ANSWERS: 40
  • Every Christian denomination seems to think they are the only true Christains. It's always been like that.
  • There are many aspects of Catholicism which appear not to be biblically based. and you're mistaken - Constantine established what became the Catholic church - and the pagan priesthood was co-opted to run it. There are also the eastern Orthodox churches to consider. I find it interesting that Jesus chose Peter to lead the church, but history seems to have chosen Paul.
  • Catholic is a dictatorship, and history would tell you that, during the crusades the pope ordered the slaughtering of million of Israelites including children and babies, they even ordered the death of millions and millions of non-believers, they had severe torture methods, they took advantage of the bible by scaring people they will go to hell unless they do there dirty deeds, Child Abuse, They is also evidence that the pope was a major player in the holocaust which resulted in the death of 6 million more people does this sound like christianity
  • There's no absolute definition of "Christian", although generally if some group doesn't believe that Jesus rose from the dead to redeem sins, they're pretty far from the middle of the Bell Curve. As to why some people don't think Catholics are Christians, that answer is pretty simple: self-righteous divisiveness. In order to secure a sense of confidence about themselves, people with a weak sense of self will often cling tightly to whatever ideas they believe make them special. The more tightly one clings to specific beliefs, the more one must disparage competing beliefs in order to sharpen the "specialness" of one's own. So, it's quite common to find churches who count only a tiny portion of the entire Christian population of the world as "true Christians". Catholics aren't singled out for exclusion by any means, many, many denominations exclude almost all other denominations. It really just tells you how desperate people are to feel special.
  • There are three things usually cited; the high-up clergy dress in rich clothing, and Christ allegedly didn't (shopped at Wal-Mart is what I hear), Catholics pray to Mary and the Saints (actually they pray through them), and the Pope claims to speak as God (it's a lot more complex than that). America was founded by Puritans who were a wiggy group of Protestants. Protestants were never big on Catholics back in Europe. More mainstream Protestants came over to America later but it wasn't until quite late that Catholics started coming over, late immigrants and poor. Round about the '70s I believe, there was a push by most Christian religions to bury the hatchet, find common ground etc. probably because they were losing people. I look forward to reading some other answers because this is all off the top of my head and not backed by sources or suchlike stuff, or, to put it another way: I may be full of it.
  • The Catholic Church is one of the largest companies in the world. If you think it's based on religion your wrong. They control the masses using a series of lies, like purgatory which isn't mentioned anywhere in the bible. They plan to keep followers poor by stopping them from planning the size of the family, they ban the use of condoms (I bet the priests use a heap of them when humping Choir boys?) The spread of the HIV virus in poor countries is only made worst because they can't use condoms.. My DAD once said to "Boy never trust a man wearing a skirt!" which is the way he referred to Priests.
  • They were the first big denomination of Christianity, so they're Christians. The only disagreement is over whether X denomination of Christianity is "true Christians", "only partly right Christians" or "false Christians." The middle category was invented so that slightly more tolerant Christians (who are themselves "true Christians", "partly right Christians", or "false Christians") could have potluck dinners with "different" Christians without the party breaking down into armed combat with the plastic cutlery. Of course, if someone says s/he's an atheist, distinctions between the denominations will automagically vanish as the Christian in question (regardless of the denomination to which s/he belongs) will quickly add up all the different Christians in the world and announce a number consisting of all Christians in the world, regardless of denomination and whether or not any or all of the denominations of Christians are currently at war with any of the other denominations of Christians in the world. Fundamentalist Protestants who think that the Pope is Satan will cheerfully lump Catholics into the numbers of "Christians" if it means being able to tell an atheist that "Christians" have a much higher percentage than atheism in world beliefs than just the Fundamentalist Protestants' own small congregation of 30 people (who are "the *only* true Christians" if you say you're a Christian but not in his denomination). Catholics get extra beatings from other Christians because one of the reasons for Christianity spreading all over the globe, and coincidentally making it much easier for non-Catholic Christians to spread all over the globe, was Catholic missionaries with swords, spears, and eventually guns brutally forcing native peoples into becoming Christians.
