Catholic & Christian Fundamentalists

[BirdBabe1 0]

I'm ready to explore the differences...

Hope you have a fun Labor Day weekend.

[Frenchy68 0]

Catholics ARE Christians.

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

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Catholics ARE Christians.

Yes they are but there are vast differences in doctrine b/t the two.

For starters and perhaps most importantly, take the 6th chapter of the Gospel of John, wherein Jesus talks extensively about eating His body and blood. Catholics take this literally. Fundamentalist Christians, in the most ironic twist possible, do NOT take this literally.

For a thorough treatment of the difference b/t the two groups, I recommend:

Catholicism and Fundamentalism by Karl Keating

and

Catholic and Christian by Alan Shreck

I miss Lee.
And JP.
And Chris. And...

[Frenchy68 0]

I always thought that Chistianity was the denomination of a specific faith, which itself contained different"sub-branches" (for lack of a better term), such as Catholics, Protestants, Greek and Russian Orthodox, etc...
Am I wrong?

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[Michele 1]

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Fundamentalist Christians, in the most ironic twist possible, do NOT take this literally.

Are you sure? My brother, who is a devout Christian and what I consider a fundamentalist, always takes communion when it's presented in church. In the last two churches he belonged to, they offer communion, and my brother participates.

So I'm confused...maybe there's a group called Fundamentalists, and that's different from what my brother practices (although he's fundamentalist in his mind).

Just wondering and curious for clarification.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[stevebabin 0]

As I understand it....
Christianity is made up of 2 parts, Catholic, and Protestant.
The Catholic church can trace it's lineage directly back to Peter(Matthew ch.16, verse 18: 'And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.') Peter is considered the first Pope of the Catholic church.
All other Christian denominations are, by definition, Protestant.
(I don't buy what any of them are selling, although YMMV.)

"Science, logic and reason will fly you to the moon. Religion will fly you into buildings."
"Because figuring things out is always better than making shit up."

[NWFlyer 2]

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I always thought that Chistianity was the denomination of a specific faith, which itself contained different"sub-branches" (for lack of a better term), such as Catholics, Protestants, Greek and Russian Orthodox, etc...
Am I wrong?

You're not wrong if you're using the term Christian more generally/generically, but then there's this whole group of people who call themselves "Christians" when really they mean "Born-Again Christian."

But then again I'm pretty much a heathen so what do I know?

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Frenchy68 0]

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Christianity is made up of 2 parts, Catholic, and Protestant.

In the 11th century, there was a schism within the Christian faith, which resulted in a split between a Catholic Church (centered in Rome) and an Orthodox Church (based in then Constantinople).
The Protestant, or reformation, movement came in much later (in the 16th Century), lead by reformers such as Luther and Calvin. So there are 3 main branches to the Christian Faith.

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[Lindsey 0]

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Fundamentalist Christians, in the most ironic twist possible, do NOT take this literally.

Are you sure? My brother, who is a devout Christian and what I consider a fundamentalist, always takes communion when it's presented in church. In the last two churches he belonged to, they offer communion, and my brother participates.

So I'm confused...maybe there's a group called Fundamentalists, and that's different from what my brother practices (although he's fundamentalist in his mind).

Just wondering and curious for clarification.

Ciels-
Michele

I also take Communion in church. But in the Methodist Church, the bread and grape juice are symbols of Christ's body and blood....we don't believe they're the real thing.

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[lightningbugirl 0]

I think that people get confused and think that because Protestants don't think the wine (or grape juice) 'magically or miraculously' turns into blood and body in your body (because scientifically it just doesn't happen, they've never proved it has...) and that because they don't think it's a literal translation that they don't take it seriously. Literally and seriously aren't the same thing. The Protestants do take it very seriously and think that communion is spiritual and a symbol of renewing or pledging your committment to Christ's message. That is why most don't believe in refining and perverting the bread into a weird little rice styro foamy wafer and keeping it natural like the unleavened bread that the Jew's used to use when Jesus was living as a Rabbi. They keep it real. To encourage people to act as a desciple, and put themselves in that place. [And no I'm not a Protestant, I just think this is something they get right. The whole thing where the Priest chugs the rest of the wine mix is hysterical. It began not for any spiritual reason we are told, it goes back to medieval time when the priests simply didn't think the peasants were worthy of real wine and not clean enough to share with the priests, especially with scary things like the black plague around. We were consigned the wafer for hygeinic reasons.]

