Is there a difference between being catholic and christian?

Question

I feel stupid asking, but i didnt really think there was....is there?

Answer 1

YES! The Catholic religion revers the Pope as the connection between God and Man.
History shows a broken line of Popes, and so a true Christian looks to Jesus not a human for divine direction
Catholics, many of them worship Mary even though the Catholic encyclopedia tells them not to.
But true Christians understand the Bible 10 commandments.
Almost first is Never worship anything besides God the Father.
Never make carved or painted images of what you think the Father looks like. etc.

Answer 2

No, the two terms are synonyms. Or at least they were for the first 1,500 years of Christianity. Today the thousands of unauthorized manmade denominational churches that exist in open rejection of the stated will of God, "that they all may be one", are also classified as "Christian", though in fact they are only semi-Christian. Only the one Church founded by Jesus Christ can claim to be fully Christian, and history plainly identifies that one true Churcdh as the Holy Catholic Church.

Answer 3

Catholic is a religion and a religion is a denomination. There are some with no religion, just God and the KJV Bible called a non-denominational Christian. Religions follow rituals. Non religious Christians follow spirituality. Big difference.

Answer 4

I'm so tired of people saying that Catholics are not Christians! Catholicism is a Christian designation. Protestants (Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, etc.) are also Christians. In fact, anyone who believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, died for our sins, rose again on the third day, and ascended into heaven is a Christian.

Answer 5

"What separates us as believers in Christ is much less than what unites us." (Pope John XXIII)

Almost all important doctrine is completely agreed upon between Catholic Christians and other Christians.

Here is the joint declaration of justification by Catholics (1999), Lutherans (1999), and Methodists (2006):

By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping us and calling us to good works.

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_31101999_cath-luth-joint-declaration_en.html

There are many minor doctrine issues and some major cultural traditional differences which, I believe, do not matter that much.

A Catholic worships and follows Christ in the tradition of Catholicism which, among other things, recognizes that Christ made Peter the leader of His new Church and Pope Benedict XVI is Peter's direct successor.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/index.htm

With love in Christ.

Answer 6

What is the difference between any religion?
We all believe in a God! Does it matter what flag we fly under? It has made us divided as a people and must be eradicated unless we want to find a way to heaven. We are taught to distinguish between religion, races, social status etc because divided we fall, if only we were united, we would all stand proud. But alas, we follow the leaders to our detriment!

Answer 7

There are differences but the cause of these differences is that the Catholic Church was created by Christ and the Protestant churches are all man-made churches in protest of what Christ created.

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

Answer 8

The message of Jesus and the laws of God are the same ones.
The religions have human laws, which are not always in agreements with the Message of Jesus.
You see yourself the result.