The Catholic Church is winning the most converts from...

[RomanRyan1088]

I was reading Karl’s thread “Which religion is grabbing the most Catholics”. I got kinda depressed, because i don’t like it when people leave the Catholic Faith.

SO my question is the Catholic Chirch is grabbing the most converts from…?

 

[Maccabees]

I think we get a lot of converts from conservative branches of mainline Protestantism like the Presbyterian Church in America and The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod -.

I think in fundie and evangelical circles they have no idea of church history and are anti-sacramental so it makes it a hard jump.
Liberal protestants don’t think changing denoms make a difference many a moral relativist and religious pluralist. On the other hand the denoms I mentioned have a sense of sacrmaent and suually more interested in the history of the reformation and church history and admire some church fathers like Augustine and Athanatius so they will look into the catholic side of the story and check it out. That is just my experience. Also kind of notice these type of guys on the Journey Home Too! Mormon big Jump! Islam Bigger Jump!
Judaism I don’t is a big jump as far as accepting tradition Here Jesus is the jump so that is hard as well!
HIndus and Buddist are very spiritual if they convert to christianity I would think catholicism would be the likley route as our spirtuallit is high and deveoped liek thier tradition unlike low church protestantism.

 

[Katholikos]

Catholics who know their history and doctrine – who understand their faith and can defend it – rarely leave the Church. Jesus Christ, Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, founded the Catholic Church for the salvation of the world. All other churches are man made; the names of their human founders are in the historical record.

Christianity was not based on the Bible, as Protestants claim, but on the living, teaching Church founded by Jesus Christ. The “Bible Only” doctrine upon which all of Protestantism was built is bull-oney.

Some leave because they want to sin without feeling guilty and jump ship for a “church” where such sin is an approved way of living. All who leave reject truth and embrace fiction and falsehood.

There are many Catholics who don’t know their faith. We have a catechesis crisis. Catholic Answers and others are working to overcome it.

JMJ Jay

 

[Jim_ov_Cov]

I suppose in a Western setting the Church attracts most converts from those protestant sects that believe in truth. i.e. that the truth has been revealed and is knowable. Worldwide I would have to say that the Church makes the most converts from African traditional religions and buddhists in Asia (the Catholic population in S. Korea has risen from 2% to more than 10%).

 

[Lisa_N]

FWIW I am in the process of converting from a mainline liberal Protestant faith. A major reason was their moral relativism and totally inconsistent position on human life issues. It baffled me that they would march in the streets against the death penalty, something that is relatively rare in this society and used against some pretty bad guys (now I don’t believe in the DP but that’s not the issue). The same people march in the streets to ALLOW the slaughter of millsions unborn babies. Go figure? Has anyone been able to have a rational discussion with a liberal Protestant about this? Everytime I tried to point out the inconsistency I was shouted down as a “traitor to women’s rights.” Huh?

Lisa N

 

[shannin]

*I’d like to see all of the Seventh Day Adventists find the one true Church, established by Jesus. :dancing: :clapping: *

Blessings,
Shannin

 

[PaulDupre]

When I watch “The Journey Home”, it seems that we have a disproportionate number of former Presbyterian pastors who have come home to Rome. I wonder why that is.

As an ex-Mormon, I am very happy to see the number of former Mormons who have found the truth of the Church established by Jesus. I am a member of several on-line forums and e-mail groups about Mormons who are investigating Catholicism or have already come home. The numbers always surprise me, and I’ve learned that Utah has become a hotbed for Catholic evangelism and conversion. Praise Jesus!

 

[Lisa_N]

PaulDupre:

When I watch “The Journey Home”, it seems that we have a disproportionate number of former Presbyterian pastors who have come home to Rome. I wonder why that is.

Isn’t the host a former Presbyterian minister who was converted by a former Presbyterian minister? Maybe he finds that path a particularly compelling story because he knows what these ministers have gone through. I am not surprised more Presbyterians than say Episcopalians have converted. People think Episcopalians are much like Catholics but that hasn’t been my experience. OTher than a focus on the liturgy and some of the ‘trappings’ within the churches, Episcopalians have little in common with Catholic thought on moral and ethical issues. They are all about gay rights and abortion and changing the rules as you go along. It would be a big jump to convert to Catholicism IMO.

