Protestants becoming Catholic

  • Thread starter Thread starter rfournier103
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
R

rfournier103

Guest
I know that thousands of people ‘change sides’ every year. Some become Catholic, some become Protestant.

I’ve see several videos on youtube posted by various Protestant groups lamenting the large exodous of high profile Protestants (Evangelicals, in particular) to Catholicism. Is that a trend that is continuing today, or has that tailed off?

If it hasn’t tailed off, what keeps 'em coming; and why do the Protestants they leave behind get so mad? It’s not THEIR lives, so what’s the big deal?
 
Roman Catholicism just seems to have become the default religion for a lot of political conservatives. This is probably due to a lot of Protestant affiliations either a) hierarchy adopting left wing views or b) adopting a sort of Christianity-lite with barely any doctrine and vomit-inducing pop music and over-familiarity (hugging and what have you). All the while, we have had Rome two successive orthodox popes and the Second Vatican Council which have bridged the gap a great deal.

Old fashioned American Puritanism just seems to have disappeared.
 
Indifferently said:
Roman Catholicism just seems to have become the default religion for a lot of political conservatives. This is probably due to a lot of Protestant affiliations either a) hierarchy adopting left wing views or b) adopting a sort of Christianity-lite with barely any doctrine and vomit-inducing pop music and over-familiarity (hugging and what have you). All the while, we have had Rome two successive orthodox popes and the Second Vatican Council which have bridged the gap a great deal.

Old fashioned American Puritanism just seems to have disappeared.
Click to expand...
Interesting. This is the kind of answer I was expecting.

So, is it socially conservative policies that puts Catholicism on the radar; followed by investigation of theology sealing the deal?
 
rfournier103 said:
I know that thousands of people ‘change sides’ every year. Some become Catholic, some become Protestant.

I’ve see several videos on youtube posted by various Protestant groups lamenting the large exodous of high profile Protestants (Evangelicals, in particular) to Catholicism. Is that a trend that is continuing today, or has that tailed off?

If it hasn’t tailed off, what keeps 'em coming; and why do the Protestants they leave behind get so mad? It’s not THEIR lives, so what’s the big deal?
Click to expand...
I will simply speak for my area. The local news ran a story on this subject. The Catholic Church in my area had the highest growth rate of all. The news said the number one reason for conversion is marriage. When I helped out with RCIA and was in the class almost 20 years ago, I do not know if one person who was joining due to marriage. I’m sure there are many, but what I observed was a desire to come into full communion and the Holy Spirit at work in their lives. Society will try to give some excuse such as marriage or social issues while trying to push God out of the equation. :twocents:
 
Indifferently said:
Roman Catholicism just seems to have become the default religion for a lot of political conservatives. This is probably due to a lot of Protestant affiliations either a) hierarchy adopting left wing views or b) adopting a sort of Christianity-lite with barely any doctrine and vomit-inducing pop music and over-familiarity (hugging and what have you). All the while, we have had Rome two successive orthodox popes and the Second Vatican Council which have bridged the gap a great deal.

Old fashioned American Puritanism just seems to have disappeared.
Click to expand...
Arrgghhh… The pop music is the worst. I hope WYD will eventually grow out of it.
 
I will interrupt here and tell you what my observations are: in our parish most of the RCIA attenders/inquirers haven’t been practicing any religion. Many are Catholics who didn’t complete their sacraments. In our diocese roughly half of the newcomers to the Church have already been baptized.

I don’t live in a hotbed of Christianity exactly and I don’t see any sign of active Protestants converting to Catholicism in great numbers. When I talked to my fundamentalist ex-employer about this her reaction to my conversion was that she never heard of a Christian becoming a Catholic just Catholics becoming Christians.:banghead: I suspect if any faithful Evangelical becomes a Catholic it offends those Evangelicals that believe Catholics aren’t Christians.
 
aidanbradypop said:
I will simply speak for my area. The local news ran a story on this subject. The Catholic Church in my area had the highest growth rate of all. The news said the number one reason for conversion is marriage. When I helped out with RCIA and was in the class almost 20 years ago, I do not know if one person who was joining due to marriage. I’m sure there are many, but what I observed was a desire to come into full communion and the Holy Spirit at work in their lives. Society will try to give some excuse such as marriage or social issues while trying to push God out of the equation. :twocents:
Click to expand...
Forgive the way I’m about to put this, but seeing numerous videos and articles about this on the interweb; it’s almost like Catholicism is the new “in” thing for serious Christians who don’t have deep-seated bias against the Church (and sometimes even for those who do). Of course, there are very devout Protestants that are quite happy in their churches and would never leave, but I think the converts (the ones this thread is about) fall into two categories:
  1. Those that are dissatisfied with the social liberalism of their communities.
  2. Those that researched the Church’s ‘family tree’ and ended up with Catholicism.
 