  • Was that a question or a sermon? Speaking as an Evangelical who is thoroughly Reformed I consider the Catholic Church a Christian institution. However, just being a member of a Christian institution doesn't make one a Christian - this is as true of Reformed Churches as it is the Catholic Church. Theologically the Catholics are fine on the essential doctrines, however, some of their stances on the non-essential doctrines are troubling. However, as the old saying goes: "In the essentials, unity. In the non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity." If they're Born Again and hold to the essentials they are my Brothers and Sisters in Christ period - regardless of how their liberty in non-essentials may try and stretch me.
  • THANK YOU! I wish I could give you more then five points but I can't. Seriously I had NEVER heard this before AB... ANYONE who has had a BASIC public school education learned about the Protestant Revolution... which was started when everyone broke off of the Catholic Church but they all still fall under the big CHRISTIANITY bubble. We all follow Christ so can we stop argueing! So friending you...
  • Because they do not teach what the Bible teaches.
  • Christ established the "church" not the Catholics. The word Catholic does not appear anywhere in the scriptures. The Bible canon was established before the "Catholic" church, certainly before that term was used. They are separated out because they seem to follow the pope rather than Christ.
  • The Inquisition proves your point. Blood thirsty christians, catholics. . .it's all the same.
  • There are many Christian denominations and sects, and Catholicism is certainly one of the largest. By definition, there is no doubting that Catholics are Christians. I have studied the Catholic religion and find no reason to think otherwise. I believe the skeptics base their beliefs of the fact that Catholics pray to the saints as a matter of regularity. There are those who will say that goes against the Bible in that we should worship the One true God. Some Catholics pray to God through the saints and ask the saints to talk to God on their behalf. Is this wrong? Who on earth has the authority to say for sure? This is a matter of individual interpretation or a matter of what you were taught. Catholics were taught otherwise. If it is wrong, there are going to over a billion people who are in for a shock when they meet their maker!
  • From my understanding the people who don't think Catholics are christans are uneducated and think that if we try to explain: We are pressing their faith on them. They think we pray to saints and Mary but we don't its honoring the lives of people who are actually good role modles. We don't worship statues, but they are a part of the history. When Romens where searching for Christans we used the statues to fool them. Jesus did found the church and Peter was other Popes after Peter who where martaryed. So Constante couldn't of founded the Pope. The idea of the Pope actally comes from the old testament. Chrisanty is based on Judism. The Jews had a high preist. The Pope is suppose to be the High Preist, and he prays for wisdom.
  • Roman Catholics are Christians. They have no more claim to establishment than do any of the Orthodox Christian regions. Not every Christian uses the same bible. The Roman Catholic Vulgate and the the Protestant bibles are not the same and the books that are were not translated from the same sources. The Christian canon was not settled by the time of Constantine--differing versions of it existed even 6-800 years later. The Roman Catholic/Orthodox Christian churches were founded by first suppressing other Christian beliefs, some ways they did this was by labeling other groups that called themselves Christian with names like: Gnostics, Ebionites, and Marcionites. They then labeled their gospels and holy texts as heresies and suppressed those who believed and their writings. So not much has changed really. Early Christian denominations claimed they were right and claimed others weren't really Christian. It's been going on for 2000 years and I doubt it will end soon.
  • Catholics are Christians..they believe in salvation through the blood of Christ..however they do have some practices that many, myself included do not believe in. I believe too much of their faith is based on customs and not the bible. I was Born and raised in the Catholic Church, and Now I am Born again. Although the catholic church is not for me, I have a great deal of respect for my Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ.
  • Catholics have chosen Jesus Christ and his teachings as their guide. That is all it takes to make them or anyone else a Christian. Catholics are Christians. . Some people are so narrow minded, arrogant, and self centered that they consider only themselves and those who believe as they do to be Christians. . They are in for a rude awakening in the resurrection.
