Why do Protestants often claim Catholics are "not Christian"?!?

Question

I've seen this stated many times, and though I'm an atheist, my former training as a Catholic leads me to find this idea laughable. Don't Protestants know that Catholicism was the first form of Christianity? (not just Roman Catholic, either). Almost all Protestant religions stem from offshoots of Catholicism. So...why the animosity?

Also, why do people know so little about Catholicism? I'll write "serious answers only, please", but I'm sure many will just spout of vitriol, without any research...still...TRY to be serious. This issue is troubling!

Thanks for the many thoughtful replies. The splitting of religions and desire to claim one's own as the "best" is a good point.

As for Protestants' only needing "faith" to be saved, how is that any less prone to hypocrisy than confession? Many claim to have "faith" but lie, or even commit horrible crimes, like those corrupt Evangelists.

Finally, the idea that Catholics pray to statues and not God is LUDICROUS! We were taught in Church, repeatedly, NOT to venerate the actual statues, but the god or saints they represented (such as the Virgin Mary or Jesus)! I guess misinformation IS rampant! Jeeez-USS!!!

mcraefamily - your answer was laughable! I don't know ANY Catholics who do not also consider themselves Christians. How many do YOU know? Probably none! And as for studying, I suggest YOU learn more about Catholics, if you're going to start slinging insults!

Pro-Life Girl: thanks for some much needed history on this subject! At least you document what you say! And finally, I get to see the Bible prove SOMETHING! Though you and I differ in many ways (I am a pro-choice atheist) , I respect your beliefs, as many others do NOT!

Answer 1

Thank you!! Yes,

The first known recorded reference of "Catholic" was that of St. Ignatius of Antioch( 107 AD):

"Wherever the bishop appears, let the people be there; just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church."

The Catholic Church WAS the first Christian Church. History and the Bible proves it.

They claim we worship statues, worship Mary, kill Jesus at each Mass, can't read the Bible, trust our priests over God, believe the Pope can't sin, believe we can work our way to heaven, etc.

There's a simple way to find what we believe! It's called the Catechism!! Thank you for pointing this out.

http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/

Answer 2

It's simply a disagreement as to the definition of Christianity. By the Protestant's definition, Catholicism doesn't meet it. Who was established first has nothing to do with it. If I invent a new religion right now that says you have to kneel and pray to God every day at precisely 3:14pm or you are not a Christian, then my religion would put out the claim that Catholics, who don't do this, are not Christians.

As far as "why the animosity?" Religions have traditionally split and gone in different directions over time as the interpretations of the religion change. Many argue that Catholicism has departed from even it's own original path and no longer is on the "right road". Look at the Muslim religion. The Sunnia and the Shai have been fighting each other for 2,000 years over, amongst other things, who was the rightful heir to Muhammed.

I was raised Baptist and was told several times in church that the Catholics got it wrong and, unfortunately, will pay the price in the end.

None of this represents my personal take on God.

Answer 3

I've been a Christian (Protestant) all my life, and the few times I've run into people speaking of Catholics and Christians as if they were disparate groups, it turned out that the people in question had simply not chosen their words very carefully. They were Protestants themselves, and when gently corrected, they readily agreed that Catholics are indeed Christians. That's been my experience, at least. I have certainly never, ever encountered any "animosity."

As for why I personally know so little about Catholicism, I just never had any reason to study it.

~EDIT~
Heaven's sakes, man, calm yourself! You said you're an atheist, so why do you care about peoples' misperceptions of Catholicism? What's your personal emotional stake in a church to which you don't belong?

Answer 4

The protestant reformation was a response to what many saw as an apostate(false) church. Although much of the religious divide has been healed in the last century there are still deep theological disagreements which separate both sides. Most notably the authority of the church and the pope versus the authority of scripture alone.

Answer 5

Throughout the centuries, Catholicism evolved and changed in its beliefs and ways of doing things. Have you studied Martin Luther and the reformation? It was at this point when the protestants and catholics split over a very serious doctrinal point, mainly how a person is saved. The Catholics at that time offered indulgences for sin and made the people confess their sins to a priest. The protestants said that salvation is by FAITH ALONE, and any works that a person does to be forgiven of sin, be it doing "good works", buying indulgences, etc. will not ever be what God has required for salvation. So the point protestants are making today is that faith in Jesus Christ alone is still the one and only way to be saved. "Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Romans 4:4-5

Trying to earn righteousness by good works only brings a person into greater debt against God.

Answer 6

I worked the phones on the only Roman Catholic t.v. show on a Protestant T.V. network. There is a great deal of mis-information about Catholics. Number one, we are not idol worshipers, those are just statues, not gods. Two, we do not worship Mary, we revere her (use the dictionary). Three We are a church of sinners, if not why would we need Jesus as a savior. Yes, the Spanish Inquisition sucked, please see previous sentence.

Answer 7

Ist. Catholicism was not the first form of Christianity, although they may claim that.
2nd. Catholics don't claim to be "Christian." They claim to be "Catholic." I was once very strongly corrected, when I referred to a Catholic organization as Christian group.
3rd. Baptists did not stem from the Catholicism, but from the Anabaptists.
Finally, whether or not a person is a Christian is not determined by which church they are a member of, but by a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Answer 8

I guess for the same reason that some Catholics refuse to recognize any Protestant denomination as valid.

Some people just want to be part of a special club with special knowledge that only they and others who think like they do have. All they while pointing fingers at any one else who doesn't think the way they do.

Answer 9

Bishop Fulton Sheen said (from the award winning show "Life is Worth Living") "Many hate what they THINK the Catholic Church says but, few really KNOW what the Catholic Church says"

Answer 10

For starters most if not almost all do not consider themselves Christians, ask them they will tell you, no I am a Catholic. And no most protestants do not come from catholic. Lutherans come from catholic. I suggest that you study church history other than just catholic history. PS. If a Alcoholic is addicted to alcohol and a workaholic is addicted to work, etc. what is a catholic?