Do you ever hear this?

[JillLars]

I sometimes hear people say things like "I was raised Christian, and he was raised Catholic" or something along those lines. Now, to me this implies that the other person thinks Catholic and Christian are two different things. How do you respond to statements like this? I am sure this can be said using any denomination (I actually heard a woman say this about her and her husband only using Lutheran instead of Catholic). Have you heard this before, and how do you respond?

 

[Dominus Fidelis]

I sometimes hear people say things like "I was raised Christian, and he was raised Catholic" or something along those lines. Now, to me this implies that the other person thinks Catholic and Christian are two different things. How do you respond to statements like this? I am sure this can be said using any denomination (I actually heard a woman say this about her and her husband only using Lutheran instead of Catholic). Have you heard this before, and how do you respond?

Do we ever hear it? All the time. There is a thread right now in PRE about someone celebrating for his friend converting to Christianity from Catholicism.

(Interestingly enough, it has not been locked, nor deleted by anyone)

How do we respond? Sometimes I pat them on the head.

 

[JillLars]

I think a lot of the time it is just out of ignorance, and all you can do is pat them on the head or just shake your head.

 

[Dominus Fidelis]

I think a lot of the time it is just out of ignorance, and all you can do is pat them on the head or just shake your head.

If someone is innocently ignorant, then they will listen to logic. If they have their minds made up that we aren't Christians, then they will go through all sorts of mental acrobatics to escape from reality.

Go figure.

 

[JillLars]

I know what you mean!

Makes me a little sad when parents teach their kids those same acrobatics though, I remember one time at my sister's birthday party the daughter of one of the local pastors decided to tell us that we were going to hell because we were Catholic. Gotta love that

 

[Dominus Fidelis]

I know what you mean!

Makes me a little sad when parents teach their kids those same acrobatics though, I remember one time at my sister's birthday party the daughter of one of the local pastors decided to tell us that we were going to hell because we were Catholic. Gotta love that

Are you Catholic?

 

[JillLars]

I go to a Lutheran church now, so I'm a non-practicing Catholic. I was raised Catholic, had all the sacraments up to confirmation.

 

[Dominus Fidelis]

I go to a Lutheran church now, so I'm a non-practicing Catholic. I was raised Catholic, had all the sacraments up to confirmation.

Oh ok

 

[KennySe]

Hi, Jilly Bean.
I hear this even from some Catholic real0life freinds, when they such things as the "Catholic religion" and other Christian religions".

How do you respond to statements like this?

Me: "The religion is called Christianity.
I am a member of the Catholic Faith which is Christian.

And those other Christian faiths are Christian, too."

 

[nyj]

This must be the day for admissions because I must admit that when people asked me my faith, I always replied "I'm Catholic."

To me, Catholic and Christian are synonymous. Not to say that I exclude non-Catholics from being Christian, but I just thought that if anyone heard me say I was Catholic, they'd equate that with Christian.

 

[Benedicta00]

I had a long conversation with a lady once about Christian things and when she asked "What Church do you go to" I said I am Catholic and I go to mass at my parish and she was speechless and said "you must be Charismatic then." I said, "I am Roman Catholic" and she just remained in shock for a while but I am happy to say it was a joyful shock, she was happy that she had something in common with Catholics, she wasn't disappointed and we had a great friendship because she accepted me as a Christian.

 

[thereselittleflower]

This must be the day for admissions because I must admit that when people asked me my faith, I always replied "I'm Catholic."

To me, Catholic and Christian are synonymous. Not to say that I exclude non-Catholics from being Christian, but I just thought that if anyone heard me say I was Catholic, they'd equate that with Christian.

Yep

And another thing to keep in mind is that when someone says they are Christian and someone else is Catholic, it doesn't necessarily mean that they think Catholic's are not Christian . . within those who are non-Cathlic Chrsitian there is a move away from the idea of being "Protestant" - they say they are not protesting anything . .they are merely Christian and not a part of any "Protestanting" denomination - traditional Protestant denominations . . so to be clear that they are Christian but not Catholic they say they are Christian simply because they don't know how else to distinguish the fact that they are not part of the scramental Catholic faith . . but that doesn't mean that they think that Catholics are not Christian too . . it is just what they call people who are Christians, but not Catholic Christians, by the term Christian . .

It creates confusion and rather than assume that, when we hear this, it means that the person doesn't believe Catholics are Christians, we need to find out so we don't jump to wrong conclusions and create strife where none needs be . .


Peace in Him!

 

[Carrye]

To me, Catholic and Christian are synonymous.

And I don't see the two terms as being completely synonymous because:
- to be a Catholic is to be a Christian
- but to be a Christian isn't necessarily to be a Catholic

I know you didn't mean that they were, but I was just throwing that out there.

 

[Michelina]

I was once in a Catholicbookstore where there was a separate section for nonCatholics which was designated by a large sign saying "CHRISTIAN"!!! So it's not just 'them' !!!!!

 

[Carrye]

Many people do. I don't mean to provoke a debate in semantics, but where do Eastern rite Catholics fit in? I assume you group them with 'Roman Catholics' as well.

And do you recognize Catholics as being Christians, but just separate them out because of their differences with mainline Protestantism?

Just trying to get a greater understanding of where you're coming from. Thanks!

 

[bound2him]

isnt there a difference? I mean I get that catholics are christian, but not all christians are catholics, dont catholics believe in some extra stuff?

 

[KennySe]

isnt there a difference? I mean I get that catholics are christian, but not all christians are catholics, dont catholics believe in some extra stuff?

Protestants believe in less stuff.

(See how perspective works?

"Is the cup half full or half empty")

 

[KennySe]

isnt there a difference? I mean I get that catholics are christian, but not all christians are catholics, dont catholics believe in some extra stuff?

Protestants believe in less stuff.

(See how perspective works?
"Is the cup half full or half empty")

 

[Godzman]

I sometimes hear people say things like "I was raised Christian, and he was raised Catholic" or something along those lines. Now, to me this implies that the other person thinks Catholic and Christian are two different things. How do you respond to statements like this? I am sure this can be said using any denomination (I actually heard a woman say this about her and her husband only using Lutheran instead of Catholic). Have you heard this before, and how do you respond?

i would tell them that yes, i am catholic and so are you.

Although most protestants may not know that they are catholic too, but that you are a Christian also.

 

[JeffreyLloyd]

This thread is back up, minus the trash.

Carry on.