Change in perspective

[OldeThom]

I want to share a thought with everyone, as naive and obvious as it may seem. In order for me to start to understand the Catholic Church (the Church), as a “cradle protestant”, I had to quit thinking like a protestant.

In brief, I had to change my perspective. Instead of comparing the Church to see how they deviated from my protestant views, I had to see how my views deviated from the Church. That simple change in perspective freed me from a great many biases, misconceptions, negative propaganda (for lack of a better term) and criticism I had acquired over the years. The inverse would apply to “cradle Catholics” trying to understand why protestants believe and act as they do.

It is no simple task to be sure, but well worth the endeavor. To take an old adage from an even older profession, “In order to understand your students, you must think like a student.”

What brought this to mind, was how I set about identifying and understanding those barriers in my own life to Christ’s love for her Church and indeed for the whole world. I did not begin to see those barriers until I was willing to change my perspective.

Respectfully,
Thom

 

[DianJo]

Wow! Congratulations!

I wish I could convey this to some other protestants in my life. That’s it - that’s what you have to do, change your perspective in order to “see” /understand the Catholic point of view and
Catholic teachings.

Now, your journey will be much more pleasant and profound, I think. Get ready to discover some absolutely wonderful truths!!

Have fun on your wild ride!!

 

[Teflon93]

Thom, I think you’re right on.

I was a Protestant for 35 years, and kicked around a good number of the main denominations. Whenever a given community turned out not to be “right for me”, I found another.

My wife did much the same.

After several years of jointly seeking what was “right for us” we gave in and considered what was right by God. We became Catholic.

No sooner had we decided to do so than our perception shifted. I was pro-death penalty; when I read the Catechism on the death penalty I realized that my views and those of the Church were not the same. After doing my homework, the wisdom of the Church’s position became obvious, but what also became obvious was that I needed to start prayerfully considering whether or not I was to adhere to the Church or attempt to make the Church adhere to me. Since Christ hadn’t appointed me Pope, and since I hadn’t endured for 2,000 years, it was a rather easy decision to make. The Church was right, I was wrong.

It was a liberating experience. I was a most inadequate Pope of The Atomic Church of Me; far better to avail myself of the wisdom of the Vicar of Christ on Earth than attempt to play theologian myself. I wasn’t willing to risk my soul on my own interpretation of Scripture—how could I know I wasn’t being self-serving in picking and choosing what to believe from it?

Christ founded the Church. He could have chosen to do anything else; he founded the Church. Trusting Christ, I trust the Church.

Where the Bride of Christ teaches something with which I personally disagree, it is no contest—she is right; I am wrong.

That change in perspective has made all the difference.