NationStates Jolt Archive

Catholicism is a branch of Christianity, right? Because my friend is trying to tell me that Christianity is a branch of Catholicism, and she's getting a bit worked up about it, even though I've brought in several sources that support my view. She says any Catholic would agree with her, and I can have no idea, because she went to Catholic school, and I didn't. So which is it?

Catholicism is a branch of Christianity, right? Because my friend is trying to tell me that Christianity is a branch of Catholicism, and she's getting a bit worked up about it, even though I've brought in several sources that support my view. She says any Catholic would agree with her, and I can have no idea, because she went to Catholic school, and I didn't. So which is it?

You're right.

Catholicism is a branch of Christianity, right? Because my friend is trying to tell me that Christianity is a branch of Catholicism, and she's getting a bit worked up about it, even though I've brought in several sources that support my view. She says any Catholic would agree with her, and I can have no idea, because she went to Catholic school, and I didn't. So which is it?

She's wrong, you're right.

You're right.

Thank you.

Her argument doesn't make sense to me. No baptist would call themselves a catholic but any catholic would call themselves a Christian along with any baptist. Christian is obviously the broader group.

christianity is a religion, catholicism is a sect, catholicism is part of the larger umbrella religion of christianity.

catholicism is a branch of christianity. Hence the 'Christ' part in christianity.

Her argument doesn't make sense to me. No baptist would call themselves a catholic but any catholic would call themselves a Christian along with any baptist. Christian is obviously the broader group.

yeah, it's one of those all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares things.

*not saying that Catholics are square or anything, some of them are quite cool.

you are right.

Are any of you Catholics? Because when I asked her to prove her position, she just said, "Ask a Catholic!"

Catholicism is a denomination of the Christian faith, admittedly we were the first.

Are any of you Catholics? Because when I asked her to prove her position, she just said, "Ask a Catholic!"

I'm a devout, practicing Catholic. And she's wrong.

your friend is nutz.

the catholic church has never been the only branch of christianity.

i asssume she is coming from the idea that there was "christianity" and that that WAS the catholic church and that then the protestant churches broke off from the catholic church (which over time stopped being "the church" and became "the roman catholic church").

too bad that does include the coptic church or the orthodox churches (which made a more or less equal split with "the church" over the issue of the primacy of the bishop of rome, otherwise known as "the pope"). there are other small sects in the mediterranean area that are as old as the catholic church and have never been under its umbrella (i just cant be bothered to look them up or tease them out of my brain).

ya shes wrong, youre right.

yeah, it's one of those all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares things.

*not saying that Catholics are square or anything, some of them are quite cool.
True, not all Catholics are square. Like, I think that the Pope has a really cool hat. I wish I had a hat like that.:)

you are right.
Quoted for truth...

True, not all Catholics are square. Like, I think that the Pope has a really cool hat. I wish I had a hat like that.:)

They are cool hats. But they're a pain to take care of during Mass, as I found out once when serving with a Bishop.

Are any of you Catholics? Because when I asked her to prove her position, she just said, "Ask a Catholic!"
Does it matter? If her position is logically incorrect it does not matter who says it is correct. Catholics are Christians and Baptists are Christians but Baptists are not Catholics. Tell her to ask a Baptist or Lutheran if he/she is Catholic.

I'm a devout, practicing Catholic. And she's wrong.

Devout Catholic" They actually EXIST? (just kidding):D

I'm a Catholic.
You're right.
She's wrong.

Does it matter? If her position is logically incorrect it does not matter who says it is correct. Catholics are Christians and Baptists are Christians but Baptists are not Catholics. Tell her to ask a Baptist or Lutheran if he/she is Catholic.

But they were "biased," she said. "Of course a christian would say they were the original religion." Problem is, she has christian confused with protestant, or something. The whole stupid argument started when she said I shouldn't marry the YouTube guy who sings Johanna, because he is a Christian, and Christians are evil, and I was like "isn't your family Catholic? Don't you say a grace before dinner?"

Hmmm well Catholics came first, so personally I'd say other branches of christanity are merely offshoot of catholicism. However its really just semantics anyway.

TC, you are absolutely right.

The history of the church is thus.

The catholic church was the original practice, then because of a dispute (whether to use leavened or unleavened bread for communion) it split to the western (Roman Catholic Church) and eastern (Greek Orthodox Church).

