Catholics: What do you think about the Pope saying all other Christian communities are wrong?

Question

This seems pretty messed up to me and I am not religious at all.

DRAGON 2008
"I BELIEVE IN U.S."

Even if he did not directly say he still has to believe and support it. It seems to me that it is just another way to say that everyone else is wrong. Christianity is no better than Islam in the way that Islam is no better than Hinduism. No religioon is any better than the others. They just think they are.

Answer 1

The pope is wrong and his views are going to widen the gap between Christians and cause more unrest. So sad when people uphold their religion above others instead of communicating views that will promote peace.

Answer 2

The Pope ratified something from a Vatican office that said nothing new. It is no secret that the Catholic Church (along with the Orthodox Churches and many other s) believes that it is the true Church,which does not mean that the others are false.

That churches not in communion with the Papacy and not professing all the dogmas of Catholicism have "defects" is also not new and it is the belief,if not always articulated , of just about every Christian group about those who differ from them. That any Christian group registers outrage over this strikes me as being inconsistent at best.

As a theological term "ecclesia" or "Church" is only to be used for Christian groups that have valid Eucharist,orders and sacramental self-understanding again like the Orthodox.
Thar t the true faith "subsists" in the Catholic Church does not deny that Christ and is Grace are not working in other churches and "ecclesial communions'.

The Vatican has often repeated that there is"real but impaired communion" between the Catholic Church and other Christian groups and the Church since VatII has been very much involved in ecumenism.

Answer 3

That would be terrible if in fact he actually had said that.

Trouble is, he didn't.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (and not actually the Pope) instead quoted Dominus Iesus, and reiterated, "It follows that these separated churches and Communities, though we believe they suffer from defects, are deprived neither of significance nor importance in the mystery of salvation. In fact the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as instruments of salvation, whose value derives from that fullness of grace and of truth which has been entrusted to the Catholic Church"

http://www.zenit.org/article-20090?l=english

And to those claiming that "Catholics are not Christians", which is ridiculous, since for 1500 years there only were Catholics: you should be careful - for if you remove our 1.1 billion from your numbers, Christianity is not a particularly large religion anymore. In fact, Christianity moves from the #1 position, to the #5 position, behind the new #1, Islam, and then the newly separate "catholicism" now at #2, Hinduism, and then Buddhism.

Think - and think carefully. Are you sure you want this demotion? Maybe you might want to reconsider whether we are to be cast out from the Christian demographic....because if you do insist on that, Islam's promotion to #1 comes at your hands.

Answer 4

The word Christian means Follower of Christ. In order to be a Follower of Christ, you need to acknowledge him as the Head of the Church because that is what is taught in the Bible.
The Catholic Church claims that the Pope is the head of the Church. Therefore by definition, Catholics cannot be considered Christians. The correct designations for Catholics is Paptist which means Follower of the Pope.
Also, the Catholic Church claims that their religion goes all the way beck to the original group of believers and that Peter was the first Pope. However, the idea of one person being Head of the entire Church didn't come into existence until four hundred years after Peter died. Therefore, he could not have been the first Pope.
In summary, Catholics are not Christians. They are using the name of Jesus as a marketing tool to promote their own religion.

Answer 5

Here is the full text of the new document that states nothing new: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070629_responsa-quaestiones_en.html

Most Christian denominations believe that each of them is the fullest version of the Church of Christ.

While the Catholic Church also believes that she is "the highest exemplar" of the mystery that is the Church of Christ, she does not claim that non-Catholic Churches are not truly Christian. The Catholic Church teaches:

Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.

Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church.

All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 819: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p3.htm#819

With love in Christ.

Answer 6

No, you are letting the news commentaries tell you what the document says instead of reading the actual document for yourself. The document can be found at http://tinyurl.com/27hn45


Here is a real quote from teh document:

It is possible, according to Catholic doctrine, to affirm correctly that the Church of Christ is present and operative in the churches and ecclesial Communities not yet fully in communion with the Catholic Church, on account of the elements of sanctification and truth that are present in them.[

It follows that these separated churches and Communities, though we believe they suffer from defects, are deprived neither of significance nor importance in the mystery of salvation. In fact the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as instruments of salvation,

Answer 7

In order for a religious belief to be 'the truth', then all others have to be false.

That is why religion is dangerous, it makes the contention that everyone else in the world with a differing interpretation of God, is not only wrong, but leading others to disaster and eternal torture.

Philosophically it is a terrible place to be in, and causes people to strap bombs to themselves and kill apostates in the name of God.

Answer 8

It makes sense, if you look at it from their point of view - they have to either believe that people are following the geniune word of their deity, or a fiction. Well, either that or it's just a cynical marketing ploy to get more followers and thereby enhance their own power, wealth and prestige...

Answer 9

I think hes wrong for saying that! All religion think their religion is right but the pope is power and billions of people listen to this little man, so people will probably follow what he saids instead of studying scripture and figuring out for yourself.

Answer 10

Did he really say that? Or did one of his statements get misconstrued?
If he did say that, then I understand why. Every religion believes that theirs is the right one.