What are some common misconceptions about Christianity?

Question

The only one I know of is that some people think that Christians worship saints. Care to add to that? It's for a project, though it's something that I am curious about as well. :]

ok people, stop with the "that its true" or "that its right". Yeah, you have a different belief but those answers aren't really helping. It's been said, I get it, you don't believe in Christianity, now move on. Thank you to the people who answered the question with actual misconceptions about Christianity, and not "that its right".

Answer 1

misconceptions:

-that we're all the same. Catholics are the ones I highlight primarily on this one. they have beliefs like, praying to saints, the near deification of mary, they write the commandments in a non-biblical manner, (by not listing the second commandment "you shall not cast idols" and by splitting the tenth commandment into 2 commandments on covetting), the belief that there are more sacraments than just baptism and communion (sacraments are ceremonies concerned with forgiving sin). There are plenty others as well, such as Calvinists believe in predestination (that you are hand picked by God, like a truffle in a chocolate box that you're going to go to heaven or hell).

-that we share a common history:
there originally was the historical church (they called themselves catholic, but were really nothing like the catholic church of today), and in 1054 AD the chuch split into what would become the medieval catholic church, and the orthodox church (which became the Greek, Russian, and other orthodox churches). Then in the 1500's was Luther's reformation which kicked off the protestant movement, which in time brought about all the various protestant sects.

-that we all accept each other as christians:
Catholics don't accept protestants
Some protestants don't accept catholics
Most don't accept either mormons or unitarians

-that the catholics actually fought the crusades for God, when it really was all about the fact that muslims were taking over the crossroads of the 3 continents of the old world, thereby threatening trade. the only reason why religion was brought in, was so that crusaders would actually fight. had they any idea about the money in the matter, they would have stayed home.

-That the fall of the Roman Empire was due to Christianity; really, anyone who thinks that needs to grow up. empires rise and fall on their own, and Rome was simply getting old and eventually lost control. Christian emperors didn't make it fall, it was just history waiting to happen.

-That the dark ages are the Christian Dark Ages; frankly, again believed by immature children with no sense of history, nor recognition of the fact that the fall of rome caused a virtual collapse of civilization as we know it, taking hundreds of years to recover.

-That we enjoyed the 30 years war: the 30 years war was very much a matter of political control over territory, religion was the victim, not the primary cause.

As you can tell, I'm a protestant who hates being stuffed together with catholics, and is annoyed with atheists who are ignorant of history. listen to me, ignore me, I don't care, jus' shaddap and leave me freakin' be.

Answer 2

Summer Breeze is a bit off. Catholics ARE Christians. The Church *was* Christianity before the Protestant reformation, therefore the question of who hijacked what is debatable.

This is one of the biggest "misconceptions" out there. I put it in quotes because only extremely biased, bigoted fundamentalists -- a small but very loud percentage of Christians as a whole -- trouble themselves with the "Catholics aren't Christian" rant. It is not a misconception with them but an outright prejudice. We pray for them.

Answer 3

It seems people misunderstand that Christianity is not the same as Catholic. Many religions are Christian, for example Catholic, Baptist,,etc..

That not all Christians pray to saints.

That not all Christians have to tell another person of their sins for confession to be accepted. Its between me and God.

That all Christians dont really want to shove their beliefs on everyone else. God is the only one who can save a person, not me. All I can do is share if someone wants to know about my beliefs.

Some think that the Bible is not translated properly, and is not really the word of God but of humans that have messed it up. It is impossible for the original text to be 100% exact as the first transcripts. The same message is in every Christian Bible!

Once someone is Saved that they dont have to do anything else. There is so much that God shares in the Bible that we are suppose to do after this wonderful event. For example, being baptized (fully emerged in water), stop being selfish, give all glory in their lives to God, love one another....

The ten Commandments are Not suggestions!

Hope these help. I am sure I could think of more but these are first in my mind at this time. Good luck on the project, sounds great.

Answer 4

That Christians have some secret knowledge of the love of god and that god speaks to them when this is shameful self-delusion and outright lying.

That Christians are sincere in their beliefs when if fact many are liars manipulating people in order to gain money and power.

That charity helps people, when in fact it is demeaning and immoral.

That Jesus was a good person when he clearly believed in using threats of eternal punishment to manipulate people into obeying the set of arbitrary rituals and laws he read in the Torah.

That the events in the Old Testament are in any way historical. The Torah was written in 600 BC by a group of scholars who had recently had access to the world's greatest library in Babylon and invented Judaism, all it's history and its god in order to unite a scattered people. The Hebrews were never slaves in Egypt, never anything more than poor herders who roamed the Sinai peninsula and raided into the lands of more civilized farmers. They didn't have metal weapons let alone kingdoms paved with gold.

The New Testament is similarly false in that true story of John Of Gamala, a vicious religious zealot and brigand was altered to remove to the violent parts and add in miraculous parts to make it seem like this man was peaceful instead of an irrational criminal. They never executed political prisoners on the cross, only criminals.

Answer 5

Roman Catholics worship saints - NOT Christains! Christians worship God - not saints. Roman Catholics and Christians are two different religions, yet the RC church has hijacked the term 'Christian' - putting themselves under the same 'umbrella' as Christians.

