Yes, I messed up the definition of Christian because I forgot that Mormons get baptized (what was I thinking?!?!). But even tho Mormons are baptized, they do not believe in the Trinitarian nature of God. They believe Christ is “divine” in a totally different way, that He is divine in a way that we can become divine, not in an Only Begotton Son of God way, and thus they are not considered Christians. They do not believe in the supernatural nature of Christ.
I already know that Mormons aren’t Christian and why. So if I’m understanding you right, what you are basically saying is that those who call themselves Christians but who believe that abortion and sodomy are a right are bad Christians but still Christian. So then I wonder if it would be considered uncharitable to call a politician a bad Christian. But to me it seems like saying that someone is a different religion sounds better than calling them a bad Christian.Sorry, I may have confused you by using an inadequate definition of Christian. Let’s separate the two meanings out by using good and having been baptized into a group which believes in the Trinitarian nature of God.
Someone who has been baptized in such a group can still become very bad and agressively promote abortion. However, a Mormon has not been baptized into such a group, and so cannot be a Christian.
However, a Mormon can still be good, whereas even the baptized-into-a-group-which-believes-in-the-Trinitarian-nature-of-God aggressive promoter of abortion cannot be considered good.
Because people want to justify their own actions. They will argue that it is through Christian compassion that they would not force a young pregnant girl to have an abortion. They will argue that it is through Christian compassion that they believe in same sex marriage. Obviously they are misguided and in grave error on these issues, but that is where the double standard comes from. I personally wish that we would have some very public excommunications when it concerns those who make public policy on these issues, proclaiming to be Catholic while passing laws that contradict the teachings of the very Church they profess.
It’s quite simple. LDS is a cult, not a religion. Their beliefs can hardly be considered Christian, although there are some elements of Christianity in the mormon church. They have very strange ideas for which most people are unaware. (Ex: they believe that when men/males die, they become “gods” on their own planet somewhere in the cosmos…) I can’t speak for CAF’s policies. Protestant churches ARE Christians because they do not distort the basic teachings of Christ. As for why some Protestant Churches use a different form of baptism, you would have to be specific because I know of none that use a different form. As a matter of fact, the Catholic Church recognizes the validity of baptisms performed in most Protestant churches. So, unless you can give me a specific example and provide a link or cite, I cannot answer your question.
Once baptized, always baptized. Baptism (with the proper Trinitarian formula) leaves a mark on the soul which cannot be removed. The Catholic Church considers someone who has been baptized Catholic (or been received into the Church) to be Catholic unless that person renounces membership in the Church. Even those who are ex-communicated are still considered Catholic. The fact they are still Catholic does not in any way guarantee them salvation, tho.
I believe that CAF rules forbid speculating or commenting on the state of at least a particular person’s faith–don’t know about in general, like if someone said, Catholic politicians who vote for abortion are bad Catholics… It might be best to simply state the fact–Senator X has a 100% rating with NARAL or sponsored this abortion-promoting bill–and let the other person draw their own conclusions.
Well, yes, because the first is simply a statement of fact and the second is a judging of the person.
What I’m trying to get at is I don’t know how someone can claim to have faith in God and reject two of God’s most basic commandments, one of which has to do with marriage which is at the core of our faith. Marriage is one of the seven sacraments and is directly related to the relationship with Christ and the Church. It is the key to understanding our relationship with God. So I think that’s just as important as the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. And abortion goes against God’s commandment not to murder and is also a sin against God’s plan for marriage. But it’s not just an individual committing a sin in private, it’s a growing number of people who are recruiting more and more into believing that sodomy and abortion are an exercise of one’s rights.
They are referred to as “christian” because of the set of doctrines that they profess to believe, even if they do not act according to the moral teachings that accompany the title. I see your point, that if such persons profess to be “Catholic” or “Christian” but do not act upon the moral doctrines that they claim to accept, they are Catholic and Christian in name only. But again, that differs from someone who is a member of the LDS church. They are not considered “Christian” because of their flawed understanding of the trinitarian nature of God. But that does not mean we cannot applaud their stance on issues like the sanctity of marriage.
They profess to believe in so-called “same-sex marriage” and have elevated abortion to a right and have made that their doctrine. And they call anyone who disagrees with this new dogma of theirs a bigot which would include any Christian who holds to the word of God given to us through Sacred Tradition and/or Sacred Scripture. With marriage being one of the seven sacraments of the Church I think it goes beyond failing to follow moral teachings.
Christ defined marriage as Adam and Eve (Matt. 19:4-6), and Saint Paul clearly condemns homosexual acts in Romans Chapter 1. So I don’t know how people can argue against Christ and still be Christian.
Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone?
This thread isn’t about who is and is not a sinner, it’s about doctrine and how someone can be a Christian when they hold do doctrines that are contrary to the most basic ones Christ taught and gave to his Church. How can one who argues against Christ be considered a Christian?
Same sex marriage and abortion are the high profile issues today. Previously, there is the issue of divorce, and previously to that, the Real Presence and everything else that was rejected by the Reformers.
Why are you worried about me and what I think? Didn’t you just judge me?