Are you a convert?

[BA11]

I grew up baptist, fell away in college (I always believed in God and Jesus but was duped by the whole “sinner’s prayer” bit from when I was 9) and redidicated my life to Christ within the last year and consider myself non-denominational.

I’ve always had a curiousity with regards to catholicism and like certain aspects of the faith. However, my one permanent hangup will always be the claimed infallibility of the church. All it takes is ONE dogmatic belief being false to cause the whole thing to fall apart, and after much searching, discussion and study over the years I arrived at the conclusion that it is impossible to justify Mary being a perpetual virgin or being free from sin. Once I knew that truth, it caused the church’s infallibility doctrine to become impossible for me to ever accept. If I can’t trust EVERYTHING about an infallible entity, I can’t trust any of it. Still have many catholic friends and love my brothers in christ, just can’t convert into it in good conscience.

 

[Tweedle_Dee]

Mormon → Agnostic

 

[504Katrin]

I am quite angry, about a lot of things, but I’m working on it.

Just curious, though - one person posted :

And you haven’t asked them if they are angry.

And in this posting I just posted that my de-conversion was one of the best days of my life.

My story is pretty typical: raised in a Catholic Charismatic household where Divinity was used to enforce the will of one of my parents. We were forced to pray in tongues, attend prayer meetings and join a “Youth Retreat Team”. I witnessed incredible spiritual abuse in that small community - to the point my wife said “You were mind raped”. For example, if the adult leadership failed in insert task here, the kids were blamed b/c “Y’all obviously didn’t pray hard enough for us to succeed.” Or when the adult leadership had a family crisis, we were blamed b/c “Yall don’t care about us because none of y’all helped”. After each such incident, I wrapped myself in the mask a little bit tighter and I learned to wear the mask of Christianity so well that I went to minor seminary and graduated Summa Cum Laude.

Decided to not go to major seminary and found a job in Baton Rouge. Was very active in my church parish - taught CCD, played guitar in the choir, met my wife in the choir. All the while, I was wearing the mask. I tried for years to separate the threads of poisonous Christianity from what I thought was “good” Christianity. The more I thought and studied and worked, the more I realized that it was impossible. I kept at it though.

Eventually though, as I lived “The examined life” (as opposed to the “unexamined life”) I became to understand that I was wearing the mask of Christianity. That my experiences of the Divine did not match up with what Christianity said I was supposed to experience. So, I learned to trust myself, my own experiences and my own (semi-rational) thoughts. (But don’t mistake my self-deprecating sense of humor with a lack of resolve…)

Many people have told me (in one form or another) - “You didn’t “do” Catholicism correctly”. I would disagree. I did everything a “good Catholic” does, and I believed it. Wholeheartedly. Went to daily mass. Confession monthly (sometimes weekly). Rosary. I spent hours in front of the tabernacle, and in front of the exposed Eucharist. I studied Church documents (even after leaving seminary). I taught, studied, lived, breathed, and worshiped in Catholicism. Even after I left Catholicism, I would still remind my wife when a Holy Day of Obligation was coming up.

I do also have theological objections, of course. But those can be discussed some other day.

So anger? Yeah. I’ve got a little. I am working on it though. The Christian God didn’t do anything to me, rather it was those who claim to follow It.

Doesn’t mean I’m planning on going back anytime soon, though. I won’t say “never” though. I used to say that “I’d never leave Catholicism” and we know how that turned out…

Goodness gracious!

This sounds good. So I still don’t understand why you left the Church. You left it because of others?

 

[cheese_sdc]

Yes, we’ve had this discussion before and I think you were not able to articulate Catholic teaching correctly. So what you are opposing is a pornographized version of Catholicism, I think.

Nah, I remember what it was. I was describing the lengths my wife and I went through to get pregnant while remaining within Catholic teaching. We used a local doctor affiliated with the Paul VI Institute to have our child.

However, when I was explaining it, I typed (I think) Pius XII Institute (instead of Paul VI).

That slip up cost me your trust. I debating PMing you and trying to “prove” my background, but eventually decided that there is no way to conclusively prove anything on the 'net. Also, I really don’t have anything to prove. I’ve been there, done that, and thrown away the t-shirt.

 

[cheese_sdc]

I am humbled to be in dialogue with someone who demonstrates humility on the CAFs.

I try. We had a very good sermon at the UU church a few weeks ago on the subject of zen “emptying”. One of the points he made was that a lot of us need to empty ourselves of our issues toward traditional Christianity and “empty our cup” of our preconceptions of Divinity. A lot of us carry lots of baggage associated with growing up in homes like I did, and that (in my case) anger and resentment isn’t always a good thing, or a healthy thing.

I will respectfully say that it’s quite weird to me what will set you off sometimes. We’ll be in a nice dialogue and then suddenly you’re like, “How dare you! I’m out of here!”

Yeah. Sorry. I really do apologize. I’ve really stopped even coming to this site b/c I could see what was happening. I’d be ticked off for the rest of the day. So I just come by every now and then and will post in a thread like this.

My response:

https://imgur.com/hy6ay

I deserve that.

 

[cheese_sdc]

This sounds good. So I still don’t understand why you left the Church. You left it because of others?

