Baptist church

[SteveVH]

you must tell your future spouse that the bible is a man made book and not the word of god. A catholic christian must believe the divine church not the bible only. The word was crucified not the bible. Sola scriptura is not logical.

If you became Catholic, I would suggest that either you didn’t study well or you had RCIA teachers who didn’t know what they were talking about. To be very clear here, the Catholic Church proclaimed, and Catholics must believe, that the Bible is the word of God, not a man made book. Yes, we must follow the Church, both in its Tradition and in Holy Scripture. Your statement could not be more incorrect and is terribly misleading to someone who is searching.

 

[Marlow]

Marlow my brutha, I couldn’t agree more! I think that if you look at the TONE alone of how Catholics vs. home-brew Christian flavors speak of one another, the overwhelming love and respect in Catholicism overshadows the negativity and full-on potty-mouths the denomination-du-jour uses in overstating their belief. But to their credit, yelling is really the only thing they got going for them to get the attention of a Catholic to try to change their belief. It’s a Jedi-mind trick that doesn’t work on me tho’!

Thanks. I agree.

Then you must not read the board very deeply.

In fact, if you read this post:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=6292671&postcount=112
You will find something quite nasty a Catholic wrote – which even fellow Catholics were speaking out against. Evidently, this fundamentalist with a graduate degree in mathematics needs a “measurable IQ” according to one Catholic.

It goes both ways here.

Catholics in general do not go running off with the mouth in real life like some non-Catholics do. They come here to do it under generally anonymous usernames.

Usually, however, it is not in Catholic posts to us, but between Catholics about us. This makes it less `in your face’ and more easy to overlook.

Well, I was referring to my personal life, not the internet. But there are bitter and resentful people of all faiths. I’m new here, so i have not read that many posts. We shall see. So far this looks like a pretty friendly place. If there are Catholic bigots, I am not shy about pointing it out as well. Peace.

 

[Marlow]

Marlow my brutha, I couldn’t agree more! I think that if you look at the TONE alone of how Catholics vs. home-brew Christian flavors speak of one another, the overwhelming love and respect in Catholicism overshadows the negativity and full-on potty-mouths the denomination-du-jour uses in overstating their belief. But to their credit, yelling is really the only thing they got going for them to get the attention of a Catholic to try to change their belief. It’s a Jedi-mind trick that doesn’t work on me tho’!

Thanks. I agree.

Then you must not read the board very deeply.

In fact, if you read this post:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=6292671&postcount=112
You will find something quite nasty a Catholic wrote – which even fellow Catholics were speaking out against. Evidently, this fundamentalist with a graduate degree in mathematics needs a “measurable IQ” according to one Catholic.

It goes both ways here.

Catholics in general do not go running off with the mouth in real life like some non-Catholics do. They come here to do it under generally anonymous usernames.

Usually, however, it is not in Catholic posts to us, but between Catholics about us. This makes it less `in your face’ and more easy to overlook.

Well, I was referring to my personal life, not the internet. But there are bitter and resentful people of all faiths. I’m new here, so i have not read that many posts. We shall see. So far this looks like a pretty friendly place. If there are Catholic bigots, I am not shy about pointing it out as well. Peace.

 

[twiggymoo]

twiggymoo,

I was thinking about you and went back and read your story again. How are you? What did you decide to do? I think I recall you saying your wife is very anti-Catholic. Are you wanting to explore Catholicism? I was just wondering. There was so much sadness and despair in your post.

