What is the definition of the word "Catholic"?

Question

What is the definition of the word "Catholic"?

Answer 1

The God of Israel is not liberal or all encompassing or universal. What is the truth is very specific and few are going to accept Jesus or what He stood for.

LS

Answer 2

It literally means "universal".

Answer 3

With a capital C it refers to the Catholic Church.  Otherwise it just means universal.

Answer 4

universal, even I know that.

Answer 5

They pray to the Lord Cathol!  Didn't you know?

Answer 6

If you would like more answers, consider asking around this site as well...

http://christianforums.com/forumdisplay....

Answer 7

It means universal but with the Catholic religion & others universal at the very least implies univeral acceptance which isnt what either God's or Jesus' message is about. Theres many other things wrong with the Catholic & others approach to understanding God's actual message. I'm neither Catholic nor Protestant buts heres what I know 2 b true:

In the Bible it warns us that we rnt 2 trust humans, not even ourselves (Jer 10:2-5,23; Is 2:22; Job 12:11; Prov 14:12; Acts 17:11). So carefully think over what I say. Dont just believe or disregard what I write. It might save u from making the same mistakes many have made, getting caught up in religious beliefs that have nothing 2 do with finding & knowing God.

Anything practiced as a ritual has no meaning under the NT Covenant. The Hebrew rituals were by the instruction of God the best 1 could do under God's Law (None in NT). Other religions (including many Christian) either copied or invented rituals (the best humans could do within the limits of being human). Jesus' perfect sacrifice canceled the need 4 any rituals (doing them calls God a liar as they make it appear Jesus failed His mission). The closest thing to a ritual is Communion but that doesnt mean it should be treated as a ritual as it is 2 be treated most seriously (Its not 2 be presented as Jesus' actual body & blood - Catholic [Cc] belief).

Many dont know the difference btwn a ritual done as a ritual & genuine "rememberance" - not possible without knowing/following Jesus' actual Biblical instructions - absent in Cc teachings (the Cc didnt write any part of the NT [not a Cc text or their writings - NT was written in the 1rst century by Apostles, Cc possession was not until 3rd century] which contradicts their teachings/practices & God's will, 1 in truth & Spirit not rituals - God allowed them 2 produce the Bible dispite their wrong teachings like He allowed the Romans 2 fulfill prophecy without their knowledge [happening again today). A teaching can have a truth in whats written but the action taken can be superficial - The Cc like the Pharisees know how 2 clean the outside of the cup but dont understand how the inside is 2 be cleaned with respect to Jesus' actual message. The fact that the Cc & other religions retain an altar @ the center of their religious pracrtices is 1 sure sign of their being about religious rituals not the truth.

The problem is theres many religions & different varieties. 1 day I realized they cant all be right (i.e. theres 1 Bible, why so many interpretations? - II Pet 1:**19-21). Most religions came thru people who thought up things for a God they & others liked. Some realized religion could be good 2 control the masses & 4 other agendas. However, religion cant teach u much about God (they cant teach what they dont know). Who knows more about a house He who built it or he who moves in later?

For Christians, the trouble began when the Apostles/disciples were killed off or died during the 1rst century (Christianity was illegal for most of that time). Over the next century others, whom either didnt know Jesus or were less informed than Jesus' 1rst generation of believers &/or (un)intentionally added in their own ideas/agendas replaced the original believers. By the time the Catholic religion became a "state - Jn 18:36" recognized, organized religion around the time of Constantine (about AD 325), most of what Jesus taught & the original Apostles/disciples practiced were no longer present.

The Cc mixed in things of Pagan & religions practices 2 please & draw in people, thus, creating a new religion they decided 2 label "Christian/Catholic". The Cc's, like other religions' agendas (some mayve been well-intentioned), was mostly 2 control masses & 2 influence politics (II Tim 2:*4; I Jn 2:*15-17; Col 2:*8; Jer 10:*2-5). The Cc claims they didnt distribute Bibles 4 over a century b/c people couldnt read so why didnt they just teach people 2 read?

God & Jesus have never been about pleasing man. In fact, the Cc RCc & Oc had made religions just like the Pharisees, which Jesus emphatically stated was an abomination b/c they were about pleasing man not God (Mt 23:15; LK 16:15). Even when others like the Protestants split off from the Cc they retained the same wrong basic format & structure of the Cc.

Even though these churches got rid of some of the Cc nonsense they still didnt know much about Jesus (most ignored or skipped over Biblical instructions due 2 various agendas) nor did they go 2 the Bible 2 find out all of Jesus' instructions [a huge mistake, as they're fulfilling prophecies against the core of their practices (Amos 8:*11; Jr 12:*10: Is 5:*9 (large houses r churches - Mt 24:*1-2); Hos 4:*6: Mk 7:1-23 (John 3:*3,5 & Ez 36:24-27,*26); Lk 16:**15 (see Rv 21:27; Jr 10:**2-5; Is 1:*11-15)].

Some wrong Cc teachings r:

1. The CC claims to be the 1rst church & that since they r the longest existing church, they r the only "official" church. Jesus' Apostles never named their church "catholic (not in the Bible)" nor did they ever practice Cc religious rituals. There was nearly a 250 year gap btwn Jesus' original Apostle's church & the start of the "official" Cc - there4, the Cc was never a part of or the true 1rst Christian Church (neither a label or the time it existed proves anything - its what they practice that makes all the difference btwn truth & error).

2. Peter was never a pope nor was he or his fellow Apostles ever a member of the Cc - it isnt in the Bible - the use of the word pope is a Cc invention - the Bible instructs us not 2 go beyond whats written (I Cor 4:6; Rev 22:18-19). Peter was never a bishop of the Cc (he was already dead about 250 years before the Cc became a church. Peter would never call himself a pope b/c calling 1self Father is an abomination.

