Are Roman Catholics Christian?

Do you mean whether the Roman Catholic doctrine is Christian or that Roman Catholics in general are Christians?

If the latter, then no one, I believe, can make a blanket statement like this. It totally depends on the individual Catholic's relationship with the Lord.
 
wil said:
What do you think? It appears the second time you've brought it up, and the last time we said yes.
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yes wil, i thought it deserved a thread of its own, personally I find the notion that catholics are not Christians extremely bigoted and offensive, but I am interested what Christians make of the theology used on the link i posted, as i dont really know much about it being a fairly new christian.
 
Of course they are. I might not agree with all of their theology, but in the end theological statements are mere attempts to capture the infinite and divine which is much grander than words can describe.
Sometimes we should remember the words of Meister Echkhart:

"[FONT=Palatino Linotype,Century Schoolbook,Times New Roman,Georgia]God is nameless, for no man can either say or understand aught about Him. If I say, God is good, it is not true; nay more; I am good, God is not good. I may even say, I am better than God; for whatever is good, may become better, and whatever may become better, may become best. Now God is not good, for He cannot become better. And if He cannot become better, He cannot become best, for these three things, good, better, and best, are far from God, since He is above all. If I also say, God is wise, it is not true; I am wiser than He. If I also say, God is a Being, it is not true; He is transcendent Being and superessential Nothingness. Concerning this St Augustine says: the best thing that man can say about God is to be able to be silent about Him, from the wisdom of his inner judgement. Therefore be silent and prate not about God, for whenever thou dost prate about God, thou liest, and committest sin. If thou wilt be without sin, prate not about God. Thou canst understand nought about God, for He is above all understanding. A master saith: If I had a God whom I could understand, I would never hold Him to be God"

We should be careful not to worship theologies, but worship God instead. Theology can be a very dangerous idol.


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We should be careful not to worship theologies, but worship God instead. Theology can be a very dangerous idol.
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[FONT=Palatino Linotype,Century Schoolbook,Times New Roman,Georgia]
[/FONT]Theology is a word which means the study of God.
When people study the phenomenon of God and spirituality they form doctrines and creeds which are opinions and speculations based upon what they have studied, be it texts or experience or both.
So it is not theology which can be worshiped as you state Selaphiel, but it is the position of having a closed mind which is biased due to opinions formed that is dangerous.
 
shawn said:
[FONT=Palatino Linotype,Century Schoolbook,Times New Roman,Georgia]
[/FONT]Theology is a word which means the study of God.
When people study the phenomenon of God and spirituality they form doctrines and creeds which are opinions and speculations based upon what they have studied, be it texts or experience or both.
So it is not theology which can be worshiped as you state Selaphiel, but it is the position of having a closed mind which is biased due to opinions formed that is dangerous.
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Yes, I meant theologies in that sense. There is nothing wrong with doing theological studies (I am a student of theology myself :)
 
Yes. Roman catholicism is christianity falling on top of latin culture.
 
It reads as a somewhat bizarre article, but also far too common a sentiment I see in Christianity - "We're the exclusive saved people - the rest are all just heretics!".
 
how can a religious institution which hides child abuse to such a large extent [eg Ireland but dont hold your breath as it could be in a church near you] be considered Christian according to the values of Jesus Christ?:confused:
 
nativeastral said:
how can a religious institution which hides child abuse to such a large extent [eg Ireland but dont hold your breath as it could be in a church near you] be considered Christian according to the values of Jesus Christ?:confused:
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From the start, Christianity was about overlooking differences. When it stops doing that, then the love is gone, and when the love is weak bad things happen.

A bureaocracy tries to clarify doctrines and work to unify everybody under correct teaching. That is how they justify self-importance. In addition, its not easy to confess to embarrassing scandals. CHARM denies any connection whatsover to the RC, but they have a common problem: No one can unify everyone under correct beliefs. Its an impossibility logically, experientially, and scripturally.

