It says that Christ came for the forgivness of all our sins, but in Catholic religions you have to go trought this thing called "baptism" because Adan and even eat that apple and you are are born with this "Original Sin"\n\nI dont really like Catholics im sorry
203286
Trying to make sense of religion is like trying to teach a pig to sing.  Don't waste your time with fairy tales.
135289
as fas as infant baptism...here is a reason against it...\n\nif baptism is for remission of sins (acts 2:38, mark 16:16, 1 peter 3:21\n\nand sin is transgression against God's law(1 john 3:4)\n\nthan one has to be able process right from wrong and understand the consequences of sin...\n\nhow can a child sin if they cannot understand the concept? \n\nalso there is no evidence that we carry the weight of adam and eve's sin as someone else has said...quite the opposite actually....romans 14:12 "every one of us shall give account of himself to God." clearly this means that i am responsible for MY sin and you are responsible for yours....it does not say that i will have to account for adam's sin....\n\nand for calling a priest father....matt 23:9 says call no man father...the point of these verses starting in verse 2 and continuing was to teach that the pharisees that were uplifint them selves to a higher position and be loved and adored by men were sinning....
159532
A Christian is one who believes in Jesus as God and accepts Jesus as his/her personal saviour. As such, Catholics ARE Christians. The Roman Catholic church is said to have started with Peter, to whom Jesus said,\n\nMatthew 16:18-19\nAnd I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.\n\nRoman Catholics say they have a direct line of Popes starting from Peter, to the Pope of today.\n\nThen along came King Henry VIII, who liked to chop and change, as it were. He took issue with the Christian doctrine of not being allowed to divorce and remarry, so started his own church: the Church of England - the first form of Protestantism. "Protestant" comes from "protest" as they were protesting against the rules of the existing Church. According to my year eight history teacher (oh so long ago!) any Christian denomination that isn't Roman Catholic, *is* Protestant by definition due to the origins of the term "Protestant." And on the story goes, with different sects popping up along the way.\n\nCatholicism does tend to be a bit more "flowery" and ornate than other denominations of Christianity. I grew up in the Roman Catholic church and changed to Pentecostal fundamentalism later on. I did the rounds and tried nearly every denomination out there to see what felt right for me. My experience has been that while basically the same overall, the Catholic church tends to be far more formal where other churches are a little more laid back. Catholics have a set hierarchy, where many modern Christian denominations have lay people participating at higher levels than in the past, and women being more involved in church leadership. I'm not saying this is either good or bad; this is just an observation. Other than that, there aren't many differences in core beliefs. \n\nSome people do argue that Roman Catholics "aren't really Christians" because of different rituals and practices, such as confession and penance. However, it's not about receiving forgiveness from a Priest instead of God. It's about confessing your sins as the bible instructs Christians to do - it's about the act of confession and the Priest affirming forgiveness from God. Some people find this helpful; others don't. Certainly, praying specific prayers as a form of atonement may seem strange - but think for just a minute: who are the prayers really for? God can't benefit from anything we do. The prayers are for the benefit of the person who is praying, and no one else. There are reasons behind things that people who have never been Catholic won't understand. It may seem strange - but *anything* that isn't understood seems strange, whether that be religious ritual or otherwise. Scripture to support this is:\n\nJames 5:16\nConfess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.\n\n1 John 1:9\nIf we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.\n\nAnother thing that can be seen as strange by non-Catholics is the fact that priests and nuns don't marry. The explanation for that is quite simple: they used to. Way back when, when priests had families and they died, they left everything to their families. Unfortunately, the Church at the time didn't like this. Priests usually lived on the church property, causing a problem for the Church. It was a question of financial gain, rather than anything religious, and so the church banned priests from marrying. This way, even if they had a child, it would be out of wedlock - making the child illegitimate (by their standards) and consequently the chil
142001
As people have said, Catholicism is just a specific type of Christianity.  As for the cross bit, many Protestants use crosses as opposed to crucifixes (the cross with Jesus on it) because of the commandment that says you shouldn't make any graven images.  Catholics interpret this to mean you shouldn't worship any graven images and use the crucifix to help focus their thoughts during prayer or worship.  Some other points based on the differences between Catholics and Protestants (most Christians who aren't Catholic are Protestant):\n\n 1. Saints.  Catholics will pray to saints, asking them to intercede on their behalf.  Protestants don't do this, and don't really have saints.  I believe one reason is they sometimes think of this as worship, naturally forbidden.  Also, Catholics believe Mary was born without sin (the "immaculate conception").  Protestants do not.\n 2.  Structure.  Catholicism has a hierarchical structure with the pope at the top, then cardinals, bishops, priests, deacons, other religious, and laypeople.  This is not to say Catholics follow the pope mindlessly or above God, just that he acts as a father and a guide for the Church.  Protestants do not have this structure, but rely on small self-governing communities.\n 3.  The Eucharist.  Catholics say that the Eucharist is the essence of Christ, present with them.  They worship Christ in and through the Eucharist.  Protestants (generally) think the Eucharist is bread, symbolic of Christ, but not actually Christ.\n 4. Salvation.  Generally, Protestants believe that salvation can only come from accepting Christ as your savior.  Essentially, no matter how good a person is on their own, because they're not perfect, they wouldn't be able to make it to heaven if it weren't for Chirst's sacrifice.    Catholics believe this is true, but that you also have to 'walk the walk, not just talk the talk.'  Salvation is based on the acceptance of Christ as savior combined with good works.