MSSheBear said:
I will interrupt here and tell you what my observations are: in our parish most of the RCIA attenders/inquirers haven’t been practicing any religion. Many are Catholics who didn’t complete their sacraments. In our diocese roughly half of the newcomers to the Church have already been baptized.

I don’t live in a hotbed of Christianity exactly and I don’t see any sign of active Protestants converting to Catholicism in great numbers. When I talked to my fundamentalist ex-employer about this her reaction to my conversion was that she never heard of a Christian becoming a Catholic just Catholics becoming Christians.:banghead: I suspect if any faithful Evangelical becomes a Catholic it offends those Evangelicals that believe Catholics aren’t Christians.
Click to expand...
I would agree.
I think conversions irritate evangelicals/fundamentalists moreso than mainstream denominational churches.
 
rfournier103 said:
Forgive the way I’m about to put this, but seeing numerous videos and articles about this on the interweb; it’s almost like Catholicism is the new “in” thing for serious Christians who don’t have deep-seated bias against the Church (and sometimes even for those who do). Of course, there are very devout Protestants that are quite happy in their churches and would never leave, but I think the converts (the ones this thread is about) fall into two categories:
  1. Those that are dissatisfied with the social liberalism of their communities.
  2. Those that researched the Church’s ‘family tree’ and ended up with Catholicism.
Click to expand...
I would tend to lean toward #1 for the sake of the thread.
JustaServant said:
I would agree.
I think conversions irritate evangelicals/fundamentalists moreso than mainstream denominational churches.
Click to expand...
I remember the Baptist minister at the congregation I attend was furious at me for leaving. If my memory serves me right, he even stated by converting I was signing my ticket to hell. Being 12 at the time, I said “Well then I will see ya there.” Probably shouldn’t have said that lol.
 
aidanbradypop said:
I remember the Baptist minister at the congregation I attend was furious at me for leaving. If my memory serves me right, he even stated by converting I was signing my ticket to hell. Being 12 at the time, I said “Well then I will see ya there.” Probably shouldn’t have said that lol.
Click to expand...
My reaction (at least online to that statement from a wide-eyed fundy) was “Gee…I always thought it was Jesus that saved…”
😉
 
MSSheBear said:
I will interrupt here and tell you what my observations are: in our parish most of the RCIA attenders/inquirers haven’t been practicing any religion. Many are Catholics who didn’t complete their sacraments. In our diocese roughly half of the newcomers to the Church have already been baptized.

I don’t live in a hotbed of Christianity exactly and I don’t see any sign of active Protestants converting to Catholicism in great numbers. When I talked to my fundamentalist ex-employer about this her reaction to my conversion was that she never heard of a Christian becoming a Catholic just Catholics becoming Christians.:banghead: I suspect if any faithful Evangelical becomes a Catholic it offends those Evangelicals that believe Catholics aren’t Christians.
Click to expand...
She had never heard of Scott Hahn, Allen Hunt, or Frank Beckwith, eh? She needs to think outside her little box.
aidanbradypop said:
I remember the Baptist minister at the congregation I attend was furious at me for leaving. If my memory serves me right, he even stated by converting I was signing my ticket to hell. Being 12 at the time, I said “Well then I will see ya there.” Probably shouldn’t have said that lol.
Click to expand...
Yes you should have! You were far nicer than I would have been. Are you SURE you’re not originally from Boston? A true Bostonian would have said exactly that (although in language far more colorful, and NOT permitted here). I don’t get why some of them like to say that we’re going to hell :confused:
 
rfournier103 said:
Yes you should have! You were far nicer than I would have been. Are you SURE you’re not originally from Boston? A true Bostonian would have said exactly that (although in language far more colorful, and NOT permitted here). I don’t get why some of them like to say that we’re going to hell :confused:
Click to expand...
I am a Southie by blood. lol
 
rfournier103 said:
I know that thousands of people ‘change sides’ every year. Some become Catholic, some become Protestant.

I’ve see several videos on youtube posted by various Protestant groups lamenting the large exodous of high profile Protestants (Evangelicals, in particular) to Catholicism. Is that a trend that is continuing today, or has that tailed off?

If it hasn’t tailed off, what keeps 'em coming; and why do the Protestants they leave behind get so mad? It’s not THEIR lives, so what’s the big deal?
Click to expand...
**Someone correct me if I am wrong. G.K. Chesteron was purported to have said, “A Christian that knows history is condemned to be a Catholic.”
**
 
rfournier103 said:
why do the Protestants they leave behind get so mad? It’s not THEIR lives, so what’s the big deal?
Click to expand...
Some Protestants believe that those who are leaving their ranks are defecting from the true faith. It is understandable that this would be upsetting to them, just as it is (hopefully) upsetting to us if Catholics leave the Church; not because we want to run their lives but because we care about their well being, and see that they are imperiling their souls.
 
I remember one guy on the old Fighting Fundy Forum (a forerunner to CARM) said “you’ll be sitting in a Baptist church within a year!!!”
That was six years ago.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top