Major differences between catholics and christians?

Question

What are they really? I'm told that both are very similar yet they both seem to think they are better than the other. I guess little differences make the big differences?

Answer 1

Catholics use idols, icons and priests as mediators between them and God--real Christians pray directly to God, in Jesus name, just as HE(God) requires us to do--there are no allowances.
Oh yes, about class distinctions, have you not heard that God is not partial? He accepts all people, so we are supposed to imitate Him and love our neighbour and not be treating one person better than another.

Answer 2

Well, you have the first answer that you got. That is a typical answer from a Roman Catholic. They know just enough to be dangerous.

Roman Catholics were not the first Christians. If you look into Foxe's Book of Martyrs, you would see that there were people throughout the lands of Asia minor, the Middle East, and Africa that were doing fine without the RCC (Roman Catholic Church).

Yes there were many heretical 'chuches' before and after the Council of Nicea, and the Council of Nicea did much to quell many heresies, eespecially one popular heresy called Marcianism of the time.

By as John Foxe records, many of those that were being persecuted by the RCC that were called 'Protestants' were also called ' Reformed'. That is; they were 'reformed' by the attention that they paid to the scriptures; what we call 'the Bible.'

The RCC decided that the scriptures were too problematic for them, and the people were by law to follow the teachings of the RCC, so they outlawed Bibles, especially if they were in a language other than Latin.

So if the RCC had it their way, we still would be risking our lives in having a Bible. The infamous 'Spainish Inquisition' was their way of going after those that did not go to Mass, revere the Pope, partake of the literal flesh and blood of Christ (transsubstantiation), and do away with all other things that one might have of another faith.

Many of the RC's of this day do not even know about those times. They prefer to put on blinders and ignore that history. Yet well documented the history is, and the Protestants, many of them, have even stopped learning about it.

Answer 3

By Catholics, I assume you mean Roman Catholics and by Christians I assume you mean Protestants. Both groups consider themselves to be Christian. Your question is a simple one, yet at the same time quite profound. The answer is not simple and can't really be addressed properly in this forum. Roman Catholicism was born out of Eastern (Greek) Orthodoxy in 1054 when the Bishop of Rome and the Bishop of Constantinople excommunicated each other. This event was known as the Great Schism. The differences between Greek Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism are not really that great. The bishop of Rome taught that the authority of the pope was supreme over all other authorities. The bishop of Constantinople disagreed. Rome and Constantinople were in competition with each other in many ways, and religion was no exception. Most scholars seem to view Roman Catholicism's influence as going back very early. Roman Catholicism / Eastern Orthodoxy was born IMHO around the year 325, after the Roman Emporer Constantine convened a Council of bishops at a city called Nicea. The purpose was to come to agreement on a couple of important doctrines. One was the question of the deity of Christ. The other was to decide on how to date the Passover without having to rely on the Jewish calendar. Protestant Christianity grew out of Roman Catholicism through three primary leaders, all of whom were Roman Catholic priests. These men were John Calvin, Martin Luther, and Menno Simmons. For this reason, Protestants are viewed as protesting Roman Catholics. A far more important question that should be asked is what was Christianity like prior to 325. The faith that later became known as Christianity was very different in the first century. It was really not much different than the Pharisaical Judaism of its day. For more information on this topic I recommend several books:

* Return of the Remnant by Michael Schiffman
* Jewish Roots by Dan Juster
* Torah Rediscovered by Ariel Berkowitz
* Take Hold by Ariel Berkowitz
* A Woman Rides the Beast by Dave Hunt
* Mystery of the Gospel by D.T. Lancaster
* The Church and the Jews by Dan Gruber
* Copernicus and the Jews by Dan Gruber

Hope that helps.

Answer 4

This is a question of Sets and Subsets.

Set: Christians

Subsets include: Catholics and Protestants (among others)

Why the Protestants now want to insist that the Catholics aren't Christian (without whom there would never have been Protestants, since Catholicism kept Christianity alive long enough for Martin Luther--a Catholic--to revolt) is beyond me, but it seems pretty conceited.

Answer 5

This looks a nicely-loved topic at present. Catholics are Christians. Catholicism is a denomination of Christianity, and judging be your submit you've been delivered up with a diverse denomination. there's no clarification why you may not supply it a go. it really is a church after all. all of them have their ameliorations in spite of the undeniable fact that the human beings opt for an identical reason, to worship God.

Answer 6

I'm in agreement with patrone07. I will add that the Catholic Church contains the authority given by the Holy Spirit to bring us the Eucharist, that is, Jesus in the flesh. The Eucharist is our spiritual food on our spiritual journey in life toward heaven.

We also honor the saints who have gone before us and have been the example of a Christian life.

The Protestants deny all of this.
They only believe in faith for salvation, not faith and works.
Protestants only rely on the Bible (a Catholic book) and ignore the Traditions handed down to us by Jesus and the Apostles.

Answer 7

Catholics ARE Christians.

Family Tree of Christianity:

http://www.uri.org/Christian_Family_Tree.html

Answer 8

"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.

Answer 9

There is not a big difference. I'm friends with a catholic and we do not think we are better than one another.

Answer 10

Catholics are the ORIGINAL and FIRST Christians who choose the books of the Bible and made the core faith (nicene creed in 312 a.d) that most christians believe. Catholics are united under the pope, who is the descendant of the first pope St. Peter! protestant "christians" are divided since they have no authority or leadership.