Is Roman Catholicism Christianity

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
have you ever read the two Babylons by Alexander Hislop? he tries to trace the specific elements of modern 'christianity', to Babylonian religious practice. its quite interesting, but , in my opinion, not wholly accurate.

I don't pretend to be well read robbie, or academic in any way to be honest; not even a "good christian" (whatever that is). I have read some books on Babylonian religions over the years but trust more to the basics from the Bible.

I am wary of anything, man, artifact or doctrine that separates us from, or stands in the way of Jesus Christ.

Originally posted by divegeester
I don't pretend to be well read robbie, or academic in any way to be honest; not even a "good christian" (whatever that is). I have read some books on Babylonian religions over the years but trust more to the basics from the Bible.

I am wary of anything, man, artifact or doctrine that separates us from, or stands in the way of Jesus Christ.

i myself have read it, but i am not intellectual or anything remotely resembling it. The basics from the Bible will see you a long way before interpretations written about the bible will! Yes and you have good cause to be wary my friend, for i would say quite honestly, Christianity is far removed from that as practised by Christ and the early christians as anyone who reads the pages of Gods word can discern.

Originally posted by Conrau K
Galveston, have you ever been to an average Catholic ceremony? Do you have any direct knowledge of Catholicism at all? The average Catholic church is not unlike a Protestant church. The Mass is also unlikely to be very different from what many other Christians practice. Catholics do not congregate around statues of Mary and declare it God. If you attended a ...[text shortened]... er I have never seen anyone do this. Most Catholics probably just see the statues as decoration.

No I never have been to one of their ceremonies and probably never will. But I have many friends over the years that have been Catholics usually from birth and once they really came to the correct understanding of these ceremonies and learned what they really mean and how God absolutley dissaproves of them, they no longer had anything to do with the church.
It is so absolutley steeped in pagan traditions and obvious ones at that, that they could not believe they were once a part of it.
Such basic scriptures state to not have idols of any kind, point blank, in black and white, but still there they are, all over the churches.
Ex 20:4,5. How can a God fearing person let this command from God get so watered down that they can no longer see the simple truth?
And they need these visable reminders to worship God? What a cop out. John 4: 23, 24 & 2Cor 5:7. If you can't worship by faith then you have problems................

My Parents were Catholic so I can speak on it a bit. To it depended on the parish. I've been to a few masses that were in all Latin and I was like this ain't for me. Also I do have issues with Catholicism in general but I believe there are true Christians in Catholicism. Matter of fact I know it. I think there are liberal Catholics and hardcore conservative Catholics. I have issues with the so called priesthood they should be able to get married for one. The doctrine of purgatory just garbage! Yes the worship of Mary because some sects of Catholicism do worship & pray to her.


Manny

Originally posted by galveston75
No I never have been to one of their ceremonies and probably never will. But I have many friends over the years that have been Catholics usually from birth and once they really came to the correct understanding of these ceremonies and learned what they really mean and how God absolutley dissaproves of them, they no longer had anything to do with the chur ...[text shortened]... John 4: 23, 24 & 2Cor 5:7. If you can't worship by faith then you have problems................

No I never have been to one of their ceremonies and probably never will. But I have many friends over the years that have been Catholics usually from birth and once they really came to the correct understanding of these ceremonies and learned what they really mean and how God absolutley dissaproves of them, they no longer had anything to do with the church.

Hmmm...I wonder what this 'correct' understanding is. I am skeptical.

It is so absolutley steeped in pagan traditions and obvious ones at that, that they could not believe they were once a part of it.

Such as?

Such basic scriptures state to not have idols of any kind, point blank, in black and white, but still there they are, all over the churches.


