Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
When I was a teenager in the 70s, I was told by one of my very best friends who was "born again" that I was going to hell because I was Catholic. It didn't bother me at all because I knew better. So for fun, I asked him well what about Mother Teresa. She spends her life totally devoted to Jesus and is helping some of the poorest people on earth. People others won't even come near because they are so poor and diseased. Is she going to hell too despite her love for Christ and the good she does in the world? His answer was, yes, she's going to hell too
Need I say any more?
When I was a teenager in the 70s, I was told by one of my very best friends who was "born again" that I was going to hell because I was Catholic. It didn't bother me at all because I knew better. So for fun, I asked him well what about Mother Teresa. She spends her life totally devoted to Jesus and is helping some of the poorest people on earth, people others won't even come near because they are so poor and diseased. Is she going to hell too despite her love for Christ and the good she does in the world? His answer was, yes, she's going to hell too I almost felt sorry for him for being so ignorant and bigoted.
There are going to be holier than thou types in every religion, but of course you know that. Catholics of course also have their share too and I'll be the first to admit that.
Fundies have found another verse somewhere that means they can judge, as well as speak for God on Earth.
There are some Catholics who do judge other denominations or religions, but they are much lower in number- ie percentage wise than the "born agains", who are indoctrinated that only the born agains will be saved and not see Hellfire.
I don't even get some of the thinking here and maybe I shouldn't even try. The Catholic church was founded because of Jesus 2000 years ago. Pretty much all other Christian denominations have come out of the Catholic Church including the Eastern Orthodox Church. ....
Jesus, according to the Christian gospels and Acts, taught and died in Judea. And what is in those books are the sum total of his "Christianity."
Many, many different sects of people calling themselves Christians existed over the following centuries. When Constantine picked a winner for his own political purposes, you can firmly date the founding of the Catholic church on that date.
Personally, though raised a Catholic, I see little to justify any claim that it dates back to Jesus. And a large amount of its doctrines and practices have zero to do with Jesus and what is in the Gospels or Acts; thus while I would have no hesitation myself in saying that the Catholic church is a major part of the Christian historical tradition, it was certainly not founded by Jesus.
Jesus, according to the Christian gospels and Acts, taught and died in Judea. And what is in those books are the sum total of his "Christianity."
Many, many different sects of people calling themselves Christians existed over the following centuries. When Constantine picked a winner for his own political purposes, you can firmly date the founding of the Catholic church on that date.
Personally, though raised a Catholic, I see little to justify any claim that it dates back to Jesus. And a large amount of its doctrines and practices have zero to do with Jesus and what is in the Gospels or Acts; thus while I would have no hesitation myself in saying that the Catholic church is a major part of the Christian historical tradition, it was certainly not founded by Jesus.
I'm not debating what you're saying but I said the Catholic Church was founded because of Jesus, not by Jesus. I also said in another post that it's irrelevant for the sake of this thread whether Catholicism was founded 1500 hundred years ago or 2000 years ago as either was it's much older than any Protestant's version of Christianity.
I'm not debating what you're saying but I said the Catholic Church was founded because of Jesus, not by Jesus. I also said in another post that it's irrelevant for the sake of this thread whether Catholicism was founded 1500 hundred years ago or 2000 years ago as either was it's much older than any Protestant's version of Christianity.
Let's just say, anyone who believes Christians and Catholics are 2 separate religions have no clue. I remember the night our granddaughter called to tell us her fiance was having problems with his mother, because his mother was concerned about our granddaughter not being a Christian. Our granddaughter was an Episcopalian and the creed did say, we believe in one Catholic and Apostolic church. Thus his mother decided she was a Catholic and not a Christian. Being a Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, whatever, they are all denominations of of the Christian faith. At least that is how I see it. I guess us being Lutheran means we are not Christians either as we say the same creed.
I'm born and raised Catholic. I'm not arguing the little details like when the Catholic Church was founded because it's not relevant to if Catholics are Christian. It's all background noise.
My point is that the word "Christian" has Christ in it. If you have Christ in your heart, believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins, he is the son of God and so on, then you're a Christian. It's the basic belief of Christianity. Everything else is a distraction and background noise to try and justify that one's brand of Christianity is better or more legitimate than another's. Personally, I think it's rather absurd that some Protestant religions in the year 2017 still believe their version of Christianity is the only one that counts especially since their basic beliefs come from Catholicism which has been around much longer and gave birth to the many forms of Protestant Christian religions. All Protestant religions are Christian and of course so is Catholicism.
Let's just say, anyone who believes Christians and Catholics are 2 separate religions have no clue. I remember the night our granddaughter called to tell us her fiance was having problems with his mother, because his mother was concerned about our granddaughter not being a Christian. Our granddaughter was an Episcopalian and the creed did say, we believe in one Catholic and Apostolic church. Thus his mother decided she was a Catholic and not a Christian. Being a Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, whatever, they are all denominations of of the Christian faith. At least that is how I see it. I guess us being Lutheran means we are not Christians either as we say the same creed.
You're Christian and so am I--both Protestant but definitely NOT evangelical. No religion owns God.
When I was a kid my best friend (Catholic) told me I would go to Hell for not being Catholic. I think they've softened their stance since then--I hope so. My religion didn't tell ME that my friend was going to Hell for being Catholic. We're all Christians because we believe in Christ. To me, the people who tell other Christians that they are not Christians are usually the evangelicals and they remind me of the Muslim extremists--they are the ones who are on the weird fringes of the extreme--and a lot of them need to control their hatred and intolerance of others.
You're Christian and so am I--both Protestant but definitely NOT evangelical. No religion owns God.
When I was a kid my best friend (Catholic) told me I would go to Hell for not being Catholic. I think they've softened their stance since then--I hope so. My religion didn't tell ME that my friend was going to Hell for being Catholic. We're all Christians because we believe in Christ. To me, the people who tell other Christians that they are not Christians are usually the evangelicals and they remind me of the Muslim extremists--they are the ones who are on the weird fringes of the extreme--and a lot of them need to control their hatred and intolerance of others.
Thank you. That's been my entire point throughout this thread. Sorry if I didn't make that more clear.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