512506
It sounds like your head is in the right place, but your heart is not.  Despite the uneducated repetition of some anti-catholics on this forum, the Catholic Church was the church founded by Jesus Christ.  As much as they try to point out the sins of churchmen or misinterpret scriptures to their own destruction, the facts - as you stated - still remain.  The true church CANNOT apposticise - Jesus promised that it wouldn't.  And the sins of some clergy doesn't make doctrine untrue.\n\nAll this being said, you can't come at people with attacks.  It turns them away so that they will never listen to your arguement.  If you charitably answer their objections, maybe they will see the truth.\n\nFor those of you who think that the Catholic Church is not the original church - please visit my website.\n\nhttp://www.geocities.com/orthodox_doctrine/
72222
There are alot of confused people in this world. Catholicism IS a Christian denomination, just as Protestant, Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, etc. are.
371681
I never said Catholics aren't Christian, i said Roman Catholicism is not christian.\n\nhere's why: the "Pope" means "father", priests are called "father"\nJesus said "call no man father"\n\nThe bible says over and over and over "you shall have no graven images before me". Yet that church has idols EVERYWHERE.\n\nThe bible says to pray to God, that church says pray to saints.\n\nI could go on and on, but the point is, if you confess Jesus as Lord, and believe God raised him from the dead, you are a christian (romans 10:9)\n\nIf you forbid your priests to marry and command people to abstain from certain foods, your are preaching "doctrines of demons" (1st Timothy 4:1-3)\n\npeace\n\nEDIT: I forgot a biggie - that church teaches the Pope is the head of the body of believers - the bible says Jesus is the head of the church\n\nEDIT2: Nice language in your question by the way. I don't think you are gullible idiots, I think most of you were raised Catholic, and the fear of being excommunicated (another UNbiblical term) keeps some of you from leaving or even questioning. is it bigoted to say, "Your church does not teach what I believe is the truth about my religion, therefore it is not my religion?" No way.\n\nI will ask this: how can you support a church that allowed, even covered up the pedophile priest scandal? How can you support a church that sanctioned the crusades and the Inquisition? I like Catholics, and I think most of them ARE Christians, it's their church leadership and doctrine that I have a problem with.\n\nYOU asked the question, are you interested in my answer? By the thumbs down I have gotten, I think not.
163373
I was raised a Catholic but was never taught anything about faith and that you need it to be saved. I was mostly religious stuff like confessing your sins to a priest when all along I could have just talked to God myself. Why go to the priest anyway???  And the whole rosary thing I never understood. I was taught all the religious aspects  but never the way to know for sure that you have eternal life. Which is FAITH in Jesus and trusting that He is the ONLY way to get to heaven. For it is by grace we have been saved through FAITH and this is not from us but it is a GIFT from God, not by works so that no one can boast. I am so glad that I KNOW that I have eternal life!!!! -I am not saying anything bad about Catholics but just my experience. I actually know many catholics who believe it is by faith and that the other religious stuff means nothing. Besides "religion" is man made, it doesn't matter what one you are as long as you have faith in jesus for salvation.
