I believe the OP and responding posters all make excellent points.
A few of my observations as a Baptist turned Catholic:
I actually *prefer *the Catholic quiet, docile, leave-others-their-prayer space attitude rather than my old experiences of loud, boisterous, in-your-face, make-yourselves-at-home back-slapping.
Sound doctrinal truth is also one of the fruits we should be looking for; and if you’re convinced the Catholic Church has the fullness of the truth then I believe this is your conscience telling you to join her.
If you don’t like some things the Church does, roll up your sleeves and change it! Maybe God is calling you to renew His Church in some way.
We humans can work ourselves up into a frenzy about alot of things. My family has been rabid Kansas City Chiefs fans for over 40 years. Now that’s enthusiasm. Same with your average evangelical church that’s been around for ten years or so.
Evangelical enthusiasm is great; but is it from God? Sorry to step on any toes here, but I’ve experienced people “on-fire for Christ” say I’m going to hell as a Catholic. They’re flat wrong and “on-fire for I-don’t-know-who.”
Another thing–the Catholic Church is humongous. One reason being is that she accepts a large number of lackadaisical Christians whose faith is small as a pepper grain and growing at a snail’s pace.
Since they lack evangelizing personalities these Christians are discounted by evangelical churches who discount those whose faith is smaller and unlike their own.
I was a militant Catholic for six of my fourteen Catholic years. It doesn’t work. It turns people away. The high pressure sales pitch of the evangelical can work because they’re typically selling you Jesus-in-a-nutshell: Make a one-time sinner’s prayer and you’re in.
If the true faith were so easy maybe Catholics would do it this
way.
