Conversion stories: Catholic & Protestant

[OnlyAmbrose]

In reference to the original post, and perhaps more on the practical side and less on the spiritual side, ex-Catholics are angry at the Church because there is a Church to hate. Protestant sects are generally less organized and focused far more on the personal and parish (or whatever they call individual churches) level, at least in my experience. The Catholic Church is far more vast and its hierarchy more impersonal- it is far easier to be angry at an impersonal entity whose reaches stretch across the globe than your little old Methodist pastor.

On the spiritual side it makes sense as well. Those leaving the Catholic Church are possibly heeding to the influences of Satan, and I can see anger as a typical side-effect of that. Sometimes we willingly make ourselves angry, and even when we find that our anger is unfounded we retain it because we have a certain pleasure in anger, justified or no. On the other hand, Protestants converting to Catholicism are moving closer to God and His true ways, and I would find it hard to be angry when I am walking into the open arms of Jesus.

 

[spauline]

Thank you Scott for your inspirational words and insights, I really have received refreshment from them this evening. I appreciate so much the fellowship I sense on this forum and thank God for it. Thank you for your prayers and I will add you and yours to mine also.

God Bless and Merry Christmas if we don’t bump into each other until then!

You’re welcome, Jeannette, and thank you for your prayers as well. And Merry Christmas!

In Her Love,
scott

 

[BBoy]

People who leave the Church have been led away from truth…no wonder why they are mad

 

[JoeyWarren]

But we always have hope, until the last breath of life! Divine Mercy can reach a lost soul even then.

So, I agree with AlegreFe’s great and timeless advice, prayer is never wasted! I may get frustrated at times because I want fast answers, but we all have to be patient and leave the timeline, method and outcome to God.

hope and prayer is all I have for them…It is never wasted…

 

[JoeyWarren]

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeyWarren
Not true in its entirety, their hearts are hardened as in Meribah. Some are truely lost to us.

Alegre said: I’m afraid he’s right Manny.

16 If anyone sees his brother sinning, if
the sin is not deadly, he should pray
to God and he will give him life. This is
only for those whose sin is not deadly.
There is such a thing as deadly sin, about
which I do not say that you should pray.
17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin
that is not deadly. 1 Jn 5:16-17

But part of me still has hope for my brother.
I do not know what is really in his heart. Perhaps he has this “macho” attitude to “hide” what he would think is “weak” for a man. So maybe inside there is a spark of something good. I do believe that there is something good in him. After all God made him so I try to find good in everyone.

So I would really appreciate your prayers for my brother. Thanks in advance.

My Dad, Step-mom, and ones sister of two and two brothers of 3 are very anti-catholic. My heart tells me to keep praying for them, but my intellect tells me it is a waste. Why? One brother in particular is a Church of God Bishop, the others mentioned can see no wrong in this brother who is a Bishop. The sun rises and sets in him.

How do they percieve my brother and I? My brother is the Apostle Paul. I am seen as the Apostle Judas Iscariot.

This family of mine is also the epitome of trailer park trash rednecks. History is not an option for them, the KJV they hold is their hands every day is all they need.

Mentalities like this are in my honest opinion are lost to any reasonable chance of seeing the truth.

The lines of communication will remain open, but any get togethers are not an option as long as they truely believe that Catholics are not saved.

I will continue to pray for them, but that is all I can do. My family (my wife and two children ) must go forward with God and his church he created…

 

[spauline]

My Dad, Step-mom, and ones sister of two and two brothers of 3 are very anti-catholic. My heart tells me to keep praying for them, but my intellect tells me it is a waste. Why? One brother in particular is a Church of God Bishop, the others mentioned can see no wrong in this brother who is a Bishop. The sun rises and sets in him.

How do they percieve my brother and I? My brother is the Apostle Paul. I am seen as the Apostle Judas Iscariot.

This family of mine is also the epitome of trailer park trash rednecks. History is not an option for them, the KJV they hold is their hands every day is all they need.