382073
Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,\n \nThere is only one sacrifice that was made for our sins,and that was Jesus on the cross. Those who think that becoming saved gives them a free ride to sin all they want are total and complete fools.\n\nYou say that you read your bible, This too is one of the scriptures that you will eventually come to read.\n\n Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.\n \nWhen Jesus said "Go and sin no more" That means if you have repented of a sin, you know that it is wrong and un rightous in the eyes of the Lord. You have acknowledged it as such. So why on earth would you go out and re commit the same sin that you have acknowledged to Jesus as being unrightous in His eyes? His love and  mercy is pricless as is His forgivness that came with a price that He paid and not one that you or I paid.\n\nYour question makes a person wonder if you even understood what the commitment and covenant that you make with Jesus, when or if you become born again, and accepted Jesus as your savior really means. It means "Go and sin no more".
293847
I am a Catholic.  Catholicism is the oldest Christian religion.  All other Christian religions came from Catholicism.  We do not worship statues and rosaries or even the Virgin Mary.  We worship God alone.  God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  3 persons in one God.  Just as 3 leaves make up one clover.  We ask Mary and other saints for intersession to Jesus.  It's no different than you asking someone to pray for you before a test or surgery.  We venerate certain statues or crucifixes.  This is not worship.  It is a sign of respect to the actual person or act that is being depicted.  Please do not think we worship anyone other than God Almighty Himself.
177324
here is a good website explaining it.\nI am not Catholic.
459621
Good Question....As you know God sent down his son who was w/out sin to be crucified for the sins of all. See, when God created man and woman (adam & eve) they were pure. God walked among us. But, when instructed them not to take a bite of the forbidden fruit and they did, God rejected them. For years God could not have any relationship w/mankind. And since according to the Bible, we are all sinners because we cary the genes of Adam and Eve. That is why baptism was created to wash away our sins. God wanted to be connected again w/his children but the only way was to send down his son who was w/out sin to be crucified for our sins. Once he was crucified, the people before Christ were forgiven as well.
96445
U r getting it all wrong my dear.. Jesus had to sacrifice his life for we humans.. So that we REPENT for our sins.. so that we r always reminded of the fact that GOD has given his LIFE for us.. or better still.. A God incarnate has given his life.. It was our redemption in THOSE TIMES.. The next time HE comes on earth will be JUDGEMENT DAY.. We have already been given an oppurtunity to unserstand and rectify our mistakes b HIM..he has given us one chance by sacrificing himself..that doesnt mean he'll do it always.. Next time, we will be punished for our sins not HE!  \nIt was not God who died.. Jesus was a God-incarnate i.e.God born on earth as a human and since all  humans die, he had to die.. But Jesus is there on top..\n And God canty forgive us all without all of this.. Thatr would mean whatever crime u do, u'll be let off. God wanted to show to humanity that HE cared for us so much that he sacrificed his son!
401901
You're thinking about the Catholic Church cult, not actually biblical Christianity, with regard to babies dying before being baptized. You go to heaven if you believe in Christ, and if you are a child, then you will go to heaven because you are below the age of accountability. Focus more on the Bible and not the Catholic Church's contradictory dogma.
