All Christians why are you/are you not a catholic?

Question

I'm new here and just kinda curious.

I should clarify that I am speaking of the Roman Catholic Church. Anonymus Lutheran why are you not a Roman Catholic? Again I am just curious.

Answer 1

I am a catholic, but I am not a Roman Catholic. To be catholic is to be a part of God's Church. To be Roman Catholic is to be in communion with the Pope, along with all the docrinal beliefs that implies.

Edit: I am not Roman Catholic because the Roman Catholic Church, through the doctrine of Purgatory and the practice of granting indulgences, has turned salvation into a commodity to be worked and traded for, thereby distorting the Gospel of Jesus.

Answer 2

I'm not *Roman* Catholic, but I am catholic (with a small ''c''). In other words, just like Anonymous Lutheran, I'm a Confessional Lutheran. Anyone who does not agree needs to read the Formula of Concord (written in 1580), or just realize that the word ''catholic'' means ''universal.'' Luther's Central Article of Faith states that ''we are justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.'' The Roman Catholic Church finally agreed with that in 1999.

I wasn't always Christian. Yes, I understood the basics of Christianity, but I didn't believe any of it until I was twenty-seven years old. When I converted, I considered joining the Roman Catholic Church. I attended a few services, and I spoke to a priest about it, so I understand alot of things about the religion that many people don't.

There were many things that turned me off about the RCC, but here are the main two:

The claim ''we are the one true church'' sounded like a statement made out of pure arrogance to me, and still does. The fact that the pope calls all other Christians ''cult members'' and ''heretics'' just really gets under my skin. He has no right to do such a thing. Almost every other pastor from the churches I visited told me they were the only church that does things according to the Bible, except the pastor from the LCMS Lutheran church that I attend now. He may believe so, but he doesn't claim so, and he certainly doesn't imply that other Christians aren't ''good enough.'' Such an idea goes directly against what Luther taught.

Then there's the idea of papal infallibility, combined with the idea that the pope can change divine law. When I learned about the doctrine of papal infallibility, I had to try really hard not to laugh. The priest told me that the pope is only infallible while teaching morality and doctrine, and that if other popes had acted in worldly ways while they weren't teaching, this only gives the idea of papal infallibility more support. In other words, the pope could theoretically live like a complete hellion most of the time, but once he started teaching what he had memorized out of the Catechism, he was completely perfect. The fact that he lived in such a bad way for twenty-three hours out of the day and six days out of the week, and then comes into church or wherever and starts teaching- from memory- what has already been written only adds to his ''holiness.'' It's a bulletproof idea. Noone can prove it wrong, and in trying to do so, they can only prove it ''more right.'' It makes me laugh.

There are quite a few other reasons why I'm not a Roman Catholic, but those are the two biggest ones. One statement is made from arrogance, and the other is completely and utterly ridiculous.

Answer 3

I'm a Roman Catholic. I was raised in a very religious Italian Catholic family. I've done a great deal of research into other religions, and have attended the services of many different faiths, but for me personally, Catholicism is the religion that makes me feel closest to God. The rituals of the Church are very meaningful to me. I find deep meaning in Catholic liturgy, art, and music. And it's not just a fly-by-night church that was invented on a whim by some preacher last week, but has been around for many centuries.

Answer 4

I have different beliefs than they do. I don't believe I have to confess my sins to anyone else than the Lord. I also don't believe that I should pray to anyone else other than God. My entire extended family is Catholic so I am in now way talking bad about their religion, I just don't have the same beliefs.

Answer 5

Sounds like all the non-Catholics have been deceived, in one way or another.

We should ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to pray to Jesus on their behalf.

Then Jesus can ask the Father to have the Holy Spirit send them some wisdom and discernment.

That 1611 King James bible obviously hasn't helped them much.

Answer 6

I am christian Catholic that means I am Universal.. I am a part of the true catholic church was founded by jesus christ... the church which selected the books of the new testament.. the church which gave us the tradition..

Answer 7

I was Catholic but I left because I saw a lot of evidence that contradicted the RCC's version of history. That is the short answer version.

Answer 8

Demographics as much as anything. Roughly %75 of the U.S. is christian and about %25 are catholic. People generally are "born into" a religion (whatever your parents believe you tend to believe).

Answer 9

I simply read KJV 1611 and

1. Do not vow my head before scupltures and pray..
2. Do not worship Mary
3. I do not believe in purgatory
4. I do not confess my sin before priests (but to Jesus the Mediator)
5. I do not believe in Last Supper practice in the morning..
6. I do not have rosary (but i have KJV 1611)
7. I do not pray the memorize prayer (but a straight words from my heart)

many more..

Answer 10

Exodus 20:4 - Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.