The Presbyterians I know are more socially conservative, pro life, pro family, etc… They are very Bible basesd and believe in authority. I don’t see the same looosey goosey attitude among that group and I think they would find Catholicism extremely compelling. JMO

I really love The Journey Home, don’t you?
Lisa N

 

[StephiePea]

Well, I’m converting from Baptist…and I’m sooooo glad!!!:dancing:

 

[Katholikos]

Lisa N:

I really love The Journey Home, don’t you?
Lisa N

The ex-Presbyterian of The Journey Home program has a website you (and others) might like to visit: www.chnetwork.org.

It features great convert stories. Be sure to read *Logic and the Foundations of Protestantism *by Brian Harrison. Awesome.
A Catholic Answers employee’s story is there as well (Cindy and Kerry Beck). (My story is also posted at CHN. Shamless of me to say so, huh?.)

JMJ Jay Damien

 

[Maccabees]

Another way at looking at things is that the catholic church is winning the most converts from those who seek the truth.

 

[Lisa_N]

Maccabees:

Another way at looking at things is that the catholic church is winning the most converts from those who seek the truth.

…and recognize the truth when they encounter it.

Lisa N

 

[briand]

I said mainline Protestant Churches myself. I think a good poll is

Who does the Catholic Church want and or seeking?

I know many of the evangelical groups I have been involved in “seek” particular groups, other groups they almost actively dont seek. Just a thought.

 

[Teresa9]

Dear friend

Those who leave the Catholic church were never fully formed catholics in their hearts, they never knew Jesus in the Real Presence nor the history in the Church of Jesus that is the One True faith in the Catholic church, they see glimpses of truth in other faiths and take a pic and mix attitude to faith, they have no concept of obedience or they would be obedient to what is in the church, they have wondered off probably only to come back home at some point.

The seeds are sown and we are supposed to sow, that doesn’t mean we will see the fruits, the fruits will come when they will come.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa

 

[JamesD]

I couldn’t decide between Islam & Eastern religions.

I am thinking that most of the conversions are not happening in the west. Perhaps those converting are Eastern in name only and not practicing?

Any actualy know where most conversions are happening?

 

[Maccabees]

Uh no we don’t convert many form Islam and eastern relgions. Mainly for socila reasons you might die if you convert. OR you loose all your family ties if you convert.

Catholcism is growing the fastest in a world sense from African native religions to Catholcism. The faith is exploding in Africa.
In parts of Africa like the Sudan and Kenya they have to die for thier catholic faith becasue suprese Islmaic warlords want them cleansed in a genocide so thier true faith can survive in the area.
Islam is not exaclty the relgiion of peace when practiced literally.
Sorry that’s the truth.

 

[JamesD]

I have heard that there is a muslim country that is winning many converts. This from a bishop. However, he would not say which country for fear of cuasing problems.

Have you heard of this? Any idea what country.

 

[Maccabees]

I have not heard this before. Although I am glad to hear it.

Most of the time I hear the opposite that Christians are fleeing the middle east due to wars and persecution. We are seeing that in Iraq right now.

I know we are establishing catholic churches in a places we never had churches before. OF Muslim nations most noteable is the nation of Qatar whcih used to be like Saudi Arabia where Christinaity was outlawed but now there are catholic communites there with at least one church building. I don’t know if this is the place where we are gaining converts or not. It would be interesting to know. But like you said due to Isamic fanaticism I don’t think the church would publicize mass conversion to avoid problems.
Qutar and the vatican have established relations for the first time ever and are open to us having more churches there. Thus my positive suspicions. They are trying to sell themselves as having relgious freedom so they can have better relations with the west and for them a better finanical payoff with more western business. I think their government is headed in the right direction anyway.

 

[puzzleannie]

to make this poll accurate we would need responses from those in the foreign mission fields. In my experience in over 12 yrs involved in RCIA most of those adults received into the Church are members of mainline Protestant denominations, most of whom are already baptized. Those who are unbaptized are almost 100% from nominally or culturally Catholic families, who have been surounded by Catholics all their lives, and now are seeking baptism and the other sacraments. We had one young man who had converted to Islam from a fundamentalist Christian sect, went all through RCIA, even became a catechist at another church, who went back to Islam. We have had 2 Jews in that time period. The largest group of adults in our classes however are baptized, uncatechized Catholics seeking confirmation and/or first communion, usually in order to get married in the Church.

 

[Peace-bwu]

I have found that the non- denominational Bible only types are more likely to read the Bible with less prejudics and discover, to their amazement passages in agreement with the Catholic Church. They are also more likely to be anti-abortion, anti-cloning, anti-gay marriage, Pro-famly, anit-birth control, etc. so are already more in line with Catholic social and moral teaching. The closer one gets to the Bible the closer they are to the Catholic Church.