Why do people think Catholics aren't Christians?
606475
You can't lump all Catholic into the same catagory.  Jesus said, "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."  John 10:16.  He was talking about true believers in Christ, no matter where they are found.  He is bringing them into one fold with one shephard, which is Jesus Christ, not a man representing him.  It is true that if the head is corrupt the whole body is corrupt, but doesn't mean God still can't find sheep there and bring them out. Some have never made a commitment to Jesus Christ, but Christ's Holy Spirit is still influencing their heart toward him and will eventually be in that number when Jesus his people.  There are those who say they are born again Christians but will find themself outside heaven, because just counted one that one time experience, and falsely thinking that was all it took to get to heaven.  They never took the time to know him or serve him.  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Joh 15:2.  If you are not bearing fruit you get taken away and burned. .
626392
I am Protestant, but I prefer to just think of myself as Christian - there are many denominations of Protestants that I do not agree with. I don't think that all Catholics are going to hell, and I can't say that all Catholics think I'm going to hell. \n\nIt's difficult to classify Catholics vs. Protestants today, owing to the fact that there are so many Protestant denominations with so many different doctrines and practices. I can therefore only offer the difference between myself and the Catholics (Roman) as I knew them at the school I went to. \n\nCatholics pray to Mary and the saints, I do not. \n\nCatholics christen infants (some Protestants do this too), I don't think that a person should be baptized until they are saved.\n\nCatholics have celibate priests and nuns, I find no basis for that. \n\nCatholics confess to priests/fathers, I do not believe I have to confess to anyone but God in order to be forgiven.\n\nCatholics believe in mortal sins and other kinds of sin (in other words, they "rank" sin), I do not believe that God ranks sin. I believe that they affect us differently on earth, but that the wages of all sin is death.\n\nCatholics have texts such as the Maccabbees that I do not follow. \n\nCatholics believe that the communion wine and bread really become the blood and body of Jesus Christ, I do not. I simply believe it to be a memorial practice. \n\nCatholics believe that Mary remained a virgin her whoe life and had no children other than Jesus. I believe she was a virgin only until Jesus was born, and that she had other children.\n\nCatholics have worship practices that differ from my own - they cross themselves, use holy water, pray the rosary, etc. Their masses, or church services, are often scripted - the priest will say something, then the congregation will reply (see the link). I disagree with the concept of holy water and praying the rosary. I don't disagree with crossig oneself, but I don't do it. Same with the statement/reply format. I worship in a different style and according to some different beliefs. \n\nThere are several more points of difference...\n\nNone of these differences takes away from the fact that both Catholics and myself believe Jesus to be the Savior and the Son of God (part of the Trinity) - and this is the most important and central belief of Christianity.
788798
Because Catholics are messed up in the head.  I don't even consider Catholicism the same as Christianity any more.
887650
Catholicism is most definitely NOT Christianity. If you people knew both of the religions, you would be able to make the distinctions between the two. Christianity may have derived from Catholicism, but they are not the same things.\n\nJust thought I'd clear that up...
248937
Catholics are Christians.  \n\nChristianity has many different 'branches' called denominations, which all have slightly different beleifs on the interpretation of the Bible and slightly different practices.  Catholics are just one denomination.  Other denominations include Methodist, Baptist, Mormons, Evangelicals and so on and so forth.  \n\nHope this was some help!
93643
Catholicism is a religion of idol worship.  The Bible does not support worshipping or praying to Mary.  She was a human being like all of us.
64076
Catholicism is a religion and evangelism is not.
238105
Actually, the Catholic Church was the ONLY Christian church for many many years. Now, as different groups have disagreed with the teachings of the Catholic leaders, some have broken away and founded new religions.\n\nA CHRISTIAN is someone who believes that God became a human being (Jesus of Nazareth), and saves us from the consequences of our sins by dying on a cross.\n\nCATHOLICS believe exactly that. We also believe that the apostles were given the responsibility and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead Christians in faith - and that the bishops carry on that responsibility (and receive that guidance) still today.\n\nIn other words, Catholics ARE Christians. But there are other kinds of Christians as well (Orthodox, Schismatics, Christian/cults, and Protestants).
591730
Catholics are Christians, just like poodles are dogs.\n\nI'm not trying to compare Catholics and poodles, it's just that Catholics are a group that are part of a larger group.
1155027
Because people are rude! Catholics are a christian denomination also like every other denomination out there. People make fun of them alot because they know deep inside that most catholics are going to be in heaven when they are not. I am not a catholic i am non denomintial but i know a catholic who has been ridiculed
951387
Which Christians have you seen?\nYou might have never seen one Church Building other that the Catholic. I Bet.\nYou are talking about the Catholics. We do not count them as Christians for they are the ones who says they are Christians and worship Idols.\n\nWould you like If I say, all Muslims are terrorists, while the majority of Muslims do not like terrorism?\n\nCatholic Church follow a set of rules made by their Popes. They even claim that Peter the Apostle of Jesus Christ was their first pope. This claim is total nonsense.\n\nSo do not get confused with Real Christians and Catholics.
181495
There are alot of confused people in this world. Catholicism IS a Christian denomination, just as Protestant, Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, etc. are.
418934
I did not say it is no christian. In fact quite the contrary. It is a typical christian
858921
You tell um Tammy.\n\nThese people are about as far from the teachings of Jesus as they can get.  Its amazing that they actually think of themselves as Christians.\n\nLove and blessings \n\nDon
171030
not all christians say that i think it is just Cathlics
420460
Christians have always labeled people with different ideas and beliefs as pagan, savages, etc. etc.\n\nMany Christians have an honest desire to help people, but most just can't accept that they might be wrong. They think people who don't go along with the Christian movement deserve to burn in hell.
366939
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