Catholic and Christians

[Youthful_chick]

Hi all,

I was just wondering… Whats the difference between Catholic’s and Christian’s?

Help out a young one…

Thanks in Advance,

 

[love4mary]

Let me help just a bit…

Catholics ARE Christians

Catholics believe in One God, the Father Almighty creator of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ His Only begotten Son, Conceived by the Holy Spirit and Born of the Virgin Mary.

Catholics AND Protestants believe in the Holy Trinity…Father-Son-Holy Spirit. So in that reguard we are the same, where we differ is in some of our doctrines.

 

[st_lucy]

Christians are people who believe and follow the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. So Catholics are Christians since Catholic with a capital C are the original Christians. There are those few fundamentalist who like to boast that Catholics are not Christian but they are just a few people with very big mouths. So when ever someone tells you that Catholics are not Christian just smile and say a little prayer for them.

 

[Unfinished]

I was just wondering… Whats the difference between Catholic’s and Christian’s?

When someone asks that question I usually say “Nothing.”

Remember, the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ Himself. We are the original Christians. The other Christians you are probably thinking of are the ones who broke away from the Catholic Church. (They are called Protestants. They come under many names - Baptists, Lutheran, Methodists, Non-Denominational, Evangelical, etc.)

Their doctrines are full of error, and more often than not, they take great pains in trying to prove the Catholic Church wrong. (Which is impossible).

 

[Zahmir]

Let us just remember though that they still are Christians. They still long to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, and as much as we might despise their founders, only so much responsibility can be put on the followers and descendants of confused men and women.

They’re not hopeless, nor are they devil-worshippers. They are brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us remember that.

 

[Tietjen]

Hi all,

I was just wondering… Whats the difference between Catholic’s and Christian’s?

Help out a young one…

Thanks in Advance,

Other than the words themselves, nothing. Since Catholics are indeed Christians.

 

[timjp77]

seems to me that Catholics are the only ones who can really be called Christians, since we are the only ones that follow the Church founded by Christ Himself.

Others should be called Protestants. If they truly felt they were following Christ, they would be a part of His church.

 

[mikew262]

seems to me that Catholics are the only ones who can really be called Christians, since we are the only ones that follow the Church founded by Christ Himself.

Others should be called Protestants. If they truly felt they were following Christ, they would be a part of His church.

Nope, you’re being judgemental. If they follow Christ’s teachings, they are Christians. They may not worship the same as us or believe in all the same doctrines, but they are still Christians.

 

[homewardbound]

seems to me that Catholics are the only ones who can really be called Christians, since we are the only ones that follow the Church founded by Christ Himself.

Others should be called Protestants. If they truly felt they were following Christ, they would be a part of His church.

I was starting to think this way one day until I realized my error.

Does God stop loving us and stop accepting our love and worship of Him when we fall into sin and make mistakes? Of course not! We do not cease to be His Children just because we are imperfect.

To me, Protestants are simply followers of Christ who fell into error by listening to the wrong people. They love God and do their best to follow His teachings, just as Catholics do. They are definitely Christians, they just are a little misguided in some of their thinking. God does not stop loving them or accepting them into His arms as His children because of this. We shouldn’t either. Pray for them yes, but leave the judging to God.

 

[Unfinished]

Nope, you’re being judgemental. If they follow Christ’s teachings, they are Christians. They may not worship the same as us or believe in all the same doctrines, but they are still Christians.

Not to nit pick, but their common baptism makes them Christians, not their following of Christ’s teachings. Because if they were truely following ALL of Christ’s teachings, they would be Catholic.

Either way, I know a lot of good Protestants. Error or not, they really are trying their best to be followers of Christ.

 

[jemfinch]

Hi all,

I was just wondering… Whats the difference between Catholic’s and Christian’s?

Help out a young one…

Thanks in Advance,

That’s like asking, “What’s the difference between IBMs and PCs?”

Jeremy

 

[levi86]

Hi all,

I was just wondering… Whats the difference between Catholic’s and Christian’s?

Help out a young one…

Thanks in Advance,

Catholicism (Latin for universal) is the name given to the only true form of Christianity. Every other Christian denomination is considered Christian because they possess certain beliefs that originate from the Catholic Church.

In most cases the common link between true Christianity (Catholicism) and other distorted forms of Christianity is the belief in the Trinity.

 

[mikew262]

Because if they were truely following ALL of Christ’s teachings, they would be Catholic.

Your opinion only. They believe they are following all of Christ’s teachings, and we as Catholics have distorted them. Of course, that is their opinion.

Only God truly knows what is proper,and what is not. One just hopes that the way we (all Christains) worship and understand his teachings is acceptable to him.

 

[jemfinch]

Your opinion only.

A statement of fact is not an opinion, under any circumstances. It may be arguable, but it is not opinion. The statement, “If they were following all of Christ’s teachings, they would be Catholic,” is a statement of fact, not a statement of opinion. Others may argue against, and others may compare it to the evidence that they accept, and may determine that it is false, but it is not a matter of opinion.

