I am looking for conversion stories of former Adventists that have converted to or reverted to Catholicism.
Comments on how you got free of:
- The law, especially Sabbath requirements
First, I had to escape the authority of Ellen G. White. Once I found out that she did not meet the test of a prophet, I was able to examine her teachings without feeling like I was being unfaithful to what God wanted. All Christians recognize some form of authority in their church, be it the founder, current pastor, or governing body (Why some people get mad over the Magesterium is beyond me, heh).
In all of Christian history before Adventism, there haven’t been any worldwide churches which worshipped the Lord on Saturday. I looked at the groups that the SDA church claims are their predecessors. They all worshipped on Sunday. The Waldensians and Albiginans or something like that (In fact, the Waldensians still exist today in Italy! Struck me as a bit odd, really). The burden of proof for maintaining the Hebrew Sabbath in the presence of the New Covenant rests completely on Ellen White…and she can’t pass the simple biblical test of a prophet. It really is a matter of the Authority of Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. Should I trust a false prophet to interpret scripture for me? To set out the laws of faith? No, I will not.
I began to have questions about Authority, God given Authority. Who had it? Who could settle these issues? Who could weigh in with the Wisdom of the Lord and help me? =P This is where my search honestly began for the One Church, the Kingdom of the Lord, the Bride of Christ, the Body of the Lord.
My search inluded all major protestant sects, Sceintology, and some of the Occult. Because of my SDA upbringing, I could not seriously consider the Catholic Church, even though when I was in the Military I had stumbled upon EWTN and Mother Angelica’s program. She caused me to rethink my postition that Catholics were defacto evil, but I still couldn’t really believe what the Church taught. Thank God for His patience and mercy with me.
Anywho, during my journey home, I heard the most compelling argument that I had ever heard in my life. The old covenant was external and did not have the power to change the heart of man. It didn’t really have to power to make you a son rather than a servant. The old covenant pointed toward the new. The old sabbath pointed toward the new. In the new covenant, the Lord gives us the power and the right to become His family. The new sabbath is not the first day of the week, though it looks like it. It is actually the eighth day…it is the fullfillment of the old…an eternal moment in Mass, always present at the foot of the cross. There is sure to be someone here who can explain this far, far better than I can. I have the words in my mind, but I have a hard time getting them out onto this page. Will somebody come and explain the Eighth day a bit better than I?
The Sabbath of the new covenant is an eternal moment. I’m not sure how to explain this any better.
Yeah, the SDA belief comes from a text “The dead know nothing.” Unfortunately, I think that this is a failure to correctly interrpret the text. I believe that the correct interrpretation is along the lines of the fact that the dead really aren’t granted any supernatural knowledge of the earth once they die. Please remember that the Lord only spoke of people being dead if they were spiritually dead. The living only appear to have died when their bodies passed away. Honestly, the dead don’t know anything special beyond their own idiocy in failing to strive to live in grace, so why bother trying to contact them? [If my interpretation is incorrect, I yield to the Church]
There are so many verses in Holy Scripture which speak of what happens after you die. Seriously, find them. I have a hard time understanding why I could not really comprehend them while I was an SDA member. Honestely, if I follow a false prophet, I am the blind following the blind. E. G. White and I both fell into a pit. /sigh.
Getting away from the authority of Mrs. White is the most important step you can take in trying to understand what is true and what is false. Answer the question of authority first.
- The belief that the Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon
This is the pure, unadaltered Grace of God! I absolutely could not believe that the Church was in fact His kingdom, His family unless God Himself touched my soul and caused me to open my heart. This is the work of God in my heart… My intellect soon followed in the few years afterward.
It all started with EWTN and Mother Angelica (may the Lord keep this woman with Him in Grace forever…seriously, I pray for her every morning, evening, and night. You should too). I saw a woman in a nun’s habit while flipping through the channels. I was shocked that a Catholic Nun was so wise, honestly. …so wise and so kind. I could feel her kindness pouring through the TV. Later that week (I think), I was at the bookstore and saw a copy of the Catechism. I picked it up and opened it. I’m not sure how, but I ended up in the section describing Love. I had never in my life read or heard such a description. I said to myself. “How can satan’s church say something so beautiful in describing love?” I honestly said that to myself, heh. That has stuck in my mind throughout the years.
That’s what started it all. Well, the Lord started it, but He used these things and these people to open my heart and my mind to Him and to His family.
Over the course of six years I studied the Church. One doctrinal objection after another fell away. I finally started RCIA. I did not complete it. I had an intellectual understanding of Our Blessed Mother and the Communion of the Saints, but I did not believe with God given faith, I think. I don’t recall what happened, really, but I didn’t finish RCIA that year.
Something changed after that time. I really went off the deep end with my life for a few years. When God drew me back through His Vicar, I realized that I believed everything the Church taught. I don’t know how that happened. I really have no clue… I think that maybe God gave me the faith to believe. I was not desperate to believe anything, nor was I even looking for God anymore. I had given up everything. Nothing in life held any attraction for me. I don’t care about anything anymore…except God and His family. …and I don’t even know how that came about, really.
. I am certainly not a holy, pious man, even though I want to be (it is the only way to see Him…be holy as he is). I don’t want to give you that impression. I have committed such sins against God and my fellow humans that I could not feel forgiveness when I prayed. I could not feel His forgiveness…like I was praying to a wall before I quit praying altogether…before I quit pretending to be Christian, even. I’m sure there are many, many like me.
When God drew me back (for keeps this time), He let me experience something that I had never even dreamed of before. I couldn’t pray, really. I copied some prayer list from a confraternity. Psalm 51, 54, 119, Angelus, and a couple of other prayers. I started praying these prayes every morning and every evening. At times, it felt like God was standing right beside me… I had about a month of pure, palpable Grace… (that’s how I know that it’s for keeps this time…I want His Grace, HIs life, His love). You won’t believe me, but even my skin felt hot. It was unreal! I didn’t even know such a state of being existed!!! How do I get back?! HOW?! I search and study constantly, even though I fail frequently. I fail to do what is right and good. It’s like there is a war in my mind and heart. It rages. St. Paul talks about it alot in Holy Scripture. I take some solace in his words.
I discovered Dr. Hahn, Fr. Corapi, Fr. Groschell (sp?), Fr. Pacwa, Karl Keating, and Tim Staples. I’ve spent at least a couple thousand on tapes and books. I found out how to live in Grace. I found the Bride of Christ. I found the Family of the Living God. This is the pearl. How did I find it? …and I wasn’t even looking this time. The Lord’s ways are strange.
Looking back over what has happened so far in my life I can see how He has brought change through sufferring. I can see how things are working toward my good. …and I understand that much more suffering is required before my body dies.
- The erroneous belief in a so called “True Church” yet to be revealed
This was never an issue for me, so I can’t really speak to this question.
A list of false prophecies could also help.
Clicky—>Read this entire page. Scroll down for specific prophecies.
Thank you in advance for any comments you can share on the foregoing or other aspects you believe will help.
You are welcome. I hope that I didn’t sound to weird here. I’ve tried to be as honest to you as possible.
