Dad being converted by a Protestant

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auntieneeker

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Hi there,

I have been praying for years for my dad’s conversion. He was raised Catholic, however now has a real dislike of the Church. He doesn’t like the rules, priests, nuns, confession, yadda yadda. He does not practice his faith at all.

My dad is a good man, but has done some really stupid things. Affairs on my mom, alcoholism, anger problems. He and my mom are now civally divorced. I have been praying for him for years.

Recently, my dad has been working very closely with a “born-again” Christian – ex-Catholic. She has been evangelizing him as to the love of Jesus, how Jesus can heal the hurts in his life, forgive him his sins. She says you don’t need religion, the Catholic Church is all man-made rules, believe in works-based salvation, well, you know how it goes.

But, when I talk to him, he is ready to turn his life over to Jesus. He wants to experience this love, but not through the Catholic Church. Am I making sense? What should I do? Has God sent this person into his life to draw him closer to him? Is a choice for Christ this way better than no choice at all? Should I just continue praying and “let go and let God”?

Any advice or comments from Cradle Catholics, gone “born-again” gone Catholic would be especially appreciated.

Thanks,
neeker
 
Well, apart from talking to him about these “Man-made rules”, you could possible talk to some of the people at Church to write him a letter or two telling him how much they miss him and would like to have him coming back to church. I mean if it is love he is looking for, I think that we should give him love.

This is just shooting from the hip, I know that kind of synical, cold blooded logic can only take one so far and there does need to be some emotion. Maybe someone could either tell you how wrong my idea is or refine it a little.

I hope this helps. Good luch and God bless. I will pray for ya’ll.
 
The Bible Christian Society has some GREAT FREE CDs that you might get and give to him that will show the huge doctrinal holes in n-C faiths. I recommend them to you.
Your dad is in my prayers.
Pax tecum,
 
Umm…I am not a Catholic so you can feel free to take this or leave it.

But I must ask, “This is bad? Why?”

From the sound of it, he really wasn’t practicing his faith where he was at. So what is worse…to be a lapsed Catholic, or to be a Christian practicing in a faith that may not be your preference.

I wish his friend was less negative towards Catholics but right now that is secondary. Maybe, God is answering your prayers.

And this BTW works in reverse. I would much rather my loved ones be practicing Catholics than lapsed Methodists. In fact to get personal I would be overjoyed if some of my children which right now have no faith became Catholic.
 
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mozart-250:
Umm…I am not a Catholic so you can feel free to take this or leave it.

But I must ask, “This is bad? Why?”

From the sound of it, he really wasn’t practicing his faith where he was at. So what is worse…to be a lapsed Catholic, or to be a Christian practicing in a faith that may not be your preference.

I wish his friend was less negative towards Catholics but right now that is secondary. Maybe, God is answering your prayers.

And this BTW works in reverse. I would much rather my loved ones be practicing Catholics than lapsed Methodists. In fact to get personal I would be overjoyed if some of my children which right now have no faith became Catholic.
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I kinda agree with mozart. But you do have a chance now than before to help him along with the Catholic faith by asking him, “How would you like to find a way to become a fully follower of Christ?” Try and find things that his new-found beliefs and the Chuch have in common, and even show him where a lot of the more truer beliefs came from (the Catholic Church).

Having no faith is dire…having some kind of faith is good…but having the Catholic Faith is awesome!
 
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mozart-250:
Umm…I am not a Catholic so you can feel free to take this or leave it.

But I must ask, “This is bad? Why?”

From the sound of it, he really wasn’t practicing his faith where he was at. So what is worse…to be a lapsed Catholic, or to be a Christian practicing in a faith that may not be your preference.

I wish his friend was less negative towards Catholics but right now that is secondary. Maybe, God is answering your prayers.

And this BTW works in reverse. I would much rather my loved ones be practicing Catholics than lapsed Methodists. In fact to get personal I would be overjoyed if some of my children which right now have no faith became Catholic.
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It’s not that I think this is bad. I don’t know if it is. Is he better off spiritually as a lapsed Catholic or as a “born-again” ex-catholic, (perhaps anti-catholic)? Neither is ideal, and I will never give up the cause of defending the Catholic faith as best I can.

