Why is it that when you ask someone if they are catholic and they arent they say "No I'm Christian."

Question

Catholics ARE Christians.

Answer 1

Because a lot of non-Catholic Christians are uncertain about their own denominations. For example, some Protestants may go to a Baptist church for a while, a Pentacostal church some other time, and maybe a Presbyterian church. Then again, they may be Christians but not go to any church, so they're pretty vague about the whole thing. Most of them don't mean anything by it except the extra-rude, brainwashed/opinionated ones.

Answer 2

First let me say this... I believe that the Catholic church teaches the essential doctrine of Jesus Christ as Savior of the world, and that therefore the Catholic faith is a Christian denomination.
Second as with any other church not all who attend are Christian, some really are just pew warmers and Sunday (or Mass) only folk.

That said... one reason perhaps and this comes from my childhood experience is the number of times I was told by a Catholic that only Catholics were going to heaven and that so-called "Christians" weren't.
I lived in Louisiana for a time, and the Philippines....and elsewhere, where Catholicism was predominant form of worship and I heard that so very often.
That could be one reason.

I am glad I overlooked that and learned otherwise.

There are other reasons people make that mistake, I am sure.

Answer 3

I am a Christian but I am not Catholic. I could get some stones thrown at me for my ignorance, but it seems to me that some Catholics are "Christians" and others are not. Just like some Baptist are and some really are not.

Answer 4

Yes you are Christian if you beleive in and do the things that Jesus taught. The term Christian was originally used to describe those people that beleived in and were followers of Jesus of Nazareth and his teachings. Jesus talking to his chosen apostles on the evening before his crucifiction told them that he had chosen them, taught them (and would still teach them much after his resurrection-John 16:12,13),and would send them to teach the world (John 18-21). Jesus had contact with the apostles for 40 days after he rose from the dead and more than likely taught them much which is not recorded in the Bible. After the day of Pentecost the apostles with the assistance of the Holy Ghost/Spirit taught the words of Christ. Eventually the originally organization came under attack from inside and outside and was possible changed after the death of the apostles and others that were taught by the apostles. IF it is assumed that the Catholic church rose from the ruins of the original organizaton that was set up by Jesus and his chosen apostles and has taught innaccurately or diluted the teachings of Jesus, then perhaps those people that follow the teachings of the Catholic church would not be 'christians'. It could be said that they follow the teachings of the popes or other people and they could therefore be called the pope's disciples as opposed to the disciples of Jesus. The word 'catholic' is a greek word that originally meant 'universal'. There is no 'universal' religion that is accepted by all. Those people that say they are not part of the catholic church are saying that they are not part of a 'universal' church that is accepted by all-this is true. Whether or not they follow the teachings of Jesus is questionable. They more than likely follow the teachings of their own pastor/reverand or their own interpretations of the collection of writings referred to as the Bible. If you want to know if any particular teaching of your church is true then do what James suggested and ask God. James 1:5. If God tells you through the Holy Ghost/Comforter/Holy Spirit/Spirit of Truth that it is true then you can assume that it is in agreement with the teachings of Jesus. I beleive that at some time all false teachings will be corrected and there will be a 'universal' /catholic 'church' again and all of that organizations teachings will be christian or based on the true teachings of Jesus.

Answer 5

Catholics aren't Christians because some guy holding a bible said that to me once. That's a good enough reason right?

Answer 6

I think some Protestants identify themselves that way because they do not belong to a specific church, or they are non denominational. Also the Disciples of Christ call their churhes, i.e. First Christian Church etc.

There are a few that do that trying to be sanctimonius, but not just to Catholics but to other Protestants.

Answer 7

Hey, GRANNYOF5 - apparently you didn't read hmmm's reasons for believing what she believes. She brings up some very good points and you didn't address one of them. Maybe you should put on your reading glasses and read past the first 3 sentences.

Obviously she's right, you do think you're a Christian. Maybe you are even saved. But you're jumping through a lot of hoops that you don't need to jump through with all the religious "rites" of the Catholic church. Did Jesus perform any of those, or did he say that you should? And yet you believe that if you don't, you won't be saved (like the last rites), and Jesus never said that.

Edit* Just because I haven't met you doesn't mean I don't know what your religion is about. I used to date a Catholic and even attended services with him on more than one occassion. I got along great with his mother who is a devout Catholic, and a good woman. She believed that all the hoopla of the customs was necessary and that she was saved because of it. I believe she is saved too, but not because of the rites. If she had never been baptized but believed that Jesus died for our sins, if she died without getting the "last rites", it wouldn't effect whether or not she was saved. Also the bible says nothing about "purgatory" or "limbo", at least not that I've read, but if you can show me where, I'll read it.

