Fallen away

[Stylus]

I have a friend who left the Catholic Church and is so happy in his new protestant religion. He has often told me how he prayed to God and how God came though for him. I’m wondering, does God respond the same to people who left the faith when they turn to Him for help?

 

[St.Gimp]

Stylus:

I have a friend who left the Catholic Church and is so happy in his new protestant religion. He has often told me how he prayed to God and how God came though for him. I’m wondering, does God respond the same to people who left the faith when they turn to Him for help?

It is hard for me to imagine God looking favorably on any of his children going astray. However, this does not mean that he abandons those who have left the flock thinking they are following the true path. You don’t give any specifics of this man’s answered prayers, but sometimes we may see answers that are not really there, or even misinterpret what God is trying to tell us. I have often thought that God shows a more tender side to those who are farthest from him, and a more mysterious and distant side to those who are closest; I do not pretend to understand this phenomenon, but I have also noticed that many who have left the Church feel the warm fuzzies about God or the “spiritual world.” Perhaps it is because it is more comfortable to abandon the battle field, and God in his infinite mercy tries his hardest to bring them back with soft words, lest a harsh word should drive them away totally.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

The reason some people stray is they see spiritual food elsewhere that seems good and they want to try it.

As far as what seems good v what actually is good, I think that’s up to the Holy Spirit to discern.

Our own bishop ran away from the church when he was of age and joined the Buddhists, then after a couple years came back "home … in a big way … " to quote him at my daughter’s Confirmation.

The Good Shepherd goes after straying sheep. If God abandons those who stray then all bets are off because that’s too fundamental to the nature of God as exposed through his Word.

Alan