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I'm Catholic, so I know what Catholics believe and practice. But I have a friend that is Born Again Christian and don't know much about that following. Thanks.

2006-10-28 18:11:25 · 13 answers · asked by Marie K 3 in Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality

lady blue: I guess this is where I get confused. As a Catholic, I was taught that Jesus is my savior and I'll be forgiven for my sins. I know our ways of "asking" for forgiveness are different, but our beliefs aren't really different then, are they? We still both believe Jesus is our savior as long as we accept Him; right?

2006-10-28 18:22:00 · update #1

I'll Try: What sins do you believe Mary committed?

To everyone: I'm just trying to learn here, just in case anyone decides to take offense to my question. I'm seeking answers to gain knowledge; thanks.

2006-10-28 18:27:19 · update #2

I'll Try: Sorry, I missed your question for me while I was adding details the first time!

Now a question for you, based on your additional details...

At what point are Catholics born again?

Well, I guess I'll have to ask you first; what does "Born Again" literally mean to a Born Again Christian? I'm not kidding when I say I'm totally clueless about Born Again Christians! LOL!

2006-10-28 18:32:11 · update #3

13 answers

Hi I'm an ex-Catholic, so I can speak with at least some authority on this topic.

Here are the things that I no longer believe:

1. Mary was without sin
2. Mary was "assumed" into heaven
3. Mary had no other children after Jesus was born
4. That bowing down before her image with candles lit all around and praying to Mary is not worship
5. That purgatory exists
6. That praying to anyone except God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit is not worship.
7. That the Pope (or anyone else) is infallible on scriptural issues
8. I'm just getting started....shall I go on?

Now a question for you, based on your additional details...

At what point are Catholics born again?



I'm glad you asked what sins Mary committed. Truthfully, I don't have the first clue. The bible does not tell us what sins she committed, just as it does not tell us what sins Jabez committed, nor does it tell us what sins Abel committed, nor does it tell us what sins John committed.

What is does tell us is that "ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) How does that not include Mary, especially since nowhere in the scriptures does it say that Mary committed no sin?


Now onto being born again. Jesus said in John 3:5-7 "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'"

Being born again means being born of the Spirit, which is what happens when we ask Jesus to come into our lives and forgive us. At what point does that happen for Catholics? It never did for me (as a Catholic anyway) and that is why I am no longer Catholic.

I'm enjoying the discussion here. No offense taken!

2006-10-28 18:19:10 · answer #1 · answered by I'll Try 3 · 2 2

I think one of the biggest things is the priesthood of the believer--which is basically that I wouldn't have to go to a priest to get my sins forgiven. I can go to God myself and get forgiveness straight from Him.
Another would be Mary. Many places i have been, I have seen Catholic churches will all sorts of stuff about Mary. I asked a man who was a Catholic that got converted and he said, It was almost as if Mary was the fourth part of the Godhead. Mary was a sinner, just like the rest of us.
Another difference, we don't believe in infant baptism. Every instance of baptism in the Bible comes after a person believes on the Son of God.
Another one, The Catholic church as far I as know believes that Peter was the first Pope. Am I right in saying that the Pope cannot get married. If that be the case, research may need to be done, because the Bible clearly teaches that Peter had a mother-in-law, therefore he must have had a wife. In Fact, If you do more research, you can find that Peter had two great loves--his love for Jesus, and his love for his wife. She went with Him everywhere he preached, not only that but she was crucified, right before Peter was.
There are other differences, however i will just leave it at that

2006-10-28 18:29:52 · answer #2 · answered by called_or_crazy 1 · 2 0

I am a born again Christian and I think some of the differences are how Catholics teach that you should pray to Mary and she will take your prayers to God, kinda like she is above Jesus. Born Again Christians do not believe in that because you should pray to God in the name of Christ. God doesn't need someone to bring His children's prayers to him because he knows what's in our hearts. Catholics believe in Confession and that you need a Priest's or Father's forgiveness of your sins. Born Again Christians do not believe this because humans do not have the authority to forgive other humans of their sins. The only thing a person can forgive another person for is if the latter did something wrong to the other person. And I have heard that Catholics are required to say a number of "Hail Marys" during Confession in order to be forgiven. And I hear that the Catholic Bible is different from the King James Bible, like some of the books in the King James version are not included in the Catholic version, such as Revelation. Catholics also believe in baptizing infants by sprinkling what they call "holy water" on them. Born Again Christians do not do that with infants. They may either anoint them with oil or they may have their pastor do a baby devotion, which is a prayer basically. An infant cannot profess any belief in anything because he or she is not old enough and doesn't have the understanding, so therefore, they shouldn't be baptized until they are old enough and have the understanding. And Catholicism is more of a religion, where as Born Again Christians do not normally follow a religion, but are Christians by faith. And then there's the whole Holy Trinity thing. Born Again Christians do not do the Holy Trinity thing. The Holy Trinity also refers to the Spirit as the Holy Ghost, which I think is incorrect. God's spirit is not a ghost, but rather an actual spirit. There is a difference. And then the Catholics also believe in all these different saints. Born Again Christians do not believe in saints. I could go on, but I think I've given you a long enough answer.

