Difference b/t Catholic & Baptism?

The Baptist denomination was not founded by Jesus but by a man in the 17th century. There are 2 things you can do to be more engaged at Mass: First, you could become more involved. Take up the gifts. Become a Lector. Be a member of the choir or folk group. Become a Eucharistic Minister. Pay closer attention to the readings and homily. Secondly, you could change churches, not religion. Many Black Catholic Churches celebrate Mass the way Baptists have their services with a band and lively music, for example.It's really up to you to find "it" in the Mass.

Between Catholic and Baptist there are many differences and several centuries of existence. The Catholic Church was instituted by Christ. The Baptist faith is a break away sect basically created by rejecting some of the Catholic beliefs.

Stay Catholic. Mass is not boring if you prepare yourself, assist at Mass, receive in a state of grace, spend time in thanksgiving after Mass, and participate in the sacrament of confession.

Feeling the Holy Spirit is not a necessity. Feelings do not prove a greater love or intimacy. Jesus said "if you love me keep my commandments." The teachings of the Church are his commandments, and our love for him is in our obedience to them.

I assume you mean "Baptist". Basic Baptist teachings:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptists#Baptist_beli...

Note that Baptists are very "congregationalist" - which means that it is very common to find two Baptist churches of the same sect *in the same city* that teach different things (although all of the "standard" or "fundamental" Christian and Baptist teachings are the same). For example: some Baptist churches teach that only the King James Version is appropriate and that all other Bible versions are evil, while others recommend a different specific Bible version, while others don't care which Bible version their members use.

I agree that Catholic services are boring - but is that enough reason to switch, which would also mean a "switch" in some of your beliefs?

I would advise you to consider carefully before switching churches. If you switch, be sure you are making the right choice, and for the right reasons. Make sure that you agree with the teachings of the church you are considering as your new "home". Consider also the possibility that attending a *different* Catholic church - one that is farther away - might solve your "it's boring" problem. Some have quite good music, and some have pastors that give interesting homilies (though I admit in my experience both are quite rare in Catholic churches!)

Baptism isn't a religion, it's a ceremony performed in the catholic church.

The Baptist denomination is a Protestant sect, one of the many of thousands of Protestant sects. The Catholic Church is the one true Church of Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church was founded by God. The Baptist sect was founded by a man.

I assume you mean Baptist, not Baptism. Baptist is one of the thousands of unauthorized manmade Protestant churches that have abandoned the one Church founded by Jesus Christ, the Catholic Church. They teach some of the truths of true Christianity, but like all Protestant churches they have rejected many of the truths of original Christianity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfpZr1dc8Dc

I'm Catholic - wife is Baptist. Went 9yrs. to a predominantly Baptist private school and gone to Baptist church services. -- So I may have some insight.

First off -- if you aren't looking to change religions, then why would you start going to another Church.. that's basically changing religions, because a different set of Doctrines (core beliefs) are being taught and you aren't getting the Sacraments. You are affirming, by your attendance, that their beliefs are correct.

Secondly, as I have learned, you can also inadvertently tell people that Catholics believe the same as Baptists -- this is called 'giving scandal' - your actions inadvertently or unintentionally can teach others the wrong thing or give them the wrong idea.

It is kinda like if my friends all went out to a strip club and got drunk. If I go along with them.. even if I didn't enjoy myself or even kept my eyes closed and didn't get drunk.. I'd STILL be telling them that "I dont' have issues with people doing that sorta thing." This is called 'giving scandal' or 'causing scandal'

Again, I learned this first hand in my own life regarding which church I go to.

Just something to think about.

Thirdly, realize that the Baptist faith is not organized like Catholicism. Answering "What do Baptists believe" is actually hard...there are different types of Baptists and within the Baptist faith, there is no authority to set doctrine or say, definitively "This is what we ALL believe" There are "conventions" such as the Southern Baptist convention, but no one is required to go and no one is required to follow any of the ideas that come out of these conventions. Sometimes even two Baptist churches within the same town will teach slightly different theologies.

So it is REALLY hard to tell you EXACTLY what a Baptist believes...they can all kinda "make it up as they go along" so to speak. At best you can survey or generalize or perhaps say "The S. Baptist Church on 5th and Elm in Tucson AZ believes ABC, XYZ"

But as for your questions.........

<<Difference b/t Catholic & Baptism?>>

Well, how much detail do you want me to go into?

This is going to sound like I am bashing the Baptist faith.. but I'm not. I'm just trying to explain the differences in quick/brief terms.

I once heard a person make the following comparison:

"The center of most non-Catholic Christian churches is a stage with a band and a pulpit where the Preacher stands. The center of a Catholic church is the Altar where the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ is. The Worship leader in a non-Catholic Christian church is usually the music director, he's called "The Worship Leader (I know because my father-in-law is one) The 'worship leader' in a Catholic church is the Priest, a person with a link back to the Apostles."

Baptist faith does not believe that there needs to be any Historical consistency with how the first Christians believed or acted. We don't need to cross-check our interpretation of Scripture with early Christianity to make sure we didn't change something.

