No Catholics? Not "proper" churches or christians?

Question

The catholic church has again stated that Protestant, Orthodox and other churches are not true churches, as they do not follow catholic doctrine or recognise the pope as head of all christians! What insulting crap!

As a member of the Ancient Church of The East, i find this grossly insulting. We are Aramaic speakers(Assyrians) whose church was founded in AD78, LONG before there was any christianity in Rome, and long before there was any organised WESTERN church, or catholocism. Thats Fact, and in itself blows their argument!

In addition, the Orthodox and coptic churches in Syria, Egypt Armenia etc have traditions that go bah before the Roman/Western church existed.

Essentially this is a symptom of the Vatican's thirst for power.

The catholic church is neither historically, chronologically, theologically or morally correct in its assertions.

What say you? Are they right? Are they Wrong? Are they insulting?

It should be remembered that Christianity started in the Middle East, NOT Rome or europe, and that eastern churches and more importantly christian traditions existed BEFORE catholicism.

The catholic church has long tried to victimise and surpress anyone that opposes is self appointed primacy over all christendom, and challenged its real role which is a thirst for political and economic power.

MARTYRED IN ROME? So WHAT? Its a FACT, that christianity started in the mid east, among mid eastern people, and was hijacked by Rome. And the doctrines of the early eastern church have LITTLE to do with the doctrines of the modern catholic church!

Answer 1

The catholic church have always said this.
Being a protestant myself it makes me quite angry that they think they are right and everyone else is wrong. I don't believe there are any right or wrong religions. Most people practise the faith that they are born into.
I don't find it necessary to go and tell all to a priest at confession every week - for a start I would be there till the following week!!.
Live and let live. If everyone done this the world would be a happier place to live in.
If I feel the need to pray, I can do so from my own home. I know people who are catholics and go to chapel every week, and to confession, but I can bet that they won't be mentioning the affairs they are having!!. Priests are not all as perfect as they would have us believe either, how many times have we read about scandals involving them? !!! Just let us get on with living our lives the way we want!!!

Answer 2

According to Saint Paul you do. The word Catholic means "all embracing," or "according to the whole." Holy means "set aside for God," and the communion of saints is clearly in Revelations and implied in the Gospels. Paul asks for the saints to pray for him. Any church which splits off is by definition not all embracing, it rejects embracing all hence the 4200 independent Protestant denominations in the US, all of which have been invited back into the Catholic Church. According to the whole means the belief must have been held across all time and place, anyone who splits from these beliefs is not Catholic. The word Catholic was well in use by the year 100 and seems to be a synthesis of what Paul taught. Further, 2 John prohibits changes from tradition. For example, you do not get to make up your own service since the apostles left services for use which are still in use to this day. I am not Christian, but I have read all of the ancient documents. Except to Protestants, because Luther removed them, it is clear that starting your own group is strictly forbidden or changing the leadership of the group from the apostolic leadership created by Jesus and the Twelve (see for example the ordination of Mathias in Acts). It isn't optional. In what of Jesus' sayings is there a statement you can stop sharing brotherly love and communion with another over intellectual differences on the importance of foot washing (to give an example from the Anabaptists). In what of Jesus' sayings are you permitted to stop sharing communion, except the excommunication one? That one would imply self excommunication makes one non-Christian by the act of being Protestant. This isn't a creedal issue, this is a scriptural issue and clearly is forbidden by all the early writings both inside and outside scripture. It is the only way, until Luther. As a neutral outsider, the answer is absolutely clear, yes this must be believed to be Christian. It must also be practiced to be Christian.

Answer 3

What a tragedy for the human race that we still have people who have been brainwashed to live by, to die for and, even, to commit murder for, the so-called teachings of their particular brand of the mythical gods. Religions have throughout history militantly divided people, causing mass murder and misery in the process.

To answer your question I would therefore comment, "Who cares what the Pope or any other religious leader says?" If everybody took my view the world would be a happier and more peaceful place. If you are a normal human being you don't need a religion to tell you how to behave in a civilised manner towards your fellows, and you can do it without the religious bribery of pleasing or displeasing a particular god. It's more fulfilling if you can be "good" of your own natural volition, rather than reluctantly being "good" to dodge the wrath and damnation of your particular god.

I comment not as a lifetime atheist but as an old man who initially lived and practised as a committed Church of England Christian and then, from my own urge, I converted to the Catholic Church. My every thought and action was to please "God and His God Son, Jesus Christ" as prescribed by the Catholic Church.

Now? I'm still a Good Boy, without the imaginery shackles of the Catholic Church and its man-made canon laws. Through evolution we humans have free will to choose our way of living and how we behave. Those choices make our lives happy or miserable. It's up to us and not the Pope or any other pompous religious leader.

Answer 4

I believe morally more correct most of the time. I do not agree totally any of the religions, because most of the roles or changes made by humans and their own believe systems agenda. More powerful they became more likely push for their rule. This is same in the political world. I believe the Ten Commandment is still the best requirement for the basic human character.

Answer 5

Being brought up a Protestant dont really know much about the Pope in Rome I can't see how all Catholics have to obey him would say that you obey the laws of the country that you are brought up surely.

Answer 6

This is why I no longer participate in the Catholic chruch. I was born and raised in a catholic family, and I just don't agree that just because some old men with old beliefs say something is true that it really is. It really annoys me that people have such blind faith that what the catholic chruch says is fact that I hate to associate myself with such closed-minded people.
I find it very insulting that the chruch would make such a blanket statement...this is making me pretty mad, i better leave it at this.

Answer 7

Hmmmmm sounds exactly like the message coming from the middle east at the moment . granted a little more dignified . If god does exist i recon he's off creating his second planet and learning from his mistakes > IF you believe then that's great but don't push your beliefs onto others >ALL religious leaders seem to have forgotten the meaning of spirituality > so i say SCREW them all , I'll make peace with my maker in my own way !!!

Answer 8

I can see the power hungry pope invading churches around the world and imposing bishops from the Vatican. I can honestly say, as a Catholic, we don't spend all our days thinking of ways of asserting authority on the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Answer 9

No the wonder there are so many wars, in this troubled world.
I have never read so much rubbish. All I can say to you sheep
is choose your own beliefs, and dont allow yourself to be indoctrinated by others or they will have control over you.
What gives these religious leaders the right to think that we should obey them, It hard to find the biggest sinner, them or us

Answer 10

My God I agree with you so much assyrian god dont tell me the bloody catholic church is going to start something up now thats all we need and anyway Religion is man made i wish all religion was banned from the world!!!