Catholics do not have idols. Why don't you read some of the Catechism which states the core beliefs of Catholicism:

2113 Idolatry not only refers to false pagan worship. It remains a constant temptation to faith. Idolatry consists in divinizing what is not God. Man commits idolatry whenever he honors and reveres a creature in place of God, whether this be gods or demons (for example, satanism), power, pleasure, race, ancestors, the state, money, etc. Jesus says, "You cannot serve God and mammon." Many martyrs died for not adoring "the Beast" refusing even to simulate such worship. Idolatry rejects the unique Lordship of God; it is therefore incompatible with communion with God.
http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2113.htm

Catholics do not believe the statues to be gods, nor do they believe Mary or any saint to be a god. The accusation of idolatry is unwarranted.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
wow, thanks for your objectivity,

my friend from southern Germany, Bavaria, says that there is a procession held every year called 'corpus christi', and i wondered if this is universal.

Corpus Christi is universal. After Mass on this feast day, the priest carries the Eucharist outside in a monstrance. It is supposed to be a commemoration of the institution of the Eucharist in the Last Supper.

Has anyone defined 'Christianity'?

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
Has anyone defined 'Christianity'?

God has.

Christianity is not a religion, it is a faith. That Faith is lived out from within as God's Word acts upon the inner man.

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
Has anyone defined 'Christianity'?

I have a definition of Christian, but not for Christianity. Is is very simple and without ambiguity, 'one who follows the teachings of Christ'.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
I have a definition of Christian, but not for Christianity. Is is very simple and without ambiguity, 'one who follows the teachings of Christ'.

Quite narrow.

In the light of the entire cannon of scripture.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
I have a definition of Christian, but not for Christianity. Is is very simple and without ambiguity, 'one who follows the teachings of Christ'.

There aren't very many Christians then, and it is almost impossible to be sure who is a Christian and who isn't because nobody can seem to agree on what the exact teachings of Christ were and very hard to verify whether someone is following them.
Much more reasonable is 'one who claims to follow the teachings of Christ', though I personally favor 'one who claims to be Christian' though it does sound somewhat circular.

Originally posted by josephw
Quite narrow.

In the light of the entire cannon of scripture.

not really, for the entire canonical works are embodied in the teachings of the Christ.

Originally posted by twhitehead
There aren't very many Christians then, and it is almost impossible to be sure who is a Christian and who isn't because nobody can seem to agree on what the exact teachings of Christ were and very hard to verify whether someone is following them.
Much more reasonable is 'one who claims to follow the teachings of Christ', though I personally favor 'one who claims to be Christian' though it does sound somewhat circular.

no they are quite simple and unambiguous, and what is more, it is relatively easy to see who is following them or not.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
no they are quite simple and unambiguous, and what is more, it is relatively easy to see who is following them or not.

So say a lot of people, but when you ask them what these simple unambiguous teachings are you get differing opinions and in my experience I have never met anyone who is clearly following all the teachings of Jesus under just about any interpretation.

Originally posted by menace71
My Parents were Catholic so I can speak on it a bit. To it depended on the parish. I've been to a few masses that were in all Latin and I was like this ain't for me. Also I do have issues with Catholicism in general but I believe there are true Christians in Catholicism. Matter of fact I know it. I think there are liberal Catholics and hardcore conservative ...[text shortened]... es the worship of Mary because some sects of Catholicism do worship & pray to her.


Manny

You mentioned it depended on the parish. I've always heard that from Catholics also is each parish does things a little differently. I posted before that I once talked to a Catholic priest at the door and my comments that day was on Revelation. He stopped me mid sentence and said he didn't want to discuss Revelation at all as he does not use the book in his church becuse of not understanding it. I just about choked trying not to laugh.
So 2 points. First how sad for his congregation that their spiritual leader was starving and denying them from such needed and timely spiritual food and second it seems there is no real strong common structure that the Catholic church has among the different congregations.
What did Jesus say about that? 1Cor 1:10.
And for a mass to be all in Latin..what's up with that? Who could understand it all? What good does that do a person spiritually if you can't get any knowledge or spiritual nourishment from it? Maybe it just makes the ones putting on the event look really smart or something?