That's true, but I think the term still defaults to a subset of Protestants.

Huh, that was never the case in the circles I grew up in. Christian included all Christian churches and the dividing line was whether or not churches were Protestant or not.

Huh, that was never the case in the circles I grew up in. Christian included all Christian churches and the dividing line was whether or not churches were Protestant or not.

The term I was talking about was "evangelical"--that while there are evangelical Catholics, when I see "evangelical" by itself I assume the speaker/writer is referring to conservative Protestants.

I think it's more that a number of born-again Christians don't consider other denominations Christian. I don't know anyone who isn't "born-again" that would use Christian to mean only that one subset.

The term I was talking about was "evangelical"--that while there are evangelical Catholics, when I see "evangelical" by itself I assume the speaker/writer is referring to conservative Protestants.

Gotcha, I misread your meaning.

and by then you've probably fallen asleep.

Well, I haven't fallen asleep, but then I'm freaky that way.

And, ugh, lisah, I also bear the scars of a childhood run-in with an officious asshat who explained kindly and patronizingly that everyone knows that Catholics aren't really Christians (though, in this case, not an authority figure of any sort, just the jerkface girl across the street).

Dork that I was, I ran to the school library and showed her the Webster's definition of a Christian: one who believes that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. At which she @@'d at me, "But, Jacqueline, even the devils in Hell can do that. That's just a fact; knowing it doesn't make you a Christian."

Though what really still rankles is the day I walked to school sobbing uncontrollably because one of my mom's best friends had just committed suicide (our mothers made us walk to school together, even though we were not friends at all), and she said cheerfully, "If he committed suicide, then God is sending him straight to Hell!"

It's possible that I still have issues.

I'm with ND--"Christian" is the term for all people who believe in Christ and the trinity, and the two main types of Christians are Catholic and Protestant, and the various subcategories below Protestant (although since I was a kid, I've found out about the offshoots of Catholicism, including Mel Gibson's favorite excommunicated priest).

well I don't know about "born-again" but there are evangelical Catholics. And they are all Christian! As far as I remember.

Unfortunately, there is a pervasive belief among certain non-Catholic Christian groups (generally the ones who hew very very VERY closely to a 100% literal interpretation of the bible) that Catholics are, in fact, *not* Christian, as in, not "saved," and will therefore burn in hell for all of eternity.

Catholics, on the other hand, are understandably pissed whenever it's suggested that they aren't Christian, given that Catholics do, in fact, profess belief in Christ as their savior.

It's a case of, literally, massive holier-than-thou-ness.

Well, I'd say there are three main types--Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox. And then you can get into fun debates about whether Mormons are Christian or not and suchlike. Really, it's a great big fat can of worms. But I'm pretty sure no one HERE means to offend anyone else. Out there in the world at large, NSM.

She was a jerkface girl who didn't deserve the pleasure of your company on the way to or from school, JZ.

I'm with ND--"Christian" is the term for all people who believe in Christ and the trinity, and the two main types of Christians are Catholic and Protestant, and the various subcategories below Protestant

That's what I've always thought.

'Cept what about Orthodox Christianity?

eta: Orthodox x-post....