Anna

Anna,
I’ve been looking at the Catholic Church now for over 12 years. It’s a long story because I never dreamed that I would. But after 30 years of being confronted with various Protestant doctrines and belief systems I think I became very frustrated and confused, very often. Perhaps I was too overly concerned about things they don’t consider “essentials” of the faith, but then, I see so much, especially in Fundamentalism that doesn’t seem right. Pastors that manipulate and throw guilt-trips on people is just a small part of it. I sit in a 45-minute sermon every Sunday and pick apart in my head much of what is preached. I think that I am sitting here for 45 minutes and what is being preached should have some effect on my life and faith - but sometimes I leave wondering what I’m taking with me from the service that day. The church is pastor-centric - it revolves around him and what he thinks and feels.
The more I study about the Catholic Church the more I realize it takes Faith to believe their doctrines. Protestant fundamentalists like to boast that they believe the whole Bible, but they really don’t. Take John 6 for example - if they are literlalists, they would believe in the Eucharist. Praying to the saints takes faith too - but fundamentalists may as well believe the that dead Christians are really dead and have no eternal life if they do not believe that the dead saints can pray for them. Just last Sunday, a missionary was talking about how this person would pray for him every day, but when he died, he felt that those prayers had ceased - what faith! So that person that died, was really dead and not in Heaven praying! I could go on.

Regards, Don

 

[twiggymoo]

Anna,
I’ve been looking at the Catholic Church now for over 12 years. It’s a long story because I never dreamed that I would. But after 30 years of being confronted with various Protestant doctrines and belief systems I think I became very frustrated and confused, very often. Perhaps I was too overly concerned about things they don’t consider “essentials” of the faith, but then, I see so much, especially in Fundamentalism that doesn’t seem right. Pastors that manipulate and throw guilt-trips on people is just a small part of it. I sit in a 45-minute sermon every Sunday and pick apart in my head much of what is preached. I think that I am sitting here for 45 minutes and what is being preached should have some effect on my life and faith - but sometimes I leave wondering what I’m taking with me from the service that day. The church is pastor-centric - it revolves around him and what he thinks and feels.
The more I study about the Catholic Church the more I realize it takes Faith to believe their doctrines. Protestant fundamentalists like to boast that they believe the whole Bible, but they really don’t. Take John 6 for example - if they are literlalists, they would believe in the Eucharist. Praying to the saints takes faith too - but fundamentalists may as well believe the that dead Christians are really dead and have no eternal life if they do not believe that the dead saints can pray for them. Just last Sunday, a missionary was talking about how this person would pray for him every day, but when he died, he felt that those prayers had ceased - what faith! So that person that died, was really dead and not in Heaven praying! I could go on.

Regards, Don

Oh, and yes, my wife was raised Catholic in Italy; we met in 30 years ago while I was in the army - she was devout.
Coming the States, we lived across the street from a holiness preacher, he invited us to Church and shortly thereafter, she got saved and so did I. I think what draws Catholics out of the Church to Fundamentalism is that they preach with passion and seem to “know” they are saved beyond a doubt and people want to “know” that they are ok with God. Also, some need to be told what to do and how to live, they are quite content in being subject to some of the most abusive treatment. Not saying that my wife is such, for she has her issues with them too - but is not ready to make the swim back across the Tiber, as it stands now, I don’t think she ever will - but who knows…pray for us.
Don

 

[SteveVH]

Oh, and yes, my wife was raised Catholic in Italy; we met in 30 years ago while I was in the army - she was devout.
Coming the States, we lived across the street from a holiness preacher, he invited us to Church and shortly thereafter, she got saved and so did I. I think what draws Catholics out of the Church to Fundamentalism is that they preach with passion and seem to “know” they are saved beyond a doubt and people want to “know” that they are ok with God. Also, some need to be told what to do and how to live, they are quite content in being subject to some of the most abusive treatment. Not saying that my wife is such, for she has her issues with them too - but is not ready to make the swim back across the Tiber, as it stands now, I don’t think she ever will - but who knows…pray for us.
Don

I will pray for you also. God loves an honest heart.

 

[Anna_Scott]

