Finally told my parents I'm going to Catholic Mass

[EIF5A]

Your mother wanted you to talk to this man…Now this man has said that one tradition is just as good as another - that all contain some truth and some error. Obviously as Catholics we disagree with this view, however - this is what the pastor that your mother sent you to said.
Now - ask this man to tell your mother this same thing. That all traditions are equal…that all contain both truth and error…and so by that logic…your decision to be Catholic is just as valid as her decision to be evangelical.
Perhaps hearing this from her own pastor will help to calm her some…
After all - it was at her request that you talked to him…Is she prepared to abide by the outcome of that?

That’s what I thought…that everything would be fine.

Except she just doesn’t understand why I’m willing to leave the tradition that I was brought up in (thus “leaving” the family, so to speak) if everything’s the same spiritually. She just can’t get past the “Just believe in Jesus and be saved” part and fails to see the richness of Catholicism. Why would I want soda when I can get a fruit smoothie? (Perhaps not the best analogy…)

It’s more about not being part of the family, rather than doctrinal error. (My father, on the other hand, thinks Catholics are heretics. Whole other can of worm there, but he’s not hysterical, and I don’t feel emotionally taken hostage.)

All I can do is pray. There’s no human reasoning with her.

I’m sure all of this sounds lunatic to everyone here…

 

[JRKH]

That’s what I thought…that everything would be fine.

Except she just doesn’t understand why I’m willing to leave the tradition that I was brought up in (thus “leaving” the family, so to speak) if everything’s the same spiritually. She just can’t get past the “Just believe in Jesus and be saved” part and fails to see the richness of Catholicism. Why would I want soda when I can get a fruit smoothie? (Perhaps not the best analogy…)

It’s more about not being part of the family, rather than doctrinal error. (My father, on the other hand, thinks Catholics are heretics. Whole other can of worm there, but he’s not hysterical, and I don’t feel emotionally taken hostage.)

All I can do is pray. There’s no human reasoning with her.

I’m sure all of this sounds lunatic to everyone here…

Understood.

That is why I suggested that you turn the tables on her…She wanted you to talk to this pastor - and you did. Now perhaps you need to get the pastor to help you to help her. Get her to talk to the pastor and hopefully he can help explain that, since you continue to believe in Jesus you have not left the family…
Why not talk to him about this and see if he can help you out? After all, you are trying to do this out of love for your mom and hopefully he will see this and be willing to talk to her.

Just a thought.

Peace
James

 

[Quapawpers]

I guess it’s the same problem Moses and Mohammed encountered when they railed against polytheism. The existing religion was good enough for the parents and their ancestors, so why is it not good enough for the younger generation? Seems like Luther had the same problem himself–wondering why others did not see the same problems he did.

The thing for me in this matter is that what we do, we have to do in love, in the fulness of charity, and in respect for our parents.

I believe that ultimately the selection of a given religion is a matter of faith. Logic and reason may lead us to exclude a given faith expression, but I don’t think logic and reason will ever lead us to a given faith.

Maybe it’s a matter of following the old rabbi’s advice: Think about it, talk about it, pray on it; and then, whatever you decide will be the right decision.

 

[Ingeniero]

That’s what I thought…that everything would be fine.

Except she just doesn’t understand why I’m willing to leave the tradition that I was brought up in (thus “leaving” the family, so to speak) if everything’s the same spiritually. She just can’t get past the “Just believe in Jesus and be saved” part and fails to see the richness of Catholicism. Why would I want soda when I can get a fruit smoothie? (Perhaps not the best analogy…)

It’s more about not being part of the family, rather than doctrinal error. (My father, on the other hand, thinks Catholics are heretics. Whole other can of worm there, but he’s not hysterical, and I don’t feel emotionally taken hostage.)

All I can do is pray. There’s no human reasoning with her.

I’m sure all of this sounds lunatic to everyone here…

Did you join RCIA to learn more about your faith?
Will you be coming into the fullness of the Catholic faith at Easter?

 

[weekendevents]

I once told my parents that I wanted to become Catholic because I only wanted to go to Church once a week instead of two are three times. They told me that the catholic church was the “whore of babalon” in the Bible

 

[Lor91]

Oh my gosh! We are the same person! Ha,ha. I had the same exact reaction when I told my parents that I was going to become Catholic. I didn’t even know where to begin in addressing all of their objections since I am still learning myself. It was overwhelming and quite stressful! My Mother views it as abandoning the family. I have decided to convert at a time when my Mother is accepting the fact that I’m now an adult and will be leaving the nest soon (I’m 22 and getting ready to graduate college). I really sympathize with her and I understand how it’s hard. My Dad is a little more accepting, but still doesn’t like it very much. He is also a Protestant minister, so I not only have my family to answer to, but potentially a whole church congregation as well! Hopefully, I will take a few people with me during this journey. I’m planning on taking RCIA this coming October and I’m excited.

I guess we will just have to pray for our parents and hope that they will come to accept our decision.

Praying for you!

 

[weekendevents]

But the end of the story is served in the Army with as a chaplins aid for a young Baptist minister. He led my back to the truth. Many happy years as a Baptist

 

[CarmelJerome]

My parents are sola scriptura Protestants of the evangelical persuasion.

Today, I told them I’ve been attending Catholic Mass since July and that I believe the Catholic Church is the Church established by Christ Himself.

