I was recently checking one of my favorite message boards and was appalled by what I read. A Catholic girl had been talking to four of her “friends” and they had convinced her that because she was Catholic she was not a Christian. They had also convinced her that making the sign of the cross would damn her to hell!
After some time to calm my anger and outrage I posted this reply:I am angered and deeply saddened at your post. Making the sign of the cross will not damn anyone to hell! The Catholic Church is the mother church from which all Christian churches came.
If you were a Catholic, then you were a Christian. I apologize on behalf of all Protestantism that you have been told that you weren’t. One of the biggest Protestant misconceptions about Catholicism is that it is a different religion.
It is not!
They are as much (if not more) Christian as any Protestant church. I, myself, am Baptist, that is to say that this denomination’s doctrines most closely resemble my personal beliefs. And my Mom is Catholic because this is the Church that most closely resembles her personal beliefs. I hope this clears things up for you.
Love in Christ, Ashton

I am truly angered at those who would go to anyone and challenge the validity of his salvation on the basis of his denominational affiliation. That is absolutely ridiculous.
I have heard all of the arguments against Catholicism, from “There doesn’t need to be any mediator between God and man but Jesus!” to ” The transubstantiation is cannibalism!” to “But don’t they pray to Mary?”
The Catholics I know are more passionate about their faith than a lot of Baptists I know.
Making the sign of the cross will not damn you to hell. The basic beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church are these:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
The Creator of heaven and earth,
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
And sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
Whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And life everlasting.
Amen.
– Apostles Creed

Note that the word “catholic” means “universal” above.
If any of you Christians still find anything that you still disagree with here, then I suggest that you make sure you are a Christian yourself.

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