Anna,
I’ve been looking at the Catholic Church now for over 12 years. It’s a long story because I never dreamed that I would. But after 30 years of being confronted with various Protestant doctrines and belief systems I think I became very frustrated and confused, very often. Perhaps I was too overly concerned about things they don’t consider “essentials” of the faith, but then, I see so much, especially in Fundamentalism that doesn’t seem right. Pastors that manipulate and throw guilt-trips on people is just a small part of it. I sit in a 45-minute sermon every Sunday and pick apart in my head much of what is preached. I think that I am sitting here for 45 minutes and what is being preached should have some effect on my life and faith - but sometimes I leave wondering what I’m taking with me from the service that day. The church is pastor-centric - it revolves around him and what he thinks and feels.
The more I study about the Catholic Church the more I realize it takes Faith to believe their doctrines. Protestant fundamentalists like to boast that they believe the whole Bible, but they really don’t. Take John 6 for example - if they are literlalists, they would believe in the Eucharist. Praying to the saints takes faith too - but fundamentalists may as well believe the that dead Christians are really dead and have no eternal life if they do not believe that the dead saints can pray for them. Just last Sunday, a missionary was talking about how this person would pray for him every day, but when he died, he felt that those prayers had ceased - what faith! So that person that died, was really dead and not in Heaven praying! I could go on.

Regards, Don

Oh, and yes, my wife was raised Catholic in Italy; we met in 30 years ago while I was in the army - she was devout.
Coming the States, we lived across the street from a holiness preacher, he invited us to Church and shortly thereafter, she got saved and so did I. I think what draws Catholics out of the Church to Fundamentalism is that they preach with passion and seem to “know” they are saved beyond a doubt and people want to “know” that they are ok with God. Also, some need to be told what to do and how to live, they are quite content in being subject to some of the most abusive treatment. Not saying that my wife is such, for she has her issues with them too - but is not ready to make the swim back across the Tiber, as it stands now, I don’t think she ever will - but who knows…pray for us.
Don

I can see you are in a very difficult situation. I am visiting a very conservative Episcopal Church. I welcome the liturgy and reverence in the services. I find that I am much more focused on God, than when I was attending Baptist Churches–with the professional musicians, live orchestras, etc. As I’ve said many times, I reached a point where Sunday Services felt more like a spectator sport than a worship service.

I will pray for you and your wife. I know you will continue to pray and seek God’s will for your wife and yourself.

I can’t say that I have ruled out the possibility of Catholicism. If I had a choice between returning to the Baptist Church and converting to Catholicism; I would be Catholic in about 5 minutes (not that they’d take me that quickly, but you know what I mean.)

May God’s peace be with you,
Anna

 

[twiggymoo]

I will pray for you also. God loves an honest heart.

Thanks Steve.

 

[twiggymoo]

I can see you are in a very difficult situation. I am visiting a very conservative Episcopal Church. I welcome the liturgy and reverence in the services. I find that I am much more focused on God, than when I was attending Baptist Churches–with the professional musicians, live orchestras, etc. As I’ve said many times, I reached a point where Sunday Services felt more like a spectator sport than a worship service.

I will pray for you and your wife. I know you will continue to pray and seek God’s will for your wife and yourself.

I can’t say that I have ruled out the possibility of Catholicism. If I had a choice between returning to the Baptist Church and converting to Catholicism; I would be Catholic in about 5 minutes (not that they’d take me that quickly, but you know what I mean.)

May God’s peace be with you,
Anna

Perhaps we should leave Fundamentalism and go towards a main line denomination for now, sort of like approaching the outer banks of the Tiber from out of the wilderness.

Thank you for your prayers and thoughts.
Don

 

[crazzeto]

I can see you are in a very difficult situation. I am visiting a very conservative Episcopal Church. I welcome the liturgy and reverence in the services. I find that I am much more focused on God, than when I was attending Baptist Churches–with the professional musicians, live orchestras, etc. As I’ve said many times, I reached a point where Sunday Services felt more like a spectator sport than a worship service.

I will pray for you and your wife. I know you will continue to pray and seek God’s will for your wife and yourself.

I can’t say that I have ruled out the possibility of Catholicism. If I had a choice between returning to the Baptist Church and converting to Catholicism; I would be Catholic in about 5 minutes (not that they’d take me that quickly, but you know what I mean.)

May God’s peace be with you,
Anna

You should try out the CC Anna, beleive it or not you’re already pretty Catholic already. Why stop half way?

 

[Anna_Scott]

You should try out the CC Anna, beleive it or not you’re already pretty Catholic already. Why stop half way?

People keep telling me that.

I am in a rather odd situation. Protestants “accuse” me of “sounding Catholic;” but I’m not quite Catholic enough to covert to Catholicism. I’m kinda stuck in the middle.

