I think I was 'saved'

[PattyPryor]

I don’t know where to put this.

I had a conversation with my friend this weekend and she was very upset. She had gone to Lifest (www.lifest.com) and believes she was ‘saved’. She is a Catholic, but was stopped at a booth called Are you a Good Person? The man was INSISTENT she talk and answer his questions. He asked the questions like Ray Comfort goes on about how people sin and that is proved by the use of the 10 commandments. She was nervous and said she was speechless and he guided her.

Before she knew it she was praying with him. When she was done he said “Praise the Lord we have another sister in Christ. She has come to the LORD!” She got up and called me crying and said, "I think I was ‘saved’, and I felt happy everyone was proud of me. (she has a rough background and never received a lot of praise

I don’t know how to help her. She thinks she is no longer Catholic. Any help on this would be so helpful! God Bless!

 

[sousley]

It can be difficult depending on type of person and you would probably know best what kind of guidance your friend needs. I would assure her that of course she was saved through the waters of baptism, however this baptism is the beginning of a life’s journey. At her baptism, she was given the new name “Christian” and that God gave her the grace to be part of His family. (Her rock/fair preacher friend probably couldn’t offer this).

However, we do have to recognize that we fail to follow God’s commands sometimes, but are given the Sacrament of Reconciliation to ask forgiveness, receive a penance, and be absolved of our sin, reconciling us to communion with God. (Her rock/fair preacher probably couldn’t offer this either).

We are able to then accept a deeper intimacy with the very Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Savior in the Holy Eucharist. To be bodily and spiritually nourished by the very Presence of God is the greatest intimacy we can ask for. (yep, again with the no preacher guy).

Let her know (lovingly) that being saved is not a one-time event. This is a false teaching. Read through 1 Cor 10 a couple times alone in prayer and then with her. Paul relives the story of the exodus by the Israelites (God’s chosen ones—the saved ones) as they were freed from captivity (sin) and lead to the promised land (heaven). See how many of them were not able to complete the journey and were slain as a result of their sin. Read verses 11,12 slowly and carefully. Also verse 16 (Eucharist). [maybe not so much the idol bit but up to 16 anyway]

Hope you find something helpful in that. God Bless you and may He give you the right words, love, and attitude to reach out to your friend.

 

[StrawberryJam]

I don’t know where to put this.

I had a conversation with my friend this weekend and she was very upset. She had gone to Lifest (www.lifest.com) and believes she was ‘saved’. She is a Catholic, but was stopped at a booth called Are you a Good Person? The man was INSISTENT she talk and answer his questions. He asked the questions like Ray Comfort goes on about how people sin and that is proved by the use of the 10 commandments. She was nervous and said she was speechless and he guided her.

Before she knew it she was praying with him. When she was done he said “Praise the Lord we have another sister in Christ. She has come to the LORD!” She got up and called me crying and said, "I think I was ‘saved’, and I felt happy everyone was proud of me. (she has a rough background and never received a lot of praise

I don’t know how to help her. She thinks she is no longer Catholic. Any help on this would be so helpful! God Bless!

She is a Catholic. She may be worried she is not after going through this experience.
She really needs to speak to a priest who can assure her that whatever happened that day, if it is accurately portrayed here in no way harmed or took away the graces she had already attained. She was taken in by a huckster.

She was not in need of saving, let alone needing to come to the LORD in all caps.
She was taken in.

She needs a good priest now, to assure her that she is a Catholic. She needs to speak to him to determine details we can’t know here.
He will help her.

This type of religious evangelism makes me very worried about what type of ethics are involved in spreading the good word.

Please let us know how your friend is doing, and if she seeks a priest.

 

[PattyPryor]

Thanks I will keep you posted

 

[Church_Militant]

Patty, tell her not to sweat it because intention is everything and since she was essentially coerced and bamboozled into that circumstance, it means nothing.

I suggest that you perhaps copy and print the following CA resources and give them to her.

Born Again - The Bible Way
God’s Love for You

You can also feel free to copy and use My Testimony

I also have several very good Catholic tracts that deal directly with this topic that I can put in the mail to you tomorrow if you will PM me an address.

 

[Iron_Donkey]

I don’t know where to put this.

I had a conversation with my friend this weekend and she was very upset. She had gone to Lifest (www.lifest.com) and believes she was ‘saved’. She is a Catholic, but was stopped at a booth called Are you a Good Person? The man was INSISTENT she talk and answer his questions. He asked the questions like Ray Comfort goes on about how people sin and that is proved by the use of the 10 commandments. She was nervous and said she was speechless and he guided her.

Before she knew it she was praying with him. When she was done he said “Praise the Lord we have another sister in Christ. She has come to the LORD!” She got up and called me crying and said, "I think I was ‘saved’, and I felt happy everyone was proud of me. (she has a rough background and never received a lot of praise

I don’t know how to help her. She thinks she is no longer Catholic. Any help on this would be so helpful! God Bless!

Yeah, since once saved always saved is in fact false, that didn’t happen. And unless she explicitly intended to or intends to give up Catholicism, there is no problem there either.

At best, she experienced a moment of contrition, and said a prayer for forgiveness that didn’t mean what the person she spoke with thought it did, and then experienced some community. At worst, she was emotionally manipulated into something she didn’t understand. I would guess some of both, but from what it sounds like, she probably had no ill intent and just was/is confused. Should this worry her anyway after hearing this sort of thing, she should just talk to a priest about it (which might not be a bad idea anyway).

 

[chimo]

I don’t know where to put this.

I had a conversation with my friend this weekend and she was very upset. She had gone to Lifest (www.lifest.com) and believes she was ‘saved’. She is a Catholic, but was stopped at a booth called Are you a Good Person? The man was INSISTENT she talk and answer his questions. He asked the questions like Ray Comfort goes on about how people sin and that is proved by the use of the 10 commandments. She was nervous and said she was speechless and he guided her.

Before she knew it she was praying with him. When she was done he said “Praise the Lord we have another sister in Christ. She has come to the LORD!” She got up and called me crying and said, "I think I was ‘saved’, and I felt happy everyone was proud of me. (she has a rough background and never received a lot of praise

I don’t know how to help her. She thinks she is no longer Catholic. Any help on this would be so helpful! God Bless!

We all need an awakening experience so that we will discover the truth about what the Church teaches. Perhaps your friend just needed this awakening experience to help her on this journey. When St. Therese overheard her father when speaking to her sister that he wished his youngest daughter to finally grow up over these Christmas traditions the family was used to, she went directly to her room and told her Lord that she does not want to remain the child anymore but to be a more responsible adult. I think your friend also needed this experience. It helps to awaken our faith to be more responsible. Sometimes God may even use Protestants to help awaken faith in Catholics or in Eastern Christians.