Catholic Converts: What was the last straw that made you left the Protestant Churches?

[love4mary]

History!..When I left the darkness of atheism and found out that there really IS God, I just knew that I needed to find a church where I could go to learn more.

I studied every protestant faith I could (I live in the “Bible Belt” south so protestant faiths far out number Catholic-least in my area). Methodist, Baptist, Church of God, Church of Christ and so on and so on. The doctrines varied between them all, not just the little “t” traditions which is expected and understood, but the major big “T” traditions where different. Baptism, Communion, Salvation, etc…The core teachings of Jesus Himself differed with them. How could this be? It went back to History, every single protestant faith, bar none, was started by man, beginning with Martin Luther. I wanted to find the church started by Jesus Himself.

Easter Vigil 2004 I was received into Holy Mother Church,the ONE and ONLY Church started by Jesus Christ.

Protestants are wonderful faithfilled God loving people who truly want only to serve our Lord with energy and love, I have personally learned a great deal from them all and love to share my love of Jesus with them. But no matter how much they love our Lord and Saviour and follow Him, they are missing the most Important, the very Core of Christianity, and that is the EUCHARIST:thumbsup:

Study history folks, its not only fun, but it will lead you home.

 

[TAquinas]

I studied the writings of the Church Fathers–not exhaustively, but enough to know how they stood on important issues. I studied early Church history, enough to realize that the early Church was Catholic—no getting around that one! I realized that Jesus meant exactly what he said when he said that the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church. Since Jesus said this can’t happen, any theory that the church “fell”, vanished, disappeared, or otherwise cease to exist for centuries until the 1500s is wrong from the word “go”. There must be a Church that endures and can teach authoritatively. Then there was the witness of the Saints. The ones on earth who were most like Jesus. The Catholic Church was the church of the Saints. I came to see that the Catholic Church was the One, True, Church. And since it was, what was I doing not in it? That was the last straw. I couldn’t justify remaining out of the One, True, Church.

 

[ChadS]

For me, like many here, it was never one straw, but it was little things that kept piling up until remaining a Protestant became completely untenable.

Growing up, even as a Methodist, I had a deep and profound respect for communion. I knew we didn’t believe in the real presence like Catholics, but I thought it should mean more than just being symbolic. It wasn’t until I was on my journey that I started to study Catholic theology on the Eucharist but I knew there had to be more to it. About a month before I quit going to the Methodist church we had celebrated communion and I asked the pastor what they do with the blessed grape juice and bread we had just consumed as the “body and blood of Christ.” He said they put the grape juice back and he took the bread home. The answer didn’t surprise me since it’s perfectly in line with their theology, but at that moment I knew there had to be more to communion. The next time they celebrated communion (a month later) I knew I couldn’t in good conscience take communion.

All at the same time I heard about Cardinal Newman’s phrase that “to go deep into history was to cease being Protestant.” I thought that was a pretty bold claim. So instead of relying on what Protestants said Catholics believed I started to read the Catechism, Church fathers, theology and history. Guess what I discovered? The early church contained all the things that make the Catholic church distinctive. As a history major I couldn’t ignore this evidence. The arguments made by the majority of Protestants to show the Catholic Church was wrong just started to make less and less sense and seemed woefully incomplete while the Catholic answers made more and more sense.

It also made more sense to me that if Jesus was the way, the truth and the light then he would only want one church with one set of teachings that went back to Christ and the apostles rather than a multitude of denominations that teach shades of gray on everything and anything.

So it was many things, not just one. It was both an intellectual and spiritual conversion.

ChadS

 

[Brian_C]

What was the last doctrinal issue? All of them! I found this site and started reading the Catholic perspective. In light of the Fathers’ and 2000 years of Church history, how could I argue!

 

[Jeanette_L]

There were so many issues, I don’t know if there could be just one last straw. I know that one thing that really affected me deeply was the Church’s understanding of the redemptive quality of suffering. There’s absolutely nothing like it in the Protestant world. And as one who has suffered on many levels, as all of us do in this life in some form or another, to not have a way of reconciling it with my faith was devestating, and a cause for what seemed like constant crisis in my faith journey.

