What is the difference between Catholic and Christianity?

#1 27-03-2011, 11:39 AM

I've been wondering this intensely for so long. I ask so many Christians and they don't give me much of an answer?
I was never raised by religion, my dad was extremely spiritual and open. I had so many experiences though from the age of 2/3 & onward growing up being exposed to films based on angels .. fallen angels .. very darkful aspects .. constant scenes played out in churches or extracting information from bibles .. issues regarding the devil and demons, like The Devils Advocate with Keanu Reeves as one example. Do Catholics just get more into darker aspects ? and Christians are more..... open ? ..... I feel so confused. If I say my religion is based on Catholicism .. what does that imply exactly? that I have a firm belief in heaven and hell ? I'm so confused by this.

The only actual difference I can think of is (for Catholics) The bread and wine in the Eucharist .. solitary confession within the church.. and the belief the soul does not go directly to heaven or hell but the doctrine of cleansing/purgation..

#2 27-03-2011, 01:10 PM

If you wish to find out what it means to be Catholic why not start by asking yourself what it means to be Christian, why do you exclude the original Christian Church from the Mor-luth-evan-prosta-baptist.

#3 28-03-2011, 03:20 AM

Catholics believe that the believer cannot come directly to God, it must go through a priest.
They believe it is ok to have graven images in their churches despite what the ten commandments say.
They believe priests should not marry.
They believe priests and nuns should remain celibate
They believe it's possible to buy your way out of purgatory
They believe the Pope is God's vicar on earth (or something like that)

There's a few for you.

#4 28-03-2011, 03:48 AM

They also believe that Catholic Church is the one true church.
They believe very much in works as well.

#5 28-03-2011, 04:20 AM

I thought Catholics were Christian. o.O

#6 28-03-2011, 04:24 AM

They are Christians, believers in Christ, but they believe other Christian denominations are not true believers in the one true faith, the universal (catholic) church.

Mathew James · #7 28-03-2011, 04:51 AM

imo, catholics tried to rule the world from rome.
they tried to take over england and would not let a king remarry.
king protested and started the protesants (babtist, reformed, prespetarrian)
Then the luthern group got started (in between catholics and protesants)

#8 28-03-2011, 04:58 AM

Yeah there were a lot of events in history that gave people reason to create another church outside of the influence of Rome.

Amilius777 · #9 28-03-2011, 05:06 AM

Catholicism is the only one that believes in inner-God communion. That God communes with you in the soul. Everything stated above is mostly false or ignorance. The priest **** is the confessional box business. The priest is suppose to embody the Holy Spirit so that when you ask forgiveness from God it is also through a man. I think it is highly misinterpreted from what Christ said.

Otherwise every denomination of ANY religion pretty much sucks

#10 28-03-2011, 06:09 AM

I'm Orthodox Christian (which is more similar to Catholic than to other Christians) by native., so I will pinpoint some differences.

1. It is Eucharistic yes. The Catholics believe that they eat and drink the actual body and blood of their Savior Jesus Christ. Some Orthodox theologians believe that without the Sacrament of Eucharistic there's no salvation.
In other Christian denominations the Eucharistic is symbolic, and they do not put much weight on it.

2. Icons of the saints. Other Christians believe that to have an icon of the saint (even of the God itself) and to pray on the saints is idolatry. The Catholics response that they do not put the saints on the same level of God, but they just honor their life which was lived in the name and honor of God.

3. Mother Mary. Catholics put Mother Mary almost as the same level of God. She's the most blessed of all women. Other Christians believe that she was only a human being, although they respect her for the role she played in the Gods plan of the salvation of this world.

4. There are differences in the "Salvation theory" also. While other Christians believe that we're salved only through Believing in Jesus Christ and excepting Him as our God, the Catholics believe that we must deserve that salvation through asceticism and Godlike living. In other words, to live all Sacraments.

These are the points that now came into my mind. There are many others certainly, but these are the top on the list as far as I know.

Best,
Natan