Christian (Protestant) or Catholic literature

mabar

The Living Force
FOTCM Member
I was raised Catholic, ...lately I get confused when I try to explain myself if I am with the same label or not...

Since I began to read the Cassiopean Material and Signs of the Times I have been reading-knowing more about Christian religion this 2 years ago rather than in my life as Catholic, I consider my family and friends being Catholic Light with their differences in "tank"...being Baptized, First Comunion, Confirmation, go to mass every sunday etc, I have not participated in any classes of Religion or the Bible...

I would like to know If you know about references or literature that kind of... explains the differences between Christianity or Catholisism ... it kepts poping in my mind several questions when I read about the Christianity stuff ...like since when I as Catholic-if I can considered myself as Catholic- Im waiting for the second coming of Jesus??? and when I intended to ask the same question between my family or friends it get worst...they tend to reproach me of being pretentious...and why do I keep asking questions like sound in a protestant way?? ... I dont get any answers...

... a some friends of mine invited me to a religious service one day, at the beginning I thought it was a like a prayer group it could not burn me :P, but when I was ther I was in shock ...it wasnt a prayer-group it was a Saint Adoration Service ...and they kept singing and praying and singing and praying it wasnt for me...the songs were in kind of jewish music and in one of the lyrics I remembered saying something like "Jerusalem needs to have the power" ..."Jerusalem needs to have the power"??? I asked myself ... at the end my friends ask me if I enjoy it, I told them I did not and told them to not invite me anymore...I respect their ways but its not like could work for me as the same because they really enjoyed it, they really felt something spiritual inside them ...some one asks me about the singing part, and I told him that because I was listening to the lyrics and I could not bring myself to sang them, I did not believed in them. The Word can be -I think- powerful and without being aware can be harmful ...he told me to just sing the song even if I dont understand it ...and I could not and cant agree with that...

...as family and friend they can be agents of the matrix so I read...and with the experiences it is becoming a reality...
 
mabar said:
I would like to know If you know about references or literature that kind of... explains the differences between Christianity or Catholisism ...
From Wikipedia:
Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus as recounted in the New Testament.[2] Christians believe Jesus to be the Messiah, and thus refer to him as Jesus Christ. With an estimated 2.1 billion adherents in 2001, Christianity is the world's largest religion. [3]

Christianity began in the first century as a Jewish sect, [4] and therefore shares many religious texts and early history with Judaism-specifically, the Hebrew Bible, which Christians call the Old Testament (see Judeo-Christian). [5] Like Judaism and Islam, Christianity is an Abrahamic religion. [6][7]
From Wikipedia
Catholicism has two main ecclesiastical meanings, described in Webster's Dictionary as: (1) "the whole orthodox Christian church, or adherence thereto"; and (2) "the doctrines or faith of the Roman Catholic Church, or adherence thereto."
You may also like to peruse "Religion: I am a Catholic", in particular:
The biggest difference between Catholicism and other forms of Christianity is that Catholics are big believers in the Virgin Mary. A lot of prayers are said in her name, and most religious symbols show her rather than a typical Christian cross.
On the other hand by blindly believing anything you are giving away your freedom of finding the truth, of distinguishing truth from lies. Many people do not want such a freedom. That is their choice.

I was raised as a Catholic, prayed to Virgin Mary (am still doing it occassionally ), but now that I know how many lies and how much of evil is behind the organized religion, how the documents and the data have been falsified, I have much less illusions.

"You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32)
 
As for the difference between Protestantism and Catholicism, the easiest way to look at this would be phrase the 'two solas': 'sola scriptura' and 'sola fide' or only scripture and only faith saves. Protestants believe that faith alone, not good works or rituals lead to salvation and that the only authority is scripture, not priests. Catholics supplement scripture with the teachings of the Church accumulated over the centuries, and believe in the importance of ritual sacraments in being saved.

Both Catholicism and Protestantism are Christian, however, but Protestant Fundamentalists sometimes don't consider Catholicism to be truly Christian, but they are nuts, of course ;)

Hope that helps
 
Thanks for your posts, I read: "Religion: I am a Catholic" and also its comments...I was far more lighter than him -as catholic- Catholic Liberal in the same concept?...funny, at least around me or you are Catholic or you are Liberal, Liberal as being atheist, but I know people which were atheist in childhood but were Baptized and married within the Catholic Church, in fact many of my friends which are married had their Catholic Ceremony, they dont do now any of whatsoever services or rituals.

Indeed, ... here we have the Virgin of Guadalupe http://www.catholic-forum.com/saintS/mary0003.htm there have been a lot of articles, books, videos, etc., about her apparition in 1531.

I grew respecting her. I do have my doubts though and I do have in my room an image of "Our Lady of Pekin" http://www.biblia.com/apparitions/peking.htm I like her dress very much although there is the dragon, I do like the dragons in oriental myths they talk about the spirits of nature but I have been reading aboout the lizards as well; that happend to be similar too with Quetzalcoatl the feathered snakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetzalcoatland in the case of the Lady of Pekin I like her expression it gives me tranquility but I do not pray at her anymore, I also have being having less illusions but at first I have felt an emptiness, its how to overcome that emptiness that I kept adquiring knowledge.

