Religions

[Marilyn. 340]

I didn't say they don't believe in Jesus.. but he just isn't apart of their lives unless it is part of some custom or ritual....

Hmmm, so are you saying that the only true Chrisitians are "born-again" Christians?

I am saying that if you go by the true meaning of Christianity..

[Marilyn. 340]

what have I gotten myself into??

I am not very good at explaining things

[chri'stina 190]

I didn't say they don't believe in Jesus.. but he just isn't apart of their lives unless it is part of some custom or ritual....

Hmmm, so are you saying that the only true Chrisitians are "born-again" Christians?

This is another tricky label. The radio station I mentioned earlier, they do consider themselves born again, and they are Catholic. You can be both. And I know I have said this many times but born again is not a sect, it means you have accepted Jesus as savior and are living daily as a Christian, turning from any old ways that were not pleasing to God. It has been turned into a weird term by those who make it to be something more than that. And Jesus did say you MUST be born again. He meant spiritually, symbolically...so I do believe the only true Christians are born again, but that means they made the decision to daily follow Christ. There are many Catholic ppl who consider themselves also born again. Anyone who has accepted Jesus as savior and is living that way is born again symbolically, it's not a denomination nor a sect, it's an example Jesus talked about to show that you are choosing to live a certain way. The only ppl I have heard talk about the term born again in a creepy way is Catholic ppl when they try to make it sound like the term for "weird" Christians.

.....

I did a quick Google search, and there seem to be a few sites that suggest that Catholics are not true Christians. I can't see that this is anything but some sort of anti-Catholic rhetoric.

You would probably find also many Catholic sites saying Protestants aren't true Christians either. Some people are really bias on those issues. To me a true Christian is someone who has accepted Jesus as savior, follows the bible teachings, etc so whether they call themselves Catholic or Protestant, etc shouldn't matter, what matters is what they believe and how they live. If they don't believe in Jesus or that he was the savior, then they aren't Christians technically since that's core in the beliefs.

[Jenn! 918]

what have I gotten myself into??

I am not very good at explaining things

All I have to say is that you're lucky I'm not Catholic!

Is this what you're trying to say? http://www.justforcatholics.org/a19.htm

This is what I was talking about when I said "anti-Catholic rhetoric". Why look for ways to divide rather than uniting under a common belief in Jesus Christ? JMHO.

[Marilyn. 340]

I didn't say they don't believe in Jesus.. but he just isn't apart of their lives unless it is part of some custom or ritual....

Hmmm, so are you saying that the only true Chrisitians are "born-again" Christians?

This is another tricky label. The radio station I mentioned earlier, they do consider themselves born again, and they are Catholic. You can be both. And I know I have said this many times but born again is not a sect, it means you have accepted Jesus as savior and are living daily as a Christian, turning from any old ways that were not pleasing to God. It has been turned into a weird term by those who make it to be something more than that. And Jesus did say you MUST be born again. He meant spiritually, symbolically...so I do believe the only true Christians are born again, but that means they made the decision to daily follow Christ. There are many Catholic ppl who consider themselves also born again. Anyone who has accepted Jesus as savior and is living that way is born again symbolically, it's not a denomination nor a sect, it's an example Jesus talked about to show that you are choosing to live a certain way. The only ppl I have heard talk about the term born again in a creepy way is Catholic ppl when they try to make it sound like the term for "weird" Christians.

.....

I did a quick Google search, and there seem to be a few sites that suggest that Catholics are not true Christians. I can't see that this is anything but some sort of anti-Catholic rhetoric.

You would probably find also many Catholic sites saying Protestants aren't true Christians either. Some people are really bias on those issues. To me a true Christian is someone who has accepted Jesus as savior, follows the bible teachings, etc so whether they call themselves Catholic or Protestant, etc shouldn't matter, what matters is what they believe and how they live. If they don't believe in Jesus or that he was the savior, then they aren't Christians technically since that's core in the beliefs.

phew, you are so much better at this then me, Stina... i know what I want to say but I can't get the right words out

[chri'stina 190]

You were doing good Marilyn...I'm just a blabber mouth so I say a lot sometimes.

[Jenn! 918]

I didn't say they don't believe in Jesus.. but he just isn't apart of their lives unless it is part of some custom or ritual....

Hmmm, so are you saying that the only true Chrisitians are "born-again" Christians?

This is another tricky label. The radio station I mentioned earlier, they do consider themselves born again, and they are Catholic. You can be both. And I know I have said this many times but born again is not a sect, it means you have accepted Jesus as savior and are living daily as a Christian, turning from any old ways that were not pleasing to God. It has been turned into a weird term by those who make it to be something more than that. And Jesus did say you MUST be born again. He meant spiritually, symbolically...so I do believe the only true Christians are born again, but that means they made the decision to daily follow Christ. There are many Catholic ppl who consider themselves also born again. Anyone who has accepted Jesus as savior and is living that way is born again symbolically, it's not a denomination nor a sect, it's an example Jesus talked about to show that you are choosing to live a certain way. The only ppl I have heard talk about the term born again in a creepy way is Catholic ppl when they try to make it sound like the term for "weird" Christians.

