Serious relationship with serious Protestant

[montanaman]

montanaman - your comment about kissing a Protestant cracked me up. Funny funny

Now back to me. (just kidding) (sort of) I am feeling so sad about this break up. Like frantic sadness. What if I regret it for the rest of my life? Maybe we could make the 2 religions-thing work? He is the most wonderful person (funny/smart/kind/loves me) and I’m so afraid I’ll not meet another person like him. He loves God more than most Catholics I know - doesn’t that count for something? As someone said earlier, former Protestants make the best Catholics…maybe one day he’ll see the light of the Catholic Church…

How do I know if this is the right decision? I am so sad right now - and pretty much terrified. I don’t want to make this a dating column, but I really need some Catholic help.

Christine,

Based on my current relationship, I might have to revise my opinion about inter-faith relationships. It IS possible, perhaps, but then, we haven’t really gotten into it. She did say this evening, “What’s a nice Catholic like you doing with a Protestant girl like me?” It was funny, but tinged with something else…

Anyway, don’t be sad. Well, that’s easy to say, but maybe you know that there’s always another guy out there. He probably won’t be everything you’re looking for, but who is? (I’ve given up on the hope that I’ll find a guitar-playin’, cosmo-drinking, orthodox Catholic hippie-chick). I’ll assume your ex was a good guy on many levels because you loved (love) him, but just imagine–there’s very likely a guy out there who will make this guy look like dog doo. Yeah, we get impatient, we want that other person NOW, dang it, but timing accounts for a lot. God wants you to be ready, wants him to be ready, whoever he is, and THEN he’ll have you guys run into each other at the grocery store. Or the gas station. Or, better yet, while having coffee and doughnuts at church.

If you’ve been through a few painful breakups–like I have–then you probably also know that only time will get you back to that strong piece of mind. But while it takes a while, time ALWAYS makes it right. I promise you that. I had a girl break up with me, move in with some dude right away, and had kids soon after that. She named one after my sister, and gave the other the name of the first girl we would have had. It took three years to be completely over her. But you know what? I was stronger than ever afterward.

Don’t torture yourself. Don’t dwell on “your places,” or think about what he’s doing now. It doesn’t matter, because soon you’ll have new places with someone else, and you’ll be spending time with someone else. I promise, it gets better.

Anyway, enough pep talk. Hang in there. If you’re anywhere near D.C. or Northern Virginia, I’ll buy you a beer and talk about what pigs men are. I know, believe me, I know. I’m in the boy club, after all…

 

[tommyboy]

nucatholic:

Hi! I understand where your boyfriend is coming from. I too was an anti-Catholic young Evangelical at one time. (As in last year…) Whatever you do, don’t be afraid to read your Bible! Reading the Bible will only confirm your Catholic beliefs. Be sure and bring up Sacred Tradition and ask him where in the Bible it says that the Bible is our only source of truth. There are some great books out there too, just go find the local Catholic bookstore and have the owner show you some apologetics literature. I too have dicussions ALL THE TIME about Catholicism since most of my best friends are still evangelicals. Oddly enough the one on my side the most is actually getting a Missions degree at an Evangelical College…funny how that works huh? This is a guy thats been studying theology for three years and he is the most open-minded of them all because he actually knows where we got the Bible and how the early Church was formed. If you have any questions feel free to ask but I am not the expert on Catholicism that I would like to be yet. I know lots about Protestant theology and such so if you have a question on that I will be sure and get the answer for ya. God bless!

First of all, “sacred tradition” is a religous term with no meaning. Secondly, try John 17:17.
What is really necessary is to read the word of God and obey it. That is called walking by Faith and not by sight. That’s what followers of Jesus do. They have a relationship with the Father through the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s not a religion, it’s a relationship.

 

[tommyboy]

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them in Your Truth; Your Word is Truth.

 

[madavis]

www.catholicanswers.net is always a good place to start, especially if you need a quick answer.

I was a evangelical Baptist myself, so I know all his arguments. But to be honest there are MANY holes in Baptist theology, so agruing with him won’t be that hard when you get up to speed on why us Catholics believe what we believe. A really good book for him (if he has a somewhat open mind) is “Born Fundamentalist Born Again Catholic” by David Currie.

Good Luck!

… and you can always bring his questions here to the Apologetics forum. I’m sure there are many of us here who can help you answer him. I know I can, since I know his arguments inside and out… He can’t ask any question that I haven’t asked myself.

 

[dhgray]

Mijoy2:

Is this a true statement? Do Evangelicals believe Catholics are going to Hell?

Any comments? Have I been under a false impression?

To the orignal poster, I was going to quote Hank in my response to you. After reading this I may have been misdirected.

I won’t say ALL believe that, that would be a sterotype. However, I have been told that I am going to Hell be cause I worship the Saints, I am going to have an afair because I have a statue of Mary in my house, I will never see the Kingdome of God because I have a graven image of the Lord (the crucifix), etc.

They put on a good face, however, deep down, the Evengecials want you to leave the Church.

 

[mercygate]

pittsburghjeff:

I highly recommend Catholicism and Fundamentalism by Karl Keating.

Dear Pitt:

Everything you said was EXCELLENT but Catholicism and Fundamentalism" is definitely the place to start. She might give her boyfriend a copy. I even bought the book on tape! She might start with the chapter on how NOT to do apologetics!