With all respect, I don’t want to give the impression to my dad that it just doesn’t matter which christian faith you follow (Catholic/protestant), because I dont believe this to be true. I believe the catholic Church contains the WHOLE truth. But in my dad’s case, the only truth he needs right now is that one must repent and seek forgiveness of God and choose to follow Him. Is it imprudent of me to trust that the rest will follow?

I feel in my heart that God is answering my prayers–I guess it’s just not happening the way I had planned it :rolleyes:
 
I think this is a prevalent problem in the Catholic Church. I experience it all the time in my parish - it may not be the norm, but I honestly have a feeling it is. The problem is that Evangelicals and many Protestants seem much more willing to share their personal love for Jesus and talk about His unconditional love, his saving power, etc. than many Catholics - and I dare say most Catholics - from my experience. When someone is having problems, the first thing out of many of my Evangelical friends’ mouth is something to the effect of - have faith, Jesus is with you through all your trials, I’ll pray for you. What can I do to help? Not the case with the vast majority of Catholics I know - the offer to help is there, but the reassurance of Jesus being there or saying they will pray for the person rarely occurs.

People crave the love of Jesus and want to know Him. Seeing the excitement about this love in others can be contagious - people want that joy in their lives. Catholics need to get better about sharing their faith and expressing their love for Jesus Christ, or people will continue to be drawn away from the Church by those who can convey their excitement and love for Him.

As Archbishop Chaput says in “Catholic for a Reason” (paraphrasing) - *We’re losing souls in the Catholic Church because those who possess only a portion of the truth (Fundamentalists) are contagious in their faith. Catholics have the fullness of the truth fail to share it with zeal and joy. *He cites Latin America as an example of where Fundamentalists have drawn many Catholics away from the Church.

Your dad will be in my prayers.
 
I’m a staunch catholic. And even though I hate to admit it, sometimes some faith is better than no faith.

HOWEVER (comma)

I don’t want to offend any of my protestant bretheren (and at risk of over-simplifying things), some people aren’t mature enough for the mass and the life of a catholic. It’s harder to be catholic than it is to be protestant.

Mass is not fun like a protestant mega-church is. Mass is worship on God’s terms, not man’s. If mass appears strange to man, then it is man’s error.

College people belong in college because they can handle that kind of atmosphere. High-schoolers belong in high-school until they learn to graduate. If they continue to remain in high-school, then so be it. There’s not anything wrong with it other than . . .well . . . an adult being in high-school. If they realize that they need to be in college, then that is when culpability comes into play.

Like a child, your dad simply sees the RCC as a bunch of rules and authoritarians. If that is all there is to the church, then who wants to be apart of that?! Hopefully, he will mature and see behind the surface. He may not, however. And if he were to die in such a state, the CCC says that the Father will consider his child-like state in judgement matters.

Martin

PS In the meantime, keep praying and challange him with this statement:
"Great, you love Jesus. So do I. Now, what? Aren’t we supposed to find out what Jesus wants from us? How are we to KNOW what those truths are?
 
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Imprimartin:
It’s harder to be catholic than it is to be protestant.
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I don’t know who I first read or heard this from but it says it all:

The Catholic faith is the hardest faith to live by, but it’s the only one to die by!
 
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Imprimartin:
I’m a staunch catholic. And even though I hate to admit it, sometimes some faith is better than no faith.

HOWEVER (comma)

I don’t want to offend any of my protestant bretheren (and at risk of over-simplifying things), some people aren’t mature enough for the mass and the life of a catholic. It’s harder to be catholic than it is to be protestant.

Mass is not fun like a protestant mega-church is. Mass is worship on God’s terms, not man’s. If mass appears strange to man, then it is man’s error.

College people belong in college because they can handle that kind of atmosphere. High-schoolers belong in high-school until they learn to graduate. If they continue to remain in high-school, then so be it. There’s not anything wrong with it other than . . .well . . . an adult being in high-school. If they realize that they need to be in college, then that is when culpability comes into play.