Now, as a Catholic with a richer understanding of suffering and it’s role in redemption, I no longer feel alienated from God, but actually closer to Him when I suffer. Suffering is not something I long for, but I can much better accept it now as part of my faith, not try to deal with it apart from my faith.

Does that make sense?

 

[Hellisreal]

That is a big one. If you dont mind, I do have a friend in the ECLA that most likely does not know this!

I bet she would get out right away if she knew!

Finding out that the ECLA’s insurance policy (the one provided to all ELCA employees, including pastors) covered abortion.

That, and I began to see the inherent flaws in sola scriptura as I studied the Church’s teachings.

 

[heathernoel]

What was the final doctrinal issue that made you leave the variety of Protestant churches?

There were a few. I had issues with ‘communion’ in that I felt unworthy of receiving it, and my Reverend really did nothing to help me understand His sacrifice.

Second, I never knew when or why we were ‘celebrating communion’. It seemed like there was NO schedule. (This was a Methodist church).

Then, I began to see a lot of hypocricy in the “Good Works” doctrine that flowed from the church. Many of the people were incredibly self serving. The Catholic Church performs Good Works from a sincere desire to walk in Jesus’ footsteps. It’s very powerful.

I had to study the Reformation all over again. I was also blown away by the idea that the CHurch was founded by Jesus…the others, by man.

Finally, the idea of ‘communion of saints’. I blindly dove into getting my children baptized into the Church because I was getting pressured to do so. Our Deacon explained to me that the “Communion of Saints” meant that I could experience my Mother during the Eucharistic Celebration. I was BLOWN away.

Since joining RCIA, I discovered a laundry list of reasons that the Protestant Churches were not sound.

 

[allofgrace]

There were so many issues, I don’t know if there could be just one last straw. I know that one thing that really affected me deeply was the Church’s understanding of the redemptive quality of suffering. There’s absolutely nothing like it in the Protestant world. And as one who has suffered on many levels, as all of us do in this life in some form or another, to not have a way of reconciling it with my faith was devestating, and a cause for what seemed like constant crisis in my faith journey.

Now, as a Catholic with a richer understanding of suffering and it’s role in redemption, I no longer feel alienated from God, but actually closer to Him when I suffer. Suffering is not something I long for, but I can much better accept it now as part of my faith, not try to deal with it apart from my faith.

Does that make sense?

It makes perfect sense Jeanette - in fact, I can relate to what you say. I have been told, as Job was, that my faith is weak because I don’t name it and claim it when suffering comes. I had had a “catastropic injury” (Social Security’s terminology) and was unable to work when I found Mother Angelica on tv talking about the Catholic theology of suffering. She got me through and started me on a two year study of the Catholic faith along with my Episcopal priest, his wife and my mother. Two years later (1993) I came into full communion with the Church. My priest had to wait for a rescript from Cardinal Ratzinger and when it came, I attended his ordination in 1996.

 

[SemperFidelis]

Reading these scripture verses right here started me on my journey:

John 6:53-58, 66-67
“So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.’ After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Will you also go away?’”

1 Corinthians 11:27
“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.”

These verses played the largest part as I searched for the “One, True, Church”. These two verses narrowed it down to two (Catholic and Orthodox) and made my search much easier. These verses are so plain and straight forward I can’t quite figure out how protestants get around them.

 

[Hlafdige]

I left Evangelicalism because what you saw was not what you got.

You saw gradual changes in matters which were seemingly superficial, and what you got was cynical, manipulative „church transitioning“ by a leadership clique that was not up-front about the neo-pentecostal and prosperity-gospel baggage of the practices they were bringing in. (These people have a better grasp of the concept „lex orandi, lex credendi“ – a way of worship is a way of belief – than some Catholics!)

