Why Do Some Christians Say Catholics Aren't Christian?

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='HisChildForever' post='1764574' date='Jan 28 2009, 01:22 PM']Oh, that is very clever, thanks. I also try and assure them that I am not trying to convert but to teach. I tell them that if they want to disagree, that's fine, but just understand what you are disagreeing with.

And what you said earlier is also true. They are very passionate when they argue against Catholicism. It's sad how ignorant they look, which is so obvious a non-Christian would pick up on it. Their passion is a spiteful passion, which just gets me defensive and angry because I want to bash them a few times with my Catechism.

[[Edit.]]

Come to think of it, it would be terrific if a non-Catholic Christian stepped into threads like that and explained to fellow non-Catholics "No, you are incorrect, and here is why. Catholics believe..." They would probably be more apt to listen to someone like that than an actual Catholic.[/quote]

Ok for some it is a spiteful passion, but for others you are challenging EVERYTHING they believe in. Sort of the reaction you would expect if the aliens landed and said "take me to your leader". When you get angry or defensive - stop and pray for them before you respond, mention it to St Paul you could use a little help here - then try to explain it in very simple terms.
The best way however, to teach Catholicism is to be a happy faithful Catholic.

When Brother Adam joined here he was a fervent Baptist who was defending catholics in just the way you mention

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1764515' date='Jan 28 2009, 02:55 PM']Send her a card at Easter and thank her for bringing you into the Church.[/quote]
Excellent idea! Thanks!

[TotusTuusMaria]

[quote name='USAirwaysIHS' post='1763885' date='Jan 27 2009, 08:44 PM']Yes, they do. However, they severed that line in the 1500s, for reasons that still make me slap my head.[/quote]

[HisChildForever]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1764627' date='Jan 28 2009, 01:21 PM']Ok for some it is a spiteful passion, but for others you are challenging EVERYTHING they believe in. Sort of the reaction you would expect if the aliens landed and said "take me to your leader". When you get angry or defensive - stop and pray for them before you respond, mention it to St Paul you could use a little help here - then try to explain it in very simple terms.
The best way however, to teach Catholicism is to be a happy faithful Catholic.

When Brother Adam joined here he was a fervent Baptist who was defending catholics in just the way you mention [/quote]

Good 'ole St. Paul. It is hard to teach in simple terms, sometimes, so I provide Catechism references which don't go over very well.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='HisChildForever' post='1764671' date='Jan 28 2009, 02:55 PM']Good 'ole St. Paul. It is hard to teach in simple terms, sometimes, so I provide Catechism references which don't go over very well. [/quote]
No they won't.

You must start with simple terms, indeed with definitions if possible, because many times catholics and other groups have very differrent starting points. First, what is a christian? For us it is a baptised member of the church as stated in Scripture. However for a born-again type, who dismiss baptism as merely symbolic, they think [wrongly] they just have to say a sinners prayer and they are christian.

[sweens8403]

[quote name='HisChildForever' post='1764671' date='Jan 28 2009, 02:55 PM']Good 'ole St. Paul. It is hard to teach in simple terms, sometimes, so I provide Catechism references which don't go over very well. [/quote]

When I was a protestant I wasn't interested in what the catechism said. In my ignorance I imagined it as a sort of extra bible.

Whether all protestants realize it or not they believe in sola scriptura. Even though its an errant theological belief there is still enough for Catholic apologists to work with. Even a simple question like "Where did the Bible come from?" will trip them up. Some will admit that the Catholic Church put it together, then lost her infallability afterwards which flies in the face of Matthew 16. So show them. Supposing they take the other route and deny the Catholic Church's part in it ask them how they then feel like they have the high moral ground telling a Jehovah's Witness that their bible is full of errors, or why the book of mormon can't also be included in the canon.

Be careful to avoid getting TOO philosophical. Since most protestants haven't had any exposure to the mental exercise of philosophical reasoning they might not follow you and will then just assume you're wrong.