The Baptist faith rejects ALL Sacraments, the entire concept of a Sacrament. Baptism for a Baptist is a totally optional act which is only a public display of your inward faith.

Their communion is purely a reenactment, an optional ceremony designed to make you 'feel' closer to God. Whether or not it helps you, depends upon what you personally believe about it and if you are close to God. Supposedly the closer you are to God, the more impactful communion is supposed to be.

They don't use wine and unleaven bread like in the last supper. They use grape juice and crackers

They do not believe that the Pope has any authority to settle matters or is protected from making grave errors when it comes to faith and morals by the Holy Spirit. They instead believe that each individual is given authority by God to interpret the Bible themselves. Although they would never use these terms, in a sense, they believe that EACH individual Christian is an infallible source of interpretation when it comes to scripture. Even if this leads to people breaking away or coming up with NEW interpretations or founding new churches, which is often the case.

They believe that ALL that is needed is faith (What Catholics call "Sola Fide") One just needs to 'believe" and they are saved. One does 'good works' because they have faith, otherwise what we do doesn't matter. However, most would say that if you don't do good works, then you don't really have faith. But good works don't matter... accept they do.

They believe in "Scripture alone" (Sola Scriptura) that ANY idea outside of the Bible can't be trusted...when it comes to religion. But you can believe OTHER ideas outside of the Bible...just not religious ideas. Except you CAN trust certain preachers because God sometimes talks through them..but only so much as you personally agree with them and they can quote the bible to support their ideas. But putting anyone above the Bible is 'the traditions of man' and living by "the law" instead of having faith which the Bible says we shouldn't do.

Baptists believe that ANY images of a religious subject are 'idols' And God forbids us from worshiping idols -- you can't have religious art because that means you worship them. BUT, it is OK to have pictures of Jesus...but not the Saints or Mary or anyone else. But the Apostles are OK.. OH, and any other images of a non-religious nature such as Celebrities or Atheletes are OK too...but not if that Celebrity, such as a Saint, is religious --then its worship.

Baptists believe you can't kneel or kiss, or cross yourself, or any other ritual or gesture as a sign of respect to anything besides God... if you do, then you are worshiping that object, even if you don't realize it. They think anytime a Catholic kisses the Popes ring or kneels by a statue that they are worshiping that object. Even if the Catholic faith forbids worshiping anything besides God... they think Catholics ARE doing that.. even if we say we aren't.. we are lying.

They believe that Catholics think we can win our way into Heaven if we do enough good works or go to church enough. Even if Catholic doctrine teaches against this.. they insist that's what we believe and therefore must be lying.

Baptists generally take a dim view of using poetic or memorized prayers. Prayer to them should be a spontaneous conversation with God. Using the same prayer more then once could mean that you risk violating the Bible, which says that only Pagans/Heathens repeat prayers. Therefore they sometimes think that Catholics use of repetitive prayer is a sin. But many say that using the Bible as a prayer or repeating a bible verse is OK..just not a prayer that someone else came up with.

STILL in my experience, Baptists DO use the same prayers -- they fall into saying the same opening and closing to most of their prayers..the middle may change a bit..but MOST fall into a certain style of prayer.

OH..and the "Our Father" prayer is OK..because of course that's in the Bible, but in my experience, most Baptists hardly ever use it.

Baptists believe that Mary wasn't that special, other than the fact that she was Christ's mother. But God just "used her" for that -- she's not REALLY that special. Many Baptists, who don't like it that Catholics call her "The Mother of our Lord" - claim that Mary ONLY gave birth to Jesus's human body. But this repeats an ancient 3rd century heresy that Christ had 2 natures.. a human and divine. Catholics believe that Jesus was BOTH human AND divine so Mary TRULY gave birth to God, even though she is not a god herself. Baptists believe that Mary would have to BE GOD or exist before God if she gave birth to him. Catholics believe that God is unique.. in that he got to choose his mother.

So Baptists have issues with how to properly treat Mary.. on one hand she is special.. on the other hand they seem afraid to admit it, so they mostly ignore her.

Sometimes Baptist Churches cancel Sunday church service do to a large football or sports game OR because the Pastor is on vacation. My sister-in-laws church canceled Church so everyone could watch the Denver Broncos be in the Super bowl -- REALLY?

_______________________

So.. to be Baptist or even go to a Baptist church you'll essentially have to give up:

The Eucharist

The Absolution of sin that comes at the beginning of Mass

3 Bible readings (First, Second, and Gospel) in favor of 1

Christ as being the center of worship (the focal point of the Altar/Stage

Connection back to the original Christians and how they worshiped, originally.

The art and solemness of the Catholic Mass.

______________________

<< get a little bored when I am an a catholic church. >>

Do you truly understand EVERYTHING that is going on...what is taking place during Mass?

Our sins are forgiven and Christ LITERALLY comes down and is present. We then LITERALLY receive Christ into our bodies!

I've been to dozens of non-Catholic Christian church services... TRUST ME - they can't touch that. (no offense)

Perhaps listen to the explanation of the Mass at this site: http://catholicmass.org/commentary.html