You heard worship choruses that went on and on and the talk of their alleged appeal to the youth, you saw events titled „Night of Worship“, „March for Jesus“, etc. and what you got was fringe-charismatic liturgy with whole bodies of theory behind it: how certain types of singing bring on Toronto Blessing-style signs and wonders, how Nights of Worship (under that name) are meant to bring on Christ‘s second coming by turning a charismatic elite into a collective „Son of God“, and how Marches for Jesus (under that name) originated as a method of magick intended to take back cities from territorial demons who supposedly rule them. None of this was ever openly discussed, and asking the pastor and an elder about it in private was answered with killer phrases about believing conspiracy theories.

I wondered how God could let that happen, and honest enquiry led me to the conviction that trying to „do church“ without Church, without Tradition, without the Eucharist, without any practical notion of a Communion of Saints that extends beyond the generations now coming, now making up the rules as they go, and now passing – that is what makes that happen.

I became Catholic less than five years ago, and though evangelical communities are still „transitioned“ in the same deceptive way at the cost of much heartbreak and financial impropriety, what they transition to has since changed several times. The neo-pentecostal stuff is pretty much passé, Willow Creek is passé, „purpose-driven“ is on its way out, and now „emergent“ (apparently an eclectic mix of religious practices and beliefs) is the thing to be. It just really goes to show.

 

[wanner47]

That is a big one. If you dont mind, I do have a friend in the ECLA that most likely does not know this!

I bet she would get out right away if she knew!

Go ahead.

Here are some lovely tidbits from their statement on abortion:

A developing life in the womb does not have an absolute right to be born, nor does a pregnant woman have an absolute right to terminate a pregnancy.

Because we believe that God is the creator of life, the number of induced abortions is a source of deep concern to this church. We mourn the loss of life that God has created.[A] The strong Christian presumption is to preserve and protect life. Abortion ought to be an option only of last resort.

Marriage is the appropriate context for sexual intercourse. This continues to be the position of this church. We affirm that the goodness of sexual intercourse goes beyond its procreative purpose.[3] Whenever sexual intercourse occurs apart from the intent to conceive, the use of contraceptives is the responsibility of the man and of the woman.

(Unless, of course, you’re homosexual, in which case sex outside of marriage is fine and dandy.)

Because of our conviction that both the life of the woman and the life in her womb must be respected by law, this church opposes:

the total lack of regulation of abortion;

legislation that would outlaw abortion in all circumstances; (emphasis mine)

laws that prevent access to information about all options available to women faced with unintended pregnancies;

laws that deny access to safe and affordable services for morally justifiable abortions;

mandatory or coerced abortion or sterilization;

laws that prevent couples from practicing contraception;

laws that are primarily intended to harass those contemplating or deciding for an abortion.

The ELCA also recently released a statement saying that active homosexual clergy were just fine and dandy as long as they are in “committed relationships.”

If I hadn’t already left ELCA, I would have at that point.

 

[Linnyo]

I didn’t like what was happening in a church I went to. People were howling like wolves, folks were being pushed over by pastors ‘laying on hands’ and to top it, when I tried to leave, somebody blocked the door and called the pastor over to pray for me because I was ‘obviously possessed’ by the devil! I did manage to push my way out but was subjected to people pestering me to accept their prayers - after all - they were only trying to get rid of the devil for me!

I decided it was time to go for a safe church where everything is regulated.

 

[ChadS]

I didn’t like what was happening in a church I went to. People were howling like wolves, folks were being pushed over by pastors ‘laying on hands’ and to top it, when I tried to leave, somebody blocked the door and called the pastor over to pray for me because I was ‘obviously possessed’ by the devil! I did manage to push my way out but was subjected to people pestering me to accept their prayers - after all - they were only trying to get rid of the devil for me!

I decided it was time to go for a safe church where everything is regulated.

Wow, that must’ve been quite an experience. I don’t know if that church belonged to a denomination or not but it sounds like it probably had a very charismatic leader with a pretty strong single-mindedness among the members.

ChadS

 

[BrewMax]

What was the final doctrinal issue that made you leave the variety of Protestant churches?

Well I have been attending a different church now once in a while to be with my wife and kid on Sunday mornings and seem to be getting much more out of it. Many folks have left our local parish to seek other churches. Can’t really blame them with the child sex thing and all happening. The church really seems to be falling apart. Just my thoughts though.