The Roman continued to divide and branch off (rendering these new churches non-catholic with the following denunciation from the Roman Catholics) but the Greek Orthodox didn't split up in the progression of time, it just formed branch churches that were essentially non-denominational (not denounced by the Greeks as heretics).

Christianity = Jesus Christ dying on the cross
Catholicism = certain interpretation of Christianity

You're right.

What he said. and I'm also a Catholic.

Just tell her to ask someone at her church

Just tell her to ask someone at her church

She doesn't go to church. She's a "recovering Catholic," so to speak (apologies, I couldn't resist!). But she remembers the nuns from Catholic school very vividly, apparently.

But they were "biased," she said. "Of course a christian would say they were the original religion." Problem is, she has christian confused with protestant, or something. The whole stupid argument started when she said I shouldn't marry the YouTube guy who sings Johanna, because he is a Christian, and Christians are evil, and I was like "isn't your family Catholic? Don't you say a grace before dinner?"
They aren't claiming any originality, they claim to believe in Christ. Christian is the term for all believers in Christ. Tell her that and slap her for her fucktardedness, this kind of conversation should not have lasted that long, especially since she is that wrong.

Catholicism is a branch of Christianity, right? Because my friend is trying to tell me that Christianity is a branch of Catholicism, and she's getting a bit worked up about it, even though I've brought in several sources that support my view. She says any Catholic would agree with her, and I can have no idea, because she went to Catholic school, and I didn't. So which is it?

According to the Roman Catholic Church, it was established by Christ with Peter as the first Pope. All other Christian religions broke away from the Roman Catholic Church. So, your friend is correct.

But they were "biased," she said. "Of course a christian would say they were the original religion." Problem is, she has christian confused with protestant, or something. The whole stupid argument started when she said I shouldn't marry the YouTube guy who sings Johanna, because he is a Christian, and Christians are evil, and I was like "isn't your family Catholic? Don't you say a grace before dinner?"


oh she just wants the youtubeman for herself and is mad that you got him first.

are YOU not from a christian family?

According to the Roman Catholic Church, it was established by Christ with Peter as the first Pope. All other Christian religions broke away from the Roman Catholic Church. So, your friend is correct.
The majority disagrees with you... I'm sure there were people who believed in Jesus and shit before the Church was created.

According to the Roman Catholic Church, it was established by Christ with Peter as the first Pope. All other Christian religions broke away from the Roman Catholic Church. So, your friend is correct.

no. not all christian sects broke away from the catholic church.

check out the coptic church of eqypt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coptic_Christianity

According to the Roman Catholic Church, it was established by Christ with Peter as the first Pope. All other Christian religions broke away from the Roman Catholic Church. So, your friend is correct.

I don't disagree with the concept that Catholicism was the first brand of christianity, but I just think Catholics constitute christians, on at least some levels. I mean, they believe in Christ, right?

Catholicism is a denomination of the Christian faith, admittedly we were the first.

Spot on.

She doesn't go to church. She's a "recovering Catholic," so to speak (apologies, I couldn't resist!). But she remembers the nuns from Catholic school very vividly, apparently.

Anyone who ever had them as teachers at a Catholic school remembers them VERY VIVIDILY and their rulers...smack...smack...:(

oh she just wants the youtubeman for herself and is mad that you got him first.

are YOU not from a christian family?

I suppose my family was christian a while ago, but we're basically atheistic/agnostic now.

Catholicism is a branch of Christianity, right? Because my friend is trying to tell me that Christianity is a branch of Catholicism, and she's getting a bit worked up about it, even though I've brought in several sources that support my view. She says any Catholic would agree with her, and I can have no idea, because she went to Catholic school, and I didn't. So which is it?

Catholicism is a version of Christianity.

The majority disagrees with you... I'm sure there were people who believed in Jesus and shit before the Church was created.

And they have a right to disagree with the Roman Catholic Church. I know I don't agree with it anymore. I was just stating what I was taught in Catholic school, not defending the dogma.

Are any of you Catholics? Because when I asked her to prove her position, she just said, "Ask a Catholic!"

I was ... and you are right.

But to be fair our catholic elementary school was so focused on catholicism that just plain old "Christians" seemed like some other wierd religion for a long time after.

I suppose my family was christian a while ago, but we're basically atheistic/agnostic now.

so your friend is OK with an atheist but finds other christians to be evil?

that strikes me as nutz.

so your friend is OK with an atheist but finds other christians to be evil?

that strikes me as nutz.