Answer 8

I've been Catholic all my life, and if somebody asks if I'm a Roman Catholic, I say, "Yes, I am." The only time I have to actually explain to people that I'm Christian is when I'm dealing with certain types of other Christians, often Fundamentalists, who were raised to believe that Catholics aren't "real" Christians. Also, Jack Chick and his ilk have long put out the notion that Catholics aren't Christian. So some people grow up hearing that Catholics aren't Christians, and become confused by the point.

Answer 9

My goodness, I am in utter awe and amazement. I had no idea that lexigrl, kagome, CameraShy, doppler, and hmmm all have met each and every Catholic on the planet -- 17% of the world's population, that is -- and comes to the conclusion that not a single one of them is Christian. Or, if not, they somehow have been given the ability to know the hearts of everyone else.

Sound ridiculous? Indeed it does, but no more ridiculous than this wholesale dismissal of Catholics as Christian. "Um. They're not. They only think they are. Christianity follows the Bible ...". And where oh where, dear hmmm, do you think your Bible came from? At the very least you owe the Catholic Church a debt of thanks for the Bible you use to condemn its members.

If you have issues with Catholic dogma or traditions, fine. But do use caution when you point fingers at Catholics and say "not Christian". The truth is you do NOT know, and have no right to determine, whether another person's relationship with Jesus Christ is genuine, Biblical, and salvific.

I am a born-again, Bible-believing Christian. I am Catholic.

[EDIT] "likewhatever", I did read her diatribe. Twice. Both times with my glasses on. The above addresses it in aggregate; sorry if that's not specific enough for you. I'd sure like to know how you decided what I believe about the "hoops" and "rites" and their connection (if any) to my salvation, because I'm quite certain we haven't met. Thank you, though, for the grudging admission that "maybe you are even saved". I consider that quite a concession from an anti-Catholic.

Answer 10

Perhaps we should start by clarifying what sacraments are.

Sacraments are visible signs that Jesus entrusted to his Church for the purpose of transmitting his grace to us.

The Judaism of the Old Testament was a physical religion. Think of all those animal sacrifices, the blood of the Covenant sprinkled on the people, the eating of the Passover lamb-even the detailed building specifications passed on by Yahweh for the Ark of the Covenant and Solomon's Temple.

Jesus' earthly ministry was also physical. He was circumcised, he was baptized in the Jordan, he healed the sick by touching them, he gave hungry people real bread and fish to eat. He died a physical death-gruesomely so. His Resurrection was physical too. When he first appeared to his disciples, he showed them he wasn't a ghost-he had real flesh and bones-and invited Thomas to touch him. Then he said basically, 'Hey, is there anything around here to eat?'

In short, God knows we aren't angels but beings with bodies as well as souls. That's why we Catholics believe Jesus gave us sacraments-to care for our needs.

Catholics have the reputation among Protestants for being scrupulous about "following the rules." But we do it because we love our Father in heaven; we want to be his obedient children and follow his commandments, and we don't want to offend him by sin. Anyone who can't find that concept in Scripture needs to read it more carefully. We're told repeatedly that we will be judged according to our "conduct" and our "deeds."

The Church doesn't teach that we can merit heaven by our own efforts. We know God's saving grace is a free gift; we can't do anything to earn it or deserve it. As all the great saints would tell you, no matter how much we do in God's service, we're still unprofitable servants (Luke 17:10), hopelessly in debt to him and dependent on his mercy.

It does not follow from this that we aren't obligated to try to do what is right, to persevere, to finish the race (1 Cor. 9:24). Ask the Fundamentalist, "What would you think of someone who went up to the altar in your church and accepted Christ as his Savior but went on breaking the Commandments and refused to help his neighbors in need? Would you say that such a person was a good Christian, let alone 'assured of salvation'? Reread the first two chapters of James, and decide for yourself."

We must realize this is a sticky wicket for many non-Catholic Christians. They don't understand how we can honor Mary, the saints, and the angels without detracting from Christ, the one mediator between God and man. The answer is pretty simple: We honor them because they are in Christ. Jesus ascended into heaven but promised to be with us always, and we know that all these holy ones are reigning with him in heaven (cf. Heb. 12:22-24). So in Christ we have fellowship with them, just as we have it with our fellow Christians who are still on earth. Like us, they are all members of the Body of Christ (I Cor.12).

Answer 11

Christian,,,Catholic...they have the same God,who loves them both,,in spite of their differences and ignorance!
God is reality everything else is less than nothing!
Believe the best and leave the rest!