Here's a partial list of wrong Cc practices, traditions & rituals that have nothing 2 do with following Jesus:

Mass (not in the Bible) is full of non-biblical rituals, Statues (God isnt in2 dead things - non-living things can't help or save anyone - praying 2 them is an abomination), the Rosery, mother Mary as interceder (Jesus is the only way to God - not His Apostles/disciples - Jn 14:6; 5:39; 10:1,7; Acts 4:12; IS 1), candles, incense, the cross (its more a symbol of the curse rather than Jesus & for the same reasoning against statues), making the sign of the cross, stations of the cross, the pope's & other leader's garb they wear, confirmation, the Catholic creed & other Catholic organization documents, raising people to the status of "saint" (only God & Jesus have authority to do this), catechism, devotionals, sacraments, holy eucharist, penance, traditional & repetative type prayers & many other things they do rnt in or coming from the Bible.

Its b/c religion is about man & what he likes, not what Jesus mandated for 1 2 do 2 follow Him. The result is that few will end up saved thru most of them (no1 can save themselves by their own inititve nor will good deeds save them - theres no good in any man - Rom 1:23). 1 must be very careful not 2 get sucked in or going 2 various denominations (especially if u dont have a good handle on whats actually written in the Bible) as u can only add 2 any confusion ur already experiencing.

Just b/c religions made many mistakes (many fatal) doesnt mean God doesnt know what He's doing. The main point thats not clear 2 many:  Jesus stated that no1 can find our real God except thru Jesus (Jn 14:6; 5:39; 10:1,7; Acts 4:11). This means "the" truth was complete & there4 finished thru what Jesus taught & did. So, any so-called new teaching & any other religious beliefs r null & void & cant lead u 2 God. The truth is either the whole truth or it isnt the truth. The truth is the absence of any lie. Either Jesus told the whole truth or He's a false prophet, among many, whom should be disregarded. This would also mean that God must not exist either (He either knows what He's doing or He cant be God).

But, heres evidence God knows what He is doing. Jesus couldntve done nor said what He did unless He had full understanding of the entire Old Testament (the New Testament didnt exist @ the time of Jesus - the only way Jesus couldve known the whole OT is if God was with Him). & the Apostles couldnt remember & write down the NT unless Jesus allowed them to remember & know what He was here 4 (Lk 24:25-27,45). None of this was possible unless an incredibly Intelligent Being caused it.

But God outsmarted man, b/c the Bible's the only 1 known 2 man that cant be properly understood without going thru Jesus (Jn 14:6; II Cor 3:14 - If the Jewish people cant pierce the veil over the OT without going thu Jesus then rest-assurd neither can all gentiles). This is why theres many interpretations & people thinking its all just fairytales.

A church thats very serious about finding the Biblical truth, understands what being Born Anew is about, might be able 2 help u but no1 can save u except Jesus (Jn 3:1-14 - note: Nicodemus was very religious but Jesus flatout told him he had missed the 1rst most important step, that he must be Born Anew or no matter how religious or good he thought he is he couldn't go 2 Heaven (Jn 3:3,5; Jn 14:6; Acts 4:12). No1 can live without breaking God's Law.

Whoever seeks Jesus Christ with all his heart & soul will find Him (u shall know the truth & it will set u free). But u can lead a horse 2 water but u cant make them drink. Why should God want u 2 live with Him forever if u dont want 2 know Him (reason 4 free will)? The truth of God remains forever while things of a man dies with him, including his religions & gods made in his image. Theres everlasting hope only in Jesus Christ.

voyc4rmwldrns

Answer 8

Universal.

The Church has referred to itself as the “Catholic Church” at least since 107 C.E. (about 10 years after the last book of the New Testament was written), when the Greek term "Katholikos" (meaning universal) appears in the Letter of St. Ignatius of Antioch to the Smyrnaeans:

"Wherever the bishop appear, there let the multitude be; even as wherever Christ Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church."

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/te...

We do not know how long they had been using the term "Catholic" before it was included in this letter.

All of this was long before the Council of Nicea and the Nicene Creed from 325 C.E. which states, "We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church."

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07644a.h...

With love in Christ.

Answer 9

it means "universal" and referred to the idea that the catholic church was the church for everybody, the one church, the universal church

Answer 10

CATHOLIC

Its original meaning of "general" or "universal" has taken on a variety of applications in the course of Christian history. First used by St. Ignatius of Antioch (A.D. 35-107) (Letter to the Smyrneans, 8, 2), it is now mainly used in five recognized senses: 1. the Catholic Church as distinct from Christian ecclesiastical bodies that do not recognize the papal primacy; 2. the Catholic faith as the belief of the universal body of the faithful, namely that which is believed "everywhere, always, and by all" (Vincentian Canon); 3. orthodoxy as distinguished from what is heretical or schismatical; 4. the undivided Church before the Eastern Schism of 1054; thereafter the Eastern Church has called itself orthodox, in contrast with those Christian bodies which did not accept the definitions of Ephesus and Chalcedon on the divinity of Christ.

In general, today the term "Catholic" refers to those Christians who profess a continued tradition of faith and worship and who hold to the Apostolic succession of bishops and priests since the time of Christ. (Etym. Latin catholicus, universal; Greek katholikos, universal.)

Answer 11

synonyms include broadminded, cosmopolitan and liberal

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

cath·o·lic   Audio Help   /ˈkæθəlɪk, ˈkæθlɪk/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[kath-uh-lik, kath-lik] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–adjective 1. broad or wide-ranging in tastes, interests, or the like; having sympathies with all; broad-minded; liberal.  

none of these describe true Christianity

Answer 12

CATHOLIC simply means UNIVERSAL.