Why do catholics believe that they are the true Christians and not the protestants ?

Question

I guess the world can do without these controversies coming from the Pope.........does this draw any comparison to what Christ tried to educate? Why are these persons in power causing more and more rifts ? Is this necessary .....I am quite puzzled.

Answer 1

Why do the Protestants think they are the true Christians and the Catholics are not. When in all fairness, neither have very many members that act Christ like.

Answer 2

I don't think most people on here know that Protestants were the ones who broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and so Protestant Christians are different than Catholic in beliefs. And how many really know the difference between Mennonite and Amish? This is a subject I'm barely beginning to study on my own time and it's wonderful to gain that real knowledge of religions and what they're about. But just how Christian is the Catholic Church anyway?

Answer 3

Jesus and the Holy Spirit provided a complete system of doctrine, scripture, government, and authentic worship to the Catholic Church.

After most of the known world had already been converted for Christ, and all the heavy lifting had already been done, the protestant reformers decided this wasn't good enough, so they started a totally new religion, based at least in part on false doctrines, and they called it Christianity.

Today, those protestant doctrines are available in over 51,000 different "flavors" and all of them are in some way at odds, and in some way lacking God's authentic truth.

The Pope was merely restating what has always been a fact.

Jesus founded only one church. He authorized, empowered, and eternally guaranteed only one church. He provided the complete revelation of God to only one church, and he assigned the Holy Spirit to that church to preserve and defend ALL of it.

That church remains one, holy, apostolic, and CATHOLIC to this day.

The protestant denominations are not true churches, but they are separatist Christian groups who benefit only from their self limited share of the abundant and unlimited power and truth, and the very presence of Jesus Christ, that subsists only in the authentic Catholic church.

This strange situation has existed for some 500 years now, and it remains a "thorn in the flesh" of the mystical body of Christ, that effectively wounds the entire world.

If you're not Catholic, you're defnitely missing out on a lot of great stuff that God wants for you..

The truth has always been out there, and readily available to all.

Why not deal with it?

Answer 4

When I was in grade school our Catechism teachers told us that there is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church. Search the Bible and read what the early Church Fathers said about this and you will come to the same conclusion. What the Pope said is an old doctrine; you should be happy because he sugar coated it. I am now 71 years old.

Answer 5

Any organization whether the Catholics, the Baptists or the Elks tend to close ranks when they are formed. When I studied Psychology at University I was told how superior the Psychologists were and they traced their organization back to Plato and Aristotle. Having been raised Catholic I thought: "where have I heard that argument before?" Then I remembered that that was the same "Apostolic Succession" argument the Catholics used.

Answer 6

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 7

i'm a Christian and have faith that Catholics are Christian too. they don't worship or pray to statutes or idols. They ask for intercessory prayer from the old saints and Mary the mum of Jesus. they have faith in the Deity of Jesus and His Resurrection. they have faith Jesus is the only way for salvation. The Catholic bible does have 6 greater gospels than the King James version yet they don't contradict any standard of the Christian ideals.

Answer 8

No offense, but I could tell by reading the question that you are only level 1 here.

Anyone who has spent any time at all in this section has seen dozens of Protestants saying that Catholics aren't Christians.

It shouldn't surprise anyone that there are Catholics who will make the same statement in reverse.

Answer 9

All Christians believe they are the "true" Christians, no matter what sect, cult or sub-genus they ascribe themselves to.

All religions maintain that their religion is the only true religion.

The Pope's recent declaration closely follows Mr. Bush's visit to the Vatican. Perhaps hubris, ignorance and intolerance are contagious. Or... maybe the rich Skull & Bones cult is planning their twenty year retirement plan and needs a fresh population of souls to enslave.

By definition, each religion demands loyalty to its own particular sect to the exclusion of all others. Of course it is necessary! That what religion does! You have to exclude others if you want to be in the exclusive class of good people that can get to heaven.

I am thinking about starting my own new religion;
The Modern Church of The Obvious.

Anyone want to join?

Answer 10

Apostolic succession, they can trace their ordination back through priests, bishops, etc. all the way back to the Apostles and then, of course, to Jesus.

Protestant churches do not have that. The Orthodox and Lutheran church do, however. Because their founders were Catholic priests, and had been ordained by someone else in the apostolic succession, and then passed it on....just in a different church.