catholics pray to virgin mary which i personally dont agree with.

I think the catholics believe in the "Trinity" which is the Hold Father, Holy Son (Jesus) and Holy Spirit. It's actually rather similar to the three branches of the American government.

catholics have a hierachial system which the pope is the head of. catholics also have special rules and traditions that protestants do not follow.

1]The answers you have gotten are from non Catholics except for 2 who are Catholics but will hopefully not answer here again. Do you know why Catholics are not answering in this "Catholic Beliefs" category? 2] You are calling us by religious denomination "Catholics" so you know for the future we are Roman Catholics. Why are you calling on us? 3]You say you are a Cristian. Do you know how many Christian denominations exist? 4]Do you know how many Christian Bibles exist? 5]Could you be kind enough as to say to what Christian denomination you belong? An Evangelical or Evangelist perhaps? 6]You ask "How are we different"? As far as I am concerned your are a non identified Christian and we are in our category as fully identified Roman Catholics, that should be enough for you to understand how and why we are different. 7]Why are you in a Roman Catholic Category stirring the pot or flame baiting? If you wish to answer these questions without mentioning your usual chapter denominations according to your Bible which is not a Roman Catholic Bible, I will answer your questions with due respect. Best Regards.

Catholics are different because they believe in purgatory which is not mentioned in any Bible and does not exist, the refuse to believe that fact that Jesus had brothers which means Mary was not a virgin forever, and because protestants go straight to God for forgiveness whereas Catholics believe you need a thirs party which is why they practice confessions. But Jesus said, "No one may come to the Father except through me." Not except through priests who will tell you that you have t do a bunch of unnecessary things to be forgiven. If you confess you sins to God and show true remorse and sorrow for the evil you have done, you will be forgiven.

We are different because we believe different things. As a Catholic, I believe in the revelation of God, transmitted orally or written down (1 Thess 2, 2 Thess 2). The tradition of Sola Scriptura (Bible alone) is not found anywhere in the Bible. It was invented by Martin Luther, a disobedient Catholic, in the 16th century. It was the Catholic Church that defined what books were and were not in the Bible in the fifth century. Again, first the Church, then the Bible from the Church. (BTW, it was the Catholic Church that preserved the Bible for 10 centuries before the advent of printing). Jesus Christ established one Church, not 30,000+ churches (Matt 16). There is to be one Faith (Eph 4), not 30,000+ faiths. Since God desires "all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth", doesn't it make sense that He would have to provide a Church that is the "pillar and bullwark of the truth" so we can know with certainty what is true and what is error? The Catholic Church alone can demonstrate that it was established by Christ Himself and has existed in every age. In every year all the way back to St. Peter, there has been a visible head of the visible Church, the Pope.

"What separates us as believers in Christ is much less than what unites us." (Pope John XXIII) Almost all important doctrine is completely agreed upon between Catholic Christians and other Christians. Here is the joint declaration of justification by Catholics (1999), Lutherans (1999), and Methodists (2006): By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping us and calling us to good works. http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_31101999_cath-luth-joint-declaration_en.html There are many minor doctrine issues and some major cultural traditional differences which, I believe, do not matter that much. A Catholic worships and follows Christ in the tradition of Catholicism which, among other things, recognizes that Christ made Peter the leader of His new Church and Pope Benedict XVI is Peter's direct successor. For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/index.htm With love in Christ.