258750
Catholics have the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which is the invisible forgivness of God become visible in His visible Church on earth.\n\nWhile it is correct and right to pray for forgiveness to God directly, Catholics also understand that our sin is not just against God in Heaven, but also against the Body of Christ on earth, aka the Church and its people.  Our sin turns us away from relationship with God and relationship with Church and relationship with our neighbor.\n\nSo when a Catholic goes to Reconciliation with a priest it is like having a conversation. It isn't like the laundry list of sins you see on the TV, but is just talking about our struggles, shortfalls, and sins. The priest gives advice on many things such as how to break bad habits, where to gain support to keep from sin, what Scripture is beneficial, and how to make penance.\n\nPenance is our word for where you are leading with your question. It is the idea that after you have repented which includes telling God that you have sinned and are a sinner, telling Him you know the hurt it has caused in the relationship, telling Him you are heartily sorry for your sins, and asking for the grace to never commit them again. So after repenting, and it being sincere, you are forgiven by God and you become right with God again. However, the consequences of your sins are still out in the open. We believe that although your sins are forgiven, the ultimate completion of showing your repentance is through an act of love in the likeness of Jesus Christ. This completes things just how God would like them to be.  Because He doesn't see it fit to repent and then go out into the world without a faith ACTING in love.\n\nSo penance is the love part afterwards. If you sinned by not giving the Lord your God all your heart, mind, body, and soul, then penance may be sitting down for some time to pray with the Lord.  If you sin is, as you put it, raping 5 women then there will be a penance which involves giving true love to these women you have wronged.  The priest helps us with understanding what is a good penance. Through their experience, priests will tell you they've heard everything in the book, so I'm sure they would have a better answer for the grave sin you refer to.  It is also their office to assume the role of Christ as judge of repentance as Christ gave them that power when He told His apostles that whatever sin you bind on earth is bound in Heaven and whatever sin you loose on earth is loosed in Heaven.  Christ knew His apostles and their successors weren't perfect, but that is why He gave them His Holy Spirit so that in exercising this right of office, it would be Him acting through the priest.\n\nSo in my faith we do believe that you must not only apologize to God directly, but He also desires you apologize to the Church, and to the person if it warrants. Because your sin is not within you, but becomes damaging to all those around you. Of course God will minister to those women you mentioned with a divine love and care that they deserve in their suffering. BUT God knows that by forgiving the heartfelt repentance of the one who raped them He is demonstrating to that man the ultimate love He has for Him. That although this rapist is due a penalty, God relieves it out of love for him.  God know that unless this man is released from His sin, there is NO CHANCE that this rapist will have love enough in his heart to go and tend to the wounds he has made.  By forgiving the rapist, he is now free to love with his whole self.  This is part of how the consequences of sin are repaired.\n\nIt all comes from Jesus and the ultimate love He had to conquer sin. It is imparted on us when He conquers our sin.\n\nI cannot comment on Christian faith outside of the Catholic Church. I have many friends who are Presbyterian and non-denominational. I have heard them confess their sins to me and others in spoken prayer. We will often address those sins and offer advice on ho
411215
There will be Catholics that will NOT be saved and there will be other Religions that will NOT be saved. The Catholic Religion offers the entirety of Salvation though. Other Religions have part of the truth. It all boils down to judgement by Jesus. What did you know and when did you know it and did you ever refuse knowing it and what did you do with it once you knew it?
149408
YES.  According to the good ol' American Heritage Dictionary, a Christian is one who professes "belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus."  I'm a Catholic, and I know this describes me, as I'm sure it describes you as well.\n\nI have come to understand a bit more about why sometimes Protestants say Catholics aren't Chritistian, however.  Hopefully, these will help you understand your friends' logic:\n\n1. The Saints.  It's thought that by praying to saints, Catholics are worshiping them.  This isn't true, of course, for reasons I won't get into here - I'm sure you know them - but you can see how people might think you're not Christian if they thought this was true.\n2. The Bible.  Because Protestants don't have a Church structure the way Catholics do, Protestants often end up paying a lot more attention to the Bible, memorizing passages etc.  It seems to them that Catholics ignore the Scriptures and so the word of Christ.  This isn't true either, but it's a not-infrequent misconception.\n3.  The Eucharist.  Catholics say that the Eucharist is the essence of Christ, present with us.  We worship Christ in and through the Eucharist.  If you're Protestant, you (generally) think the Eucharist is bread, symbolic of Christ, but not actually Christ.  So if they see us worshiping God in the Eucharist, they think we're bowing down to a piece of bread.  You can see how this would seem sacriligious?\n4. Salvation.  Generally, Protestants believe that salvation can only come from accepting Christ as your savior.  Essentially, no matter how good a person is on their own, because they're not perfect, they wouldn't be able to make it to heaven if it weren't for Chirst's sacrifice.    Catholics believe this is true, but that you also have to 'walk the walk, not just talk the talk.'  Salvation is based on the acceptance of Christ as savior combined with good works.  The reason some Protestants have a problem with this is because they're thinking we're discounting the importance of Christ's sacrifice and that we think we could get into heaven on our own. \n\nSo you see, the concept of Catholics not being Christian is generally based on misconceptions.  Try explaining these concepts to your friends (without proselytizing) and try to find out why they think Catholics don't count as Christians.  We all believe in Christ as the source of eternal life.  Maybe you can help them see this.