Translating Protestant to Catholic

[DavidFilmer]

My son is auditioning for a non-denominational (but predominately protestant) performing arts troupe.

One of the questions on the application is: When did you accept Jesus as your personal lord and savior?

I’m trying to translate that into Catholic. I could make a convincing case for the date of his First Holy Communion, or the date of his Confirmation.

Whaddyathink?

 

[Bob4BVM]

My son is auditioning for a non-denominational (but predominately protestant) performing arts troupe.

One of the questions on the application is: When did you accept Jesus as your personal lord and savior?

I’m trying to translate that into Catholic. I could make a convincing case for the date of his First Holy Communion, or the date of his Confirmation.

Whaddyathink?

No Problem, just that the protestants have it a little flipped around.
On top of that, they are asking a non-denominational question and requiring an fundamentalist-evangelical answer !
It is not us that call God, it is He Who calls to us !
The day that this happened for your son was the day of his baptism, when God adopted him as His own son, forgave him of all sin, and poured His Holy Spirit into your son’s soul.

The rest is up to us, as we grow in God’s grace, stumbling along the way. That part is called Conversion. Specifically, Conversion of Heart to God. And that too, is a bit different than our protestant brothers have it- It is not about a day , or a moment, of a specific event. True Conversion to the heart of Jesus Christ is a life-long experience.

Have him put that on the application.

 

[GraceSofia]

Hhmmm… yes, Bob gave a good answer; baptism is the correct answer for a Catholic, I believe, but then you are going to open a can of worms.

I guess in Protestant-ese, the date of his confirmation would be the best choice.

Or ask your son. When did he become aware of his commitment to following Christ?

 

[Shin]

My son is auditioning for a non-denominational (but predominately protestant) performing arts troupe.

One of the questions on the application is: When did you accept Jesus as your personal lord and savior?

I’m trying to translate that into Catholic. I could make a convincing case for the date of his First Holy Communion, or the date of his Confirmation.

Whaddyathink?

Always is the correct answer. . . I would think.

 

[graceandglory]

My son is auditioning for a non-denominational (but predominately protestant) performing arts troupe.

One of the questions on the application is: When did you accept Jesus as your personal lord and savior?

I’m trying to translate that into Catholic. I could make a convincing case for the date of his First Holy Communion, or the date of his Confirmation.

Whaddyathink?

That’s not what they want.

Instead of you making the case for him, can he write down what Jesus means to him?
When did he start owning up to his Catholic faith, when did Christ start becoming a reality in his own life? When did the lightbulb finally go on? They want to know if Jesus is a living, vibrant, part of his life. And clearly this is a process for kids, but I know that my daughter really started owning her faith when she started preparing for her first confession last fall. This was evidenced by her telling me stories of her sharing her faith at her public school, bringing up sin where she sees it, not being afraid to lead prayer at dinner, and being more willing to pray with me and more attentive at Mass.

Here are the words to the childrens’ Act of Contrition:

---

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good,
I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things.
I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever      leads me to sin.
Our Saviour Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us.
In his name, my God, have mercy.

---

In the belief of the folks at the Christian kids theater company, these are the words to “accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.” These are Catholic words.

When an evangelical kids prays these words at Sunday school, sometimes they get a little card or placard, saying that they “Got Saved” today at Sunday School.

.

If it’s just a short line where they want a date, I would suggest First Confession or First Communion. How much more personal of a relationship can you have than to be filled with Christ’s true Body and Blood?

PS. I’m fluent in evangelicalese.

 

[graceandglory]

My son is auditioning for a non-denominational (but

I just noticed you are in my metropolitan area.
CYT, right? We used to hang with those folks when we were protestant.

 

[JonNC]

My son is auditioning for a non-denominational (but predominately protestant) performing arts troupe.

One of the questions on the application is: When did you accept Jesus as your personal lord and savior?

I’m trying to translate that into Catholic. I could make a convincing case for the date of his First Holy Communion, or the date of his Confirmation.

Whaddyathink?

David, I don’t know if I can be any help, other than to say that I am sympathetic. It is hard work to translate this into Lutheranism, too.

Jon

 

[jfoges]

My son is auditioning for a non-denominational (but predominately protestant) performing arts troupe.

One of the questions on the application is: When did you accept Jesus as your personal lord and savior?

I’m trying to translate that into Catholic. I could make a convincing case for the date of his First Holy Communion, or the date of his Confirmation.

Whaddyathink?

I would just not answer the question and explain that the question is not applicable to Catholics.

 

[JustaServant]

PS. I’m fluent in evangelicalese.

“Let us all stand and sing (37 verses of) “Just as I am” (as slow as we can)”
“As the piano plays (we’re only up to verse 10)…every head bowed, every eye closed…if you were to die today…are you sure you would go to Heaven…? If the answer is no, pray this prayer silently…(insert sinners prayer)”.
“If you prayed that prayer…raise your hand…every head bowed, eyes closed, no looking around…”.
“Glow-ray…you can lower your hand…”

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

 

[Skeptic92]

My son is auditioning for a non-denominational (but predominately protestant) performing arts troupe.

One of the questions on the application is: When did you accept Jesus as your personal lord and savior?

I’m trying to translate that into Catholic. I could make a convincing case for the date of his First Holy Communion, or the date of his Confirmation.