[Selah]

[quote]What Catholics have reasoned that Protestants are not Christians?[/quote]

Some Catholics I have come across on message boards believe this. Do the SSPX not teach this as well?

[Hilde]

Is the devil Christian? If he's not, isn't being a Christian more than just believing in the existence of God and all that?


USAirwaysIHS, you're not saying Protestants can't connect with God do you?

But what is usually the main reason though. Is it "saint worship", because that is not even something Catholics do/believe in. Is there something they believe in they're against?

[Vincent Vega]

[quote name='Hilde' post='1765019' date='Jan 28 2009, 09:57 PM']USAirwaysIHS, you're not saying Protestants can't connect with God do you?[/quote]
Of course I'm not.
I thought that quote of yours was trying to say that Protestants had some kind of special connection with God, as though we didn't.
That's why I was implying that, yes, they do have a special connection with God, and it's called the Catholic Church.

[Socrates]

[quote name='Roamin'Catholic' post='1764516' date='Jan 28 2009, 10:57 AM']Because their Christian "faith" is so juvenile and so dumbed down, it seems a monkey would have the capacity to know and articulate such a faith. The depths of the Catholic faith go far deeper than the shallowness of Protestantism.[/quote]
I'm sorry - not to sound like a proddy here - but that is an incredibly ignorant statement, and one that will not bring any protestants to the Faith if they heard it.

While it is true that the fullness of Catholic Faith is much deeper than any protestant form of Christianity, it's simply not true that all non-Catholic Christians have a faith that's "so juvenile and so dumbed down, it seems a monkey would have the capacity to know and articulate such a faith."
Many protestants, while unfortunately holding erroneous beliefs, have a knowledge of Scripture much deeper and extensive than many self-professed Catholics.
And it is false to claim that all protestant Faith is juvenile and dumbed-down. Many non-Catholics have a genuine love for Christ and desire to know truth, despite the fact that they do not have the fullness of Faith, and hold erroneous beliefs.
My parents were both converts from protestant sects, and my mom from a young age had read the Bible forwards and backwards. Unfortunately, I've seen many Catholics whose knowledge of Scripture is next to nil (and many know little more about the Catechism, for that matter). And many show no serious desire to learn about their Faith, either.
We need to face that there is a huge problem of lack of good catechesis among Catholics , and while the depths of the Catholic Faith are infinitely deep, the sad reality is that many know less of their faith than protestants not because of the depth of the Faith, but because many make little effort to even skim the depths of their Faith.
We should not be smug in our superiority over Protestants, but humbly try to bring non-Catholic Christians into the Church, acknowledging that some have a sincere Faith, and are seeking truth. Some of these may be brought into the fullness of Faith in the Church. But glibly (and ignorantly) writing off the Faith of all protestants as dumb and juvenile will achieve nothing, and likely turn sincere Christians away from the Catholic Faith.

[Hilde]

Yes,that's what I thought. Just wanted to clarify.

It's usually brought up in discussions about confession and intercession. That there's an "unnecessary" or even wrong mediation going on.

And FYI, I don't have any Protestant beliefs contrary to the Catholic Church ATM, I'm a non.protesting Protestant.

[Vincent Vega]

[quote name='Hilde' post='1765195' date='Jan 28 2009, 11:22 PM']And FYI, I don't have any Protestant beliefs contrary to the Catholic Church ATM, I'm a non.protesting Protestant.[/quote]
I'm certain - I figured it was a loose quote.

[Saint Therese]

They're all just jealous.

[tinytherese]

[quote name='Selah' post='1763982' date='Jan 27 2009, 07:50 PM']Because they read too much Jack Chick.



[/quote]

Let's pray for his conversion. St. Sephen prayed for the conversion of St. Paul who used to be a persecutor of the church and then look what happened!

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='tinytherese' post='1765327' date='Jan 29 2009, 01:00 AM']Let's pray for his conversion. St. Sephen prayed for the conversion of St. Paul who used to be a persecutor of the church and then look what happened![/quote]
It would probably take fasting and other disciplines as well.