Why Americans (ok, some) think Catholics aren't Christians? [Spirituality & Religion]

Maybe it's a cultural thing because in Europe and Africa they identify themselves as Christians. But as far as the system of beliefs goes, they basically believe in the same thing as the rest of Christians.

But other denominations here also specify, like Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Pentacostals, AME, etc. and they're all Christians. I always assumed they all believe that Christ was the son of God.

@bijouxbroussard: I've seen people refer to JW's as non Christians as well.

@MrMarcus: Sorry no, you're wrong, I'm in Ireland, which is in Europe, I am Catholic and don't identify as Christian, and neither do any other Catholics here do that either..

@MrMarcus: Again, they have to exclude people, although JWs don't make it easy to include them. But the Amish and Mennonites are also Christians, even though their practices are different. Mormonism, is, too, arguably, even though they use a different book, I think they still believe in Jesus as the son of God.

@MightyAphrodite: oh, I see. it's not the case for Italy, France, Spain and Portugal.

@MrMarcus: well my friends from France and Spain also call themselves Catholic.. so I'm not sure what people you are talking to..

@MightyAphrodite: You don't believe in Jesus Christ as son of God ? I thought that's what made one a Christian (as opposed to Jewish, for example, who believe Jesus was merely a prophet). American Catholics are also Christians.

@MightyAphrodite: I live in France, and all my Catholic friends friends identify as Christians, I also have Portuguese friends who do the same.

@MrMarcus: OK.. well I have friends who do the opposite, so I suppose it depends..

@MrMarcus: though in my experience, those baptized as Catholic refer to themselves as such..

@MightyAphrodite: it seems so

@MightyAphrodite: In the U.S. we are both. Just like Protestants are both.

@MightyAphrodite: yes, they do even in mine, but it's pretty just like being baptized a bapstist but still be a Christian.

@bijouxbroussard: that's how I see things as well.

@MrMarcus: Baptists are not baptized Baptists. Baptists are baptized [b]only[/b] as a symbol of their acceptance of Jesus as their personal Savior. Going under the water, symbolizes dying to sin. Rising, to the newness of life in Christ.

@GraceFromEP: alright. That is not what I meant, I think it would be better to replace Baptists by jehovah's witnesses in this case, since they are baptized as jehovah's witnesses

@bijouxbroussard: Honey, from what I've read, Jehovah Witnesses do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Correct me if I'm wrong.

@GraceFromEP: They do. I used to be a jehovah's witnesses. They believe that Jesus is the son of God, but they don't think the trinity is real. For them, we are saved by the Father(Jehovah) through Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit is nothing but the power of God in other words, unlike other Christian denominations.

@MrMarcus:

Here are a few of Jehovah Witnesses core beliefs:
* Jehovah is the one true God.
* They deny the Trinity.
* Jesus was an exalted man that God used to create the earth, but Jesus himself is a created being—not God.
* Jesus has divine attributes, but is only god-like.
* When Jehovah raised Jesus from the dead, Jesus was a spirit-being, not a physical being.
* The Holy Spirit is not a person, but a force.
* Only 144,000 people will go to heaven—in general this includes only JW's alive in 1935.
* Other faithful JW's will have eternal life on paradise earth. All others disintegrate at death.
* There is no hell.
* All "religions" besides JW are of the devil

@GraceFromEP: those are all correct. You see? They do not deny that Jesus is the son of God.

They DO...... * Jesus was an exalted man that God used to create the earth, but Jesus himself is a created being—not God. @MrMarcus:

@GraceFromEP: I don't think that saying that Jesus was an exalted man necessarily implies that he isn't the sun of God. In this case it doesn't, I'm saying this because I was a jehovah's witnesses myself. If they didn't believe Jesus was God's son, they would clearly state it. Besides The fact that was created by God, leads us to believe that he's the sun of God, just like us humans are considered to be.

No. You missed my point completely. @MrMarcus:

@MrMarcus: Jesus wasn't created by God. Where are you getting all this? The Trinity has [b]always[/b] existed. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Jesus wasn't created by anyone. The Bible says Hes always existed. Our minds can't understand that.