Ye olde 'Catholics aren't Christians' stuff

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I was shocked yesterday while listening to talk radio.

The area’s Jewish Community Center had a gunman shoot and kill three people (one Catholic woman, two Methodists) on Sunday, Passover eve. Apparently, he is anti-Semitic, and has a long history of ‘hate’.

So this of course is the topic on area talk radio this week. A caller kept saying that TWO Christians were killed by this man (failing in his attempt to kill Jewish people). The talk show host corrected her many times, saying THREE were killed. She insisted on saying, and very strongly, that TWO Christians were killed.

I was astonished, as well as upset. How can, in this day and age, people categorize Catholics outside of Christianity? It just doesn’t make sense. Even if you dislike the Catholic Faith, how can you deny its own central beliefs and core? The Jewish faith isn’t Christian. Muslims aren’t Christian. Atheists aren’t Christian. Lots of ‘religions’ aren’t Christian. But Catholics?

I was also saddened that during this moment, of talking about hate crimes and prejudice towards people of a different faith, that she made just a POINT and strong effort to make her point about Catholics not being Christian.
 
I understand your frustration, but some people just refuse to get it. In all honesty though, you can’t blame them, they know not what they do. Just pray for them. Pray hard. Pray for reconciliation, pray for knowledge and wisdom. Don’t let it get you too upset or you’ll end up getting upset alot. Instead, leave it in the hands of God and BVM. You’ll be surprised what they can accomplish 🙂
 
maybe the talk show host should have asked the caller if she knew which one of those Methodists weren’t Christian?😃

All kidding aside, some denominations teach that and i have no idea how they still get people to believe it. the ignorance excuse can only go so far.
 
ccmcmg said:
I was astonished, as well as upset. How can, in this day and age, people categorize Catholics outside of Christianity? It just doesn’t make sense. Even if you dislike the Catholic Faith, how can you deny its own central beliefs and core? The Jewish faith isn’t Christian. Muslims aren’t Christian. Atheists aren’t Christian. Lots of ‘religions’ aren’t Christian. But Catholics?

I was also saddened that during this moment, of talking about hate crimes and prejudice towards people of a different faith, that she made just a POINT and strong effort to make her point about Catholics not being Christian.
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Old prejudices die slowly. Or they re-emerge. It’s definitely tragic.

That said, I have actually noticed that more and more Evangelical Christian leaders are of the opinion that many Catholics are Christians. (They don’t believe all Catholics are Christian but then again they don’t believe all Protestant Church members are actually Christians either.)
 
I’d also point out that a sad number of Catholics go out of their way to say that they are Catholic rather than Christian.
 
SMHW said:
I’d also point out that a sad number of Catholics go out of their way to say that they are Catholic rather than Christian.
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I am one of those people but would not describe myself as sad. I do so for many reasons such as:
  1. I am joyful that I belong to the Church established by Jesus Christ.
  2. To disassociate myself from dangerous sects that claim to be Christian, but aren’t.
  3. Make it clear that I do not necessary agree or am part of other churches (no
    disrespect intended, we share common ground in many things but there are huge
    differences between some of us).
  4. See no reason why others can claim to be Baptist, Methodist etc but somehow I
    have to be ashamed of the Church that Jesus founded.
  5. Am following the instructions of our Bishop to make our faith known.
  6. If others slander and lie about a follower of Christ (irrespective of whether they are
    Catholic, Lutheran etc.) that will be an issue between them and Jesus eventually (as
    indeed all of our sins will be).
  7. I would call myself Christian, if the very early heretics had not necessitated the
    introduction of the word Catholic instead of sticking with Christian to protect the
    faithful.
This is in response to the article and comment, I have a lot of respect and love for my fellow CAFs of different religions and none. :grouphug:
 
SMHW said:
I’d also point out that a sad number of Catholics go out of their way to say that they are Catholic rather than Christian.
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I don’t think that’s the case. I think most Catholics who identify as such know they are Christian. I have no problem identifying myself as Catholic. It is called the Catholic Church. I wonder why some feel necessary to identify as Catholic Christian or Christian Catholic.
 
Pay no attention. I live near said JCC. People who use tragedies like this to promote their small-minded ideologies are cynical sociopaths who have a black void in their chests where their hearts should be.
 
Avila123 said:
I am one of those people but would not describe myself as sad.

This is in response to the article and comment, I have a lot of respect and love for my fellow CAFs of different religions and none. :grouphug:
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I realized too late to edit that my words could be misinterpreted. What I meant was that some Catholics seem to think that Catholic and Christian are mutually exclusive. They don’t understand that to be Catholic is to be the epitome of what it means to be a Christian.
 
johnnyc176 said:
I don’t think that’s the case. I think most Catholics who identify as such know they are Christian. I have no problem identifying myself as Catholic. It is called the Catholic Church. I wonder why some feel necessary to identify as Catholic Christian or Christian Catholic.
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I’ve met Catholics who say, “I’m Catholic, not Christian.” They may actually know better but they’ve essentially said something like, “I’m a lion, not a feline.”

