Catholic, not Christian

tim840 said:
(I'm assuming you live in America...) America is historically a Protestant country, and we inherited from the English a suspicion of Catholicism. In the 1800s Christianity in America was heavily sectionalistic, and even different Protestant sects had an edgy relationship; Protestants in America were often united, though, by anti-Catholicism. As Austrian, Irish, and Italian immigrants flooded into America in the late 1800s, anti-Catholicism intensified, and the Americanization Movement developed to turn immigrants into Protestant, English-speaking Americans, but of course, Catholicism continued to exist. Protestants and Catholics were also divided, stereotypically, by party affiliation. While many Protestants were Republican, Catholics were heavily Democratic. I think it is probably due to America's history of rivalry between Protestantism and Catholicism that the two groups remain distinct. And the term Christian is generally applied to Protestants because, due to America's Protestant tradition, Protestantism is viewed as the true form of Christianity.
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I have heard talk of WASPS, White Anglo-Saxon Protestants. Ther situation in Europe was very different.
 
Myles said:
The only clarifiction/distinction they are making is that they are right , all others are wrong. I've been there; believe me !
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Your from the other side of the Atlantic. In some places over here to say you are a Catholic is almost as dangerous as to say you are a Jew or even a Muslim - though these latter did not 'Kill Christ'. The 'you will burn in hell, I am one of the chosen vibe' I have gotten much more from Protestants.
 
the reason catholics destinguish between catholisium and "christans" is that the word "christan" is used almost universally now to refer to those fundermentilist churches and catholics HATE them. Anglican's can also refer to themselves as catholic and sometimes do and really there is not much difference between the anglicans and the roman catholics. its the fundies that they dont like, rather than eachother
 
thanks for the responses, very interesting viewpoints from a lot of you.

I definitely could see how catholicism separates itself that way, but its interesting to me how protestants never corrected me from calling them christians...

I guess it has to do with the fact that catholics are the minority, thus maybe making them feel pressured to tell others that they are "different".
 
chris4355 said:
thanks for the responses, very interesting viewpoints from a lot of you.

I definitely could see how catholicism separates itself that way, but its interesting to me how protestants never corrected me from calling them christians...

I guess it has to do with the fact that catholics are the minority, thus maybe making them feel pressured to tell others that they are "different".
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It seem that attitudes are different on your side of the pond and I was not aware of this.

Over here, fom a Catholic perspective, there are Protestants, who are in error, and Catholics. To a Catholic mind the Reformation never happened;they regard it as a schism. i.e., Luther and co. broke away and refused to recognize the Pope's authority which is a cornerstone of Roman Catholicism. Most adherents do not think of this at all; they see themselves as Catholics and all other Christians as Protestants because that is what they have been taught.

Ask a Catholic what his religious persusion is and he will say Catholic. Ask a Rrotestant the same question and he will say Christian or Baptist and so on.
 
Asguard said:
myles do you live in irland by any chance?
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Not for the last fifty years. But what I have said is generally true because what I have described is an integral part of Catholicism. They may not shout it from the rooftops but Ctholics are taught to believe they are in a priveliged position vis a vis all other Christians. Like I said , the will argue for Apostolic succession, the Pope's infallibility when he makes ex cathedra prouncements and so on. This attitude is not confined to Ireland. It is part of mainstream Roman Catholicism.
 
thats interesting:p

my family IS catholic and they HATE the pope, infact most catholics i know do
most catholics in australia routinly ignore the pope and the vatican especially when your talking about using contraceptives ect. George pell (the cardinal of sydney) is more dispised INSIDE the church than outside it and the move to go back to pre vatican 2 is most unwelcome BY CATHOLICS
 
Asguard said:
thats interesting:p

my family IS catholic and they HATE the pope, infact most catholics i know do
most catholics in australia routinly ignore the pope and the vatican especially when your talking about using contraceptives ect. George pell (the cardinal of sydney) is more dispised INSIDE the church than outside it and the move to go back to pre vatican 2 is most unwelcome BY CATHOLICS
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I know what you mean and , to some extent, the ruling on birth control is ignored by lots of couples. They will say it is a matter of conscience but the Church regards the use of artificial aids to birth control as sinful.

But if you look at the situation in sub-Saharan Africa, where people are less sophisticated conformity is the rule.

You may be aware that the Church allows the use of the so-called rhythm method. It involves diariews and thermomenters and is generally regardedas unreliable.
 
myles your arguing with the wrong person, i have no respect for the church at all. my family has no respect for there atitudes on birth control either and yes i belive that if they wish to remain in the church the burden is on THEM to force the church through protest and all the other political means to change the church's atitude on that issue and on there attitude to homosexuality rather than just sitting around bitching.

that being said i just thought i would point out the difference between church policy and catholic CULTURE i surpose
 
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