Mentalities like this are in my honest opinion are lost to any reasonable chance of seeing the truth.

The lines of communication will remain open, but any get togethers are not an option as long as they truely believe that Catholics are not saved.

I will continue to pray for them, but that is all I can do. My family (my wife and two children ) must go forward with God and his church he created…

don’t underestimate the power of suffering to heal all wounds to unity. There are consequences to all errors, from rejecting the Papa of Rome down to artificial birth control. I believe a dress rehearsal for the end of the world could manifest the various spiritual and moral deficiencies outside RCC and reunite Christendom back to Rome. dont’ lose hope!

 

[Jeanette_L]

Mentalities like this are in my honest opinion are lost to any reasonable chance of seeing the truth.

The lines of communication will remain open, but any get togethers are not an option as long as they truely believe that Catholics are not saved.

I will continue to pray for them, but that is all I can do. My family (my wife and two children ) must go forward with God and his church he created…

My heart goes out to you, I understand the suffering you feel on behalf of your family and the lost fellowship. I am in similar circumstances and it is heartbreaking. And I understand the frustration and the feeling that nothing could ever penetrate the hardness that you experience with them. But, if God could get through to us, He can work the same miracle in them! Don’t lose hope for this. It may not happen quickly, but it may happen!

 

[JoeyWarren]

My heart goes out to you, I understand the suffering you feel on behalf of your family and the lost fellowship. I am in similar circumstances and it is heartbreaking. And I understand the frustration and the feeling that nothing could ever penetrate the hardness that you experience with them. But, if God could get through to us, He can work the same miracle in them! Don’t lose hope for this. It may not happen quickly, but it may happen!

Thank you Jeanette. I needed that.

 

[AlegreFe]

My Dad, Step-mom, and ones sister of two and two brothers of 3 are very anti-catholic. My heart tells me to keep praying for them, but my intellect tells me it is a waste.

Tell that intellect of yours, “get thee behind me Satan.” Trust in your heart. And better yet, Trust in Jesus Christ! Trust in the Holy Spirit! Don’t underestimate the Power of the Holy Spirit! :yup:

JoeyWarren:

How do they percieve my brother and I? My brother is the Apostle Paul. I am seen as the Apostle Judas Iscariot.

Pray, pray, pray and fast, fast, fast!

JoeyWarren:

Mentalities like this are in my honest opinion are lost to any reasonable chance of seeing the truth.

Mentalities maybe, but not minds and hearts that have been inspired by the Holy Spirit after fasting and praying for them.

JoeyWarren:

The lines of communication will remain open, but any get togethers are not an option as long as they truely believe that Catholics are not saved.

I agree here. If you have to be separated because of their beliefs, then that’s what it has to be.

JoeyWarren:

I will continue to pray for them, but that is all I can do. My family (my wife and two children ) must go forward with God and his church he created…

Yes this is true. You can only pray for them. And doing this should not stop you from going forward with God in His Church. As a matter of fact, part of you being in God’s Church is praying for those who seem to be lost. They will be in my prayers as well as you and your family.

 

[Junebug999]

This is just a possibility, as obviously I don’t know every convert’s stance on this, but I think it could be because when a Protestant is converting to Catholicism it is because they’ve found the fullness of truth. They’ve generally been studying for some time and are exstatic that they’ve found this Church from God.

I agree – I’m just so happy to have been led to the Church that I can let bygones be bygones. For me it’s like I’ve been thirsting in the desert all this time – having symbols instead of the real deal! Now that I have found the source of the Living Water, I don’t really care about what I had to go through to get here, I’m just glad to be here. Thankful.

I just look forward to the time we are all united, that we are all one. Could it be that God is reaching out to Protestants and bringing us to his true church so that we will bring others?

Could this be an awakening?..as the fundies would say…“A Revival???”

As the old song would say then, “Revive us again!!!”