Why do some people say that Catholics aren't Christians?

Question

I'm catholic and my roommate tells me that catholics aren't christians because we worship the virgin mary and saints....uhhh so is that why catholics aren't supposed to be christians?

reading your answers...um...i guess there is still a lot of anti-catholicism out there

Answer 1

There are three branches of Christianity:
1 Catholic
2 Protestant (includes 1000's of sub-denominations)
3 Eastern Orthodox

If you are a Christian, you are one of those. People who think otherwise delude themselves (and they are probably protestants).

Every Christian church is an offshoot of the Catholic Church. The Eastern Orthodox churches broke away from unity with the pope in 1054. The Protestant churches broke away and were established during the protestant revolt, which began in 1517. (Hence the name "protestant", from "protest". Most of today’s Protestant churches are actually offshoots of the original Protestant offshoots.)

Only the Catholic Church existed in the tenth century, in the fifth century, and in the first century, faithfully teaching the doctrines given by Christ to the apostles, omitting nothing. The line of popes can be traced back, in unbroken succession, to Peter himself. This is unequaled by any institution in history: Even the oldest government is new compared to the papacy. The Catholic Church has existed for nearly 2,000 years, despite constant opposition from the world. This is testimony to the Church’s divine origin: Any merely human organization would have collapsed long ago. The Catholic Church is today the most vigorous church in the world (and the largest, with a billion members: one sixth of the human race), and that is testimony not to the cleverness of the Church’s leaders, but to the protection of the Holy Spirit.

Answer 2

I believe many Catholics are Christians. I will not say all because I don't think any denomination can truly say all who follow it are Christian. However I also believe that Catholicism has incorporated many man made traditions that do not serve a point nor do they bring people closer to Jesus. You have to understand though Catholics bring some of this upon theirselves. The comments I have seen on here about Catholics being the only true church. Variations on that theme. The Catholic superiority complex I often see here can be very annoying.

Answer 3

some Christians do no longer evaluate Roman Catholics to be actual Christians, and those are regularly protestants. yet quite, Roman Catholics are Christian yet no longer all Christians are Catholic. Roman Catholics are lead by the Pope in Rome. Protestants do no longer know the Pope's authority and are prepared into hundreds of diverse denominations. The eastern Orthodox(Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox) additionally do no longer know the Pope, in spite of the particular indisputable fact that their teachings and ceremonies are very such as the Roman Catholics. The Eucharist is meant to be Jesus's physique and Blood, that's a Holy Sacrament, a considered necessary part of Catholic church ceremony. i've got not got self assurance in it. i will style of understand the assumption yet i'm no longer Catholic or Christian. under no circumstances be frightened of asking questions of your priest or fellow parishioners.

Answer 4

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

The World Council of Churches which brings together more than 340 churches, denominations and church fellowships in over 100 countries and territories throughout the world, representing some 550 million Christians accepts the 1.1 billion Catholics as Christians. http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/who/faq-e.html#07

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 5

Welcome to the world of anti-Catholic bigotry. It's been around a long time. Really, they're just fulfilling Scripture:
"Blessed are you when men hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man." (Luke 6:22)

As for the other Christians who are doing this, forgive them also, because prejudice against their brothers is a sin: "Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him." (1 John 2:10-11)

I don't buy for one minute that Catholic-bashers "love" us and produce a laundry list of accusations against the Church based on their concern that we are "misguided".

The very best thing Catholics can do in answer to this is dig in and learn more about what the Church teaches, and become very conversant with the Biblical basis of Church doctrines. This means doing some homework, if our catechesis hasn't been adequate -- or if we didn't pay attention -- and a good place to start is by studying both the Bible and the Catechism side-by-side. Our main problem is the inability of some faithful Catholics to articulate the truth about our faith as easily and glibly as "Bible Christians". But we can change that.

Edit: The more "thumbs-down" I get, the more I think I may have struck a nerve -- and oddly enough, it proves my point. I'm really feeling that "love".

Answer 6

An answer to Wizzle's objections:

1) If you knew your history you would know that 7 books were taken out of the original Christian bible around 500 years ago. Nothing was added, 7 books were taken out. Check your history.

