Difference between Christian and Catholic

[Scarletprayers]

Out of 7 different friends of mine that are Catholics only 1 could give me reason why he knows for sure he is a Christian. The others will reason that they go to confession often, and take communion. Some mention that they say the rosary several times daily. Instead of this he told me that he knows Jesus as his Savior and has a relationship with him.

And thats unusual how???? Most the people that I talk to that say they are Christian can't really explain why or what they believe. Thats because most people in any denom you choose let someone else spoon feed them their religion, instead of reading the Bible and understanding it themselves. *sigh*

[Guest HIS girl]

When you've grown up in a Christian household, that's what generally happens. It's when you leave home that you either find out for yourself or continue riding on your parents Salvation (so to speak)and we know that, that's not how it is - it's an individual thing.

[hr.jr.]

OK ... maybe I should clarify my previous post. Calling Catholics a false religion is bad. Pointing out the difference between their denomination and your own is cool. The warning is due to the many heated threads, hurt feelings and name calling in threads on this topic from the past. If we keep the discussion to facts and do not pretend to know if they are saved or not (your personal opinion), there should be no problems!

In Him,

Alan

The Catholic Church officicially rejects Sola Fide. What would you call them? The gospel is plain. Works based salvation is false doctrine. Works based salvation provides no salvation. If you reject Sola Fide, your reject the Gospel as taught by Christ. These are not denominational differences. The Catholic church says that if you hold to Sola Fide, you are accursed. The protestant Church holds that salvation is based on Sola fide.

You can not have it both ways. If You hold Sola Fide to be the gospel, you must hold The Catholic Church to teach false gospel. You can not have it both ways!

Yeah, whatever.

If you carefully read the boards here and elsewhere, everyone is Arminian when its their own salvation at stake, and these same people instantly transform into Calvinists when its the other guy's salvation in question.

Soteriology of convenience. Doctrine only divides.

That was a most informative post. What does it have to do with with addressing the Council of Trent's rejection of Sola Fide? Doctrine only divides? When the "doctrine" being discussed is defines salvation, it is worth division.

Gee, I didn't think I needed a </sarcasm> flag - for I thought it was rather obvious. Usually I am accused of rambling or jamming too much content in a post.

Here is the deal. I'm all over the Solas. But when looking over the gestalt of these posts, one thing is absolutely certain. You try bringing up doctrine in the form of being an important component of salvation and the thread will get locked down because questioning another person's faith is apparently taboo.

If you dare mention that the Pope needs to repent and be saved, you will be declared something worse than a blasphemer no matter what level of supporting arguments that you can bring up.

I am as frustrated as you are in the perceived triviality of fundamental doctrine. I started another thread asking how much error is enough error to be considered unbelief or belief in an unsalvific religion. Alas, the results are predictable and so far I haven't learned anything except everyone is scared to even harbor suspicions of another person's current spiritual state.

Before Adrian Rogers died, he said some of the most hate-filled and demonic things in his public sermons regarding the Saints of God who subscribed to the eternal doctrines of Grace. Go to sermonaudio.com and you hear Rev Cloud condemn the totality of the Reformation as damnable heresy. The list of Pelagians is long who have no shame in calling Calvinists "monsters" and "servants of the devil". They have no problems lying about Calvin, calling him a murderer of Servatus (even though it was the Roman Catholics who tied him to the stake and lit the pyre).

But dare openly question the flexible doctrine of a Roman Catholic, and I know professors of RC theology who teach that sincerity in any faith is one of the many paths to heaven, and you are ironically branded as someone who is taking away God's role as one who determines salvation. (yes, I know it is funny hearing this come from free willers).

So what do you want to hear? Amens from the choir?

I think that all that is permitted is a clear, opinionless list of doctrinal differences, showing no favortism to any particualr view. Just a clean column a, column b comparison matrix.

I think that the threads always get shut down when people attack Catholicism at the personal level of the Pope, or its parishioners. One can expose catholicism for the cult that it is by simply quoting the writings of the Pope and the Councils. The quote I posted earlier from the council of Trent claerly shows that Catholicism does not convey the true Gospel.

When works are added as elements to salvation, a false gospel is created.

[Guest Biblicist]

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!!!

I would like to ask you, why are you planning on attending a Catholic mass?

I would suggest that you wait to do such a thing until you are completely informed about the differences and are able to discern which parts you may partake in and which you should respectfully sit out of.

There is no difference between those who belong to a Catholic church and those born and raised in a Bapitst, Methodist, Pentocostal, or any other denominational church. We are all sinners, we all need the Saviour and God offers the same measure of Grace to each of us.

The difference in teachings though, varies greatly.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes on him, will not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

[Mamato3]

Thanks for all the replies...I think!

I tend to start controversial threads, don't I? First the tattoo one now the catholic one...

Should I keep my qestions to myself from now on instead of starting trouble???

[Guest Biblicist]

Thanks for all the replies...I think!

I tend to start controversial threads, don't I? First the tattoo one now the catholic one...

Should I keep my qestions to myself from now on instead of starting trouble???

Absolutly not! As my husband likes to say...There are no stupid questions....

just stupid people.

[Abigailwc]

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!!!

There are too many differences.

I remember going to a catholic church when I was a teen. I had been invited by my cousin to go along with her. I'll never forget the time when we were all in a line. I did not know why we were in a line and was not paying attention. I just know that when I finally made it to the front and the priest - I think that's who he was - handed me a round-looking object, I took it from his hands, put it in my pocket and walked toward my sit. I then realized that the priest had stopped talking, that the line stopped moving and that many shocked and offended eyes were on me. After reaching my sit, seeing my puzzled look on my face, my cousin - holding herself from rolling on the floor in laughter - managed to tell me that I was supposed to eat the "wafer". After a sigh of relief, I just took the "wafer" out of my pocket and ate it. I later learnt what eating that "wafer" meant to a Catholic believer and understood why I had greatly offended them.