  • The Latinized Greek term Khri·sti·a·nos′, found only three times in the Christian Greek Scriptures, or the New Testament designates followers of Christ Jesus, the exponents of Christianity.—Ac 11:26; 26:28; 1Pe 4:16. If one examines what the Catholic Church teaches and what it does one can see that it does not follow Christ Jesus' teachings.At Matt 7:15-20 Jesus told us how to identify false prophets.It states "15 “Be on the watch for the false prophets that come to YOU in sheep’s covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits YOU will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they? 17 Likewise every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit; 18 a good tree cannot bear worthless fruit, neither can a rotten tree produce fine fruit. 19 Every tree not producing fine fruit gets cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Really, then, by their fruits YOU will recognize those [men]" By looking at their actions and teachings we can determine whether a church is producing fine fruits or not.
  • I don't know why some don't call them christians, but I do have some problems with the misconceptions that you are spreading about catholicism on AB. They did not establish the Church of Jesus Christ, and they did not assemble the Bible for subsequent generations of Christians. The above are two wild claims Catholicism spreads about themselves so that people will be impressed, but when examined under the witness of Hisory one can see the claims crumble into sand.
  • The lack of humility by the leader of the Catholic Church gives us a clear picture showing us that he is not following Christ as his exampler. Unlike the disciples of Jesus, the pope often wears very elaborate garb and welcomes the adulation of humans. The pope allows people to bow to him, kiss his ring, and carry him on their shoulders in a special chair. What vanity popes have displayed over the centuries! A contrast indeed to the humble simplicity of Peter, who said to Cornelius, the Roman army officer who knelt at Peter’s feet to do obeisance to him: “Stand up, . . . I am only a man after all”! (Acts 10:25, 26, the Catholic Jerusalem Bible) And what a contrast to the angel who gave the apostle John the Revelation! John tried to bow down worshipfully to that angel, but the angel declared: “Be careful! Do not do that! All I am is a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who are prophets and of those who are observing the words of this scroll. Worship God.”—Revelation 22:8, 9. The Bible clearly states at Matt 23: 9 "Moreover, do not call anyone YOUR father on earth, for one is YOUR Father, the heavenly One." These are Jesus own words.A Christian would follow them.
  • Most people outside from some Christian fundamentalists know that Catholics are Christians. Those people, however, consider only themselves and similar views as Christians, and reject the teaching of the Catholic Church as non-Christian. Note, however, that the doctrine of the Catholic Church has also something similar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extra_Ecclesiam_nulla_salus The following is just an example to illustrate and to explain this thinking, I don't say that I approve it: "The reason I say Christians are not Catholics is because in the bible, book of acts 11:26 says: 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. It has always been Christian. Catholics have added stuff and doctrines that are not biblical. In order to keep the method of salvation true you have to stick to what the bible says. The author and method of salvation was preached and done by JesusChrist. The true way to know when a doctrine is true is through the word (bible). Now Paul in the book of Galatians 1:6 says this concerning other doctrines: 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! See my beloved?, Paul says that the gospel was preached by Christ and that even he or someone else or an angel preached another doctrine let him be condemned. Hope this helps you. Stick to the word and the word will guide you. You do not need purgatory, works etc. All you need is faith in Christ and the promise of the Holy Spirit that will lead you in the right path. Amen! Now to me the a Christian is follwers of Christ; that means that you follow what Christ said an did without adding or taking away from the bible and of what Christ preached. The main reason I say this is because this is what Christ did; Fullfill the word." Source and further information: http://www.astahost.com/info.php/Catholicism-Christianity_t4080.html
  • Bottomline,yes they believe in Jesus,but so does satan.So believing doesn't make you a true christian.The question is does he know you.God has to save you.Also they reject the bible as the sole athourity.Who gave them permission to write another?They believe works alone can get you to heaven,even though the book of Titus says NOT by works.They believe in asking a priest to forgive your sins.Only God can do that,as the bible says there is ONE mediator between God and man,the Man Christ Jesus.Purgatory is not in the bible,pope isn't there,Mary is no different than anyone else in heaven,show me where she is.Alot more.
