Debating video: "Are Catholics Christians?"

[Östsvensk]

The worship of Mary is a reminiscense of pre indoeuropean beliefs systems around a mother goddess, the holy tinity is a reminiscense of indo european belief systems. http://www.jedp.com/trinity.html
I see Christianity as an export version of monoteistic Judaism towards Europe, with initially many compromises regarding food habbits, worshipping of Saints etc. Islam is basically the same thing tailored for the requirements of the middle east.
Thus one could ask to what degree religious reformed Christians (Lutherans, Calvinists, Evangelicals, etc) still can be considered Europeans in their religious beliefs at all, or if they rather should be seen like European Muslims or Jews.

I think you're exaggerating, but I can agree that some Protestants from my impression ironically debate or attack Catholicism almost like Muslims. They say that the church is not God-inspired or corrupted since its foundation, whereas Muslims always say or allege that the Christian (and Jewish) scriptures have been corrupted and are not inspired.

Well, Protestants believe the same... I have never met a Protestant who taught like Luther about baptism. Whilst important in a Christian's life, it is not necessary for salvation.

I was adressing his claim that the Catholic church taught the absolute requirement in the most literal sense of baptism. The poster I responded to is probably a Calvinist. They differ from Lutherans on some points, but I cannot reckon that they are all that different... the majority of Protestants in the English-speaking world are not Lutheran nevertheless.

[Jacques de Imbelloni]

[Loki]

LOL this can't be real

[Enr1989]

I would say, they are mostly but with many elements or other older religious elements like mithraism, Roman Greek and Egyptian paganism.
This pope thought is trying to take Christianity in his oldest form

[Loki]

This pope thought is trying to take Christianity in his oldest form

Hmm... he's not doing very well so far, that's for sure.

[noricum]

I think you're exaggerating, but I can agree that some Protestants from my impression ironically debate or attack Catholicism almost like Muslims. They say that the church is not God-inspired or corrupted since its foundation, whereas Muslims always say or allege that the Christian (and Jewish) scriptures have been corrupted and are not inspired.

Indeed I was, but if something develops and works for hundrets of years, like catholicism, it can't be all that wrong but rather close to human nature. It's out of question that from a strictly biblical sense catholicism can't stand a minute in a discussion against f.e. Lutheranism. Its strength lays in what goes beyond the book and I understand that thats probably heresy in the minds on reformed christians hence - the also exaggerating - thread title.

[noricum]

The problem I see with your main belief, is that you don't believe Jesus is really God who became a man to save humanity... and probably don't even believe God is real. You cannot come close to the truth with such a mindset. The Christian faith is not just some cultural construct. It is the truth from God. And God is real. Your conclusions are erroneous.

The christian belief is very much a bundle of social constructs in many varieties, some are closer to the bible, others contain more ppular belief. With out the for pagans easier to accept Catholic fundament reformed Christan beliefs woud have never developed.
As for my personal belief I do strongly belief in (one) god, I do pray regularly since childhood although I grew up in a non-religious social democratic family but never felt close to Jesus or even any Saints (just mentioning this since I'm nominally Catholic). If there is no life after death I'm fine with it. Coincidentally I'm just about what religious Jews want Non-jews to be.

[Loki]

The christian belief is very much a bundle of social constructs in many varieties, some are closer to the bible, others contain more ppular belief. With out the for pagans easier to accept Catholic fundament reformed Christan beliefs woud have never developed.
As for my personal belief I do strongly belief in (one) god, I do pray regularly since childhood although I grew up in a non-religious social democratic family but never felt close to Jesus or even any Saints (just mentioning this since I'm nominally Catholic). If there is no life after death I'm fine with it. Coincidentally I'm just about what religious Jews want Non-jews to be.

You should have a look at the threads I posted -- Jesus is very real, he is the essence of God reaching out to humanity. And many people who did not even know about Jesus have had supernatural encounters with him, which were life-changing. I can say with 100% certainty that without Jesus it is impossible to know God.

[Loki]

The christian belief is very much a bundle of social constructs in many varieties, some are closer to the bible, others contain more ppular belief. With out the for pagans easier to accept Catholic fundament reformed Christan beliefs woud have never developed.
As for my personal belief I do strongly belief in (one) god, I do pray regularly since childhood although I grew up in a non-religious social democratic family but never felt close to Jesus or even any Saints (just mentioning this since I'm nominally Catholic). If there is no life after death I'm fine with it. Coincidentally I'm just about what religious Jews want Non-jews to be.

You should have a look at the threads I posted -- Jesus is very real, he is the essence of God reaching out to humanity. And many people who did not even know about Jesus have had supernatural encounters with him, which were life-changing. I can say with 100% certainty that without Jesus it is impossible to know God.

It is not true what you claim about the "development" of Christianity. You should realise that the very first Christians were actually Jews, not ex-pagans. And the apostle Paul used to be a traditional Pharisee, he even used to persecute Christians, until he personally encountered the resurrected Christ.
And yes, life after death is pretty much a fact, people who have studies those who were near death and also studied near death experiences are very adamant about this too.