Difference between Christian and Catholic

[OneLight]

And I do not believe that we are hijacking this thread. The OP asked for an assessment of Roman Catholicism, hr.jr. offered what I find to be an inaccurate assessment of present Roman Catholicism, and I am in turn replying to that.

However, if it is truly a problem, I will stop with this post.

The concern with me is that I see no scripture backing your claims; therefore, I see this as a totally different thread, one of doctrinal differences and not biblical differences.

Your posts can be taken into another thread so you can continue your discussion. I don't want this to be snuffed, just on track as to where the OP asked "Do Christians take the Bible literally and Catholics don't?". She is asking about the Bible.

Peace,

Alan

[forrestkc]

Well I am late to the thread and I have not read a lot of it, but just to throw my 2 cents worth in to it. The entire premise of the thread is wrong. Its like asking "What is the difference between a Human and and Asian?" Catholics are Christian. In fact, they make up half the worlds 2 billion some odd Christians. So question is flawed.

A better question would have been: "What is the difference between a Protestant Evangelical and a Catholic?" There are some differences there. Namely, Catholics believe in literal sacraments, such as a real presence in the communion and receiving grace through baptism. However, their beliefs as to salvation, especially since the Second Vatican Council, are fundamentally very close to the beliefs of protestants. I would imagine that Protestant and Catholic theologians would agree with each other interpretations of 98% of scripture. Its just that 2% where they disagree, they really, really disagree.

If you want to know what the Catholics believe then don't go to some propaganda site that makes claims about Catholic doctrine. I was raised Catholic but no longer am. However I remember some evangelicals at the time attributing all kinds of crazy beliefs to the Catholic Church that simply were not true. Of course, that went both ways. If you want to know what Catholics actually believe, just read the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

You can find it here: Edit links*

It will give you a far better assessment of Catholic Doctrine than you will find here. On a final note, the problem with the Catholic Church is that its like a big government thats been in operation for 2000 years. So if you go back and look at past councils from hundreds of years ago, you are going to find what was a state of the church at that time, many times as much political as religious. After all, if you go back a few hundred years, the Catholic Church practically ran the world. The Church has since backed off of many of its previous positions, but they never do so in plain language. What could easily be said in a sentence, the Vatican will stretch into something that is as readable and concise as 12 page Federal Court decision on Federal Tax Depreciation Law.

[hr.jr.]

First I'm whining and now I'm fussing...............yes I see the Christian love and charity, evidently the same kind you show to Catholics. The OP hasn't responded to anything ya'll have said, so that makes this is just a chat amongst yourselves.

I seem to remember a lot of threads on here where the O.P. responds to nothing after the first page. I guess that makes them just chat. Since you intend to judge me, I will tell you that I have good friends who are Catholics. They are the ones who are apologetic for their faith. They are very well versed in their church doctrine. They are aware that it was the Catholic Church who referred to the Protestant faith as "accursed," to use modern English. They also do not follow the doctrine of the Church. The remain in the church because they grew up in it. They will be the first to tell you the Catholic church teaches a false gospel that does not lead to salvation.

[Scarletprayers]

First I'm whining and now I'm fussing...............yes I see the Christian love and charity, evidently the same kind you show to Catholics. The OP hasn't responded to anything ya'll have said, so that makes this is just a chat amongst yourselves.

I seem to remember a lot of threads on here where the O.P. responds to nothing after the first page. I guess that makes them just chat. Since you intend to judge me, I will tell you that I have good friends who are Catholics. They are the ones who are apologetic for their faith. They are very well versed in their church doctrine. They are aware that it was the Catholic Church who referred to the Protestant faith as "accursed," to use modern English. They also do not follow the doctrine of the Church. The remain in the church because they grew up in it. They will be the first to tell you the Catholic church teaches a false gospel that does not lead to salvation.

I'm not debating this with you any longer. Evidently your need to be right overrides everything else. Enjoy, have at it.

[hr.jr.]

Well I am late to the thread and I have not read a lot of it, but just to throw my 2 cents worth in to it. The entire premise of the thread is wrong. Its like asking "What is the difference between a Human and and Asian?" Catholics are Christian. In fact, they make up half the worlds 2 billion some odd Christians. So question is flawed.

A better question would have been: "What is the difference between a Protestant Evangelical and a Catholic?" There are some differences there. Namely, Catholics believe in literal sacraments, such as a real presence in the communion and receiving grace through baptism. However, their beliefs as to salvation, especially since the Second Vatican Council, are fundamentally very close to the beliefs of protestants. I would imagine that Protestant and Catholic theologians would agree with each other interpretations of 98% of scripture. Its just that 2% where they disagree, they really, really disagree.

If you want to know what the Catholics believe then don't go to some propaganda site that makes claims about Catholic doctrine. I was raised Catholic but no longer am. However I remember some evangelicals at the time attributing all kinds of crazy beliefs to the Catholic Church that simply were not true. Of course, that went both ways. If you want to know what Catholics actually believe, just read the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

You can find it here:

I did not post from a propoganda thread. I posted a direct quote from the Council of Trent that has never been recanted or changed by the Catholic church.

In practice, the Catholc church still practices salvation by faith plus works. No Catholic in any position of authority will make the statement that "salvation is by Grace, through faith alone." They will make the statement up to the "alone," but they will not say alone. Salvation by works is false doctrine. Go back and vist your old Catholic priest and see f he will say "salvation is by grace, through faith ALONE."

[hr.jr.]