The Trinity is another difference? http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s2c1p2.htm
 
The biggest difference between Catholicism and other forms of Christianity is that Catholics are big believers in the Virgin Mary. A lot of prayers are said in her name, and most religious symbols show her rather than a typical Christian cross.
I would have to disagree with the above as an argument. Being raised as a greek Christian Orthodox, i can attest :) that Virgin Mary is extremely important for Greek Orthodox people. She is considered more "approachable" compared to her Divine son or God *him*self, thus most prayers are directed to her. Icons of the Virgin can be found in ALL churches, almost every Greek household, and many of the temples were/are built in her name(s).
 
The doctrinal and geocultural rift between the Eastern Ordothox church and the Protestant one is greater than between Roman Catholics and Protestants. Sometimes Catholics and Protestants tend to forget its existence, probably because their history centers around certain areas of Europe.

So when one says "Catholic", one should not forget to add "Roman". The final separation between the Eastern and Western churches occured in the 11th century, although it began hundreds of years earlier. The reasons were most likely political. The Roman Patriarch was the representative of only one of five major centers mainly under Byzantine control. Toward the end of the first millenium Byzantine influence was on the wane.

In fact, after the reign of the Emperor Heraclius who himself waged holy wars for the control of Palestine in the 7th century, the Empire formerly known as Eastern Roman shrunk its borders, and became Byzantium proper. Its culture was based on Hellenized Christian Orthodoxy.

Rome was the farthest of the Patriarchies, the others being in the area around the Eastern Mediterranian. The Patriarchy of Rome, in addition, controlled the large expanse of Western Europe. When the Patriarch renamed himself Pope, he became an independent (and to his followers the sole) representative of Christendom.

In the same century where the separation of churches was established, the crusades also began. Many westerners confuse history with their history. For example, the period known as the Dark Ages (much of the first millenium of the common era) witnessed a flowering of civilizations all over the word, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, the Middle East, Inda, West Africa, Ethiopia, China and Mesoamerica. Western Europe was rather the exception than the rule here.

It was only after the decline of the civilizations neighboring Western Europe that the "Renaissance" began, and after Europe's populations were ravaged by a series of plagues. The Middle Eastern and Byzantine civilizations were fell, or changed face, while Europeans took care of the Americas. At the same time, China withdrew from initial attempts to colonize the world, leaving the stage wide open for Europe. Africa was reserved for slavery, and India and Indochina were eventually plundered.

Sounds almost too fortuitous for Europeans, who in a few centuuries conquered once powerful cultures (now called the 3rd world). So it stands to reason that Eurocentric Christianity has a focus on Catholicism and Protestantism, the versions prevalent in its own back yard.

Prostantism emerged from the growing German merchant class that was tired of being bled by the Pope (regardless of the doctrinal format they financed). It spread to the countries farthest from Rome geographically and culturally, primarily to non-Celtic peoples, with the exception of Hungary and Poland, which remained R. Catholic.

When one removes the doctrinal trappings, one easily perceives geo-political boundaries being drawn. If religion is a form of control, it stands to reason that every geo-political major territory must have its own "guidebook". And when you bring God into the picture, it's far easier to get others to do your murdering for you so your territory can expand. No wonder Constantine (who was probably the first to hit upon the vast Machiavellian potential in Christianity) was called the "Great" by illustrious historians.
 
I was a Mormon.
I don't know how many Mormon types read this forum.
Mainstream Christianity pretty much think Mormons have cloven feet, and horns on their head.
Since the subject of Protestant came up, I thought I would share some info with y'all.

http://www.mormon.org/

Summary of beliefs

Joseph Smith was asked about the basic beliefs of the Church. He summarized the teachings and doctrines in 13 basic points which are known as The Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are:

1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon this the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul-We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

Me here again...
I was drawn to the worlds upon worlds thing.
Three(3) degrees of Heavan.
And I could become a god.
What can a guy from 1800's say to heavenly apparitions that say they are sent from god?
:cool::cool::cool:
 
As good ol' C of E (Church of England variety of Christianity) of several years ago, whilst studying Christianity, the main difference put forward was: "In Catholicism, the emphasis is on Jesus dying for your sins (the crucifix). In other denominations (eg C of E), the emphasis is on the resurrection (the cross)".

The idea being to one person: Jesus died so that you may be saved; the other that through Jesus dying AND being resurrected, you too can resurrected.

(This was from studying 'Religious Studies' at school for GCSE's in the late '80's. No doubt the materials has changed since then).
 
In Catholicism, salvation is through the Divine Grace. Experienvce that elusive Grace through doing good deeds, get ting the sacraments, study, prayer, -- and you will be saved -- later. You are either in the state of Grace, or out of it -- there's no middle ground.

In Protestantism, salvation is through Faith. Accept Jesus as your personal Savior and you are in, here and now. You are either saved, or not, there is no middle ground. The Faith and the acceptance of Jesus thus must be reaffirmed through ecstatic experience of revival, or being born again.

In this sense, Eastern Prthodox Christianity differs from both of the above denomination, as salvation there is viewed as a gradual process of purification from sins. Otherwise it is really a lot closer to Catholicism.
 
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