Asked to leave my Protestant Church

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Quote: “There is a lot of bad stuff going on in Protestant churches. I recently started trying to write a book about my experiences, but it is hard going. I doubt anyone will ever publish it; it’s not exactly pleasant reading.”

I can relate. A similar thing happened to my older brother. He taught Bible School at his local church. I’m not sure what kind of church it was, possibly non-denominational. He’d been teaching Bible School for some time, nobody had any problems with him; no one indicated that he should step down and give someone else a chance or anything of that nature.

One Sunday he got up and went to the podium to teach the Bible School portion of the service. He was turning through his Bible looking for his notes when suddenly a woman came up to him and told him she would teach Bible School that day. He was speechless. Nobody had said a word to him beforehand. She stood there, obviously insistant that he step aside. He said nothing, closed his bible, and quietly walked out of the church very hurt by what had happened.

Later that week he called the pastor and asked for an explaination. The pastor said that she had donated $5,000 to the church and wanted to teach Bible School. OK, no problem, my brother said, but why couldn’t the pastor have informed him of this beforehand? The pastor had no explaination and didn’t even apologize for what had happened. Well, this hurt my brother even more deeply.

To make a long story short, my brother didn’t go back to that church until a couple of years later… for his own funeral. Prior to his death, like a true Christian, he called the woman who forced him out of Bible School from his hospital bed and forgave her. She was quite distraught at his funeral and wept bitterly. The pastor had been replaced by the time of his death and did not officiate at his funeral.

All of this happened before my conversion to Catholicism. Indeed, after my brother’s death, followed quickly by my mother’s death, I wanted desperately to get closer to God, but quite frankly the thought of joining a Protestent church didn’t appeal to me. Once I got beyond the anti-Catholic myths I’d learned… well, the rest is His-story. :love:
 
Y’all aren’t describing Protestantism; you’re describing jerks. I’ve seen people hurt and destroyed in Protestant churches, so I know that it can happen. I myself have been on the receiving end of horrible things…and I was the pastor!

But don’t you realize that all of the grand catalog of Catholic atrocities against Protestants through history falls into the same category (if the Catholic version of that history is correct)?

I met a fellow once named Bob Joynt. The unusual name is Dutch, and very old. Some of his ancestors died at Catholic hands; others escaped to America. The family story states “They sailed away with the screams of burning Protestants yet ringing in their ears.”

I pointed out to him that some Catholic thereby became the first person in history to smoke a joynt. 😃

You had a bad experience? Take a number, please.

And, for all the readers, let me make a kind observation as someone who has been in leadership and who has been truly hated by people for whom I poured out my very life for years: there are two sides to every story, and your chance of hearing both sides is slim-to-none.
 
Yes, Kevan, there are two sides to every story.

And my Protestant church refused to listen to my side of the story. I wrote it up for them, so that they could see where I was coming from. They refused to even take it.
 
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Puzzled:
Cat,
It really was EFCA? The Evangelical Free (Evangelical = Lutheran, Free means not State-controlled) do not ordain women.

Nor are congregations that have that kind of rulership allowed into the EFCA. Even though you’ve found another place where you can follow Christ, you should still contact the district superintendent about this, for the sake of those still in that congregation.
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Could you be thinking of ELCA, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The term ‘Evangelical’ is not limited to Lutherans in its usage.

Peace -
 
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Anglo-catholic:
Dear Cat!

I’m afraid that you will have to grow a thicker skin if you are going to stick with the Roman Catholic Church for long. In your story you pointed out that you did not get “due process”; or and your treatment was un-scriptural. These remedies are not available within the RC church. Typically, decisions like you describe will come from the pastor and depending on the person - you might get a similar treatment. Their rule in the parish is near absolute.

As an ex-Roman Catholic I believe you will likely encounter dogma/ doctrines that you might question. This could be dangerous as it is not a subject for question - let alone debate - and not to be raised with clergy (You won’t be asked to leave, but your participation with groups, kids, etc. might be limited). That’s how I got the boot! Sorry to be pessimistic but the church is made up of people - and some are more dogmatic than Christian.

Most Catholics I have encountered in my 50 years with the RC church will be the cafeteria type - they will not make an issue of such matters and pretty much go along as they please. A common approach I have encountered is - "We don’t have to be all touchy and feely like the Protestants to attract or keep people, We have the true church. God bless your search.
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Dear AC,
I think your perceptions and memories are way off base. I have never met a priest who was not thrilled to get a tough doctrinal question from a parishioner. I asked a bunch when I was in various stages of returning to the Church. All of the clergy I know are more than happy to take time out of their VERY busy schedules to sit down and explain the faith to someone who really wants to know. They generally take their responsibility as teachers very seriously.
Yes there are some poorly catechised Catholics in every parish. Likewise, most non-Catholics I meet know nothing about the bible or the doctrines of their denom. They just enjoy the free entertainment at the Sunday meetings and the fellowship afterwards. IOW, religion for them is just a social activity. The myth that protestants are all into the scriptures is just that - a myth.
The trick, in any religion, is to seek out the fellowship of those who are actively living the faith and studying the scriptures. Every Catholic parish has at least one bible study group. My parish has three (one each in English, Spanish and Vietnamese). Catholics, get into bible study, join the choir, take a retreat, become a lector or EM, etc. etc. and meet the people who are living the faith and working to build the Kingdom. Your can strengthen one another as you learn to live the gospel.
Paul
 
Wow! what a thread! I was so intriqued by everyones stories, sorry I missed this back in July it would have really greabbed my attention!

By the way I’m a cradle Catholic, I love our church, I havn’t always but came back to the faith because I was never interested in going anywhere else for spiritual direction because deep down I knew the Catholic Church was the true CHurch. It was my ignorance of my faith that helped open my heart to God! (Trying to defend your faith with ignorance doesn’t work well) When I walked away I went on my own accord not from lack of scripture, or prayer, just rebellion. When I finally re-opened my heart The Holy spirit flooded in like a flash flood in the desert. I did not just stroll or walk but I ran back as fast as I could knowing full well what awaited me at the greatest event of our time. It happens today and everyday all over the world. What a remarkable gift Our Lord has left us on earth!

God Bless!
hoa
 
Cat, I will ask the Father to hug you for me as there is no distance with Him. Bless your heart. How painful it is to be stung by nettles when there was supposed to be fruit.
I know what you are talking about.
I believe that the Lord has plans for you which are much higher than you know. What a heart you have for Him.

JRKH (here at the forum) recommended I read a book by Ralph Martin called The Fulfillment of All Desire. It is wonderful and I believe it will help make sense out of some things you have gone through.

May the Lord comfort you and bless you.
 
Such painful stories.

Cat, I’m so glad you have found a home. Maybe now you can be “Cat curled up on the hearth by the warm fire.” 🙂

Petra: Hang in there. The annullment takes time but its on its way. The only defective person was the one who thought it was okay to date you when you were married but not when you were divorced!
 
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