.....

I did a quick Google search, and there seem to be a few sites that suggest that Catholics are not true Christians. I can't see that this is anything but some sort of anti-Catholic rhetoric.

You would probably find also many Catholic sites saying Protestants aren't true Christians either. Some people are really bias on those issues. To me a true Christian is someone who has accepted Jesus as savior, follows the bible teachings, etc so whether they call themselves Catholic or Protestant, etc shouldn't matter, what matters is what they believe and how they live. If they don't believe in Jesus or that he was the savior, then they aren't Christians technically since that's core in the beliefs.

I wasn't implying that born-again Christians are creepy or anything like that. I know it's not a sect, too. I should have said evangelical Christians (I did think they meant the same thing).

And yes, I realize it goes both ways.

And I'm sooooooo not trying to be the spokeswoman for Catholicism here. You picked the wrong preson for that!

Anyway, I respect yours and Marilyn's opinions on this, but I have to say that I do find it a bit disheartening. I always thought that it was common faith that brought Christians together.

Edited November 28, 2007 by Jenn!

[chri'stina 190]

I didn't say they don't believe in Jesus.. but he just isn't apart of their lives unless it is part of some custom or ritual....

Hmmm, so are you saying that the only true Chrisitians are "born-again" Christians?

This is another tricky label. The radio station I mentioned earlier, they do consider themselves born again, and they are Catholic. You can be both. And I know I have said this many times but born again is not a sect, it means you have accepted Jesus as savior and are living daily as a Christian, turning from any old ways that were not pleasing to God. It has been turned into a weird term by those who make it to be something more than that. And Jesus did say you MUST be born again. He meant spiritually, symbolically...so I do believe the only true Christians are born again, but that means they made the decision to daily follow Christ. There are many Catholic ppl who consider themselves also born again. Anyone who has accepted Jesus as savior and is living that way is born again symbolically, it's not a denomination nor a sect, it's an example Jesus talked about to show that you are choosing to live a certain way. The only ppl I have heard talk about the term born again in a creepy way is Catholic ppl when they try to make it sound like the term for "weird" Christians.

.....

I did a quick Google search, and there seem to be a few sites that suggest that Catholics are not true Christians. I can't see that this is anything but some sort of anti-Catholic rhetoric.

You would probably find also many Catholic sites saying Protestants aren't true Christians either. Some people are really bias on those issues. To me a true Christian is someone who has accepted Jesus as savior, follows the bible teachings, etc so whether they call themselves Catholic or Protestant, etc shouldn't matter, what matters is what they believe and how they live. If they don't believe in Jesus or that he was the savior, then they aren't Christians technically since that's core in the beliefs.

I wasn't implying that born-again Christians are creepy or anything like that. I know it's not a sect, too. I should have said evangelican Christians (I did think they meant the same thing).

And yes, I realize it goes both ways.

And I'm sooooooo not trying to be the spokeswoman for Catholicism here. You picked the wrong preson for that!

Don't worry I didn't think you were implying the creepy thing, lol. I just meant I have met Catholic ppl who have said to me "oh you are one of those born agains"? LOL To be honest I never heard the term used that way until a few Catholic ppl said it to me. I was like yeah I believe Jesus is the savior and I am following him, if that's what you mean by "born again". Of course they believed the same so there was no difference between me and them but they didn't use the term born again. But I think somehow the term has been used or twisted somehow to draw division and I don't know how that started. The term simply comes from an analogy Jesus gave about following him and I don't see why it's used negatively.

[chri'stina 190]

One more thing since I missed the edit while typing...it is the common faith that brings Christians together. I guess my point is that if someone does believe in Jesus as savior and is following him, that is synonymous to being born again even if one person uses the term to describe themselves and the other doesn't. If I use the vegetarian example, to me it's like one person saying "I am a vegetarian so I don't eat meat" and the other says "I don't eat meat". So you say, "oh, you are a vegetarian?" and they say "no"...then you try to say "but a vegetarian is someone who doesn't eat meat", and they still say "well I'm not a vegetarian but I don't eat any meat.." It's like that to me. If we have all our beliefs in common, we are the same, even if one person won't describe them self as born again and I do.