Christianity is a heading, as Frenchy said. It encompasses the Greek Orthodox and all it's descendant churches and the Catholics and it's descendant churches too. Those descendant churches have since split into thousands of derivations of the two original churches... and then there are also the Messianic Jews too... simple truth and history folks. Keep it real. I've studied this stuff for years.

[kallend 2,099]

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I also take Communion in church. But in the Methodist Church, the bread and grape juice are symbols of Christ's body and blood....we don't believe they're the real thing.

A most reasonable belief, since the most cursory examination shows that wine is NOT blood and bread is NOT meat.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[micro 0]

why are you applying science to a matter of faith?

Jesus' words aren't enough? It's very clear he wasn't speaking figuratively in John 6.

I miss Lee.
And JP.
And Chris. And...

[BirdBabe1 0]

Good morning. I thought about this and can't help but consider the context of the verses, because Jesus often spoke to the crowds in parables, which is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning to illustrate different truths.

John 10:9-10 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

[swedishcelt 0]

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why are you applying science to a matter of faith?

Jesus' words aren't enough? It's very clear he wasn't speaking figuratively in John 6.

He wasn't speaking figuratively in John 6 when he says, "I am the bread of life." That IS figurative language by its definition.

You can't use this as an example because here when Christ, by mentioning his ascension, by this instance of his power and divinity, would confirm the truth of what he had before asserted; and at the same time correct their misconception of eating his flesh, and drinking his blood, in a vulgar and carnal manner, by letting them know he should take his whole body living with him to heaven; and consequently not suffer it to be as they supposed, divided, mangled, and consumed upon earth.

So indeed, in John 6, He does speak figuratively as well as literally. I mean, for the record.

[pirana 0]

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Good morning. I thought about this and can't help but consider the context of the verses, because Jesus often spoke to the crowds in parables, which is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning to illustrate different truths.

John 10:9-10 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

The problem is that many (most?) sects don't see the stories as illustrative; they interprete them literally. I don't think many people would argue the value of the messages, but friction occurs due to the interpretations, especially those from the literal extreme.

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[SpeedRacer 1]

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I always thought that Chistianity was the denomination of a specific faith, which itself contained different"sub-branches" (for lack of a better term), such as Catholics, Protestants, Greek and Russian Orthodox, etc...
Am I wrong?

you are correct.

Speed Racer
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[happythoughts 0]

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Yes they are but there are vast differences in doctrine b/t the two.

The fundamentalists believe:
Hollywood is ruining the moral character of America.
That popular culture is disrespectful to women and exploitive of their bodies through tasteless clothing styles.
That weakness of moral values has created a lawless society.
That alchohol has no redeeming social value and should be banned.

So, even if the Christians Fundamentalists disagree with Catholics, they can discuss common ground with the Muslim Fundamentalists.

[SpeedRacer 1]

also, some of the fundamentalists believe that the USA will be destroyed this year and that Bush will be our last President. We'v got 4 months to go.

Speed Racer
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also, some of the fundamentalists believe that the USA will be destroyed this year and that Bush will be our last President. We'v got 4 months to go.

*not holding breath*

I miss Lee.
And JP.
And Chris. And...

[jakee 1,556]

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also, some of the fundamentalists believe that the USA will be destroyed this year and that Bush will be our last President. We'v got 4 months to go.

Some of them or, ah, one of them?

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

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also, some of the fundamentalists believe that the USA will be destroyed this year and that Bush will be our last President. We'v got 4 months to go.

Some of them or, ah, one of them?

speaking of "the one," where has he been all this time? Not that I'm necessarily interested in conjuring him up or anything, but I'm surprised he's not popped his head in anytime in the past, oh several contentious religious threads?!?! Is he still alive?

I miss Lee.
And JP.
And Chris. And...

[ryoder 1,590]

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I always thought that Chistianity was the denomination of a specific faith, which itself contained different"sub-branches" (for lack of a better term), such as Catholics, Protestants, Greek and Russian Orthodox, etc...
Am I wrong?

