Do protestants have to become catholic?

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doctorj

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I was raised a Baptist, and have found many errors in their doctrine and philosophies through studying catholic doctrine. My family is very adamant about being Baptist, and becoming Catholic would cause a huge rift. I’m not sure what to do. Do I have to formally join the church? Do catholics consider protestants who are in agreement with the ECT document to be ok spiritually?
 
If you know in your heart that the Catholic Church is the true church, you have a moral obligation to join it.
 
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doctorj:
I was raised a Baptist, and have found many errors in their doctrine and philosophies through studying catholic doctrine. My family is very adamant about being Baptist, and becoming Catholic would cause a huge rift. I’m not sure what to do. Do I have to formally join the church? Do catholics consider protestants who are in agreement with the ECT document to be ok spiritually?
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Welcome to the forums,

If you know that The Catholic Church is The Church which Christ founded, then you have an obligation to formally become Catholic. It is about conforming to the will of God.
 
Those above have answered well. Let me give you another perspective. The Eucharist is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ. Why would you consider quelling your families hard feelings over becoming Catholic over recieving our Lord.

Matt.10


  1. ]37] He who* loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who love**s son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

    Bless you in your journey. I will add you to my prayer list.
 
I understand how you feel, doctorj. Maybe it would help you to think of it this way. You know that the Catholic Church is the Church founded by Christ but your family doesn’t. How is your not entering it going to help them come to see the truth? And how will you be able to help them see the truth if you decide not to follow it yourself?

Taking a stand when others can’t understand is always hard. It was hard for the 1st century Catholics who had to stand against pagan emperors and certain death, but they were given the grace to do it, and God will give you the grace to do what you know you ought to do, too.

Remember, you aren’t totally denying all that your good Baptist family taught you. Much of what they believe you will still believe and practice as a Catholic. Let them know that. Let them know that you are not abandoning Christ for something else but rather are entering more deeply into the mystery of Christ by becoming one with the Church he founded.

I hope that helps you. I will be praying for you–please pray for all of us, too! 🙂
 
sir, your soul is in grave danger–if you were to die tonite, which God forbid, you may very well end up in hell.–Jesus loves you and died for you4and wants you to come home–so do it!!!
 
Welcome Doctorj to the forums. I empathize with you as I also come from a Baptist family and they look at the CC in horror (even though some of their best friends and a cousin are Catholic.). Has it caused tension, you bet, but take comfort in that you have lots of support here at CAF, and all those saints in Heaven.

Good luck on your journey and you’ll be in our prayers. 🙂
 
This is a great question for you to ask an apologist. Why don’t you post it on that thread? I’d like to see what he/she says!

You have a very hard choice. Family is one of the toughest struggles any of us could have. How about starting a thread for Converts handling of familial objections?

By remaining a Baptist, you can still reap much benefit from the Church, but look at what you are missing out on:
  • the Eucharist (personally this would drive me alone)!
  • the ongoing opportunity to renew your connection with God and others, and get great graces to continue, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation!
  • is it not nice to know that you can receive a sacrament to help in times of real sickness and death – the Annointing of the Sick!
Another questio that comes to my mind is … is it possible to live completely faithful to the teachings of the Church while remaining in another?

Let us know how things turn out!

Love & peace in Christ,
Bob
 
Look at it this way.What if you were raised a Jehovah’s Witness. Then after a historical and biblical study, you found out that you were greatly misled? What would you do? Would you continue to remain in a religion that was false or leave? I believe you would obviously leave very quickly, despite what you relatives thought.
Code: 
                            This was my situation at one time. I was formerly a Baptist and I was brain washed into thinking everything bad about the Catholic faith. But as I read the New Testament I discovered verses that my Baptist faith would twist to ANOTHER meaning altogether. Such as being baptized for the remission of sins, Jesus' words of this IS my flesh and this IS my blood. I asked questions to my Pastor and my SS teachers and I got answers that spoke CONTRARY to just what these scriptures actually said.

                              This led me to examine just what the early Christians believed about baptism and the Eucharist in the early centuries of the church. I got a CD with the early church fathers and boy was I SHOCKED!!! The early church held exactly to what the Catholic faith basically teaches today on water baptism, the Eucharist, penance, and other teachings. They did not teach Baptist doctrines at all.

                               This is what really turned the tide for me. I later attended RCIA classes and was confirmed and was welcomed into the Catholic church. Now I have real peace, knowing that I belong to the church that teaches and defends what the early church has from it's inception. 

                                When you come to this STRONG conviction and have examined these truths for yourself, you will care less what relatives or other people think. You will want to come home. If you want to email me, just drop me a email. I will be there for you and I will pray for you.
 
I converted to Catholicism from the Baptist church. My dad handled it OK, but my Mom didn’t take it well at all. Twelve years later, I think they both still have issues with my conversion. I waited right before I left home to go to college to convert so as to minimize the confrontation that I knew would result, but I wish I would have done it as soon as I knew that the Catholic faith was the true faith. I know it may be difficult for you to let your family down, but you owe it to your eternal soul to follow your heart and convert soon.
 