2006-10-28 18:29:15 · answer #3 · answered by NoName 3 · 3 3

Actually Catholics ARE born again Christians. The only reason the idea of being born again is in the Bible at all is that the Catholic Church taught that truth before the New Testament was written, and before the Catholic Church compiled the Bible. Catholics are born again through the waters of baptism, just as the Bible describes. Jesus said that being born again means being born of WATER and the SPIRIT. Protestants have reduced the idea of being born again to a mere act of faith, irrelevant of the holy sacrament of baptism, which they have also reduced to a mere symbolic gesture.

Other than that the only differences between born again Catholics and Protestants are the many other elements of sound Christian doctrine that Protestants have eliminated - The sacraments, the Mass, the Pope, the priesthood, intercession by the saints, the God-given authority of the Church, the necessity of unity, proper interpretation of the Scriptures, etc. The Apostles wouldn't recognize any Protestant church as Christian.

2006-10-28 18:31:09 · answer #4 · answered by PaulCyp 7 · 4 2

The differences between Catholics and other "born again" Christians:

Ideally, Catholics are "born again" through baptism shortly after birth. Temples of the Holy Spirit, they grow up in a state of grace, constantly practicing their faith, until it literally becomes their "nature".

In this way, young Catholics truly immitate Christ:
"Luke 2:40 And the child grew and waxed strong, full of wisdom: and the grace of God was in him."

The family is the primary faith teacher, while the Church provides guidance and instruction for all Catholics through scripture, and through the Bishops, and their official church teaching office (Magisterium) which was established and mandated by Jesus, himself.

The family, the Church, the Mass, and the Sacraments provide the necessary guidance and sustenance for a lifetime of Catholic spiritual growth.

Protestant "born again" Christians prefer to wait until adulthood to be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit.

Their denomination(s) have no standardized canon of beliefs or practices, other than their own personal interpretation of scripture, which is typically considered their sole rule of faith.

Due to their literal interpretation of scripture, the lack of any official teaching authority or centralized church leadership, and a prohibition against using "tradition" to illuminate the Bible's teachings, the beliefs and practices of "born again" Protestant Christians may vary widely from those of Catholics, as well as those of other Protestant groups.

2006-10-28 23:18:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1 1

The first thing is that you are presenting a false dichotomy. Catholics are just as able to be Born Again as is any other denomination.

Born again means to be born of the Holy Spirit; that the Holy Spirit dwells within the "new man". There has been a movement in the Catholic Church called the Charismatic Renewal, in which Catholics experience a rebirth with the Holy Spirit, some speaking in tongues, some with a gift of healing, etc. The Fransciscan University of Steubenville (OH) is a hub of this work.

Born Again doesn't refer to any specific denomination, although the Pentacostals are certainly quite in the forefront in exhibiting the Gifts of the Spirit.

--Dee

2006-10-28 18:18:21 · answer #6 · answered by Deirdre H 7 · 2 1

The problem with answering this type of question is that there are sooooo many "Born Again" Christian denominations that one has to do a detailed analysis of the specific one you are asking about. In general the Catholic faith has many more beliefs and details in those beliefs than most Born Again Christian denominations.

2006-11-05 03:06:48 · answer #7 · answered by Br. Rich OFS 2 · 0 0

Born agains are often "Communisitic" which means they practicse religous communism. Everything is owned by GOD (not the state) and all work is done for God (not the state) and eveyrone is brothers and sisters (not comrades).

They are evangelical.

They are often semi-phobic about outsiders (there's a term for that and it illudes me == zenophoboes or xenophobic?)

They believe you have to be "born again" in Christ to be saved.

They are fundamentalists to a degree

They don't agree with the concepts of confessioin and repentance per se

They, like the Methodists, beleive you have to live a sin free life, but if you didn't there is a period of repentence.

You don't get this by confession, however.

They don't go to churches, but they do have friday night congregations

They are, by and large, basically nice people. The nicest you will meet, especially the females.

House leaders are often very sharp and every adept.

They are out, however, for the kill. The convert.

They convert you, get you to give up all you own to God and Jesus (the house) which can include your car, your possessions, your money and your house.

As a result of this I fear them more than I fear any other organized religion who simply passes a plate and asks you to give.

2006-10-28 18:23:02 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2 1

"What separates us as believers in Christ is much less than what unites us." (Pope John XXIII)

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 many 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.

With love in Christ.

2006-10-29 15:09:16 · answer #9 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 1 0

It basically boils down to this.We follow the Bible and the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles.That's what is meant by Solas Scripturas(Scriptures only).The Bible teaches:
No priesthood(until after the rapture),never call anyone on earth(except Dad)Father(Jesus said that)There is one mediator between god and man,Jesus(not Mary or the saints),ALL believers are saints,they are not voted on.Jesus broke the bread at the last supper it wasn't round,that is Pagan.After Jesus talked about eating his flesh and drinking his blood he said"These things I say are spiritual,the flesh profits NOTHING,that's why we don't dig Transubstantiation.Jesus said "Do this in rememberance of me"not kill me over and over again.There's so much more,such as Pastors supposed to be married ,on and on.(I Timothy and Titus)
I know your Christian ,your just loaded down with "Man made "rituals,that Jesus said was not good,the same as he said the manmade Jewish rituals wern't good.

2006-10-28 18:23:43 · answer #10 · answered by AngelsFan 6 · 1 0

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