I decided to never go back.

[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!!!

There are too many differences.

I remember going to a catholic church when I was a teen. I had been invited by my cousin to go along with her. I'll never forget the time when we were all in a line. I did not know why we were in a line and was not paying attention. I just know that when I finally made it to the front and the priest - I think that's who he was - handed me a round-looking object, I took it from his hands, put it in my pocket and walked toward my sit. I then realized that the priest had stopped talking, that the line stopped moving and that many shocked and offended eyes were on me. After reaching my sit, seeing my puzzled look on my face, my cousin - holding herself from rolling on the floor in laughter - managed to tell me that I was supposed to eat the "wafer". After a sigh of relief, I just took the "wafer" out of my pocket and ate it. I later learnt what eating that "wafer" meant to a Catholic believer and understood why I had greatly offended them.

I decided to never go back.

That is so funny...it made me remember a time when I was very young and went to a catholic church with my step family. I went up for the wafer and my step uncle literally freaked out on my step grandpa when we got home. Something about how I wasn't supposed to receive communion since I wasn't catholic and it was a sin and on and on he went...I NEVER did that again! I wasn't even ten but I was petrified I was going to hell for eating a gross little wafer!

[WillingToDie]

OK ... maybe I should clarify my previous post. Calling Catholics a false religion is bad. Pointing out the difference between their denomination and your own is cool. The warning is due to the many heated threads, hurt feelings and name calling in threads on this topic from the past. If we keep the discussion to facts and do not pretend to know if they are saved or not (your personal opinion), there should be no problems!

In Him,

Alan

The Catholic Church officicially rejects Sola Fide. What would you call them? The gospel is plain. Works based salvation is false doctrine. Works based salvation provides no salvation. If you reject Sola Fide, your reject the Gospel as taught by Christ. These are not denominational differences. The Catholic church says that if you hold to Sola Fide, you are accursed. The protestant Church holds that salvation is based on Sola fide.

You can not have it both ways. If You hold Sola Fide to be the gospel, you must hold The Catholic Church to teach false gospel. You can not have it both ways!

Yeah, whatever.

If you carefully read the boards here and elsewhere, everyone is Arminian when its their own salvation at stake, and these same people instantly transform into Calvinists when its the other guy's salvation in question.

Soteriology of convenience. Doctrine only divides.

That was a most informative post. What does it have to do with with addressing the Council of Trent's rejection of Sola Fide? Doctrine only divides? When the "doctrine" being discussed is defines salvation, it is worth division.

Gee, I didn't think I needed a </sarcasm> flag - for I thought it was rather obvious. Usually I am accused of rambling or jamming too much content in a post.

Here is the deal. I'm all over the Solas. But when looking over the gestalt of these posts, one thing is absolutely certain. You try bringing up doctrine in the form of being an important component of salvation and the thread will get locked down because questioning another person's faith is apparently taboo.

If you dare mention that the Pope needs to repent and be saved, you will be declared something worse than a blasphemer no matter what level of supporting arguments that you can bring up.

I am as frustrated as you are in the perceived triviality of fundamental doctrine. I started another thread asking how much error is enough error to be considered unbelief or belief in an unsalvific religion. Alas, the results are predictable and so far I haven't learned anything except everyone is scared to even harbor suspicions of another person's current spiritual state.

Before Adrian Rogers died, he said some of the most hate-filled and demonic things in his public sermons regarding the Saints of God who subscribed to the eternal doctrines of Grace. Go to sermonaudio.com and you hear Rev Cloud condemn the totality of the Reformation as damnable heresy. The list of Pelagians is long who have no shame in calling Calvinists "monsters" and "servants of the devil". They have no problems lying about Calvin, calling him a murderer of Servatus (even though it was the Roman Catholics who tied him to the stake and lit the pyre).

But dare openly question the flexible doctrine of a Roman Catholic, and I know professors of RC theology who teach that sincerity in any faith is one of the many paths to heaven, and you are ironically branded as someone who is taking away God's role as one who determines salvation. (yes, I know it is funny hearing this come from free willers).

So what do you want to hear? Amens from the choir?

I think that all that is permitted is a clear, opinionless list of doctrinal differences, showing no favortism to any particualr view. Just a clean column a, column b comparison matrix.

I think that the threads always get shut down when people attack Catholicism at the personal level of the Pope, or its parishioners. One can expose catholicism for the cult that it is by simply quoting the writings of the Pope and the Councils. The quote I posted earlier from the council of Trent claerly shows that Catholicism does not convey the true Gospel.

When works are added as elements to salvation, a false gospel is created.

Considering Trent was a backlash against the Protestant Reformation, of course they'll try to differentiate themselves.

Perhaps you should use a more modern Council, say...Vatican II.

[WayneB]

I think that the threads always get shut down when people attack Catholicism at the personal level of the Pope, or its parishioners. One can expose catholicism for the cult that it is by simply quoting the writings of the Pope and the Councils. The quote I posted earlier from the council of Trent claerly shows that Catholicism does not convey the true Gospel.

When works are added as elements to salvation, a false gospel is created.

Exactly. As long as the discussion sticks to the differences in doctrine and people use Scripture to back up the assertions, I see no problem with allowing this discussion to continue. Although I think it is a bit extreme to call catholcism a cult, I agree with Hal that ANY gospel which adds works as an element of salvation is a false gospel.