I think this can be best explained by a story from comedian Emo Phillips:

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I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said "Stop! don't do it!" "Why shouldn't I?" he said. I said, "Well, there's so much to live for!" He said, "Like what?" I said, "Well...are you religious or atheist?" He said, "Religious." I said, "Me too! Are you christian or buddhist?" He said, "Christian." I said, "Me too! Are you catholic or protestant?" He said, "Protestant." I said, "Me too! Are you episcopalian or baptist?" He said, "Baptist!" I said,"Wow! Me too! Are you baptist church of god or baptist church of the lord?" He said, "Baptist church of god!" I said, "Me too! Are you original baptist church of god, or are you reformed baptist church of god?" He said,"Reformed Baptist church of god!" I said, "Me too! Are you reformed baptist church of god, reformation of 1879, or reformed baptist church of god, reformation of 1915?" He said, "Reformed baptist church of god, reformation of 1915!" I said, "Die, heretic scum", and pushed him off. -- Emo Phillips

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Royd 0]

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You're not wrong if you're using the term Christian more generally/generically, but then there's this whole group of people who call themselves "Christians" when really they mean "Born-Again Christian."

I was raised Catholic, and two of my siblings are still die hard Catholics.

I actually came to the awareness of the claims of Christ at about the age of thirty. It all became clear to me that all of the form and ritual in the world will do nothing for you in the end.

I graduated highshool in 71 as a frame of reference. I do not ever remember hearing the the words of Christ, "Except a man be born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven," preached in a Catholic sermon.

I believe that because of the growth of the Protestant denominations, the Catholic Church finally got a handle on these scriptures.

Guilt, as opposed to freedom, was the way that the Catholic Church reined in its subjects for ages.

My mother, who died in Jan. this year, was a hard core Catholic. She had her missle, her prayer book, and her rosary, but I never saw her pick up the Bible and read it for herself, just to be sure that what was being taught could be verified.

Thank God for the honesty of a man called Martin Luther.

[StreetScooby 5]

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"Die, heretic scum", and pushed him off.

LOL!!!

We are all engines of karma

[micro 0]

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You're not wrong if you're using the term Christian more generally/generically, but then there's this whole group of people who call themselves "Christians" when really they mean "Born-Again Christian."

I was raised Catholic, and two of my siblings are still die hard Catholics.

I actually came to the awareness of the claims of Christ at about the age of thirty. It all became clear to me that all of the form and ritual in the world will do nothing for you in the end.

I graduated highshool in 71 as a frame of reference. I do not ever remember hearing the the words of Christ, "Except a man be born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven," preached in a Catholic sermon.

I believe that because of the growth of the Protestant denominations, the Catholic Church finally got a handle on these scriptures.

Guilt, as opposed to freedom, was the way that the Catholic Church reined in its subjects for ages.

My mother, who died in Jan. this year, was a hard core Catholic. She had her missle, her prayer book, and her rosary, but I never saw her pick up the Bible and read it for herself, just to be sure that what was being taught could be verified.

Thank God for the honesty of a man called Martin Luther.

Did you ever look in your mother's missal? Contained within it were the readings for the Mass which came from, you guessed it, the Holy Bible! Each day, 365 days a year, there is a reading from the old testament, a psalm and a reading from one of the 4 gospels. On sundays, there is a reading from the OT, a psalm, a reading from the new testament, then a reading from one of the 4 gospels. Every year, the cycle changes so that over a period of 3 years, your mother was exposed to just about the entire bible.

Did you ever hear your mother pray the rosary or meditate on the mysteries of the rosary? Each prayer comes directly from, you guessed it, the Holy Bible. And the mysteries? Right again, from events in the Holy Bible. Some examples...

The Joyful Mysteries:
1. The Annunciation: Luke 1:26, The Angel Gabriel was sent from God.... to a virgin betrothed to a man, named Joseph, of the House of David. The virgin's name was Mary.... and following, to verse 38...

2. The Visitation: Luke 1:39-40, Mary set out, proceeding in haste into the hill country to a town of Judah, where she entered Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth, and following to verse 56

3. The birth of Jesus: Take your pick

etc. etc. etc.

I miss Lee.
And JP.
And Chris. And...