Convert from Other/No religion to Catholicism?

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anyone here convert from no/other religions to become Catholic?

if so why? what was your main motivation? what inspired it all?
 
I grew up Hindu, became an atheist, and then became Catholic.

If you want to know more, send me a private message.
 
I converted from protestantism to Catholicism largely due to the writings of the early Church Fathers.
 
i guess maybe i should explain a bit about myself here while i’m at it. i was sent here by another in my search for people that have decided to become catholic aside from being raised that way (no offense, but i don’t think you can see my view…).

first off, i was a rowdy teenager, not in a bad way, but have been in a lot of fights, 99.999% of them in defence of another, and have been prosecuted for most of them (haven’t felt it right to “run” afterwards, just to try and explain why the guy’s going to the hospital, hasn’t helped me once). i’ve always had the fighting spirit in me. i can’t say it’s a bad thing, can’t say it’s really a good thing. but i always stand up for what i believe in.

next, i recently decided that the Marines were for me (US), and tried to join, and found out i can’t. this sent me on a whirlwind of emotions.
  1. the fighting spirit FINALLY found something i’m suited for; and
  2. realizing my past has been regretable (never regretted anything).
i have been seeking ways to get into the Marines anyways, and had been advised to seek out God. so i purchased “My Daily Catholic Bible - Catholic Edition” and have been reading it since (~2 weeks now). i have also been reflecting on my life and why i’ve been put into this situation of feeling such a strong call to both the Marines and God. i feel i am needed, and this is my way.

have you found your way to God on such an unlikely path? were you driven as i am to find your way?

are there any marines here?
 
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Vita:
…have you found your way to God on such an unlikely path? were you driven as i am to find your way?..
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I grew up a Protestant, fell away in high school, became addicted to drugs, dropped out, manipulated the weaknesses of others for my own gratification, slept on park benches, pulled guns on people, stole from my closest friends, drove away everyone who ever loved me, and on quite a number of occasions thought about killing myself.

Yep, I’d say that that’s a pretty unlikely path. And yes, I was driven mercilessly.
 
I am about to start RCIA right now, and what has driven me to the Church is simply put, the truth.

I have read objections to Catholic faith and then the Catholic side of things. I have read the scripture time and time again to see what I think, and what I see is the truth in Catholic teachings.

The truth.
 
St. Curious, God bless you and congratulations!

Welcome home.
 
I was raised completely secularly. None of my family are any religion, and none of my friends are either. Nobody I knew growing up was Christian or anything else. They still aren’t either. I was raised pretty anti Christian too. But when I was at the end of my rope, I had no choice but to pray, and God answered me. That’s why I am a Catholic today, going on three years.
 
do you all adhere to EVERY catholic rule/doctrine (i.e., does your wife use birth control)

what if i am to become catholic, and my wife isn’t actively practicing catholicism, is it bad if she were to still use birth control?

i keep getting told that 99% of catholics aren’t 200% faithfull catholics, are they then not catholics? seems to me that to be catholic, you must practice all catholic doctrines…
 
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Vita:
do you all adhere to EVERY catholic rule/doctrine (i.e., does your wife use birth control)

what if i am to become catholic, and my wife isn’t actively practicing catholicism, is it bad if she were to still use birth control?

i keep getting told that 99% of catholics aren’t 200% faithfull catholics, are they then not catholics? seems to me that to be catholic, you must practice all catholic doctrines…
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I’ve made an act of the will to submit to the Church in all things and at all times. Do my actions live up to this?- no, I’m afraid that they don’t. I’m far from perfect.

Birth control is objectively gravely sinful to engage in. I imagine that if my wife were to practice it my personal guilt would depend on the extent to which I knew and approved of it.
 
I am not married, but I am sure that (1) if I married a non-Catholic she would have to agree not to use birth control and (2) if she “turned on me” and did use the pill, and I knew about it, I think I’d have to abstain.

Yeah, that could be very hard. But I’d really want her to understand that I consider contraception a sin, and would not engage in it.

I’d communicate all that more lovingly than comes across in a forum post 🙂 .
 
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Vita:
what if i am to become catholic, and my wife isn’t actively practicing catholicism, is it bad if she were to still use birth control?

i keep getting told that 99% of catholics aren’t 200% faithfull catholics, are they then not catholics? seems to me that to be catholic, you must practice all catholic doctrines…
Click to expand...
Someone asked this on the Apologetics forum, can’t remember exactly, but it seems to me that one is responsible for one’s sins only. If that were to happen, you could explain to her the reasons for not contracepting, but not refuse to give her her marital due. That might only cause bitterness. Lovingkindness is the path to follow.
Some say that you have to be 100% faithful to be considered a Catholic. But consider, none of us are 100% perfect. We are all stumbling our way toward heaven as best we can.
People change their minds all the time, they learn things, they read Catholic Answers, and get closer to or farther from God. Only He can say who is really a Catholic or not.
 
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Vita:
what if i am to become catholic, and my wife isn’t actively practicing catholicism, is it bad if she were to still use birth control?
Click to expand...
It is bad, but you cannot make another’s person’s choices for them or force them to do it your way.

It is just as bad for you to deny her the marital embrace. Love is not conditional. Love should not get expressed only when your parner is “perfect”. None of us is perfect.

We are all works in progress and it is very unlikely that two people will be at the same place on their spiritual journey at the exact same time.

My husband married me knowing that I wasn’t Catholic and I was using birth control. If he had made me feel inferior, wrong, and not worthy of his love we would not still be married today.

Instead, he let me know why he thought it wrong to contracept, gently guided me to relevent books and websites (like this one) and kept loving me. In hindsight I now realize how hard it was for him to engage in relations with me while I was using contraception. I realize how much of a sacrifice that was.

Because of his patience and understanding I eventually understood the wrongness of contraception and learned NFP. Because of the gentle loving way he dealt with the situation, I am now also a Catholic.

Malia
 
thanks for the replies. she was raised catholic, and is the reason i’m headed towards catholicism right now. but as was stated, nobody’s perfect.

the faith has been calling me, and i’ve got a meeting this weekend to talk with somebody. then i start the RCIA in Oct.
 
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