In response, I was told:

• The Catholic Church started off right but is now heretical.
• Mary is worshipped.
• The Catholic Church changed the Ten Commandments.
• The Catholic Church added books to the Bible.
• The Pope claims to be Christ’s representative.
• Nothing outside of Scripture should be believed. (Good thing I didn’t mention private revelations.)
• That the Real Presence of the Eucharist is just a matter of faith, so whether or not they believed that in the beginning is not relevant.
• God gave us freedom after resurrection of Christ, so no need to “nitpick” on details.
• All you need to do is belief in Jesus to be saved, so why am I complicating things?
• And finally, that I’m disturbing the peace of the family by not following the church that I grew up with and that I’m causing my mother grief.
• (Plus other things I can’t remember at the moment…they brought up the 15-7th century corruption of the Church (e.g., indulgences) and the Inquisition and killing of heretics…which I stated that impeccability is not infallibility as guided by the Holy Spirit)

I tried my best to counter all the arguments, as I’ve heard most of these before, but they don’t seem to listen (or want to listen). They are convinced they are right. They asked me why I decided to convert and told them I felt led by the Holy Spirit after reading written accounts and inspired writings. They balked that the Holy Spirit would cause disturbance within the family.

They forbade me from going to Church/Mass. (I don’t live with them — only visiting for the week, so in practice, they can’t really forbid me.)

On the one hand, I have to follow what I believe to be the Church established by Christ. On the other hand, my parents are getting old and not of the best health — I feel bad causing grief and pain. They seem to take this very personally. I was close to telling them I have to follow Jesus even at the expense of parents (per Jesus’ commandment), but I refrained as I thought they would break out in tears and be broken.

Please pray for me that I remain constant in my faith and that one day, they may open their eyes and accept the faith of the Church. I tried to explain to them that I find fuller richness of truth in the Catholic Church from the unbroken 2000 year lineage. But then we’re back to the “They were right in the beginning, but they are corrupt and heretical now” spiel.

I envy you cradle Catholics born into the faith…

I'm sorry your parents are in ill health.

I began my journey away from Protestantism when I began to read the Reformers and their followers attentively; and the sad truth is, however many Catholic apologists don't like to mention it or try to pretend that it's not so, the root and essence of Protestantism is personal pride -- I have the Bible; I have freedom; I have love of Jesus; while all Catholics have is junk statues, superstitions, papal slavery, etc.

That certainly isn’t the place to start discussions; but it should be recognized that almost every discussion, and certainly every heated argument, has its root they: Protestants are the real courageous Christians who affronted oppression and torture, and you, the potential convert, are doing the spiritual equivalent of running away to join a harem.

 

[EIF5A]

Oh my gosh! We are the same person! Ha,ha. I had the same exact reaction when I told my parents that I was going to become Catholic. I didn’t even know where to begin in addressing all of their objections since I am still learning myself. It was overwhelming and quite stressful! My Mother views it as abandoning the family. I have decided to convert at a time when my Mother is accepting the fact that I’m now an adult and will be leaving the nest soon (I’m 22 and getting ready to graduate college). I really sympathize with her and I understand how it’s hard. My Dad is a little more accepting, but still doesn’t like it very much. He is also a Protestant minister, so I not only have my family to answer to, but potentially a whole church congregation as well! Hopefully, I will take a few people with me during this journey. I’m planning on taking RCIA this coming October and I’m excited.

I guess we will just have to pray for our parents and hope that they will come to accept our decision.

Praying for you!

I have to be very careful about how I respond to their question, “Did you find a good church to attend?”

“Oh…it’s by my workplace…”

“Is it Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, etc? There are numerous churches teaching heretical things.”

“Oh…I don’t think they practice any heresies…They seem legit…”

Not that I’m actually a good, moral person in practice…

I pray occasionally for the conversion of my parents. But yea…I don’t know anymore.

Glad to know we’re in the same boat

 

[Lor91]

I have to be very careful about how I respond to their question, “Did you find a good church to attend?”

“Oh…it’s by my workplace…”

“Is it Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, etc? There are numerous churches teaching heretical things.”

“Oh…I don’t think they practice any heresies…They seem legit…”

Not that I’m actually a good, moral person in practice…

I pray occasionally for the conversion of my parents. But yea…I don’t know anymore.

Glad to know we’re in the same boat.

I know! My parents sometimes pump me for information regarding the catholic center on campus that I go to right now. It took me so long to get them to let me go to Sunday Mass, but they eventually gave in when they realized I wasn’t going to back down. Their main comment is “Are they teaching you Scripture?” I always say yes, but I never understand what they are getting at with the question. I am assuming it’s of the Sola Scriptura sense.

I also have to hide certain things from them as well. I wear a bracelet that has pictures of different saints on it and I usually cover it up with my sleeve whenever I’m around them since it just creates stressful conversations. I also would like to have an altar in my room, but family and people from my church visit a lot and they don’t know that I’m converting. It is very hard. It’s especially hard knowing that I’m going to be the only Catholic in my family and will have to practice my faith without them. But, it is something I’m willing to sacrifice for Christ.

I love my parents and what they have taught me about Jesus and how they raised me in a Christ loving environment. But I can’t deny the truth that I have found within the Catholic Church and I can’t even bear the thought of not being part of it. I pray for my parents’ conversion as well. I must admit that I would be shocked if my parents became Catholic, but anything is possible with God. My Mom prefers Traditional styles of worship, so hopefully that’s a little opening where the Holy Spirit can step in and work with her.