If christians (non-catholics) regard Jesus as everything....?

Question

..... why did these christians openly defy Him by breaking away from the catholic church. Didn't Jesus say: "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." So, it would seem that most christians do not belong to the true and original church that Jesus Himself established. Would it make these christians counterfeit as opposed to the true followers of Jesus which is the catholic church. After all Jesus did give explicit instructions and Jesus is perfect.

Answer 1

Because religion is based on emotional need, of course---and people have many kinds of emotional needs.

Consider what religion is in the first place: an attempt to define the universe according to human values and desires, so we can comfort ourselves in the face of the unknown. People have been doing it, in various forms and with various types of details and rituals, for millions of years.

We used to think that the sun and planets revolved around the Earth. We know better now---but in many ways, we still think we're the purpose of the universe, not just products of it. Only our tremendous vanity and insecurity enable us to fool ourselves on such a grand scale.

In reality, we're just tiny creatures living on a tiny speck of matter floating in an unimaginably immense universe.

Like everything else we do, our decisions to join and practice religions are based on two things:

_ Our desire to avoid pain

_ Our desire to gain pleasure

We like to fool ourselves into thinking there's some kind of noble purpose to religion---one that goes beyond our own self-interests---but let's face it: Some people like to imagine that they'll live forever---and that's more important to them than being sensible.

So to answer your question: Does it really matter that some Christians split from the Catholic church---and then some people split from them, etc., etc.---until now we have whole Yellow Pages full of every possible variation of Christianity?

People pick religions the way they pick food, or clothes, or cars, or anything else: They seek the variation that meets their emotional needs.

When you go shopping, you pick your favorite flavor of ice cream. The funny thing is, no one can really explain why they prefer chocolate over strawberry---they just do. That's because it's not based on logic; it's an emotional choice. It's based on fear and pleasure, which come before logic, before reason.

So I'm afraid you won't have much luck figuring out "why" not all Christians are Catholics---any more than you can truly figure out "why" you're a Catholic and not something else (or nothing!). You may think you have reasons for your preferences, but they're emotion-based. They're like fog... When you try to analyze them, they slip between your fingers, along with your feelings that caused them. Interesting, isn't it?

Answer 2

True Christians never were part of the Catholic church which started under Constantine in the 300's. Jesus did not build a church for Peter, he said "I will build My church." Christians do not interpret that passage about the rock the way catholics do and even if they did the Papacy is a far cry from that single sentence in the Bible.

Answer 3

In 936 AD the Roman Catholic Church abandoned the decisions of the eighth ecumenical council (which was approved by the Pope and all of the eastern bishops) and officially endorsed a heretical council in its place. Considering the fact that canon law limits the authority of the Pope to central Italy, does that mean that the Roman Catholic Church has abandoned the true and original church as well?

Answer 4

You are assuming that Rome was the place where the church would be founded. I would say that there was a church that believed in Jesus Christ was founded in Rome, but it was not the Roman Catholic Church that was founded by Peter. Peter also did not form inquisitions to torture men into the veneration of the Pope, nether did he support the raping of little girls in front of their families for not attending Mass, nor did he set in place the outlawing of Bibles.

So you can claim that Peter was the first Pope if you want. But history, wisdom, scripture, and truth are not on your side. And neither is God. Be on God's side and realize that the church started with Christ, ends with Christ, and will continue to be in God's hands and not that of any Pope.

Answer 5

The Pharisees thought they were the true followers of God because they followed Moses' teachings. Yet Jesus in a way came, branching from Moses' teachings but transforming them into teachings of love. He called the Pharisees the hypocrites. Doesn't that seem to reflect what's happening today? Catholics are so immersed in tradition and follow faith in such a robotic way while Christians focus the teachings on daily living. I tell you, I see more happy christians than catholics. wonder why.

Answer 6

"... for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." 1 Corinthians 10:4

The Apostle Paul wrote:

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;" Ephesians 5:25

Paul was not a Catholic, yet he knew that Christ loved him and died for him. Certainly, no one would dare say that Paul was not a Christian because he was not a Catholic.

Would anyone suggest that God only loves Catholics?... or that He only died for Catholics? Such would be the case if the Catholic church was the only church.

The church in the New Testament is simply the body of the saved and Jesus Christ is its Head. "...Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body." (Eph. 5:23).

The church is not the Savior, but simply the body of the saved (Acts 2:47; Eph. 5:22-24).

You are contradicting Gods Word by saying the Roman Catholic Church is the "One True Church".

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Answer 7

i think of that the technique strengthen right into a extra sluggish one than you recommend - it wasn't the case that the bishops in basic terms have been given mutually and drew up a catalogue from scratch. previous to Nicea, there strengthen into already a customary settlement with regards to the status of maximum biblical books. The council of Nicea (and in line with probability lots of the different fourth century councils?) formalised what strengthen into already agreed, and resolved some surprising themes (if I remember properly, there strengthen into some dispute approximately including Revelation, and there have been some texts such because of the fact the Epistle of Barnabas which some theologians had considered to affix the inspired canon yet which didn't benefit expert acceptance). After the fourth century, there have been no important differences in the canon of the Bible, as primary via western Christianity, till the upward push of Protestantism in the sixteenth century. at that factor, the reformers desperate to expunge those areas of the previous testomony that have been derived from the Septuagint in common terms. although, the Catholic church maintains to apply the full Biblical canon. Accepting that the Bible strengthen into formalised in the fourth century does no injury to the authentic Christian reason. It does, although, undermine the Protestant concept that revelation is thru Scripture on my own, incredibly than via a mix of Scripture and the Spirit-lead coaching of the Church.

Answer 8

mathew16:15-20 jesus asks who peter thought he was, peter said the son of god,and being JESUS as the ROCK all through out the old testement, the rock of ages, the rock that followed the isrealites in the desert,and provided water,UPON THIS ROCK,meaning his body, not peter, i will build my church, so our church was started by a JEW, and he gave his apostles or followers, power over demons, sickness, and the power to bind on earth what is bound in heaven. the catholic church was started by constantine as a gift to his wife, if you read all the bible it warms about talking to dead people like jude, mary and other saints, talk to god in JESUS NAME no one else

Answer 9

http://www.sullivan-county.com/identity/intol_right.htm

The Christian right are intolerant of free thinkers. They feel they have little or nothing to learn from perspectives other than their own. They wish to raise their children in "closed" sometimes "Anglo only" environments, exposing them as little as possible to the "corrupting" influences of the outside world. Indeed, by isolating their children this way, they pass on their intolerance to their progeny. Music and art to the Christian right must conform to their biblical beliefs. For example, lyrics or art labeled "pornographic," films and/or books that accept, not necessarily promote, homosexuality as an alternative life style are condemned as corrupting influences on youth. The Christian right, almost gratuitously makes homosexuality a rallying point, a way to raise "true believers" in thoughtless, easy condemnation. They readily claim that the country is run by homosexuals and blame them for numerous social ills. To many of the Christian right, AIDS represents God's punishment of homosexuals.

THEIR HATRED ONLY MEANS that they do not understand the true meanings of the bible that they are so fond of quoting and that THEIR attitude can only mean one thing. THAT according to their religion, their behaviour and hatred condemns them and that THEY WILL GO TO THE HELL THAT THEY WISH ON EVERYONE ELSE.

Answer 10

Petter may have founded the church but he was not a pope. the catholic church has gone ferther and ferther from God's teachings others have reterned to the bible to learn God's truth. I was brought up methodist but read the bible for myself. no denomination is perfect but I think the catholic church can not longer be called Christian.