First I'm whining and now I'm fussing...............yes I see the Christian love and charity, evidently the same kind you show to Catholics. The OP hasn't responded to anything ya'll have said, so that makes this is just a chat amongst yourselves.

I seem to remember a lot of threads on here where the O.P. responds to nothing after the first page. I guess that makes them just chat. Since you intend to judge me, I will tell you that I have good friends who are Catholics. They are the ones who are apologetic for their faith. They are very well versed in their church doctrine. They are aware that it was the Catholic Church who referred to the Protestant faith as "accursed," to use modern English. They also do not follow the doctrine of the Church. The remain in the church because they grew up in it. They will be the first to tell you the Catholic church teaches a false gospel that does not lead to salvation.

I'm not debating this with you any longer. Evidently your need to be right overrides everything else. Enjoy, have at it.

Had the Catholic Church recanted the position, you could just post it and prove me wrong. However, they never did.

[eric]

Hi Everyone....

I am wondering what is really the difference between Christian and Catholic religion? I know Chiristianity is what many other religions stem from, but what are the little differences?

Do Chirstians take the Bible literally and Catholics don't? I just really don't get it. I want to go to my town's Catholic church for mass and I want to be informed.

Thanks!!!

Well you have a lot of responses to your question, Mamoto3 and I relly don't think from God's pov. He is concerned about religions, but about the soul of every human being. It's not where you worship that counts, It's who and why you worship. I have known a lot of genuine born again committed christians who attend the catholic churh. I have seen dozens of lovely christian brothers and sisters who have been driven from these boards, because of catholic bashing.

Christians, pseudo or not, like to criticize catholics, but are not beyond condoning or turning a blind eye to the sexual immorality of the ones that share the same pew in a non-catholic church.

The speck in a brother's eye story, comes to mind.

Feel free to PM anyone who has their group in red under or beside thier user name. They are there to help..

btw I am a non-denominational fundie.

eric

[OneLight]

Hi Everyone....

I am wondering what is really the difference between Christian and Catholic religion? I know Chiristianity is what many other religions stem from, but what are the little differences?

Do Chirstians take the Bible literally and Catholics don't? I just really don't get it. I want to go to my town's Catholic church for mass and I want to be informed.

Thanks!!!

Well you have a lot of responses to your question, Mamoto3 and I relly don't think from God's pov. He is concerned about religions, but about the soul of every human being. It's not where you worship that counts, It's who and why you worship. I have known a lot of genuine born again committed christians who attend the catholic churh. I have seen dozens of lovely christian brothers and sisters who have been driven from these boards, because of catholic bashing.

Christians, pseudo or not, like to criticize catholics, but are not beyond condoning or turning a blind eye to the sexual immorality of the ones that share the same pew in a non-catholic church.

The speck in a brother's eye story, comes to mind.

Feel free to PM anyone who has their group in red under or beside thier user name. They are there to help..

btw I am a non-denominational fundie.

eric

Well said! btw ... me too!

[MeCajunboy]

Hi Everyone....

I am wondering what is really the difference between Christian and Catholic religion? I know Chiristianity is what many other religions stem from, but what are the little differences?

Do Chirstians take the Bible literally and Catholics don't? I just really don't get it. I want to go to my town's Catholic church for mass and I want to be informed.

Thanks!!!

Well I can see you received some tacky responses at best, so I'll try to give you some structural answers to your question. While the Catholic Religion face soem dire reconstruction, one of the things that distances itself from other religions is that it has seven other books incorporated in its beliefs that even the bible doesn't recognize. And that's where it appears to venture off into "false doctrine" when compared to Christian beliefs. For instance, the Roman Catholic Religion, acknowleges Mary , the mother of Jesus as also the Mother of the Chruch and therefore allows its community to "pray" to here to reach her Son, Jesus. The Bible does not entertain this premise, as it teaches to pray to God through Jesus, God's Son! Catholics also revere and pray to Saints mentioned in the Bible for certain request which the Holy Bible doesn't acknowledge as well, and there are many more beliefs that the church supports that the Bible seems to disagree with although we really don't know if God approves of some of them or not! Once of a time, the Catholic Church appeared to discourage the reading of the Holy Bible because it claimed that "most could not comprehend" or discern its meaning or interpretations to begin with. That was probably its biggest mistake with me and many others who distanced ourselves from the Church many years ago.

[Mamato3]

Hi Everyone....

I am wondering what is really the difference between Christian and Catholic religion? I know Chiristianity is what many other religions stem from, but what are the little differences?

Do Chirstians take the Bible literally and Catholics don't? I just really don't get it. I want to go to my town's Catholic church for mass and I want to be informed.

Thanks!!!

Well you have a lot of responses to your question, Mamoto3 and I relly don't think from God's pov. He is concerned about religions, but about the soul of every human being. It's not where you worship that counts, It's who and why you worship. I have known a lot of genuine born again committed christians who attend the catholic churh. I have seen dozens of lovely christian brothers and sisters who have been driven from these boards, because of catholic bashing.

Christians, pseudo or not, like to criticize catholics, but are not beyond condoning or turning a blind eye to the sexual immorality of the ones that share the same pew in a non-catholic church.

The speck in a brother's eye story, comes to mind.

Feel free to PM anyone who has their group in red under or beside thier user name. They are there to help..

btw I am a non-denominational fundie.

eric

Thanks Eric....Your answer really made sense to me. I am a "baby Christian" and just learning my way around!

Jolene