Non religous reasons I went from evangelical to catholic

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AbideWithMe said:
Adamski and JustaServant—I have a question adapted from Razanir’s adaption—Since you both were cradle Catholics, how did you end up in Fundamentalist and Evangelical churches at all? I don’t want to derail the thread, but I wondered about this and figured you both could answer briefly?
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Eh? No, no, you seem to have misunderstood my response. I’m Catholic through and through and was naming the reasons I don’t intend on ever being otherwise.
 
I’m glad you came back to the fullness of the faith in the Catholic Church. I’ve read that probably the majority of Protestant Evangelicals are fallen away Catholics. Anyway, I’m a convert to Catholicism except that I used to be Agnostic/New Age/Wiccan in my religious beliefs. Going from that to orthodox Catholicism was in itself a miracle, and it’s now been over 20 years since my conversion.
 
JonNC said:
=Laughi
Actually, it was a good idea… The OP was exclusively about evangelical, but since its now been expanded to the very broad category protestant, just a bit of a response.

Agreed, too many, but why would the existence of numerous other faith communions persuade me to not be Lutheran? The exact same argument applies to Catholicism, Orthodoxy, etc.

These apply to such a narrow group. I can’t imagine what difference they make. As I said before, the existence of TBN, which I’ve never watch, has no influence on whether or not I’m a Lutheran.

While not a non-religious reason, 6 certainly makes sense.

A rather broad brush, wouldn’t you say?

I join my prayer to yours that the day His Church is united comes soon.

Jon
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FYI, I came to those conclusions before I was Catholic. Sorry if you felt I was painting Protestantism with too broad a brush. I don’t have the time to break down all the different traditions and what I thought was questionable about them. Those are my experiences. Cant change them. Seems like you felt attacked or something to pick apart my post like you did. If so, sorry. That’s my story and I am sticking to it though.
 
Just wanted to add The last church I went to before I became Catholic was a Lutheran church. I attended it for a year. They were not very traditional Lutherans though… no liturgy, communion only once a month and other things. When I did some research, it turned out that their particular Lutheran denomination was formed in the early 1900’s because of a “Spiritual awakening” so they decided to change some things around 🤷 It was quite a turn off when I learned that LOL.
 
JustaServant said:
Great thread idea Adamski! 👍
I’ll add some of my own.
  1. Being able to walk into a church without hearing the chatter and loud laughs from the next pew about Leroy’s huntin’ trip or such. I’m not saying the CC is without that, but it is usually met (or should be met) with stern looks. Being in silent prayer in the before God is refreshing.
  2. No 45 minute sermons. People usually start to loose attention after about 15 minutes.
  3. No “business meetings” where one has to sit for an hour and listen to the head deacon go through the checklist of where and how each and every penny of the offering was spent.
  4. No “building campaigns” (OMG, yes).
  5. No “pastoral candidate interviews”. "Preacha’ what’s your stand on (Calvinism, standards, Bible versions, pants on wimmin’, contemporary christian music, ect, ect, ect).
  6. An “invitation” just as long as the sermon, with all 72 verses of “Just as I am”.
  7. No mid-week prayer service that doubles as a mid-week gossip session.
I could go on and on…but those are first things off the top of my head…
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I was more than willing to overlook this rant but seriously, no love for “Just As I Am”? It’s an incredibly humbling song that I love.
 
JustaServant said:
I’ll add some of my own. …
2. No 45 minute sermons. People usually start to loose attention after about 15 minutes.
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In my experience, a homily longer than 5-10 minutes is way too long. Catholics have the sacraments which are far too important. The purpose of the homily is to fit into the flow of the Mass, not to take over. We got a new priest about a year ago and he just rambled on and on. I stopped counting his points when I reached a bakers dozen and he received very specific feedback. A homily with one gem - one main point the Spirit is pointing to - gives the people something to take home and consider or implement. Don’t mean to be too serious, but I have had classes on homilies and practice on a regular basis. Catholics need better, more refined and focused homilies. Sermons and homilies are worlds apart.
 
Adamski said:
I get anxiety with loud places such as loud music and people moving around during church

As an evangelical I couldn’t have a concrete reason of right and wrong for me or my children

We where unhappy with our pastor and my wife wanted to “church shop” it was impossible to find a new church. Now with the sacraments and a catholic church in every town that stress is gone.

Non denominational churches are self governing and I watched theology develop and change even over a short period of time and thought what am I leaving my children

Number one reason
Arguing at bible studies in the evangelical world with 12 people there are 12 different controdicting opinions and it was to much after a hard day of work to deal with arguing

There are tons of theology reasons but these where some of the non theolical reasons did anyone else have similar experices
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Your first point is something that I can agree. I feel the anxiety but also, the loud music at the "mega-church my wife attends, is disorienting. No comfort for me there.

I never felt at a loss for right and wrong at the Baptist church

Most of these churches do grow or die by the strength of the pastor. If he isn’t a dynamic and charismatic individual, the church withers. I’ve done a lot of church shopping the past thirty years, fortunately, shopping is what brought me to the Catholic Church.

I hate the self governing aspect in the churches and that was one of the things that made me want to investigate the Catholic Church. Whenever there was a vote for a new pastor, there was a good chance that half the church would leave and go to another church.

Most of the Baptist bible studies I attended, most of the attendees were on the same page. Though I will admit that I like the fact that some of the greatest minds in history have worked out what Catholics believe over the last two centuries.
 