 

[Linnyo]

Wow, that must’ve been quite an experience. I don’t know if that church belonged to a denomination or not but it sounds like it probably had a very charismatic leader with a pretty strong single-mindedness among the members.

ChadS

Yes - it was a charismatic non-denom. Lots of people were uncomfortable with what happened that night and lots of people were hurt in one way or another. That is the kind of thing that cults are made of.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Well I have been attending a different church now once in a while to be with my wife and kid on Sunday mornings and seem to be getting much more out of it. Many folks have left our local parish to seek other churches. Can’t really blame them with the child sex thing and all happening. The church really seems to be falling apart. Just my thoughts though.

The “child sex” thing is, percentage-wise, more of a problem in Protestant churches. Don’t let the media fool you.

I would recommend you get “Seven Secrets of the Eucharist” and “The Mass Explained” from www.catholicity.com. There is really and truly much more to “get out of it” at a Mass than at any Protestant church.

 

[LuxDei]

Interestingly, since I am usually a really logical person, I was initially drawn to the Catholic Church not because of doctrine but because of other, more “shallow” reasons. The architecture/stained glass of the mid-1800s-cathedral-style church that I walked past every morning was so stunning and beautiful, and so much great art, music, and literature has Catholic roots. The Church has had an immense impact on so much of history, theology/philosophy, etc…I can’t think of one part of our culture that the Catholic Church hasn’t been (at least at one time) influential in shaping. Another thing was that my whole family was raised Catholic, but pretty much everyone besides my grandparents left and became Protestants/Non-Denominational Christians, and I felt like I was missing out on my heritage. I also thought the idea of the saints and their intercession was really interesting.

And so yeah, those reasons and a few others got me looking into the Catholic Church’s teachings/doctrine, which I assumed I would not be able to agree with. But I was wrong. At first, some things tripped me up, as I was a very liberal/“wordly” person, but the more I studied and wrestled with the things I didn’t understand or agree with, the more I came to understand and agree with the Church. And there were lots of other things that I fell on the Catholic side about right away (free will vs. predestination, among other things).

I went to a Mass with my Irish Catholic grandma and actually passed out (for the first time in my entire life) during the consecration from being so overwhelmed by the beauty of it all. At that point, it was clear, I needed to be “Rome Sweet Home.”

After that it still took a while for me to make the changes I needed to and to go through RCIA, but now I’m a full-fledged, passionate Catholic! And I couldn’t be more thrilled. Can’t wait to see where the journey takes me next.

 

[allofgrace]

What was the final doctrinal issue that made you leave the variety of Protestant churches?

It was studying Protestantism and finding out where the doctrines come from and how loosely connected to the Bible those doctrines really are. Most Protestants don’t know and don’t want to know. I did not come to the Catholic Church for another decade after I said, “I can no longer justify being Protestant” and I walked out the back door of my Protestant Church and LITERALLY wiped my feet on the mat going out. I have had no regrets.

 

[juliamajor]

Well I have been attending a different church now once in a while to be with my wife and kid on Sunday mornings and seem to be getting much more out of it. Many folks have left our local parish to seek other churches. Can’t really blame them with the child sex thing and all happening. The church really seems to be falling apart. Just my thoughts though.

When adversity comes that is how we are truly tested. scandals have been in the church since inception-and they will always be there since it is made up of people who are sinners. Does that mean we were left and dry by Christ ? He has never nor will ever leave His church - that is what he promised. As far as a “scandal” stuff it exists in all churches no matter how the media portrayed it. I’ve been on several Protestant Websites that advertise help for the big problem their churches are facing- child abuse . I remember reading in Christianity Today Years ago that sex scandal involving children would be the biggest problem facing Christianity in general.They were right on the money.

 

[ChadS]

Yes - it was a charismatic non-denom. Lots of people were uncomfortable with what happened that night and lots of people were hurt in one way or another. That is the kind of thing that cults are made of.

I refrained from using the word cult but I’m glad you did because that’s exactly what it sounded like to me.

ChadS