Nah. I had a paradigm shift, a powerful one, that led me to realize lots of stuff. I spent years trying to remain Catholic and work out my ****.

Catholicism has much that is good in it - the sacramental system (I think) reflects a deep reality of our world; that there is an intersection between the physical and metaphysical and that the world is inherently good.

The story of the Incarnation is powerful, as is the idea of Atonement (but I have to admit that Atonement is one major sticking point I have with Christianity).

 

[AllyC1991]

I’m not. I have been a cradle Catholic thanks be to God. But I absolutely LOVE converts! I know a lot of them and they are amazing and an absolute blessing!

 

[ora_pro_nobis]

brought up church of England, atheist from the age of 12 (it started as an act of rebellion), became Catholic at the age of 40 after discovering the Rosary.

 

[carmichael2359]

Catholicism to Unitarian Universalism.

The day I abandoned Christianity is one of my top 5 days of my life.

First, please accept my apology on behalf of those who so luridly misrepresented the Church. I am truly sorry for what was done to you in the perverted attempt to cram religion down your throat. While it is parental obligation to instruct, free will is necessary in faith matters, or it’s corrupted and does no good anyway. As members of the Church, we are one, and we are all responsible for each others’ actions. So, I really am truly sorry that they “caused one of these little ones to sin.”
That said, I believe something very wonderful about you. Despite it all, you are still “lurking” and to me that means there is still a flicker of interest in you. I hope that the way you are treated by members of the Church today makes up for the bad treatment you received when young. May I suggest, if you aren’t already doing this, work on forgiving. Its actually the gift you give to yourself. Maybe you’re already in the process, and if so, I congratulate you. Forgiving those who wronged you (and the Church, I might add) will allow you to move on.
I think you have the makings of the best kind of Catholic, because you’ve been tried by fire and you know what NOT to do. Best wishes, hang in there and don’t give up!

 

[Holly3278]

Yes, I converted to Catholicism in 2006.

 

[carmichael2359]

Baptized Lutheran, been a Protestant my entire life I’m in RCIA converting to Catholicism this Easter

Hey! Welcome to the club! I was ALC, before the Lutheran Church merged ALC and LCA into the ELCA. What branch were you?

 

[sojo]

Non-practicing Jew to Catholic! My husband was an atheist and converted to Catholic with me. Easter vigil is a BIG DEAL for us – its like a birthday and anniversary all wrapped up in one. We both still tear up if there are baptisms at Easter Vigil (usually there are, but we are a very tiny parish so sometimes not).

 

[carmichael2359]

brought up church of England, atheist from the age of 12 (it started as an act of rebellion), became Catholic at the age of 40 after discovering the Rosary.

That rosary is a wondrous thing, isn’t it? Its just amazing.

 

[carmichael2359]

We both still tear up if there are baptisms at Easter Vigil (usually there are, but we are a very tiny parish so sometimes not).
So do I! We’ve sponsored many people into the Church. Its just like a wedding. I also tear up at First Holy Communions and confirmations.

 

[PRmerger]

That person is me, not that anybody ASKED me, but the “free at last, lord almighty, I’m
free at last” was because I’m free of the curse of unbelieve. I’m not angry, I just call it as I see it. Perhaps Cheese was PROJECTING his feelings on to me.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[Kamaduck]

Baptized LCMS Lutheran > confirmed Catholic. Managed to hang out with a lot of other protestants in the process. Continuing to hang out with Lutherans.

Honestly, I’m still trying to figure out what it is to be Catholic, but I do know God called me here, so I’m going to do my best!

 

[bobbyhillisabro]

I grew up independent fundamental baptist. You know, the kind that teaches that Catholics are probably going to hell.

About a year ago I began to realize that Baptist doctrine was deficient when it came to baptism. Nowhere does the Bible teach that baptism is a symbol. And there are lots of places where it makes it clear that baptism actually communicates grace to you.

So I changed my views on baptism to a more sacramental view. The doctrine of the Real Presence of the Eucharist followed shortly thereafter. I am currently attending an LCMS church, but I haven’t been confirmed.

Changing my views on the sacraments led to further questions that I hadn’t anticipated. Now I’m wondering if I should be Catholic or Orthodox. It’s no fun not having a spiritual home.

Come on home to Rome, the waters fine

 

[EmergencyOps]

Southern Baptist > Catholic

Began studying Catholicism when I began dating the woman who is now my wife. She was a cradle Catholic, but never forced her faith on me. I tried converting her, but she could never answer my questions, so I had to look it up. A lot of what I thought I knew about Catholicism…turned out to be lies and half-truths.

Just ‘swam the Tiber’ on Easter. Such a deep Faith, with the fullness of Truth.

 

[Indifferently]

Interesting that many non RC religions lie about the RC Church. In many ways the reverse is true herhere in England.

 

[Guilou67]

I am not here to prod you one way or the other. But certain methodologies are likely to lead you to the terminus you find yourself going towards. As I say, fully investigate whatever church tradition it is you are presently in, find its reasons and justifications for itself first, and then, and only then, if you are not happy, consider your options.

Reasons and Justifications are not enough. He is looking for the fullest of the Truth. Let him do so. As you know there is only ONE truth… and the Church history will help him find it.