Like a child, your dad simply sees the RCC as a bunch of rules and authoritarians. If that is all there is to the church, then who wants to be apart of that?! Hopefully, he will mature and see behind the surface. He may not, however. And if he were to die in such a state, the CCC says that the Father will consider his child-like state in judgement matters.

Martin

PS In the meantime, keep praying and challange him with this statement:
"Great, you love Jesus. So do I. Now, what? Aren’t we supposed to find out what Jesus wants from us? How are we to KNOW what those truths are?
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Ya know, I’ve always thought that way, too…
 
Ever seen God use truth as a ‘bargaining chip’? Ever seen God tell someone a lie is better than the truth in order to get some ‘desirable’ outcome?

Could you imagine God actually calling someone away from the truth in order to bring them closer to Him? Doesn’t that sound like a contradiction?

If God said gave the Catholic Church the keys to the kingdom of heaven, don’t you think that it would be terrible of Him to tell someone to not be in the Catholic Church?

Haven’t you read, God can neither decieve or be decieved.

Sorry, it’s just that I feel really passionate about this. I’m sick of the suggestion that someone could be better off leaving the Catholic Church, like God would actually want that. No way at all.

Do what you can to stop your dad from leaving the Catholic Church. Pray about it, talk to him about it, get him to come on CAF if you can, show him materials about why the Catholic Church is the only true one and the rest are mixtures of truth and lies. Help him to understand that he can love God and come closer to God best while in the Catholic Church. The rock. The gates of hell will not prevail against it.
 
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Imprimartin:
PS In the meantime, keep praying and challange him with this statement:
"Great, you love Jesus. So do I. Now, what? Aren’t we supposed to find out what Jesus wants from us? How are we to KNOW what those truths are?
Click to expand...
I totally understand what you’re saying. You see, my dad’s not there yet. It just seems that this person is getting way more progress with him then I have ever been able to. I guess it’s always been hard for me to tell my dad that his behaviour is unacceptable and that his salvation is at stake. No dad wants to hear that from his kid.

Evangelicals do have an edge over Catholics in getting people to make a radical commitment to follow Jesus. I think it’s because it’s so cut and dry for them. Accept Jesus as your Lord and saviour or go to hell. You’re either saved or you’re not.

I’m thinking that I will not interfere with the process. God is obviously using this person to draw him back–but I’m afraid he will become anti-catholic and that will cause even more strife between us. He already thinks I’m a fanatic because I won’t get my tubes tied (we have four kids). “man-made rules”

I like the anology you used about maturing. He must first go to Jesus like a little child. (So do many “good” Catholics, in my opinion). Hopefully God will give me the courage to defend my faith and use me to help lead my dad back to the whole Truth.

Perhaps God did not only send this ex-catholic to my dad; maybe he sent my dad to this ex-catholic as well–I mean to bring her back to the Church, too. Just a thought.
 
Introduce him to:

Catholic mystics
Lectio Divina
and Give him a bible

Encourage him to communicate with God and suggest Adoration.

Peace and God Bless
Nicene
 
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Flopfoot:
Ever seen God use truth as a ‘bargaining chip’? Ever seen God tell someone a lie is better than the truth in order to get some ‘desirable’ outcome?

Could you imagine God actually calling someone away from the truth in order to bring them closer to Him? Doesn’t that sound like a contradiction?

If God said gave the Catholic Church the keys to the kingdom of heaven, don’t you think that it would be terrible of Him to tell someone to not be in the Catholic Church?

Haven’t you read, God can neither decieve or be decieved.

Sorry, it’s just that I feel really passionate about this. I’m sick of the suggestion that someone could be better off leaving the Catholic Church, like God would actually want that. No way at all.

