A Christians Honest Question 2 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Yes Catholics are Christians. In fact for centuries if you were Christian you were Catholic. But the reason why is because of the definition of Christian: On who follows the teachings and order of Christ.
2006-09-05 02:26:21 · answer #11 · answered by QTPIEVL 2 · 5⤊ 1⤋