Why do people say "Catholics" and "Christians"?

Question

I am not a super religious person, but I always wondered why. The definition of a Christian is someone who believes in Jesus Christ. Catholics believe in Jesus Christ! It makes not sense. They(Catholics, Protestants, Mormons, Methodists, Babtists, Unitarians, etc) are all christians!

gandamack2- I think that you misunderstood the question. I was asking for the reasoning behind it.But since you brought it up, you said you are staying Christian, but so then are all the catholic people out there. Christian means you believe in Jesus Christ as God's son. That means that Catholic people are Christian, too.

Answer 1

To say the term "Christian" is simply stating a person follows the teachings of Jesus Christ. To say "Catholic" (with an uppercase C) is stating a particular way in which the "Christian" follows the faith. If you hear the term catholic (with a lowercase c) it is stating a universal faith. Other forms of Christians are Episcopalians, Baptists, Methodists, etc.

Answer 2

Most non-Catholic Christian denominations accept Catholics as Christians. A very few do not.

A dictionary would say that a Christian is someone professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.

Catholics would fit this definition.

In the Nicene creed, from 325 C.E., Catholics profess:

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father.

Through Him all things were made.

For us and our salvation He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered, died, and was buried.

On the third day He rose again in fulfillment of the scriptures: He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We are baptized as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19, "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

We truly are spiritually "born again," we just don't usually use those words.

For a complete description of what Catholics believe, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/index.htm

With love in Christ.

Answer 3

You are right Kristi; however, the reason is because the Catholic church sees all other religions as PROTESTORS to their system. Example... Martin Luther, he disagreed with the church and as a result, you have the Lutheran's. So the word, protestant, came from the Catholic Church who believes itself to hold the "truth."

There's much more to this but, this is the foundation to your question. There will always be a different title unless you are a Roman Catholic.

Answer 4

Christians are a superset of Catholics, so the appropriate term depends on your intent. If you are referring to the Catholic Church specifically, then Catholic is appropriate. Otherwise, use Christian.

Answer 5

I'm catholic, and it always annoys me when people refer to catholics as separate from Christians and act like we have all of these weird rituals. I have to say many churches and religions have their own rituals, and I think people are just ignorant about that - it's different from what they are used to, so it's bad or weird - and so protestant "Christians refer to catholics as "Catholics" and everyone else as "Christians", like they don't want to consider catholics to be like them. Unfortunately because of these differences, to continue to refer the differences between catholics and Christians only creates animosity between them.

Answer 6

The Catholics have their own things which protestant denominations might think is odd. While some Catholics might think that Pentecostals and other Protestants are odd.

Answer 7

So much to say, so little space, so here's the Reader's Digest version.

The Roman Catholic Church never was, nor will it ever be Christian. It began even in the apostle Pauls writings. He veils the information, because he was protecting his fellow believers from Roman persecution. This Babylonian mystery religion was picked up and propogated by the emperor Constantine. He had a vision of a cross, put it on his armies shields, and won the battle. He attributed it to christ, and wanted all in his kingdom to accept chrisitanity (although it was a false one). As he set out to accomplish the task, the pagans were not to hot to accept it. Since they were required to become christians, due to the rulers decree, they were allowed to keep their pagan customs, but were required to do them in the name of christ, rather than their pagan gods. Thus, Eastern (Ishtar) Christ-mass with all it's pagan traditions, and so on.

Just because you put Christ's name on something, doesn't make it Christian.

I don't say this to gloat, I was brought up in the Roman Catholic Church, and escaped it by the grace of God.

Anyway, research it, that's all I have from the top of my head.

Answer 8

Catholicism is a christian denomination.

It seems, though, that many american christians don't understand that catholics, mormons, or jehovah's witnesses are in fact christians.

Answer 9

No big differences true Christians go by what the Bible says. The others some of which you mention Catholics and Mormons are cleverly disguised cults. They claim to worship the One true God but have added so many man made traditions they have made a god of their own design. Sad that millions are deceived and will end up in the lake of fire which was intended for Lucifer and his fallen angels. Repent and be baptized. Peace out......

Answer 10

i no i always wondered the same thing....but when i asked my teacher he said that bcuz there are different types of christians who are not catholic such as the ones you named...but to me they're all the same..& im catholic