I have no animosity towards Catholics. I just have always wondered why their identity as a Catholic seems to take precedence over the fact that they are first-and-foremost a Christian. For example, I recently saw a web site that said "How to become a Catholic". Isn't becoming a Christian the more over-arching goal?
2007-10-23 07:06:35 · 19 answers · asked by OP-lo 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
That personal identity with a particular denomination over identity with Christ isn't limited to Catholics. Many segments of the church place their own unique brand of doctrines and traditions over and above the truth found only in the Word of God. It has wrought havoc in what we call the church today, versus what we see in the book of Acts. I'm not only talking about the power and the miracles, but the depth and fidelity of their relationship to the Lord.
For example, I used to draw comfort and security in knowing I was a Methodist, when in truth I didn't know the first thing about Jesus Christ - what He had done for me or whether I was even born again or not. (Ironically, when I heard the truth and was born again - I stopped being a Methodist.)
Not that every denomination doesn't have hold of certain facets of the truth....or that you have to belong to one particular denomination to be saved or not. That is NOT what I"m saying.
I just think you're identifying a deeply rooted problem that plagues many different denominations...... that sort of blindness isn't limited to the Catholic church.
2007-10-23 07:16:09 · answer #1 · answered by CassandraM 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Yeah, I'd agree with what you put. But to answer as a catholic -- think of it this way: Catholics are the rock while the denominations that broke off are the smaller pebbles. While pebbles resemble the main rock, and therefore have very similar truths, Catholism is the whole thing. So we shoot for the big picture. BUT I would agree that it is much more important for a person to be at least Christian as opposed to not, Catholic or not.
But why set your ambition any less than the best? Sorry if that sounds somewhat egotistical or something. I don't think other religions are inferior, by any means, I just think that the Catholic Church has the fullness of the faith.
2007-10-23 14:34:52 · answer #2 · answered by Jeni 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
If someone asked me what I believed about God I could truthfully say that I was:
+ A Theist
+ A Monotheist
+ A worshiper of the God of Abraham
+ A worshiper of the God of Moses
+ A worshiper of the God of Israel
+ A Christian
+ A Trinitarian
But telling someone that I am a Catholic says all of the above and more.
Remember one cannot be a Catholic without being a Christian.
With love in Christ.
2007-10-23 23:12:31 · answer #3 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Catholic and Christian are the same thing. You could call yourself a Catholic Christian, which would be the same thing as calling yourself a Universal Christian, or just a Christian. No difference.
2007-10-24 17:34:58 · answer #4 · answered by Danny H 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Us Catholics are not alone in this regard. If you were to ask a Methodist what their religion was they would respond "Methodist." The same goes for Baptists, Lutherans, Pentecostals, Episcopalians so on so forth. For that matter the only group I ever actually hear refer to themselves strictly as Christians are non-denominational churches. So, long story short, what we call ourselves doesn't change the fact that we're all Christians.
2007-10-25 10:35:28 · answer #5 · answered by Sarah J 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pastor Billy says: you need to spend more time around Protestants. As there are numerous denominations within Protestantism, numerous splits within singular denominations usually when two Protestants meet they never simply say to one another "Hi I'm Christian too"
its more like,
"Hi I'm a born again, bible believing Evangelical (insert denomination here) who attends a good bible church"
Catholics simply make it clear in one word they are the other guys, the ones that have been following Christ for 2000 years not just the last 20.
2007-10-23 18:05:53 · answer #6 · answered by Pastor Billy 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The term "Catholic Christian", while there is nothing wrong with it, is redundant because all Catholics are Christians.
When one claims to be "Catholic", one is proclaiming their their status as "Catholic Christians."
There seems tio be a non- Catholic Christian movement underway in which they choose to define themselves as "Christians", which would not be a bad thing but it is little more than an attempt to make Catholics aooear non-Christian.
2007-10-23 15:25:11 · answer #7 · answered by Daver 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Christianity is the main "branch", if you will.
Then it goes down the lines : Catholic, Lutherans, Baptists, etc.
They are all Christians, but practice their Christianity differently - so I say I'm Catholic, even though techinically I'm Christian. I say Catholic so people can sort of see where I'm coming from w/ my views on the world and on life.
2007-10-23 14:11:21 · answer #8 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
That's their main identity; being a catholic.
2007-10-23 14:10:20 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
My opinion is that catholic and christians are the same religion. and my mom who is dead set on her beliefs even says they are almost the same but cant give me hard facts that seperates them.
2007-10-23 14:11:31 · answer #10 · answered by EVANS HERE YAY!!! WHAT A BIG GUY 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