The homily focuses the gospel upon the practice of living the Christian life and the sermon makes us aware of our cultural, corporate sinfulness to help us change.
 
My non-religious reasons for going from Evangelical to Catholic: Catholics aren’t expected to travel 25 miles one way in city traffic to attend church. Most parishes don’t have those small groups. And Catholics don’t have church business meetings. :ouch:

I had more profound reasons for becoming Catholic too.😛
 
AbideWithMe said:
Adamski and JustaServant—I have a question adapted from Razanir’s adaption—Since you both were cradle Catholics, how did you end up in Fundamentalist and Evangelical churches at all? I don’t want to derail the thread, but I wondered about this and figured you both could answer briefly?
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Very brief*

Catholic to agnostic 17-28
I left the catholic church because when I was 17 I knew I had committed my first mortal sin and I asked my father if I should go to confession. *Like usual he was drunk, but I was to young to realize that he couldn’t answer in that state. *I asked if I should go to confession. *He said “no that went out with Vatican 2”. So I thought well I’m going to hell so I might as live a life of sin.

Agnostic to evangelical 28-34
I ended up in the evangelical church because a neighbor asked me to go one rainy Sunday morning and it was fun it was like going to a concert. *Free mochas, U2 music, big screen tv’s with good special effects. *

Evangelical to catholic 34-present*
I returned to the catholic church because I was told by my evangelical pastor unless I was re baptized I was going to hell because the rapture was coming. * It really made me question where I was and what was true. *At this same time an assistant pastor killed himself right before a church group and I also learned suicide was common at our evangelical church. *I remember the pastor mocking the Eucharist so I literally googled “catholic answer Eucharist” and I was soon attending mass on weekdays and the evangelical church on Sundays in 2010 and here I am in full communion

A side note part of conversion was meeting Patrick coffin personally and exchanging emails and he returned about 10 emails of mine and was very helpful*
 
Adamski said:
Very brief*

Catholic to agnostic 17-28
I left the catholic church because when I was 17 I knew I had committed my first mortal sin and I asked my father if I should go to confession. *Like usual he was drunk, but I was to young to realize that he couldn’t answer in that state. *I asked if I should go to confession. *He said “no that went out with Vatican 2”. So I thought well I’m going to hell so I might as live a life of sin.

Agnostic to evangelical 28-34
I ended up in the evangelical church because a neighbor asked me to go one rainy Sunday morning and it was fun it was like going to a concert. *Free mochas, U2 music, big screen tv’s with good special effects. *

Evangelical to catholic 34-present*
I returned to the catholic church because I was told by my evangelical pastor unless I was re baptized I was going to hell because the rapture was coming. * It really made me question where I was and what was true. *At this same time an assistant pastor killed himself right before a church group and I also learned suicide was common at our evangelical church. *I remember the pastor mocking the Eucharist so I literally googled “catholic answer Eucharist” and I was soon attending mass on weekdays and the evangelical church on Sundays in 2010 and here I am in full communion

A side note part of conversion was meeting Patrick coffin personally and exchanging emails and he returned about 10 emails of mine and was very helpful*
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Thanks for the reply, Adamski. I’m going to be away all day, but I do have a couple of questions.
 
LaughingBoy1503 said:
FYI, I came to those conclusions before I was Catholic. Sorry if you felt I was painting Protestantism with too broad a brush. I don’t have the time to break down all the different traditions and what I thought was questionable about them. Those are my experiences. Cant change them. Seems like you felt attacked or something to pick apart my post like you did. If so, sorry. That’s my story and I am sticking to it though.
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Attacked? Goodness no. Sorry it came across that way. I often have in the back of my mind the impression we leave on lurkers, or those who are learning about the differences in beliefs. I also apologize if the tone of my post seemed attacking. Perhaps I sometimes overreact to the “Protestants do/say/believe ________”. 😊

Jon
 
LaughingBoy1503 said:
Just wanted to add The last church I went to before I became Catholic was a Lutheran church. I attended it for a year. They were not very traditional Lutherans though… no liturgy, communion only once a month and other things. When I did some research, it turned out that their particular Lutheran denomination was formed in the early 1900’s because of a “Spiritual awakening” so they decided to change some things around 🤷 It was quite a turn off when I learned that LOL.
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Sorry you were subjected to this. 😃
One of the biggest problems American Lutheranism has had to contend with is the influence of pietism, and broadly American Protestantism of various types, most notably Reformed.

Jon
 
Brandall said:
I was more than willing to overlook this rant but seriously, no love for “Just As I Am”? It’s an incredibly humbling song that I love.
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Grow a funny bone dude.
I said **72 verses **of JAIA. Nobody said there was no love for the song, but how fundies abuse it.
 
Razanir said:
I can attest to this. I don’t feel weird about not giving money because I already give my time to the choir. (Time, talent, and treasure: Ingrained in my memory from stewardship classes in RE)

snip
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The church still needs money even if you give time and talent. If you cannot afford it that’s different but the practical side says we can’t pay the priest, janitor, insurance, staff with time talent and treasure.

Just because there is not pressure to give, please don’t assume (unless you are very poor and never spend money on a Starbucks or cigarettes or other unnecessary items) that your church is doing well without the financial help of all. Even if it is only a dollar or two.

And if everyone in my parish just gave a dollar or two each week, we would be financially much better off.
 
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