  • the fact is that the catholics were the original christian church. Unfortunately there were some priests who were using established doctrine to abuse people, very similar to what some pastors do today. martin luther get very angry and he pulled out and trashed parts of the bible, he then translated what remained of the bible that he mutilated. he then presented this "bible" as the one true bible and stated that all other biblical books, and doctrines were made up and false. The public in general were ecstatic because Martin Luther translated the bible so that the average person could read it. how were these innocent people going to know what Martin Luther did? Hence you have a misconception that catholics are not Chrsitian because they still hold on to ALL biblical teachings, even the ones that Martin Luther tried to deceive humanity about. the doctrines of purgatory, praying to saints, both dead and alive to intercede for us were in fact part of the Jewish OT, and included in the original christian bible. Unfortunately Martin Luther decided to deceive humanity. He did this because he was very angry that a few bad apple priests were actually charging people for guaranteed admission into heaven. All he had to do was chastise them publicaly, and not destroy parts of the bible.
  • The Catholics did not establish the church. In the early history of Christianity there were loads of different beliefs, whose followers fought against each other until eventually there was only one left. This was not Catholicism, it was just Christianity. It lacked any of the beliefs that distinguish Catholics today. More than that, it was the forerunner of all modern Christians. In 1054CE, that Christianity split up into two large factions - East and West. The Eastern church became known as Orthodox, the Western one was Catholic. That is when Catholicism started. On the other hand, yes they definitely are Christians. It's just that Christians generally like to insist that they are the only True Christians™ and everyone else is not.
  • The Borgia popes sure made a reputation for themselves, just as the catholic church has made one today. Im not saying that a person who is catholic isn't part of christendom, any less than any other religion who acknowledges christ, and has an influence over people. Still, it is not the same as the "christianity" which Jesus taught us. For example, in Hitler's times, the catholic church, as a whole, remained silent, in as much as a 'deafening silence', by Hitler being a catholic himself. Also, it is claimed by the catholic church in a brochure released throughout Sydney many years ago, that the bible is the scaffold used to build the church, and now the scaffold can be removed as the church is firmly established. On sandy ground is where it stands. All those people who want to serve God with their whole hearts being misled by the religious leaders. God is ultimately judge, and he has delegated the role to Jesus. Not to his mum, nor his brothers, mates, or cousins, or anyone else. Also, if one claims to not believe in God, how can one be a Christian? There are individuals over the years who have claimed that they don't believe in God, and yet have a position in the church. lol. That part is funny.
  • I hate to put labels on us as Followers of Christ. Jesus was not labeled and either were the apostles. The "Church "if you look it up in the Greek means "Body of Believers". The people started way back in Christs time to fellowship in homes and had gatherings. There was no one in control over others .There was no huge buildings All came and if one has a song if one had a teaching it was done there in others homes. 325 ad is when the Christianity was institutionalized . The first organized and structured gathering was organized in 49 ad. The leader being apostle James, brother of Jesus. Yes ,anyone believing in Jesus and that he died and rose from the dead will be saved . That ,I believe is a Christ follower. Catholic is just a denomination. Just like Baptist or Methodist. Its just a name. I call myself a follower of Christ. If you love the Lord with all your Heart, Soul,and Mind that is a Christian. I gave up labeling people long ago. It makes things much more simple. And less complicated. Be proud you are a Follower of Christ . That is what gets you to heaven not saying your a Catholic. Man puts in too many rules from all these labeled churches. Rules that God did not say in His word. Be proud to be "His Follower".
  • Who ever said Catholics are not Christians? The Roman Catholic Church as an institution came into being when Emperor Constantine consolidated Christendom and its formal doctrine and liturgy were adopted at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. The Catholic Church was the center of the Christian world with the Pope or Holy See as the Vicar of Christ for well over 1200 years. It wasn't until the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century when Martin Luther and other reformers challegend Papal authority that the various Protestant churches were founded.
  • Mostly ignorance. 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.shtml With love in Christ.