Born again Christains are so misunderstood - by Atheists, Muslims, Jews, etc. I'm not saying all of them misunderstand us, but many do. Many people from other religions claim to respect ALL faiths and so on, but at the same time, they're bashing Christians for their beliefs - it needs to stop! This Christian-bashing that's going on in this country is pathetic. Many people are showing how hypocritical they truly are. On one hand, they're going around saying, "Oh, we respect all religions and faiths and have no problem with any of them", but they will turn around and, under their breath (and even here on Y/A - R&S) bash Christians for their beliefs instead of leaving us be. We DO NOT force our beliefs on anyone! We merely do what God expects of us to do, which is to share the gospel with others. If someone asks me face to face about the bible or a specific verse or topic in the bible, I tell them about it, but I DO NOT force it down their throats. Why can't people just accept the fact that we are doing as God wants us to do according to His word, which is spreading the gospel? What makes me sick is how people will give more respect to those who are immoral, such as homosexuals and will overlook other immoral acts in society and just accept them so easily, yet, those same people cannot accept Christians and show us any kindness or respect - how double-minded and hypocritical is that?! How greatly misunderstood we Christians are - very much so!

Answer 6

I don't know but I do know a common misconception many many Christians have about themselves: that they are the supreme judge of everyone they every come close to encountering. They can determine within minutes where a person will go in the next life. They also think they can determine within seconds whether or not another person is Christian.


LOL, I guess I sound a little bitter. Sorry.

Answer 7

Probably about every conception is a misconception. Also many of these have worked their way into the faith so it's pretty much a shadow of it's former self.


I see many people are answering incorrectly. The question is not "what misconceptions does Christianity HOLD?", but "what misconception do people HAVE ABOUT IT?".

Answer 8

Many christians that I know complain that their religion does not provide them answerd to many vexing questions!
1. Jesus was born out of "immaculate conception" of Mary.He was a human child delivered by his mother.How could he becom a son of God?Or attain divinity?
2. He has said that he was the prophet sent to the Jews.Many such prophets had come earlier -Noah, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, David, Solomon,Moses.No on was made divine! Why Jesus has been singled out ?
3.. How could God be three in one?Is it not revolting to 'reason'?
4.When he was cruycified his disciples ran away and no authentic record of his sermons was there! How could a book written by human beings some jundred years later be construed as true or word of God?
5. Only God has the authority to atone the sins of one. How then could Jesus save anyone?
6.Just belief in Jesus would do or one has to act good to get into heaven?

Answer 9

When people indiscriminately say, "God loves you." God does not want everybody. Christians especially need to wake up and weigh this matter on the Spirit of Truth.

Many people are asking for proof of God. Sometimes they ask for evidence, and sometimes they ask for proof.

If evidence is desired,
all they have to do is pick up a Bible Dictionary or Encyclopedia and see that there is a Google search worth of evidence. AS in: Way too much information to read in one or ten sittings. The amount of evidence of God is tremendous, and Testimonial Evidence does not even have to be looked at until all the historical and archaeological evidence is exhausted.

So those who ask for evidence are revealing themselves to be lazy studiers and lazy thinkers. They do not want to approach the subject logically. I think that it is because they have already made up their minds. They do not gather the evidence and deduce the evidence with axiomatic
and systematic intellectual honesty. They really don't want to.

So:

This has been my experience. I also see that the lack of evidence that many claim as being the truth is explained in the Bible.

God did not give many people the proof.

He only gives the proof to those who trust Him.
The only one's who He wants are going to be able to trust Him.

It is impossible to know God unless He wants you.
He does not want everybody.

So God holds onto the proof.
He only gives the proof to those who He wants.

It is against human nature to want to know God.
God will give the proof to those He wants to give the proof to.

The proof of God is given through His Spirit.
He will not give His Spirit to those He does not want.

So those people who claim that there is no proof of God are saying that THEY do not have any proof. It does not mean that there is no proof, they just don't have the proof.

If they say that they don't have the proof, they are saying the truth. God didn't give to them the proof.

Esoteric is a good word to describe the situation I am talking about. Jesus uses esoteric phrases ( as in the reason why he spoke in parables ) , in order to throw off those who might hear that God didn't want.

All this means that God does not include most people in the world in His plan for salvation.

From the Bible, this describes the meaning of the words of Jesus when he said, " Many are called, but few are chosen."

The call of salvation went to all who heard it. But only a remnant were given the ability to respond to the message.

God has long been the God who saved a remnant of the people - even the Jews.

So you will not get the proof of God except through the Spirit. If you do not get the proof of God through the Spirit, you will only get the proof after you die.

If you do not get the truth before you die- God did not want you.

Answer 10

there are christians who have accepted christ in the catholic church but continue to attend because they don't know better. there are tons who have never accepted christ as savior and therefore are not christians. the religion as a whole is just that, a religion. catholicism will send many people to a lifetime without christ. any religion that does not teach the truth about christ and that it is by him alone that salvation is found is not christian. "I am the way and the truth and the life." Jesus said.