Do what you can to stop your dad from leaving the Catholic Church. Pray about it, talk to him about it, get him to come on CAF if you can, show him materials about why the Catholic Church is the only true one and the rest are mixtures of truth and lies. Help him to understand that he can love God and come closer to God best while in the Catholic Church. The rock. The gates of hell will not prevail against it.
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I see what you mean, and I agree–I would hate for him to leave the Church for good. But as it is (and has been since he was a teenager), he is Catholic in name only. He has already left the Church in his heart. I have tried and tried to encourage him to go to confession, but he doesn’t believe he should have to confess to a priest. He refuses to have his marriage annulled. Quoting scripture to him avails nothing right now. I don’t think he’s EVER picked up a Bible.

However,
He is lost, and hurting and is ready to let Jesus into his heart to heal those hurts. No one here can honestly say that Jesus does not enter the hearts of sincere repentant sinners–Catholic or not.

As far as half-truths go–dont’ we do this with our own children? If a five year old asked us where babies come from, would we give them the whole truth? We can be truthful without overwhelming them with the whole truth. If Jesus says to come to Him as little children, would it suffice to say, for NOW, that all you need is to trust Jesus to come into your heart, and let Him lead you to the truth. If someone were to sincerely do that, couldn’t we trust that, if the Catholic Church is the Truth (which it is), that Jesus would lead them home?

Sorry if I ramble, this is very hard for me. I really need to pray about this. Please keep the comments coming–it is helping.
 
I don’t want to offend any of my protestant bretheren (and at risk of over-simplifying things), some people aren’t mature enough for the mass and the life of a catholic. It’s harder to be catholic than it is to be protestant.
Click to expand...
Mass is not fun like a protestant mega-church is. Mass is worship on God’s terms, not man’s. If mass appears strange to man, then it is man’s error.
Click to expand...
College people belong in college because they can handle that kind of atmosphere. High-schoolers belong in high-school until they learn to graduate. If they continue to remain in high-school, then so be it. There’s not anything wrong with it other than . . .well . . . an adult being in high-school. If they realize that they need to be in college, then that is when culpability comes into play.
Click to expand...
Like a child, your dad simply sees the RCC as a bunch of rules and authoritarians. If that is all there is to the church, then who wants to be apart of that?! Hopefully, he will mature and see behind the surface. He may not, however. And if he were to die in such a state, the CCC says that the Father will consider his child-like state in judgement matters.
Click to expand...
You expounded on Paul pretty well:

**1 Cor 3:1. But I, brethren, could not address you as spiritual men, but as men of the flesh, as babes in Christ. 2. I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not ready for it; and even yet you are not ready, **

There is a time for spiritual milk then there is time to be mature, plant, water and be God’s fellow workers. But each in it’s own time. I would venture to say it is time for some solid food.

Peace and God Bless
Nicene
 
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Nicene:
You expounded on Paul pretty well:

**1 Cor 3:1. But I, brethren, could not address you as spiritual men, but as men of the flesh, as babes in Christ. 2. I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not ready for it; and even yet you are not ready, **

There is a time for spiritual milk then there is time to be mature, plant, water and be God’s fellow workers. But each in it’s own time. I would venture to say it is time for some solid food.

Peace and God Bless
Nicene
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Thank you for bringing me God’s answer to my prayers.

He needs the milk before the solid food. He is not ready, yet. But when he is, I will give it to him. I know he will never grow fully without “meat” – but if I give it to him now, he will just get sick. In my heart this makes sense. Thank you.
 
Rules?
You got to be kidding me since the advent of Vatican 2 the rules are rather minimal and easy to meet frankly maybe to easy to meet.
Fasting only on Fridays of Lent and confession once a year and show up to church on Sunday and Holy Days? Oh gee what a demand. I suspect your dad was raised in the pre-vatican 2 church well if it is a loosing of the church rules he wanted he would have gotten back to the church long ago. I suspect its something deeper than waht I perceive as an excuse. Some people want to shape God in their own image and of course the church in their own image which really is idolatry, some forms of protestantism apprach the make the church in your own image and likeness philiosophy remind your dad of this basic point.
 
I would talk to him and quote from the Catechism, this is dispel some of the common lies Evangelicals have been taught to believe about Catholicism.

Read to Prologue to him.
scborromeo.org/ccc/prologue.htm

Tell him what he needs to do is go to Mass and when the creed is recited mean it and confess with his mouth that Jesus is lord.