[Jenn! 918]

One more thing since I missed the edit while typing...it is the common faith that brings Christians together. I guess my point is that if someone does believe in Jesus as savior and is following him, that is synonymous to being born again even if one person uses the term to describe themselves and the other doesn't. If I use the vegetarian example, to me it's like one person saying "I am a vegetarian so I don't eat meat" and the other says "I don't eat meat". So you say, "oh, you are a vegetarian?" and they say "no"...then you try to say "but a vegetarian is someone who doesn't eat meat", and they still say "well I'm not a vegetarian but I don't eat any meat.." It's like that to me. If we have all our beliefs in common, we are the same, even if one person won't describe them self as born again and I do.

I love how we can always come to warm and fuzzy consensuses on things.

[chri'stina 190]

One more thing since I missed the edit while typing...it is the common faith that brings Christians together. I guess my point is that if someone does believe in Jesus as savior and is following him, that is synonymous to being born again even if one person uses the term to describe themselves and the other doesn't. If I use the vegetarian example, to me it's like one person saying "I am a vegetarian so I don't eat meat" and the other says "I don't eat meat". So you say, "oh, you are a vegetarian?" and they say "no"...then you try to say "but a vegetarian is someone who doesn't eat meat", and they still say "well I'm not a vegetarian but I don't eat any meat.." It's like that to me. If we have all our beliefs in common, we are the same, even if one person won't describe them self as born again and I do.

I love how we can always come to warm and fuzzy consensuses on things.

[pinktulips 0]

I was born and raised a Catholic while my fiancee is a Baptist. I think this really doesn't matter as long you love each other so much, respect each others faith, beliefs, and make the Lord as the center of your relationship....you'll both be fine. After all, it"s not our religion that shall save us, but rather on what have we done here on earth and our faith to our Creator.

Edited November 28, 2007 by pinktulips

[♥JP♥ 5]

but you can be Catholic and not be a Christian...

but you can be Catholic and not be a Christian...

I don't agree...I think people can say that, but a Christian means a follower of Christ...which Catholics are supposed to be also. So some may just see "Christian" as a different term that they don't want to call themselves, but Catholics are technically Christians too. If a Catholic does not know that, then I don't know what their church says or what they think about the bible. I have always thought of Catholics as Christians and we have a local radio station sponsored by the Catholic Diocese nearby, and they call themselves a Christian radio station and call themselves Christians. Catholic just says what type of Christian they are. There are Catholic Christians, and Protestant Christians(which also includes lot of denominations).

see I am going on what I have experienced... hubby's family is Catholic but they are not Christian... to me a Christian is someone who has accepted Jesus into their lives .. and his family has not done this.. they just like to follow all the rituals etc.. of the Catholic Church...

I didn't say they don't believe in Jesus.. but he just isn't apart of their lives unless it is part of some custom or ritual....

How is he not a part of their lives? I just don't understand where you get that from. I am greek orthodox which is the sister religion to catholics and Jesus is very much a part of our lives. More than half of my family is catholic as well and again Jesus is very much a part of their lives as well. I am not really understaning your reasoning here.

[Marilyn. 340]

but you can be Catholic and not be a Christian...

but you can be Catholic and not be a Christian...

I don't agree...I think people can say that, but a Christian means a follower of Christ...which Catholics are supposed to be also. So some may just see "Christian" as a different term that they don't want to call themselves, but Catholics are technically Christians too. If a Catholic does not know that, then I don't know what their church says or what they think about the bible. I have always thought of Catholics as Christians and we have a local radio station sponsored by the Catholic Diocese nearby, and they call themselves a Christian radio station and call themselves Christians. Catholic just says what type of Christian they are. There are Catholic Christians, and Protestant Christians(which also includes lot of denominations).

see I am going on what I have experienced... hubby's family is Catholic but they are not Christian... to me a Christian is someone who has accepted Jesus into their lives .. and his family has not done this.. they just like to follow all the rituals etc.. of the Catholic Church...

I didn't say they don't believe in Jesus.. but he just isn't apart of their lives unless it is part of some custom or ritual....

How is he not a part of their lives? I just don't understand where you get that from. I am greek orthodox which is the sister religion to catholics and Jesus is very much a part of our lives. More than half of my family is catholic as well and again Jesus is very much a part of their lives as well. I am not really understaning your reasoning here.

religion and Jesus only come up when there is a death or a child's baptism... other then that there is really no talk of Jesus... they don't go to Church at all either...

I am not saying this is true of all Catholics but this is the experience I have had with my hubby's family...

Edited November 28, 2007 by MarilynP

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Catholicism is a religion

Christianity is a way of life

at least that is how I see it...

Catholic means universal, and in the early stages of Christianity, it was referred to as the The Church, and the followers were called Christian. All Christians who don't recognize the Catholic Church as the The Church of Christians are derivatives of the Protestant Movement, which split from The Church over doctrine. Ironically, some modern Protestant Christian Churches have even gone so far as say that the Catholic Church is not Christian because of their belief in the intercession of saints.

Edited November 28, 2007 by Mister Fancypants