  • If Jesus came to the earth today and he looked at the Catholic Church he would definitely be discusted especially seeing that they claim to be his church. Their participation in wars where they killed each other just because they lived in different countries or they belonged to another tribe. When he would see the clergy-laity distinction, the belief in doctrines that he did not teach (e.g. the trinity, hell fire etc)and many other non Christian practices he would condemn them as he did the Jewish system when he was on earth. Read in your Bibles Jesus' words at Matt 15:7-9
  • +5 What part of the commandment that God says not to make images of anything in heaven or earth does the church not understand. All the gold and crucifixs and stained glass is in direct violation of this commandment. When will it stop? Also we don't pray to saints, we don't pray to Mary and we do not call any man Father because Jesus told us not too. With love, Karen Anne
  • Firstly, I'm by no means one of those Protestants inimical to Catholicism, but as a Church Historian I have to point out it wasn't the Catholics who established the Church or assembled the Bible. To the degree that any sect can make those claims, it would be the Eastern Orthodox. Now that that's out of the way ... Protestantism was born from the doctrine of Justification by Faith Alone. To the theological purists and absolutists of the Reformed tradition, that is the absolute core of the Gospel. The whole Catholic penitential system, its view of baptismal regeneration, the idea the Mass actually remits sin, and the entire understand of "the Church" as sacramental agent, all flies in the face of Sola Fides, and so they condemn Catholicism as preaching "another Gospel" (i.e., a false one). Also, while the theologians of the Reformation were getting all wound up over Justification, the common people were easily wound up over the issue of Catholic iconography and the cult of the saints and their relics. Though most probably couldn't make heads or tails of the Catholic-Protestant theological divide on Justification, the masses could be very easily persuaded that Catholicism was a religion of idolatry, and they didn't have to read too far into their Old Testament to get worked up into a frenzy of violent iconoclasm. Their theological descendants today maintain the same basic view of Catholicism: it’s heretical (preaches a false Gospel of works righteousness) and violates the 2nd Commandment (as numbered and understood by those of the Reformed faith) teaching/inducing people to do the same. As an Historian and Theologian, I know that Justification by Faith Alone is NOT the core of the Gospel – and I'm fairly convinced Luther grossly misread and misunderstood Paul and Romans on the matter, and Calvin after him. But it’s very hard to persuade a dyed-in-the-wool evangelical Protestant of that. Also, while the cult of martyrs and other aspects of Catholic devotional practice often is in practice totally idolatrous, in theory at least, it can be so nuanced as to fall well within the bounds of acceptable Christian praxis.
  • Same shit different flies. If you've got a bone to pick, pick it with the Baptists, they're the ones who seem to be at war with the Cathewlics. Now, on that note, should we give them all nukes and see what happens?
  • They are Christians. I was raised Catholic. Both fundamentalist and Catholic christians believe that the Bible is the Word of God, they both believe in the triunity of God, and so on...the main difference is that the Catholic Church declares that Tradition is equal to the Bible in authority. Most non-Catholic Christians cringe at that idea. It's totally unbiblical and most Christians - even Catholics when they realize that is what the Church states - think that is prideful human arrogance and sinful. There are other differences but they mostly boil down to that being the biggest stumbling block.
  • Some people don't know somethings and can't blame them, no one knows everything.
  • Could not guess as to how many reasons some people think or don't think what they do but I for one would not consider AB as the final authority on anything.
  • That's nonsense! Catholics are Christians! I am baptist, and I believe in the same God as a catholic does, simple as that, that's all that matters. GOD bless!
  • Yep. They also carried out the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Salem Witch Trials, the molestation of thousands of altar boys
  • God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the ceremonial Laws. By the time Jesus Came they had perverted and twisted and ADDED Traditions to BYpass Gods laws. This is why Jesus Chastied them and called them a brood of vipers. He also said IN VAIN THEY DO WORSHIP ME FOR TEACHING DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.(KJV Matthew 15:9)Over Hundreds of years the Catholic church has gone the way of the Pharisees. they Add lots of traditions to their DOGMA which are NOT Biblical. Such as purgatory, communion with saints.Emaculate conception of Mary, Statues etc,etc.
  • I find it strange that they pray to Mary and not Jesus
  • So True! I agree with you. I was raised Catholic and people sometimes correct me in that I'm not Christian and I think the same way. How am I not Christian? It's almost an insult filled with ignorance. Catholicism is a direct derivation of Christianity.

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