Yeah, it's a bit hard to explain. She's no longer Catholic, and is exploring her faith (last I checked, she was looking at Buddhism), but she's still got pretty strong biases against protestants. She thinks the protestant church is just out to exploit people and take their money, and that they focus too much on Jesus and the New Testament, whereas Catholicism is all about the Old Testament and god.

Are any of you Catholics? Because when I asked her to prove her position, she just said, "Ask a Catholic!"
Yes, Catholicism is a branch of Christianity. The original, mofo!

Depends on your definition of christianity and catholic (this is from a 5 minute browse of the internet by me).

If you assume catholic to mean Roman Catholic and christian to mean any person who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ then you are right.

If, however, you take catholic in reference apostolic succession and christian in reference to a church and not an individual then it would seem that your friend is right. If a church is not catholic then it has no authority and is hence not christian.

Catholicism is a branch of Christianity, right? Because my friend is trying to tell me that Christianity is a branch of Catholicism, and she's getting a bit worked up about it, even though I've brought in several sources that support my view. She says any Catholic would agree with her, and I can have no idea, because she went to Catholic school, and I didn't. So which is it?

I would guess that Catholic and Orthodox were the original church. Both now claim the position as first since they split. Then of course the Protestants split from the Catholic. So the Catholic is in the position as the "Mother Church" to the others except the Orthodox.

Catholicism is a branch of Christianity, right? Because my friend is trying to tell me that Christianity is a branch of Catholicism, and she's getting a bit worked up about it, even though I've brought in several sources that support my view. She says any Catholic would agree with her, and I can have no idea, because she went to Catholic school, and I didn't. So which is it?

I'm Catholic.

Catholicism is a subset of Christianity. If you are a Catholic, you are definitely Christian (as you believe Christ is your savior); however, not all Christians are Catholics.

Catholics believe that Peter was the very first Pope, which is why she's probably getting all in a tizzy about this. But she's wrong to say that Christianity is a branch of Catholicism.

I'm Catholic.

Catholicism is a subset of Christianity. If you are a Catholic, you are definitely Christian (as you believe Christ is your savior); however, not all Christians are Catholics.

Catholics believe that Peter was the very first Pope, which is why she's probably getting all in a tizzy about this. But she's wrong to say that Christianity is a branch of Catholicism.

if you think about it, saying that christianity is a branch of catholicism implies that there are parts of the catholic church that ARENT christian. sounds suspiciously protestant for a catholic to be saying

We're all part of the church catholic (as in, the greater church of all believers in Christ's death and resurrection) but not of the Catholic Church which is the sect that follows the Pope as the successor to St Peter.

Much as the Pope may want us protestants (and them Orthodox folks) back, he ain't getting us.

if you think about it, saying that christianity is a branch of catholicism implies that there are parts of the catholic church that ARENT christian. sounds suspiciously protestant for a catholic to be sayingJudaists? People who believe Jesus was the Jewish Messiah and still subscribe to the rest of Judaism. I don't think any are left today though...

We're all part of the church catholic (as in, the greater church of all believers in Christ's death and resurrection) but not of the Catholic Church which is the sect that follows the Pope as the successor to St Peter.

Much as the Pope may want us protestants (and them Orthodox folks) back, he ain't getting us.

LOL who wants ya? Next thing you know there will be nailings of theses to doors, and protesting, and all that good stuff.....:D

LOL who wants ya? Next thing you know there will be nailings of theses to doors, and protesting, and all that good stuff.....:D

Eeeewwwww! Are you even allowed to say "theses" on NSG?

Catholicism is a branch of Christianity, right? Because my friend is trying to tell me that Christianity is a branch of Catholicism, and she's getting a bit worked up about it, even though I've brought in several sources that support my view. She says any Catholic would agree with her, and I can have no idea, because she went to Catholic school, and I didn't. So which is it?

Catholicism is the branch from which all other branches of Christianity hav derived. Catholic originally meant "universal". Since the reformation and the East-West (i.e. Orthodox) ssplit we'r=ve had any number of churches. Catholicism is the orignal Christian Church. I, myself, am not too bothered, but I'd like oyher people to realise that the Catholic church is the orignal Christian Church. If people say Catholics aren't Christian they're talking out of their arse. Get over it.

For reference: I'm a neo-pagan. Occultist. But it shouldn't matter.

Judaists? People who believe Jesus was the Jewish Messiah and still subscribe to the rest of Judaism. I don't think any are left today though...

Nearly every large city has some. They usually go by Messiahianic (sp?) Christians.