Wouldn't that be Catholic vs Protestant, as Catholics are considered Christian, misguided though they be. That's my father Southern Baptist sneaking out.

---

Don't know what else I can say after the previous posting. More info. than I expected.

Does it really matter?

Forgive me for only quickly skimming through previous posts and not reading the WHOLE thread...

But I prefer to use Occam's Razor when thinking about such things. It cuts out all the technicalities and much of those pesky grey areas.

My definition:
Christian - A belief that Jesus Christ is the savior and an attempt to live and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, as a prophet and son of the Lord God.

Based on that definition, Catholics are Christians. So are Protestants, Baptists, Mormons, Lutherans and the Wicker People, that last one I've only thrown in for kicks and comic relief. Wicker people? what... Anyway... also per that definition, Jewish who don't believe in Jesus Christ-- that he was the Son of God-- are not, per my definition "Christian".

Maybe I cut away too much. Maybe not. But, I whole heartedly believe that every religion has idiots who give lip service (Isaiah 29:13-14)-- that is to say they speak of Christ and God, but they do not act upon what they say. So why judge a religion on the imperfect people? Why not look more closely at the religious beliefs as a whole? Moreover, what do they TEACH?

I wouldn't judge a religion by what they did in the late 1400's or what they did in the 1690's... I try to look at the general flow of their teachings and gospel... and not what some religious zealot(s) did way-back-when.

I do wonder though how much religious upbringing has to do with what people think with reguards to this question...

Let us not get carried away with the "Season of Brotherly Love" and look a little at the ways both Catholics and Protestants treated each other several hundred years ago. One could say it began wiith Martin Luther and 95 falts he found with the Catholic. Now Luther was no crackpot but a well educated monk, yep, a Catholiic, but one who saw flaws that necessitated a change in the Holy Mother Church, which came was killing, under the phrase, "God wills it", on both sides. In countries supported by Protestant rules, the new religion, Protestantism, was welcomed because it gave church land to the local baron, duke, and eventually the king. In other non-Protestant countries, the shoe was on the other foot. Kings that were not helpful to Catholism, were threatened with excomunication, for themselves and their country. Those threatened, simply changed sides, ignored the Pope, and started taking non-Protestant lands. Lets say this went on for hundred of years, especially in England, with HenryVIII starting a new church, to geet the poppe off his back as he was craving a male heir and nothing was working out, divorce was outlawed by the Pope and Henrry wanted a son more than the Pope's approva. Hence the Church of England came about. Wahat followed was various kings/queens of the two religions trying to rule church and state by the force of arms.James I, CharlesI,CharlesII, JamesII, various kings, with either Catholic or Protestant beliefs.Thousand died, in religious wars, other by torture, though torture was not used to extract information, nor with the relish of the Catholic Inquisition, especially as used by the Spanish. It seems we have a truce, both equal in Christanity, various doctrine differences, but all in all, we tolerate each other. Perhaps we will reach the "Season of Brotherly Love" but literally, "Only God knows when".. If i have offened anyone, on either side or left any ouut, I can only offer: "Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa"

I don't have a problem with Catholics as people, just their...Bible. lol
Have you ever read the Catholic bible? There's books & stuff in there
that were not in there to begin with. They just made up their own rules
& whatnot & put in in the bible...
although in the Christian bible, in Revelations, it says NOT to
do that...something along the lines of whoever adds or takes away from
this book will not have a place in the book of life or something..I can't
remember exactly...lol~studying the Bible in high school was awhile ago~
either way, the Catholic bible & what they teach is screwed up.
They were rather manipulative~
I'm not saying all Catholics are, just those who made all that stuff up
& added it to the Christian Bible & made the Catholic Church what it is
today! The Catholics don't know any better if all they know is their own
Catholic bible. It's misleading, especially if you're born into it & have
never fully read a normal Bible without that added stuff....
I'm not Christian -- I'm not Catholic -- it still bothers me though.

All religions & denominations are guilty of atrocities;
Catholics did the Inqusition - Anglicans executed priests & burned churches - Southern Baptists lynched black people.
If you follow the teachings of Christ you are a Christian. Divorce yourself of all of the above.We don't have any control of what was done in the past. Do the right thing now.

I'm Catholic and i had religion classes, i only read what i had to in order to pass a test and the course. But seriously i only believe what i want to believe anyways. Thats why i never discuss religion, i just think it's safer that way. I sit back and listen to all kinds of conversations going on, but i rarely put my two cents in, only if it's going to make perfect sense to all.

