Are Protestants Excommunicate, Pagans, or Something Else?

[Vico]

That’s a good point about Jewish people not being pagan.
I know in the past the Muslims have been thought to be “pagan” but probably not today.
I looked up the definition of “Pagan” and the dictionary is currently defining it as someone who doesn’t practice one of the major world religions, which seemed odd.

Not sure if the monotheistic distinction always holds up; if some faith was worshipping one God, but the one God was Baal, or the Moon, then they’d be considered “pagan”. The main reason we don’t currently think of Jewish and Muslim people as pagan is that the Catholic Church currently holds their worship of the God of Abraham as being in communion with the Church per the Catechism.

But in any event, Protestants aren’t pagans.

Modern Catholic Dictionary has under pagan (excerpt):

More properly a pagan is a person who has abandoned all religious belief, i.e., an irreligious person.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Modern Catholic Dictionary sounds more like Politically Correct Catholic Dictionary with that definition. Oh well.

 

[Vico]

Modern Catholic Dictionary sounds more like Politically Correct Catholic Dictionary with that definition. Oh well.

It also gives the historical and current less proper meanings. The first is heathen. The second is one that practices idolatry. The third is non-monotheist.

 

[joecaro]

Well stated! A Christian with any man-made religious denomination is always welcome in the Catholic church. They can’t however, partake in any of the Sacraments held for Catholics - especially Communion. The word “Pagan” bothers me as you apply it. Christians and Jews and perhaps Muslims and a few other structured religions are not 'Pagan " by any stretch of the imagination. Perhaps review the general meaning of the word, it may help you relate better to the question thats really on your mind.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Like I said, where I come from, “pagan” tends to be used by people who practice Wicca or “earth religions” or some kind of weird old-school religion from some “ancient” culture that they got out of a book, to describe themselves. An atheist or agnostic would just say “I’m an atheist” or “I’m a non-believer” or “I follow science”.

 

[Padres1969]

You’re definitely not excommunicated, as you aren’t Catholic. To be excommunicated you have to be Catholic. Now you aren’t in full communion with the Catholic Church, which is why you can’t receive Catholic Eucharist. The Catholic view is you lack the full Christian faith.

But the RCC does consider all those validly baptized (with water in the name of the father, son, and holy spirit) by denominations that have the same understanding of the Trinity as the RCC (which includes Presbyterians), to be Christians. Just Christians not in full communion with the RCC.

You’re also definitely not Pagan. Pagan is a broad term for those that don’t believe in Christ or the Church (Catholic or otherwise) or generally speaking any of the other Abrahamic religions either.

So to answer your question, you’re “something else”. I tell you this as someone who is actually Latae sententiae excommunicated in the RCC’s eyes (or ex-Catholic as far as anyone else is concerned).