Anna

 

[Anna_Scott]

Perhaps we should leave Fundamentalism and go towards a main line denomination for now, sort of like approaching the outer banks of the Tiber from out of the wilderness.

Thank you for your prayers and thoughts.
Don

Seems like you have a lot of people praying for you.

Anna

 

[scottj]

Young fellow, I will certainly be praying for the Holy Spirit to lead you in the right direction of how to handle your circumstance with your baptist gf.
All I can offer from my own personal experience is that mixing religions did not work well for me. It was not the reason for my divorce, but it should didn’t help things out. I can say that my insides would cringe and twist when he would take digs at my religion. I’ve since become deeper in my own faith and have received my abscene of canonical. For myself, I can not even contemplate marrying outside my faith now. For myself, to have a spouse next to me during Mass, taking communion together - WOW - the thought makes my heart and soul sing to think that.
Now this is not to say that a mixed marriage can not work, but it will take alot of work on BOTH parts. You need to follow your heart, pray on this hard and then be quiet and listen to His answer- whatever it may be, either yes or no.
And should you gf talk of conversion, please make sure she doesn’t convert to please you, but because the Holy Spirit moved her to become Catholic.

 

[Roblox84]

Young fellow, I will certainly be praying for the Holy Spirit to lead you in the right direction of how to handle your circumstance with your baptist gf.
All I can offer from my own personal experience is that mixing religions did not work well for me. It was not the reason for my divorce, but it should didn’t help things out. I can say that my insides would cringe and twist when he would take digs at my religion. I’ve since become deeper in my own faith and have received my abscene of canonical. For myself, I can not even contemplate marrying outside my faith now. For myself, to have a spouse next to me during Mass, taking communion together - WOW - the thought makes my heart and soul sing to think that.
Now this is not to say that a mixed marriage can not work, but it will take alot of work on BOTH parts. You need to follow your heart, pray on this hard and then be quiet and listen to His answer- whatever it may be, either yes or no.
And should you gf talk of conversion, please make sure she doesn’t convert to please you, but because the Holy Spirit moved her to become Catholic.

We did have a long conversation again the other day after the first one was a disaster. It did turn out pretty good and I seemed to prove a lot of points about Catholicism that made her think quite a bit. But even if she did think that Catholics have a better point, I think that the Catholic faith in general doesn’t appeal because she said it’s so boring and she gets nothing out of it. Like someone stated in the thread, the Baptist faith is really pastor-centric and they go to church to only study the bible as opposed to Catholics that go to church to worship the Lord and only speak for a few minutes about scripture. So I can understand that she might learn more scripture at her church, but I always thought that church was to go to worship Christ instead of worshiping the bible, but then I may be wrong.

 

[twiggymoo]

We did have a long conversation again the other day after the first one was a disaster. It did turn out pretty good and I seemed to prove a lot of points about Catholicism that made her think quite a bit. But even if she did think that Catholics have a better point, I think that the Catholic faith in general doesn’t appeal because she said it’s so boring and she gets nothing out of it. Like someone stated in the thread, the Baptist faith is really pastor-centric and they go to church to only study the bible as opposed to Catholics that go to church to worship the Lord and only speak for a few minutes about scripture. So I can understand that she might learn more scripture at her church, but I always thought that church was to go to worship Christ instead of worshiping the bible, but then I may be wrong.

Rolox,
Yes, Baptists like to talk about Scripture - but they twist it every which way. I think the sophists among them like to fit their theology into Scripture and are quite adept at it. It’s like our Greater Works debt reduction program at our Church - they solicit donations from the congregation promising God’s blessings if they give more - Tetzel did this in the 16th century didn’t he in selling indulgences.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Tetzel did this in the 16th century didn’t he in selling indulgences.