Jeremy

 

[JKirkLVNV]

seems to me that Catholics are the only ones who can really be called Christians, since we are the only ones that follow the Church founded by Christ Himself.

That is contrary to the teaching of the Catholic Church herself. Check out the catechism.

 

[mikew262]

A statement of fact is not an opinion, under any circumstances. It may be arguable, but it is not opinion. The statement, “If they were following all of Christ’s teachings, they would be Catholic,” is a statement of fact, not a statement of opinion. Others may argue against, and others may compare it to the evidence that they accept, and may determine that it is false, but it is not a matter of opinion.

Jeremy

It is opinion, be it the Church’s opinion, mine or yours. It is my (and I’m sure yours) opinion that the Catholic Church comes the closest to what God has in mind. A Baptist does not share that opinion. He/she may believe their church’s teachings is what God approves of. We (and non-catholics) base our opinions on facts that we deem as true, I’ll agree with that.

However, God is the final judge of what is actual true fact and what is not in this area. I for one, do not think God is overly demanding. If we (All christians) make a sincere effort to follow Christ’s teachings to the best of our ability, we all have a equal chance for salvation.

 

[jemfinch]

It is opinion, be it the Church’s opinion, mine or yours.

No, it’s not an opinion. Opinions don’t have objective truth values. Opinions are statements like, “Those shoes are pretty,” or “Oranges are better than apples.” Those statements don’t have objective truth values.

The statement, “If they were following all of Christ’s teachings, they’d be Catholic,” has an objective truth value. It is either true for everyone or it is false for everyone. Therefore it cannot be a statement of opinion.

It is my (and I’m sure yours) opinion that the Catholic Church comes the closest to what God has in mind.

No, it’s our belief that that’s the case. Since we are affirming a statement with an objective truth value, it is not our opinion, but our belief.

A Baptist does not share that opinion. He/she may believe their church’s teachings is what God approves of.

He doesn’t share that belief, to be sure

However, God is the final judge of what is actual true fact and what is not in this area.

God judges what facts are true and what facts are false, regardless of our beliefs, but false (or possibly false) beliefs do not suddenly become opinions.

Jeremy

 

[mikew262]

No, it’s not an opinion. Opinions don’t have objective truth values. Opinions are statements like, “Those shoes are pretty,” or “Oranges are better than apples.” Those statements don’t have objective truth values.

The statement, “If they were following all of Christ’s teachings, they’d be Catholic,” has an objective truth value. It is either true for everyone or it is false for everyone. Therefore it cannot be a statement of opinion.

No, it’s our belief that that’s the case. Since we are affirming a statement with an objective truth value, it is not our opinion, but our belief.

He doesn’t share that belief, to be sure

God judges what facts are true and what facts are false, regardless of our beliefs, but false (or possibly false) beliefs do not suddenly become opinions.

Jeremy

Ok, we can substitute the word belief for opinion. I have no problem with that. However, I still stand by what I said.

You have a deep Catholic bias which is certainly not a bad thing. However, your “belief” appears to leave no room for non-catholic Christians and their sincere “belief” that they are right. Even the Church allows for non-catholics who sincerely seek God in their own way to obtain salvation.

Again, you or I do not truly know what God approves of. We can only believe what we believe and and hope and pray it’s acceptable to him.

 

[Unfinished]

Ok, we can substitute the word belief for opinion. I have no problem with that. However, I still stand by what I said.

You have a deep Catholic bias which is certainly not a bad thing. However, your “belief” appears to leave no room for non-catholic Christians and their sincere “belief” that they are right. Even the Church allows for non-catholics who sincerely seek God in their own way to obtain salvation.

Again, you or I do not truly know what God approves of. We can only believe what we believe and and hope and pray it’s acceptable to him.

Protestants are NOT correct. May they attain salvation despite this? Yes.

There is no opinion here. Christ gave the authority to the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church has the correct doctrine because it was given from Christ. Anyone who does not profess the teachings of the Catholic Church is in error. Simple. Protestants reject this to prove their own doctrines, but it is a FACT that Christ founded the Catholic Church.

 

[mikew262]

Protestants are NOT correct. May they attain salvation despite this? Yes.

There is no opinion here. Christ gave the authority to the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church has the correct doctrine because it was given from Christ. Anyone who does not profess the teachings of the Catholic Church is in error. Simple. Protestants reject this to prove their own doctrines, but it is a FACT that Christ founded the Catholic Church.

While, I’m a Catholic, I tend to be a little more tolerant of fellow Christians and not so fast in deciding they are automatically wrong and we are automatically right in all things pertaining to God.

I believe the way I believe, but I try not to pass judgement on somebody else’s beliefs. I think if more people believed this way, we’d have lot less strife in the world. I think God would agree (at least I hope so).