For Reverts of All Traditions

[Crazy_Diamond]

Here’s a question for reverts of all Christian traditions, whether Catholic, Orthodox, Coptic, Protestant, or Pentecostal:

What were the strengths of the tradition that made you come back?

Please, this is not a thread for people who have left one tradition for another because the one you left was so awful, so heretical, so untruthful. There are plenty of threads for you to have your say. It is also not for cradle-traditionalists (I myself have nothing to say, since I was raised Protestant and never left that tradition). The reason I bring it up is that I was doing research on a famous criminal I hadn’t realized was raised in a nominally religious family: the attitude of the mother was that she had been “dragged” into that tradition, so she treated all other religions as equal to the one that had raised her. The criminal eventually converted to a different religion that taught him violence as part of the way of holiness. I personally hated Sunday School as a child and felt “dragged” there, but didn’t leave the tradition despite that bad early experience. It got me to thinking about people who have come back to a tradition, and what it was that drew them back.

Keep it positive, please. Thanks!

 

[Jimmy_B]

Here’s a question for reverts of all Christian traditions, whether Catholic, Orthodox, Coptic, Protestant, or Pentecostal:

What were the strengths of the tradition that made you come back?

Please, this is not a thread for people who have left one tradition for another because the one you left was so awful, so heretical, so untruthful. There are plenty of threads for you to have your say. It is also not for cradle-traditionalists (I myself have nothing to say, since I was raised Protestant and never left that tradition). The reason I bring it up is that I was doing research on a famous criminal I hadn’t realized was raised in a nominally religious family: the attitude of the mother was that she had been “dragged” into that tradition, so she treated all other religions as equal to the one that had raised her. The criminal eventually converted to a different religion that taught him violence as part of the way of holiness. I personally hated Sunday School as a child and felt “dragged” there, but didn’t leave the tradition despite that bad early experience. It got me to thinking about people who have come back to a tradition, and what it was that drew them back.

Keep it positive, please. Thanks!

I am a cradle Catholic and I never really left but I was not as active when I was a young man. To answer your question…The Holy Sacraments.

This is a great thread question!

Peace

 

[Crazy_Diamond]

I am a cradle Catholic and I never really left but I was not as active when I was a young man. To answer your question…The Holy Sacraments.

This is a great thread question!

Peace

Sure, I’ll take stories from prodigals!

 

[MarcoPolo]

I’m Catholic and never really left either. In college there were a number of other Christians who challenged my faith with their Scripture citations. So I had to decide whether I was in the right place or not, since I couldn’t readily answer many challenges. So I went and read lots and lots of Scripture myself, never having read a book on apologetics or anything, and amazingly, I realized, from Scripture, how right the Catholic Church was, and how some of the “challenges” ultimately didn’t make any sense. The Bible kept me Catholic.

 

[Roman_Catholic_1]

You know I am not sure what I would be classified. I was Baptized Catholic but was not raised any one particular faith… Unless you count no religion as a faith? Then in College I finally decided to have my confirmation and first communion. I guess that makes me a revert ?

Anyways when my wife and I started seeking God and were convinced of our sins against Him we knew we had to find fellowship. For me it was the historical claims that the Church makes that I think the Holy Spirit used to get me into the Church. I am and have always been a huge History buff so that was a large factor for me. And I don’t see it as a coincidence.

For my wife it was the style of worship that attracted her to the Catholic Church as well. She was used to (as a non-denominational Christian) very Charismatic worship where people would jump up and down clapping and singing, which she didn’t care for.(Not saying anythings is wrong with that, she just doesn’t care for it) She always says that she loves the solemn reverence of the Catholic Mass.

God bless

 

[JRKH]

I guess I’d have to say that there was a series of things that led me back.

I was raised catholic but drifted away in my 20’s and read a number of books on different faith systems. I never really looked at any other Christian traditions because, quite frankly, I knew they were all spin off so the Catholic. Thus, If the Catholic Church wee wrong I wasn’t about to trust a spin-off. Anyway I never really Got serious about any other faith and just drifted for a number of years.

Then a couple of things happened. First, my Dear Wife was diagnosed with ALZ. At first we dealt with it ourselves. I prayed and thought about how much I missed the consolation of the Shurch and sacraments. Then after about 3 years my Godfather wrote me about our returning to Church for the Good of Her (as well as my) soul.
I needed to get an annullment from a previous marriage, and wasn’t sure if I could. As I prayed on this one morning in bed, my Dear Wife, who was asleep, raised the blanket, made the sign of the Cross and lowered the blanket again - Still Asleep. My concerns vanished, I applied and recieved an annulment. 2 weeks later our marriage was convalidated, we went to confession and returned to the sacraments.

It really has been since then that I have been studying and learning about the faith and getting stronger each day. This site is a GREAT resource.

Like Jimmy said - This is a great thread topic.

Peace
James

 

[Crazy_Diamond]

The Bible kept me Catholic.