I think those who say they are a Catholic Christian or Christian Catholic are usually those who spend a lot of time discussing their faith with non-Catholics. Perhaps they are in some kind of outreach to non-Catholics, perhaps they are the only Catholic in their family, or perhaps they are in a school or work environment where there are not many Catholics.

In a way it’s a challenge to non-Catholics: "Let me show you why we Catholics are THE Christians.
 
SMHW said:
I realized too late to edit that my words could be misinterpreted. What I meant was that some Catholics seem to think that Catholic and Christian are mutually exclusive. They don’t understand that to be Catholic is to be the epitome of what it means to be a Christian.
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Its okay, I went up the ceiling at the original post. You have no idea what it took to get me down to my post - which I regretted later on. I have a long way to go on being less defensive/attacking and being the sort of person who responds calmly, shining a positive Christ-light. I have put myself in the naughty corner for the appropriate time.😊
 
An interesting thread – but I am one non-Catholic who recognizes my Catholic brothers and sisters as fellow Christians.
 
SMHW said:
I’ve met Catholics who say, “I’m Catholic, not Christian.” They may actually know better but they’ve essentially said something like, “I’m a lion, not a feline.”

I think those who say they are a Catholic Christian or Christian Catholic are usually those who spend a lot of time discussing their faith with non-Catholics. Perhaps they are in some kind of outreach to non-Catholics, perhaps they are the only Catholic in their family, or perhaps they are in a school or work environment where there are not many Catholics.

In a way it’s a challenge to non-Catholics: "Let me show you why we Catholics are THE Christians.
Click to expand...
I’ve seen a few Catholics deny being Christians in the UK. They tend to be quite nominal in their Catholicism. I woul hazard a guess that they think being a Christian means being a member of the Church of England.
 
celestialhost said:
I’ve seen a few Catholics deny being Christians in the UK. They tend to be quite nominal in their Catholicism. I woul hazard a guess that they think being a Christian means being a member of the Church of England.
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This exactly. Likewise, I think a lot of American Catholics don’t want to be confused with evangelical or fundamentalist Protestants.
 
Wackotrad said:
This exactly. Likewise, I think a lot of American Catholics don’t want to be confused with evangelical or fundamentalist Protestants.
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Or in a more typical British context, wishy-washy institutional Anglicanism.
 
gcnuss said:
An interesting thread – but I am one non-Catholic who recognizes my Catholic brothers and sisters as fellow Christians.
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That is appreciated. Many non-Catholics do realize that and recognize that.

I think some Catholics say ‘Catholic Christian’ because of the misunderstanding by non-Catholics that we aren’t Christian.

Growing up, there was a church in town that was the ‘Christian Church’, in addition to the Methodist, Free Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran and Catholic (only 700 people, yet 6 churches…). So if someone asked what you ‘were’, if you said ‘Christian’, they’d think you went to the Christian church. I have no idea what ‘type’ of Christian that church was, actually.

I was bothered by the way she went out of her way to say/imply, that the Catholic woman wasn’t Christian. That’s not nice, especially in the light of the topic.
 
Avila123 said:
I am one of those people but would not describe myself as sad. I do so for many reasons such as:
  1. I am joyful that I belong to the Church established by Jesus Christ.
  2. To disassociate myself from dangerous sects that claim to be Christian, but aren’t.
  3. Make it clear that I do not necessary agree or am part of other churches (no
    disrespect intended, we share common ground in many things but there are huge
    differences between some of us).
  4. See no reason why others can claim to be Baptist, Methodist etc but somehow I
    have to be ashamed of the Church that Jesus founded.
  5. Am following the instructions of our Bishop to make our faith known.
  6. If others slander and lie about a follower of Christ (irrespective of whether they are
    Catholic, Lutheran etc.) that will be an issue between them and Jesus eventually (as
    indeed all of our sins will be).
  7. I would call myself Christian, if the very early heretics had not necessitated the
    introduction of the word Catholic instead of sticking with Christian to protect the
    faithful.
Click to expand...
Exactly. I do as well.
 
To be honest I never cared if someone didn’t think of me as Christian simply because I’m Catholic.

Sure I will say I’m Christian but if they choose to ignore this then that’s their decision. We’re suppose to instruct the ignorant, not fight with them.
 
Avila123 said:
Its okay, I went up the ceiling at the original post. You have no idea what it took to get me down to my post - which I regretted later on. I have a long way to go on being less defensive/attacking and being the sort of person who responds calmly, shining a positive Christ-light. I have put myself in the naughty corner for the appropriate time.😊
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My opinion is that your post was not too far over the top. It was a nice defense and good for you in getting yourself under control before you replied.

I don’t know who is in charge of the naughty corner but I hope you are freed soon. If for no other reason, you have replied with an honest and humble attitude.

God bless
 
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