Acceptance of conversion

[adf417]

History is filled with these horrors.

I appreciate your willingness to engage in conversation. What I would like to focus on is the present (or at least the not too distant past… say last 25 years). How does faith inform the way we treat others who either chose to enter into our community or who chose to leave it. For example, there is speculation that Tom Cruise might have to leave Scientology because of their rules that require ostracizing those who leave the community. He has not ostracized Katie Holmes (who rejoined the Catholic Church) and that has fueled the speculation/rumor. Have people experienced the pain of separation caused by an individual’s faith choice and how that was resolved.

To me in my family situation it all boils down to truth. “What is truth?” There can be no discussion about our faiths or faith differences until “truth” is defined. If you follow truth and others follow a different truth then differences begin to emerge. This is only a problem when these differences are within personal relationships such as family. If truth becomes subjective then how can a personal relationship continue without apprehension?

Personal example:
I, being Catholic, hold I do not worship Mary as I know what is in my heart and I believe only God knows true worship. On the other hand, my Jehovah Witness family members who left the CC, no matter how much I say, explain, or try to prove that I do not worship Mary, always disagree sense they have “the truth”. Now this disagreement could be seen as a simple disagreement until you apply the personal aspect to it. When my JW family member calls me on the phone and ask me “how are things going?” I’m not sure how to respond anymore and this creates difficult or non-conversation. I’m certain if they could know what God knows they could see my heart and know a different truth which in itself is saying they do not have “the truth” and would create difficulty within their own faith community. And sense scripture says “…households will be divided…” objective truth is allowed to become subjective even in a very personal situation.

The sad thing is, being Catholic, I can accept the belief that even they could be saved into heaven. I only wish their faith teaching was mutual.

Peace!!!

 

[Rosinante]

History is filled with these horrors.

I appreciate your willingness to engage in conversation. What I would like to focus on is the present (or at least the not too distant past… say last 25 years). How does faith inform the way we treat others who either chose to enter into our community or who chose to leave it. For example, there is speculation that Tom Cruise might have to leave Scientology because of their rules that require ostracizing those who leave the community. He has not ostracized Katie Holmes (who rejoined the Catholic Church) and that has fueled the speculation/rumor. Have people experienced the pain of separation caused by an individual’s faith choice and how that was resolved.

FWIW:

I don’t believe that ostracizing or mal-treating anyone for their religious beliefs or decisions, is ever productive. Usually very counter productive, imo. “Love the sinner, hate the sin” principle governs.

I’ll give you a quick example. My wife’s best friend in col, was a homosexual man. I got along just fine with him. We even invited him to our wedding, and to our oldest child’s baptism. Both sacraments, both in Church, etc.

However, he called us before the baptism, and aksed us if he could bring his boyfriend (who was married, and had children, b/t/w). I said absolutely not. He was welcomed, but certainly not with his BF.

The distinction was crystal clear–inviting him, is inviting a sinner (and who amongst us is not?), not judging HIM. Inviting him and his BF, would be tacitly endorsing the sinful behavior (2 fold here–homosexuality, and adultery–since the BF was married).

Similarly, with one who leaves the Church–and of course, there are varying degrees of leaving the church–e.g., lutheran, to presbytarian, to jewish, to islam, to agnosticism, to atheism…there is no need or even gain, to ostracize or punish the person–but not ostracising the person, doesn’t mean endorsing their views–even tacitly.

Hence the person leaving should always be welcome–but if such person seeks to champion principles which are inconsistent with Catholicism–those principles should be immediately addressed–and if the person seeks to champion such inconsistent principles overtly to the point of disrespecting the Cat. Faith–then perhaps they may be excluded on that basis–because it is one thing to hold certain beliefs–it is quite another when they seek to impose inappropriate beliefs, on others.

Just MHO.

VIVAT JESUS!

 

[Rosinante]

^^^follow up:

From the reverse angle–converts coming in to Cat. Church–they are usually welcomed with open arms, from my experience–with a small caveat.

There is a ‘cultural’ aspect to being Catholic, beyond the theological. That is, if you grew up Cat., there are things that you just ‘get’ --bonds akin to a nationality or ethnicity. Going through the sacraments, and becoming Catholic, gets you full membership to the Church–but there is a natural ‘cultrual’ gap, that doesn’t get bridged overnight. That takes some…time, tact., and some nurturing.

…and it’s just part of human nature. You gotta’ put your time and commitmnet in in anything, before you are fully accepted into or by any group.