Ha-ha! right next to your post on Tribe was this:

Bible Conference
Calvinism: "The First 500 Years" Sacramento, October 24, 9:15 AM
www.covenantreformedchurch.org

Here is the conundrum (says a catholich with "christian" friends who were surprised to find out catholics were christian).

Evangelical christianity defines a christian as one with a personal relationship withe Jesus Christ. For many, that means adult baptism and/or some form of emotional denoument including giving oneself to JC.

Since Roman Catholics are usually baptized at birth and because much of our public worship is ritualized (and yes some of the private worship is ritualized too but not all I assure you) evangelical christians really believe Roman Catholic (and Orthodox) Christians, well, aren't really Christian.

Please note that I have friends who have changed their opinion....at least on a case by case business. They may not assume all catholics or orthodox are Christian they remain open to the idea that some are. However, I must warn you, in general that is not the norm. Good luck and blessing Gereg.

Hey Gereg,

You'll have to get in touch with Roxanne she's the one who made the posting. All I can remember is that it was a woman evangelical from the early 20thC here in the U.S. of the whole crapola that Catholics are not Christians.

I can't remember her name but, here in the Oakland Museum they have her bible, dresses, and other historical artifacts and information about her and her ministry.

You can remind your family also of the fact that before the Reformation just about everyone in Europe was Catholic, except for those Cathars and a few others ya know.

Sorry, I have been gone for a few days. Yes, Maurice and I eloped on Saturday (YAY!!!) So here is the answer to your question:

"The Great Controversy" (1888) by Ellen G. White was a book, and subsequent pamphlet (1924) was published by the Seventh Day Adventist church in which is declared among other things that Catholics are not permitted to read the bible, and they are not Christians , they are actually The Anti Christ . Here are some other assertions in the publication:
(a) the Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon; (b) the pope is the Antichrist; (c) in the last days, Sunday worship will be "the mark of the beast"; (d) there is a future millennium in which the devil will roam the earth while Christians are with Christ in heaven; (e) the soul sleeps between death and resurrection; and (f) on the last day, after a limited period of punishment in hell, the wicked will be annihilated and cease to exist rather than be eternally damned

Although Ms. White's assertions that Catholics were not permitted to read the bible, or that they were not Christians was a new idea that became popular doctrine ampng Protestant churches. The idea that the the Pope was the Anti-Christ is not new. For example:

"This teaching shows forcefully that the Pope is the very Antichrist, who has exalted himself above, and opposed himself against Christ because he will not permit Christians to be saved without his power, which, nevertheless, is nothing, and is neither ordained nor commanded by God. This is, properly speaking to exalt himself above all that is called God as Paul says, - 2 Thess. 2, 4." Martin Luther

However, many early Protestants still considered themselves Catholics with objections, and that their Catholic brothers and sisters were individuals to be judged and that are just "misled" by the Pope. But the anti -Catholic hit fever pitch with Ellen White who claimed that she received her writings through the gift of prophecy. In the book "The Great Controversy" She also "re-edited " the history of the Protestant reformation. Which was subsequently made available to teachers, here in the US and was soon widely accepted to be historical fact.

Does this help?

BTW - Amy Semple McPherson was an self proclaimed Evangelist who founded the Foursquare church. She faked her own kidnapping to run away with her lover, had numerous marriages and affairs and then committed suicide. She is also considered the mother of modern media evangelism.

One point to remember is also that at one point during the middle ages there were three Popes running around Europe excommunicating each other over TINY differences in doctrine and beliefs.