Tell him he needs a personal relationship with Jesus and the closest he can have it is in the Catholic Church.
scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2558.htm

Speak to him on simple terms as the Evangelicals do and you will reach him. Speak to him in complex theologial specifics and you will lose him as he probably needs to come to the basics, and learn from there.

Share your love of Jesus with him and not some sort of superiority complex which might bother him if there is even a hint of you unintentionaly doing that.

God Bless
Scylla
 
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Flopfoot:
Ever seen God use truth as a ‘bargaining chip’? Ever seen God tell someone a lie is better than the truth in order to get some ‘desirable’ outcome?
Click to expand...
I’m not saying that God said anything. He can be silent and allow someone to think whatever they want. That’s not lying.
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Flopfoot:
Could you imagine God actually calling someone away from the truth in order to bring them closer to Him? Doesn’t that sound like a contradiction?
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God didn’t call him anywhere. Satan did. God will take advantage of that though.
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Flopfoot:
If God said gave the Catholic Church the keys to the kingdom of heaven, don’t you think that it would be terrible of Him to tell someone to not be in the Catholic Church?
Click to expand...
You can tell him that he needs to stay in the church and then it’s done. After that, he will do whatever he’s going to do, and then you start challanging.
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Flopfoot:
Haven’t you read, God can neither decieve or be decieved.
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You are changing the subject. I’m talking about God making the best of what the person decides.
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Flopfoot:
Sorry, it’s just that I feel really passionate about this. I’m sick of the suggestion that someone could be better off leaving the Catholic Church, like God would actually want that. No way at all.
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Yes way at all!. He may want this in his passive will (as opposed to his active will) That’s why evil happens in the first place.
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Flopfoot:
Do what you can to stop your dad from leaving the Catholic Church. Pray about it, talk to him about it, get him to come on CAF if you can, show him materials about why the Catholic Church is the only true one and the rest are mixtures of truth and lies. Help him to understand that he can love God and come closer to God best while in the Catholic Church. The rock. The gates of hell will not prevail against it.
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I believe he’s too immature for this. I believe the best approach is to wait until he develops a REAL love for Christ, and then show him how his love is insufficient the way he is currently showing it. He’ll want to get closer and the RCC is the only way to get that close.

Remember, I’m not saying to do evil (not saying something) to accomplish good (get him to come back). I’m saying to do what God does: say your peace, let what will obviously happen happen, then let the love take effect and use it against the devil.
Martin
 
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auntieneeker:
Hi there,

I have been praying for years for my dad’s conversion. He was raised Catholic, however now has a real dislike of the Church. He doesn’t like the rules, priests, nuns, confession, yadda yadda. He does not practice his faith at all.

My dad is a good man, but has done some really stupid things. Affairs on my mom, alcoholism, anger problems. He and my mom are now civally divorced. I have been praying for him for years.

Recently, my dad has been working very closely with a “born-again” Christian – ex-Catholic. She has been evangelizing him as to the love of Jesus, how Jesus can heal the hurts in his life, forgive him his sins. She says you don’t need religion, the Catholic Church is all man-made rules, believe in works-based salvation, well, you know how it goes.

But, when I talk to him, he is ready to turn his life over to Jesus. He wants to experience this love, but not through the Catholic Church. Am I making sense? What should I do? Has God sent this person into his life to draw him closer to him? Is a choice for Christ this way better than no choice at all? Should I just continue praying and “let go and let God”?

Any advice or comments from Cradle Catholics, gone “born-again” gone Catholic would be especially appreciated.

Thanks,
neeker
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I don’t think it is bad, it sounds like your father never had faith in God or practiced any religion. It would be much better for your father become a re-born Christian than a complete lapsed Catholic IMO.

BUT! I have seen more than my fair share of born agains fall away as quickly as they converted. Kinda like a torrid love affair, once that initial passion is gone as it innevitably will go away, there’s not much to sustain faith if all you are grasping to is that feeling, which is never permanent. Maybe this will bring him close to God, then from there you can slowly work on having your father revert.
 
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