Chris·tian·i·ty
Pronunciation: \ˌkris-chē-ˈa-nə-tē, ˌkrish-, -ˈcha-nə-, ˌkris-tē-ˈa-\
Function: noun
Date: 14th century
1 : the religion derived from Jesus Christ, based on the Bible as sacred scripture, and professed by Eastern, Roman Catholic, and Protestant bodies
2 : conformity to the Christian religion
3 : the practice of Christianity

: Cath·o·lic
Pronunciation: \ˈkath-lik, ˈka-thə-\
Function: noun
Date: 15th century
1 : a person who belongs to the universal Christian church
2 : a member of a Catholic church; especially : roman catholic

as you can see Christianity is the belief in Jesus but different Christian religions have different ways and different names but they are Christians... I tried Christian religion before it's more like a play on words... they kind of think the word Christian is thiers and only thiers to claim... meaning the name of thier religion... so he probably is thinking that way cause my nephew is a Christian and I had to explain to him Christian is the name of his religion but Christianity is the belief in Jesus the new testimony... He understood... Catholicism has been around for thousands of years unless I am wrong??? Christians is a much younger religion.

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(12-03-2009 04:05 PM)lightkeeper Wrote:  All religions & denominations are guilty of atrocities;
Catholics did the Inqusition - Anglicans executed priests & burned churches - Southern Baptists lynched black people.
If you follow the teachings of Christ you are a Christian. Divorce yourself of all of the above.We don't have any control of what was done in the past. Do the right thing now.

Amen to you lightkeeper!

(12-03-2009 04:24 PM)geogirlforever Wrote:  I'm Catholic and i had religion classes, i only read what i had to in order to pass a test and the course. But seriously i only believe what i want to believe anyways. Thats why i never discuss religion, i just think it's safer that way. I sit back and listen to all kinds of conversations going on, but i rarely put my two cents in, only if it's going to make perfect sense to all.

Opps i should have actually said i'm "Roman Catholic".

(12-03-2009 02:30 PM)super.fantastik Wrote:  I don't have a problem with Catholics as people, just their...Bible. lol
Have you ever read the Catholic bible? There's books & stuff in there
that were not in there to begin with. They just made up their own rules
& whatnot & put in in the bible...
although in the Christian bible, in Revelations, it says NOT to
do that...something along the lines of whoever adds or takes away from
this book will not have a place in the book of life or something..I can't
remember exactly...lol~studying the Bible in high school was awhile ago~
either way, the Catholic bible & what they teach is screwed up.
They were rather manipulative~
I'm not saying all Catholics are, just those who made all that stuff up
& added it to the Christian Bible & made the Catholic Church what it is
today! The Catholics don't know any better if all they know is their own
Catholic bible. It's misleading, especially if you're born into it & have
never fully read a normal Bible without that added stuff....
I'm not Christian -- I'm not Catholic -- it still bothers me though.

You are right I was born and raised a batized Catholic! instead of teaching us the love of God they instilled the fear of God in us!!! the Devil is going to get you!!! Taht's what they would say (everybody said that) everything you do is a sin so listen to us and tell us your troubles and repent your soul... I thought for sure I was going to hell the way they kept saying don't do this don't do that... Shoot I was terrified of church cause I wasn't sure if my thoughts were a sin or not like, "do I remember how to say the lords prayer? I wish this was over cause I am bored??? I am going to hell now the Devil going to get me cause I am falling asleep in church...." LOL I wasn't sure where I was going to end up... I just knew I was going to meet the Devil! back then now I know!!! any hoot that's what they kept telling me if you commit a sin The Devil is going to get you or you will go to hell!

(12-03-2009 07:11 PM)geogirlforever Wrote:  

(12-03-2009 04:24 PM)geogirlforever Wrote:  I'm Catholic and i had religion classes, i only read what i had to in order to pass a test and the course. But seriously i only believe what i want to believe anyways. Thats why i never discuss religion, i just think it's safer that way. I sit back and listen to all kinds of conversations going on, but i rarely put my two cents in, only if it's going to make perfect sense to all.

Opps i should have actually said i'm "Roman Catholic".

Yea believe it or not there are two different Catholics..Eastern Orthodox and Roman.

The thing about the Bible is that every Christian sect has picked and choose what they want in their Bible. There are so many books out there with different stories that you will never see anyone having in their Bible.