2)Jesus, God set it up so that God will forgive sins to those who ask forgiveness to specific men (priests and bishops). Jesus gave authority on earth to forgive sins to men (Mat 6:8). Only God forgives sins, and He can do it in any way He wants to. Whether asking God directly or through a priest.

3) Christ is the only source of salvation. The Church is the Body of Christ. Therefore salvation is found through the Church as well.

4) Baptism doesn't save? "These were the spirits of those who had not obeyed God when he waited patiently during the days that Noah was building his boat. The few people in the boat---eight in all---were saved by the water, which was a symbol pointing to BAPTISM, WHICH NOW SAVES YOU. " (1 Pet 3:20-21)

Similar answers for all your objections. If you wish to hear more just contact me.

God Bless
Robin

Answer 7

1. They have added to Scripture (the Apocrypha!!)
2. Jesus said that "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Catholics use priests as intercessors.
3. The Roman Catholic church teaches that it is the only source of salvation for sinners. The Bible teaches that CHRIST is the only source of salvation.
4. Catholics believe that Baptism saves. That is false. Salvation must precede Baptism.
5. Catholics believe that the Pope is infallible. This is not true!! The Bible clearly says that only God is infallible, but all men are wicked and corrupt.
6. The Catholic church believes in salvation through sacraments. The Bible is clear - grace through faith in Christ alone. Salvation by works is a lie. The Bible says that our righteousness is like filthy (menstrual) rags.
7. The concept of transubstantiation - the communion water is actually transformed into the body of Christ at the priest's command (not symbolically but literally). This is blasphemous and comes from Babylonian sun worship.
8. Catholics teach that Mary is a source of salvation. Christ is the only way.
9. The sacrament of last rites has absolutely no Biblical basis whatsoever.
10. Catholics believe that the Roman Catholic Church is the only accurate source of interpretation of Scripture. The Holy Spirit is the only interpreter we need.

These are just the first 10 that came to mind.

If Catholics spent as much time studying the Bible as they do practicing rituals and traditions, or studying the Catechism of the Catholic church, they may be surprised at what they discover.

There's no reason to study any other text. The Bible is our only opportunity to obtain absolute truth.

EDITED: I am not anti-Catholic. I love Catholics! They are so misguided, and that's the problem. Many Catholics are very devoted to their faith - the problem is it is false doctrine. I would love to see them take the energy that focus on ritual and turn it back to prayer and developing a personal relationship with Christ.

Answer 8

sweety we live in an anti-catholic world!!! we are hated by so many!!! what i dont get is the definition of Christian is followers/beleivers of Christ..Do we beleive in Jesus Christ?? yes. Do we follow Jesus Christ?? Yes...so why arent we Christians again???
I have been a Roman Catholic all my life and i never knew we worshipped Marie....Wow, I guess you learn something new everyday!

To Wizzle you say that we added writtings [which is fals], how about the protestants who added books [true]??? that means they are not Christians either right???

Answer 9

I have the same problem. but I dont care.. despite of the protestatism.. the catholic church is the mother of the protestatism sects.. they left our church for finding false doctrines... they are againts the church of christ and his apostles.. the catholic church is totally the first christian church in the world.. I am not talking about the roman or east churches.. all them are catholic.. they follow the same beliefs..

Answer 10

Hey, being Catholic has nothing to do with being a true Christian or not. If you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior and have accepted his free gift of Salvation, then you are a Christian. I don't like denominations personally because I think it does more to separate us than to bring us together as the Church (body of believers.) I'm not sure that Catholicism is a denomination but I still don't like people breaking up real Christians into categories like Lutheran for instance....in fact I think it is even possible that being Lutheran can be considered a sin if you only turn to the teachings of Luther and don't pay attention to what the Bible says about things.
I do think that making the Virgin Mary into something bigger than she was isn't right...in my opinion and what I believe to be truth, Mary was simply a faithful servant of God, not someone to be turned to in prayer.

(I took out the part of worshiping Mary because I believe it's being understood differently from how I meant it.)