And I'm not saying that they aren't, personally I think it's preposterous to say that they aren't. But let's take your word for it conservative protestants. If Catholics aren't Christians then that means that Christianity is not the dominant religion (that would mean that there are about 800 million of you). Islam would be the dominant religion if you believe in the above mentioned exclusion of catholics. So, if Islam is the dominant religion, and Allah is not the same entity as Yaweh (Again, I don't agree with that, but conservative protestants seem to), then it seems that Allah is more powerful. It seems that Allah is able to influence more people with his angels and holy influeces etc.
So, assuming Catholicism is not Christianity, and Allah is a seperate entity from Yaweh, judging by the world population if we adjust it by the aformentioned variables, does this mean that Allah is a more Powerful entity? His "truth" seems to work with more people than your "truth"...
2006-10-26 11:24:29 · 25 answers · asked by John S 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Perhaps you guys didn't get it, I think catholics are Christians...
2006-10-26 11:34:26 · update #1
You just gave an excellent example of why people will continue to believe in unfounded conspiracies. One small non-truth or managed fact sprinkled with a certain amount of truthful intelligence creates a fairly real sounding conclusion.
My suggestion would be to use your obvious intelligence to do something productive, you could probably be a king or a politician.
Either way, you know the Crusades are finished, they won't return.... 2000lb thermal nuclear devices insure that!
2006-10-26 11:34:17 · answer #1 · answered by ggraves1724 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I understand where you are going with your argument, but there are a few flaws...
In both faiths (Islam and Christianity) there is only 1 God. So there cant be multiple gods trying to win.
Winning isnt about how many people you have, though it would be nice if the world did follow the 1 true God.
The idea of Allah is based on Yaweh, but with many twists. If you read the Koran, it describes his entity ENTIRELY different than that of Yaweh and Jesus.
Satan has been described as the great deceiver. He tells 9 truths, and plants 1 lie... and leads you down the wrong path. Instead of trying to get you to think there is no God, we devised a SIMILAR god for people to follow that looks much like the God of the Jews and Christians... but is different. He leads and misleads, spreads war, opresses women, etc.
Finally Catholics and Christians are a part of the same Church as a whole. The only difference is that Catholics go to an intermediary to repent their sins and communicate with God, rather than pray to him directly and have their own relationship with God as Jesus intended.
1 last thing: the Bible described the path to God as a narrow path leading in one direction, while the path to destruction is wide and open. If that is true, and it is, then there will be MORE people going the wrong way... then the right.... get it?
Good luck
2006-10-26 18:31:05 · answer #2 · answered by xrionx 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Catholics, in my opinion, are not Christians. In God's Word, it clearly commands us to pray to noone accept Him. Yet, Catholics say their prayers to the saints and to Mary. This is clearly polythiestic and not in accordance with the teaching brought forth by the Word of God. And as for "allah" having more power, I absolutely disagree. "allah" and Yaweh are NOT the same entity. "allah" actually comes from a ancient Islamic lesser "god" which really was not elevated until mohammed began teaching that this "god" was the "god above all gods." Regardless, "allah" is mask that is used by Satan to make himself look more powerful than he really is. But you are right in the sense that Islam is the world's largest religion. And who do you think rules this world and has his kingdom established in this world? Satan, the prince of darkness, the prince of the air. Why do you think there is so much death and destruction in the world? God's kingdom will come when the antichrist and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire and satan is bound for a thousand years. Satan will then be loosed for a short time to decieve the nations once more and then God will cast him into the lake of fire along with the antichrist and the false prophet. Oh and the by the way, the false prophet will be the POPE! St. Malachy even had a vision that he saw 112 popes, from Celestinus II, lined up and the 112th one was an evil pope. The current pope is the 111th.
2006-10-26 19:15:59 · answer #3 · answered by Blake D 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
John S,
It's true that some Protestants see it that way, that Roman Catholics are not Christians. I choose a different line to draw, and I think that it makes more sense. That people that are a part of a "Church" are not necessarily Christian. That they cannot find themselves submitting to the idea that Jesus rose from the dead, and do not put their trust in God. They go to church as a prerequisite of being "Amercian," and accept the lifestyle as a commandment, being obedient to their idea of what the rules are, but without the heart being in the trust of Him.
With that, any denomination of Christianity can be not saved. The commitment in the heart was never made.
What a Roman Catholic has the chance to do though, is also get lost in the things that are counter-faith to faith in God. They can pray to saints, they can count rosaries, light candles, take their "Holy Communion," and never make the leap of faith into the trust of God. A very, very, crucial point!
About Allah of the Qu'ran and Yaweh: The teaching of the Muslims is to deny the diety of Jesus Christ. And saying that He was just a prophet. That's not trusting God. And so according to Jesus Himself, they are still in their sins, no matter how many times a day they might PBUH Him.
2006-10-26 18:34:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just because one religion is the well known like catholic or christian. (which the difference is in the communion part.) They don't have to be donimate to show that they are more popular then other's. And have a more influence then other's.
Without Christian's there would be no Christian's. If Catholics are Chrsitians then why do they need to call themselves by a different religion.
Christian: A Christian is a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, referred to as Christ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian
Catholic: The term Catholicism, while understood in different ways, most commonly refers to the Churches in communion with the Bishop of Rome.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholicism
(The term catholic had a lot/long definiton's that was too long to put here)
2006-10-26 18:27:39 · answer #5 · answered by jrealitytv 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You cannot 'adjust the aforementioned variables' because Catholicism IS Christianity, and Allah is NOT a separate entity from Yaweh.
2006-10-26 18:30:07 · answer #6 · answered by mesquitemachine 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mt 7:13
"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
Mt 7:14
Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Lu 13:24
"Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
Catholisism tried to widen the gate by incorporating pagan religions so as to have a greater number of followers. That's not to say that there aren't catholics who are believers but that's why there numbers are so high. As I'm sure there are those that profess to be Christians, yet do not believe. You have to remember that God HATES ALL religion. He just desires to have individual relationships with His people.
I'm not aloud to say who allah really is because that Truth has led to my near dismissal from this forum in the past. If you'd like to know, go read up on baal.
Jas 4:4
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
As far as these "religions" and the numbers they draw...
Joh 12:31
Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
Joh 14:30
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.
Joh 16:11
of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
It makes perfect sense that the "ruler of this world' would have more followers in this world, but ask yourself, Who is the "ruler of this world?" and, do I want to follow him or the One, True, Living, God who has temporarily let the "ruler of this world" rule.
2006-10-26 18:46:18 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
To Shane: Egyptian Coptic Orthodox predates Roman Catholicism by decades. Roman Catholicism didn't exist until the 3rd century, and didn't become dominant until the 6th. Most of it's symbolism and practices are derived from Pagan practices, most notably the celebration of Christ on Mithra's Birthday, the mid-winter.
2006-10-26 18:55:18 · answer #8 · answered by rich k 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If Catholics are not Christians then no-one is, because the Catholic Church was the ONLY place where Christian truth existed for 1,000 years after Christ. Therefore, if the Catholic Church is a non-Christian cult, then all the mutually conflicting Protestant churches are simply offshoots of a non-Christian cult. Can something true be an offshoot of something untrue??
2006-10-26 18:30:43 · answer #9 · answered by PaulCyp 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I believe Catholics are Christians...... just as I believe we Mormons are Christians ....... and the Baptists, Methodists, Protestants, and any other group that calls themselves followers of Christ
number of followers has absolutely nothing to do w/ truth or power especially since we are speaking of things that have to do w/ the eternities.
2006-10-26 18:39:28 · answer #10 · answered by J DUB 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