how many catholics know the history of the catholic church?
347607
There may have been so many cover ups by the Vatican that catholics may never truly know.
602723
1) Christianity 2.1 billion (Began: ca. 27 AD/CE) \nRoman Catholicism: 1.085 billion \nProtestantism: 590 million \nEastern Orthodoxy: 200 million \nAnglican: 84 million \nOriental Orthodoxy, Assyrians, and other Christians: 350 million \n\nIslam 1.3 billion (Began: ca. 622 AD/CE) \nSunnism: 940 million \nShi'ism: 170 million \nSufi, Ibadiyyah, Druze and other Muslims : 80 million \nSecular/Irreligious/Agnostic/Atheist 1.1 billion \nCategory includes a wide range of beliefs, without specifically adhering to a religion. The category also includes humanism, deism, pantheism, and freethought. For more information, see the Adherents.com discussion of this category. \n\nHinduism 900 million (Began: 15th century BC/BCE) \nVaishnavism: 580 million \nShaivism: 220 million \nShaktism/Smartism/Arya Samaj/Other sects: 150 million \n\nBuddhism 708 million (Began: 6th century BC/BCE) \nMahayana: 185 million \nTheravada: 124 million \nChinese/Japanese Buddhism: 394 million \nPrimal indigenous 300 million \nNot a single organized religion, includes a wide range of primarily Asian traditional or tribal religions, including Shamanism and Paganism. \n\nAfrican traditional and diasporic 100 million \nNot a single organized religion, this includes traditional African beliefs such as Yoruba as well as diasporic beliefs such as Santeria (which itself draws from Catholicism) and Vodoun. \n\nShintoism 69 million (Began: 300 BC/BCE) \nThis number states the number of practicing followers of Shintoism; for if partial or ethnic followers of Shintoism were included, the number would fall around 100–115 million. \n\nSikhism 23 million (Began: 1500s) \nJuche 19 million \nNot considered a religion by adherents, who view it as secular and anti-revisionist. Juche is the political ideology of the Workers Party of Korea, the ruling party of the DPRK; some have argued it constitutes a religion due to its Great Leader Worship characteristics. The number is approximately the entire population of the country. \nSpiritism 15 million (Began: mid-19th century) \nNot a single organized religion, includes a variety of beliefs including some forms of Umbanda. \n\nJudaism 15 million (Began: 13th century BC/BCE) \n\nFalun Gong 10-100 million* (Began: 1992) \nNot necessarily considered a religion by adherents or outside observers. No membership or rosters, thus the actual figure of practitioners is impossible to confirm. \nBahá'í Faith 7 million (Began: 19th century) \n\nJainism 4.2 million (Began: 6th century BC/BCE)
373365
I think the the Holy Catholic Church has many archived documents and manuscripts that are not made known to the people for fear of what our response could be.
458034
i am catholic but i believe most of what you said especially the end part. people trust catholicism for the same reason they trust any other religion (i don't know why i follow the religion i am just guided) people use religion because they have weak minds and hearts. there is nothing wrong with this but religion gives them somethin to hold onto. someone in history i believe it was Marx or Stalin said the church was the "opiate of the masses"
1168296
There are over 10,000 named saints and beati from history, the Roman Martyology and Orthodox sources, but no definitive "head count
194071
Catholics do a lot of things not in the bible.  They live by their own little set of rules and ideas they consider "truths".  Most cannot give a reason for their actions/beliefs, etc beyond "because that's what the catholic church says" and they just blindly follow it.
929009
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/
992032
Catholics, Budhists, Mormons,...i forgot some.
803915
The pope was right, only he forgot that the Catholic church has not been too different...
445204
It depends. Are they Catholic?
1004138
There are 1.1 billion Catholics in the world. Each one of them is a human being and a sinner, even the priests, bishops, and pope.\n\nWith this number of people, there will always be somebody who is stupid, sick and/or evil. \n\nThe media also seems to give extra coverage to anything bad that happens in the Church.\n\nWith love in Christ.
1125402
The membership of the Catholic Church is growing in the United States and world wide.\n\nFor US statistics: http://www.usccb.org/comm/cip.shtml#toc2\n\nFor World Statistics: http://www.adherents.com/\n\nWith love in Christ.
713196
Catholicism has been here a long time.  Since before the United States existed as a country.
134855
The exact number?  Sorry, I have no idea.  What I do know, though, is that the numbers of those actively involved in their churches (not just on the membership rosters) has been steadily decreasing over the past half century.
696781
We don't know exactly how many there are.  There are over 10000.  For more info follow this link:  http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/faq01.htm\n\nGod bless,\nStanbo
305049
Catholics believe that the bible teaches truth about God but is not necessarily historically accurate.
558793
Specifically, Catholicism.