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doctorj:
I was raised a Baptist, and have found many errors in their doctrine and philosophies through studying catholic doctrine. My family is very adamant about being Baptist, and becoming Catholic would cause a huge rift. I’m not sure what to do. Do I have to formally join the church? Do catholics consider protestants who are in agreement with the ECT document to be ok spiritually?
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doctorj,

Hello and let me echo the “welcome to the CA Forums.”

I also appreciate your struggle; when I converted to Catholicism (after being raised Episcopal and spending time in two other churches) my Episcopalian family and I re-fought the wars of the Reformation for some time.

It is unfortunate, perhaps, that some of the replies that you have gotten have been slightly less than sensitive to your plight, but I’m afraid they’re all pretty accurate. If God is calling you to join the Catholic Church, as it appears that He is, then you need to answer Him “yes.” God is a great God, however, and will take care of the resulting rift in your family. (It may not be in the form you would have preferred, but God will take care of it.)
  • Liberian
 
You may find support from others - such as some of the posts here - who have converted to Catholicism and had to deal with opposition from family and friends. Might want to start a thread with that topic

Also the coming home network www.chnetwork.com was started by a former presbyterian minister who became a Catholic and he provides a lot support. His name is Marcus Grodi and he has a show on EWTN called The Journey Home

God bless you and keep praying! 🙂
 
f you know that The Catholic Church is The Church which Christ founded, then you have an obligation to formally become Catholic. It is about conforming to the will of God.
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Hello. This is somewhat unfortunate. Not that I’d recommend it for others, but I’ve seriously considered withdrawing somewhat from my pursuit of Catholicism, because if I come to the conclusion it is correct, I will be compelled to join it and I don’t know if I’m ready for all that. Better to remain ignorant. :confused:
 
Hello. This is somewhat unfortunate. Not that I’d recommend it for others, but I’ve seriously considered withdrawing somewhat from my pursuit of Catholicism, because if I come to the conclusion it is correct, I will be compelled to join it and I don’t know if I’m ready for all that. Better to remain ignorant.
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You forget that there is a difference between ignorance that is culpable and inculpable.

To willfully choose to remain ignorant of the revealed Truth of God is just as bad as knowing the Truth and refusing to embrace it.

One who is culpably ignorant of the truth of Catholcisim cannot be saved.
 
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Curious:
Hello. This is somewhat unfortunate. Not that I’d recommend it for others, but I’ve seriously considered withdrawing somewhat from my pursuit of Catholicism, because if I come to the conclusion it is correct, I will be compelled to join it and I don’t know if I’m ready for all that. Better to remain ignorant. :confused:
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But of course you know there’s no where you can hide that the Holy Spirit cannot reach you. I suspect you’re already past the point where ignorance is an option.

All the best in your quest. Seek the will of God and you’ll have nothing to fear.
 
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doctorj:
I was raised a Baptist, and have found many errors in their doctrine and philosophies through studying catholic doctrine. My family is very adamant about being Baptist, and becoming Catholic would cause a huge rift. I’m not sure what to do. Do I have to formally join the church?
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If you knew it was the Church founded by Christ and guided by Him, would you want to remain outside?

Consider that Christ may be calling you to bring some of your family members back home to the Church. We all know of Christ’s desire for unity. Perhaps this is one of the works created by God for you before the foundation of the world.
 
To reject what you know is true because it is easier to remain in error would be a big mistake with eternal consequences if you ask me. Following Christ is hard. Look at all the martyrs who have been brutally murdered for their faith. I mean, I think you can handle your family being mad at you. 🙂
 
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Curious:
Hello. This is somewhat unfortunate. Not that I’d recommend it for others, but I’ve seriously considered withdrawing somewhat from my pursuit of Catholicism, because if I come to the conclusion it is correct, I will be compelled to join it and I don’t know if I’m ready for all that. Better to remain ignorant. :confused:
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There is a difference between “invincible ignorance” and ignorance because you avoid the truth. We are all meant to be seekers of the Truth. If we are not seeking the Truth, which is Jesus Christ, then we can not expect Jesus to welcome us.

Catholicism does not teach all those who are ignorant will be saved. It teaches that those who are invincibly ignorant may be saved.
 
Jesus said that He is a just cause of division, setting father against son and daughter against mother. Remember that no prophet is without honor except in the place of his birth. That means that we daily risk martyrdom – the loss of friends, popularity, family relationships – to live the truth. We have to bear the cross daily. Please pray hard and knwo that we pray for you.
 
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Curious:
Hello. This is somewhat unfortunate. Not that I’d recommend it for others, but I’ve seriously considered withdrawing somewhat from my pursuit of Catholicism, because if I come to the conclusion it is correct, I will be compelled to join it and I don’t know if I’m ready for all that. Better to remain ignorant. :confused:
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Ignorance is culpable if it is out of neglect or chosen. The seriousness of it is because if you truly are being drawn to the Catholic Church, it is by the grace of God and that is what you are rejecting even more than the Catholic Church in deciding to remain in ignorance. Not a good idea. God judges each man according to the light he has been given. “To the one who knew, he will be treated with the unbelievers, but to the one who did not know, he will recieve but few lashes.” Luke 12:48. If you are not ready pray to God that he gives you the grace to get ready. I will pray too.

Blessings
 
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