Indulgences were not then and never have been for sale. Yes, he preached (similar to what the Baptist church you describe is doing) that blessings could be gained from giving money to help fund the building of St Peter’s Cathedral, but “It is not denied that a doctrine like that of the indulgences, which in some aspects was still a disputable subject in the schools, was open to misunderstanding by the laity; that the preachers in the heat of rhetorical enthusiasm fell into exaggerated statements, or that the financial considerations attached, though not of an obligatory character, led to abuse and scandal. The opposition to indulgences, not to the doctrine—which remains the same to this day—but to the mercantile methods pursued in preaching them, was not new or silent.” (Source)

 

[Mark01]

Pixie Dust
Love the signature " Battling Unsinkable Rubber Ducks since 06"

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Pixie Dust
Love the signature " Battling Unsinkable Rubber Ducks since 06"

Thanks. It makes me sad sometimes that some forum members are so quick to click on the “Report Post” button when new members come in and try to “save” us poor lost Catholics.

A lot of times they don’t realize what they’re saying is offensive - they’re just repeating what they’ve been told, after all. If the Catholic posters here would just be a little more patient and explain the true teachings of the Church with grace and charity, we would begin to build bridges of understanding, rather than deepen the chasm of misconceptions that divides us. The anti-Catholic is never going to learn the truth if they get banned their first few days here.

 

[Darron_Steele]

We did have a long conversation again the other day after the first one was a disaster. It did turn out pretty good and I seemed to prove a lot of points about Catholicism that made her think quite a bit. But even if she did think that Catholics have a better point, I think that the Catholic faith in general doesn’t appeal because she said it’s so boring and she gets nothing out of it. Like someone stated in the thread, the Baptist faith is really pastor-centric and they go to church to only study the bible as opposed to Catholics that go to church to worship the Lord and only speak for a few minutes about scripture. So I can understand that she might learn more scripture at her church, but I always thought that church was to go to worship Christ instead of worshiping the bible, but then I may be wrong.

You pass on to her the warped attitude

“the Baptist faith is really pastor-centric and they go to church only to study the Bible and as opposed to Catholics that go to church to worship the Lord”​

and that she is "worshiping the Bible"and you will endanger your relationship.

If she picks up that you are getting this perception of her and her church group from Catholics, her chances of ever respecting Catholicism will also drop drastically. Further, for allowing yourself to think these things about her, she might very likely dump you with bitter feelings.

This is not a game. It might feel like it is because this is an Internet discussion board, but this is not unrelated to the real world. Those things might feel good to say, but which do you love more: saying these things, or your girlfriend?

Now, as for reality: to many Christians, paying attention to the written Word of God is a very important form of worship. Think about it: if you believed that God went to a great deal of trouble to write a Book for you, does it not make sense that you would think God wanted you to pay attention to it? I think so.

Listening to someone you think is important is a sign of respect. God is important. It makes sense that if we think God is important, we ought to spend a great deal of time listening/reading to what He has to say to us.

For Catholics, the Eucharist is the center of worship. For many other Christians, listening to God by paying attention to what He says to us in His Book is the center of worship.

There is nothing to be gained by getting worked up against Baptists by your Catholic friends' here who are having some fun under the livery of helping’ you – but ultimately will not have to feel the heartache they are leading you toward.

If your girlfriend is really important to you, there is more to this issue than `Which is better.’ There are your feelings, her feelings, and a happy, harmonious relationship of love and mutual respect.

Here is the deal: if you want your girlfriend to respect your faith, you will need to try to respect hers. Anyone who is trying to lead you to do otherwise is gratifying themselves, not helping you.

 

[Mark01]

There is nothing to be gained by getting worked up against Baptists by your Catholic friends' here who are having some fun under the livery of helping’ you – but ultimately will not have to feel the heartache they are leading you toward.

If your girlfriend is really important to you, there is more to this issue than `Which is better.’ There are your feelings, her feelings, and a happy, harmonious relationship of love and mutual respect.

Here is the deal: if you want your girlfriend to respect your faith, you will need to try to respect hers. Anyone who is trying to lead you to do otherwise is gratifying themselves, not helping you.

Very true words Darron

“Mutual respect” is very difficult to obtain, when both parties are not working towards it, I caution the young man in the OP, It will be a very difficult relationship, the differances between Catholics and Baptist are many and it has been my experiance that there is quite a bit of prejudice as well.

I’ll keep praying for you my friend