I know this question is debated a lot on here?

Question

But I really don't understand, in all the dictionaries, I have looked up the word "Christian" and the main explanation of the word is:
A person who follows Christ, a person who believes that Christ is the son of God, that he died on the cross for our sins, and that he is the Saviour.
If this is true, why do a lot of Christians, say that Catholics are not Christians, don't Catholics believe in the 3 main points , mentioned above? And if they do, and I'm sure they do, then why do some say they aren't Christians, It doesn't seem to make sense to me.
The explanation of the word is simple and if Catholics fit the explanation then they must be Christians, right?
I have heard the argument that it's because Catholics pray to saints, but they STILL believe in the main points that classes one as a Christian. I would really appreciate if anyone could explain this to me, thanks.

Answer 1

if they believe in Christ they are Christian's. But it is also like being Jewish because of where you live as opposed to being Jewish because you follow the Jewish faith. It is all about who you ask and how they see themselves.

There are Christians who call themselves Christian as a way to differentiate themselves from Catholics. The belief that Catholics are not Christians is the whole worshiping false idols thing you already addressed.

But by definition I feel you are correct a Catholic is a Christian.

Answer 2

At the risk of angering some people, here is the truth of the matter. Roman Catholic was the first Christian religion. During its development, there were periods (several hundred years after its founding) where some of its highest positioned members were guilty of very questionable behavior. A Catholic priest named Martin Luther felt he needed to do something about it and posted a list of protests on the door of the Church. He was excommunicated for his efforts.

It was never his intention to leave the Church or begin another but many disgruntled Catholics followed his lead and quit the Church to found a new Church based on the Roman Catholic Church but with many reforms. This Church is what became know as Lutheranism. It was the first 'protestant' Church or Church based on protest against the Roman Catholic Church.

There have been many more Protestant Churches founded since then. All share a belief in Jesus as the Messiah and unfortunately, some are also based on a deep dislike of the Roman Catholic Church which they see as corrupt.

This is where the idea of Catholics not being Christians originates. One note worthy point, all of the reforms that Martin Luther posted were correct and eventually adopted by the Roman Catholic Church during it's reformation. But, nonetheless, old prejudices die hard.

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Answer 3

My Father was raised Catholic My Mother was not Catholic. They had many discussions about the praying to the Saints the bowing down to statues, of Mary, & statues of the saints. Memorized prayers,When you can talk to God in your own words and not someones elses prayer that you had to memorize. Going to confession to the Parrish Priest. When you can just ask God to forgive you and not have to tell the Priest what you did. Why do the Catholic keep the dead Jesus on the cross when he rose on the third day? The disagreements went on and on. Our Bible does tell us not to bow down before an image of anything or anyone who on the Earth or in Heaven. Our Bible also tells us that the only way to the Father was through the Son. My Dad gave up the Catholic Church and we children were not raised Catholic much to my Grandmother's horror, & she hated my Mom for it.. My parents were not married in a Catholic Church because my Mother was not about to be forced to raise her children Catholic. Grandma said that because my parents were not married in a Catholic church their marriage was not a true marriage and her grandchildren were bastards. She told my Mom that because of her we children her own grandchildren were not going to heaven because we were not Catholics. Now I loved my Grandmother but a devote Catholic can make a non-Christians life miserable. These things that I have mentioned is what I have against the Catholics, but they are Christians. I do feel they are Christians but misguilded. I do not believe that I will be going to Hell because my Father chose to leave the Catholic Church.

Answer 4

how egotistical for fundamentalists to claim a "more accurate" interpetation of the christian story book than catholics have. The catholics made that book for you guys. The catholics have an almost 2000 year verifiable lineage. I also find their members for the most part to be more "christ-like" than any fundie I've ever met.

Answer 5

Christians only believe that Jesus died for our sins and only worship him. Catholics also worship saints and that is why Christians (all non-catholics actually) don't accept Catholics as being christians. Christians also don't believe that babies are baptized (there is a term for this) but to be christans have to accept Christ as their savior and get baptized again. Also born again christians are also the people that commit crimes because they believe they will die and go to heaven because they are already forgiven for their sins by Jesus.

Answer 6

Its called "denial".

The Protestants left the Catholic church during the reign of Henry the VIII in protest to the Catholic teachings. He created the Church of England which was the first Protestant church.

Since then, every time some Christian gets something up their butt about their current religion, they go make another one. So there are dozens of Protestant denominations, but Cathlicism has always remained the same. It is simply Catholic.

Personally, I think the Protestants are like children saying "wahhhh I don't like the way you run your club, so I'm going to go make my own. Nyah nyah" and "they aren't a real club, but mine is". Its all very childish.

Answer 7

You have a point:
First off it is not what they believe that is the same it is what they have added to that believe that 'can" take them off track.
If it was as simple as your definition yes but it isn't. Here's why.
The Catholic church lies to their people. It tells them that the Church goes back to Peter. False. Most of the offending non Christian beliefs and practices are very late in history. There was no Pope in the early church nor papal system. It arose after the fall of the Roman Empire.
The Early church was structured like the Jewish synagogue and they worshipped on Sabbath, Satureday.
There was no worship to anyone but God and Jesus was God.
There was no sacramental system and number of them.
That was abut 1400 that it came in.
They would throw any Catholic out of the early church if they had images and held them as even reminders as is in Catholic houses, churches and in cars etc.
One of the Ten Commandments is "make no graven image and worship it." I think you would agree that people wear jewelry and have images and consider them luck. It is the opposite as there is a curse on this. Deut. 28
In the forth century the church was infiltrated with eastern and pagan religion. The rosary is from Hinduism and Jesus spoke against this type of prayer.
I translated an early church writing I will send you the link.

Answer 8

Because Catholicism is a "Christian" religion, per se. As is Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, etc. You can be a Catholic and not be a Christian or a Baptist and not be a Christian, and vice versa. Being a Christian is having the heart knowledge of Jesus, not just the head knowledge. Anyone can know about Jesus, know He existed, know what He stood for, died for, rose from the grave for. But, do you know in your heart about these things. There is a difference.

Answer 9

Because some Protestants make up their own definitions of "Christian". Having studied religion in college, Christianity is defined by scholars as (more or less) following the teachings of Jesus. And you are right, Catholics ARE Christians.

It's interesting, though, that when some of the "Catholics aren't Christian" crowd like to talk about the US being a "Christian nation", all of a sudden, the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Catholics, etc. suddenly "become" Christian, because without those figures, their little version of Christianity becomes a minority in this country. They also recognize a simple belief in God as Christianity when they start talking about the Founding Fathers, as well. In other words, Catholics are Christians when it suits them to be, they aren't otherwise.

Answer 10

Catholics do believe this way...but some people there is a Christian Religion....