Colossians 3
11 Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience,
13 forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Mat 7:4 Or how can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?

John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
 
John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
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It is all about the love.
Sitting in a garage does not make one an automobile.
 
nativeastral said:
how can a religious institution which hides child abuse to such a large extent [eg Ireland but dont hold your breath as it could be in a church near you] be considered Christian according to the values of Jesus Christ?:confused:
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The question is 'are Roman Catholics Christian'? I say yes the vast majority of them are... Many however in all denominations have a couple of nicks or even tears in their collective halos.

Now you'll have many a Catholic (and many that have left) that are very upset about the coverup and shuffle around issues.

I also have issues with this but have come to contemplate, what else could they do?

As a Christian we are compelled to turn the other cheek, love our enemies, love our neighbors, love each other and forgive seventy times seven.... So as a group of Christians, as a hierarchy, as an institution, what should be the prescribed response when one of yours makes a mistake (not belittling the level of mistake) I mean you are asking these guys to keep in confidence and accept the confessional of all variety of criminal offense and moral turptetude... and yes they as their belief goes are sinners as well, and fail, and ask forgiveness during their confessional.

So what should be the response...they move them, they take them away from the issue...now maybe moving them to some remote repository in some out of the way place copying text or some such thing would be more appropriate than moving them to where they can sin again...

But as I couldn't come up with the solution when putting on some modecum of understanding of their belief system, I see the potential for them to have issues as well.

There by the grace of G!d go I.....
 
Are Catholics Christians? DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And as far as the Child Molestation etc, Im sorry, I HATE the crime. Im not very forgiving when it comes to that, BUT please dont label the entire Catholic Community as such. Or are you saying that this only happens in the Catholic community??? there are any other rockspiders that have any other religious preference but Catholic???


P P P P please????!!!!!
Even IM not that niave!!!


Love the Grey
 
l certainly wasnt tarring all with same brush and thanx for the pertinent and typically christian quotes [that forgiveness is the main n aim]. just bringing up this particular spec that is of course mirrored in secular society [probably even the same %], yet these are representatives trusted to be safe, and secure in their faith, and the whole confessional stuff seemed to condone, even perpetuate such practises, almost like an industry with an industry. great that there is now open remorse and compensation by the institution but even that reeks of some sort of simony. Yes it is hard to forgive, whether its being a parent, and to be disapassionately compassionate towards such a primordial sin in this day and age, within this particular sphere. Where was the proper love that allowed these bad things to happen, not in the house of g#d. What are they doing to stop it [apart from shuffling them about]; now that its out in the open does that automatically eradicate it? no, that would be naive.

btw my boyfriend who's catholic never experienced any bad priests in his upbringing, l suppose there are many ex catholics are ex because of experiences of this sort; a bad potato does infect the whole bag if kept in it. l would not partake in any of those tatties in case l became sick, as this topic makes me feel.
 
l was talking about the institution, and the minority of representatives who were called to serve:cool: but who offended and were then hidden within it. l'm talking about collusion within so called less sinful or at least more spiritual offices.

you don't get more potatoes from fungus ridden ones that make all the rest mushy and disintegrate eg scab; in fact you dont even put them on the compost heap, you have to burn them:eek: but yeh you can also get more [little] ones, illegitimate or f## up by some f## up frock. then again, It could be legitimate karma;)

but thats ok, l expected this response and am sure l would be the same if l found out my father uncle brother or son, or anyone that l would defend, or think l would, to death, concerning such taboos:rolleyes: ie would rationalize with platitudes and know forgiveness is the only way to go. Unconditional love is hard.

This is not personal, but here is an example of an institution being reified into a personalized body, the mark of a true believer in the body of christ ie the sacrosanct church, and almost infallibility and continual down playing of the abusive actions of some such 'spiritual' mediators in positions of power and authority. [now l understand where Kierkegaard was coming from in his antipathy towards the Lutherian church].
 
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