Whaddyathink?

I would say his date of Confirmation, as thats the day he accepted Jesus knowingly, you can argue you the baptism, however they may argue he couldn’t of accepted Jesus then (especially if you had a infant baptism) so go with confirmation.

 

[1ke]

My son is auditioning for a non-denominational (but predominately protestant) performing arts troupe.

Why would your son want to lead other people into error? Why does he want to be a part of this “performing arts” troupe, whose purpose, I would imagine, is to spread their particular version of Christianity?

This is just truly a bad idea. Your son should find a Catholic group to become part of.

One of the questions on the application is: When did you accept Jesus as your personal lord and savior?

I’m trying to translate that into Catholic. I could make a convincing case for the date of his First Holy Communion, or the date of his Confirmation.

Whaddyathink?

There is no “translation.” What these people mean by that question is not compatible with Church teaching. And the fact that you don’t know that is problematic. This is a false teaching on the part of these evangelicals.

And I can’t believe people on this thread are actually suggesting Confirmation as the date that someone “chooses” to follow Christ. I am just saddened by all the Catholic trying to bend their faith into an evangelical model. Um, hello, they are heretical teachings.

How old is your son? What will exposure to these decidedly non Catholic teachings do to his own faith?

And you are trying to HELP him fill out this application and encouraging him to become actively involved in evangelizing people into heretical beliefs? What’s that about?

 

[Shin]

Why would your son want to lead other people into error? Why does he want to be a part of this “performing arts” troupe, whose purpose, I would imagine, is to spread their particular version of Christianity?

This is just truly a bad idea. Your son should find a Catholic group to become part of.

If that’s what they’re doing, yes your son shouldn’t join. It might well be dangerous to his own faith as well depending on how solid and knowledgeable it is or not, because there will be people there likely seeking converts.

 

[ccolley]

My son is auditioning for a non-denominational (but predominately protestant) performing arts troupe.

One of the questions on the application is: When did you accept Jesus as your personal lord and savior?

I’m trying to translate that into Catholic. I could make a convincing case for the date of his First Holy Communion, or the date of his Confirmation.

Whaddyathink?

I suggest:

Good Friday, 3 O’clock

Then see what they say to that!

CC

 

[ljubim]

Why would your son want to lead other people into error? Why does he want to be a part of this “performing arts” troupe, whose purpose, I would imagine, is to spread their particular version of Christianity?

This is just truly a bad idea. Your son should find a Catholic group to become part of.

There is no “translation.” What these people mean by that question is not compatible with Church teaching. And the fact that you don’t know that is problematic. This is a false teaching on the part of these evangelicals.

And I can’t believe people on this thread are actually suggesting Confirmation as the date that someone “chooses” to follow Christ. I am just saddened by all the Catholic trying to bend their faith into an evangelical model. Um, hello, they are heretical teachings.

How old is your son? What will exposure to these decidedly non Catholic teachings do to his own faith?

And you are trying to HELP him fill out this application and encouraging him to become actively involved in evangelizing people into heretical beliefs? What’s that about?

I am really wary of this too. Just the very fact that the group is identified as Protestant (there’s no such thing as non-denom) means that they have a mission something along the lines of what Protestants do. I.e against the Catholic Church.

Also, just the fact that you are coming here to get answers for their questions shows that if your son makes it, there will be A LOT problems in the future. He’ll be told the Pope is the antichrist, that Catholics aren’t christians, that he is a cannibal, etc. Seriously, if you guys wouldn’t go to a Protestant “service” then how can you justify participating in a Protestan proselytizing show?

 

[DavidFilmer]

Why would your son want to lead other people into error? Why does he want to be a part of this “performing arts” troupe, whose purpose, I would imagine, is to spread their particular version of Christianity?

You misunderstand - it’s a dance company, not a ministry. They perform, but they don’t preach (or even speak).

 

[graceandglory]

“Let us all stand and sing (37 verses of) “Just as I am” (as slow as we can)”
“As the piano plays (we’re only up to verse 10)…every head bowed, every eye closed…if you were to die today…are you sure you would go to Heaven…? If the answer is no, pray this prayer silently…(insert sinners prayer)”.
“If you prayed that prayer…raise your hand…every head bowed, eyes closed, no looking around…”.
“Glow-ray…you can lower your hand…”

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

Hey, now you’re speaking my love language!

 

[Kotton]

You misunderstand - it’s a dance company, not a ministry. They perform, but they don’t preach (or even speak).

If it’s just dance, then WHY the question:" When did you accept Jesus as your personal lord and savior?"
There has to be more to the issue.

Kotton

 

[1ke]

You misunderstand - it’s a dance company, not a ministry. They perform, but they don’t preach (or even speak).

If it’s “just” a dance company, why does it have completely illegal and inappropriate questions on the application?

 

[Malia_Belen]

If it’s “just” a dance company, why does it have completely illegal and inappropriate questions on the application?

I was gone for tonight but saw this question and had to chime in. I think it’s so they know who their kids will be hanging out with and if this person will be a negative influence on the group. They might not even have anything against Catholics…they just believe that a Catholic wouldn’t be interested in the group since many Protestants may think Catholics are sort of closed group…kinda you’re only allowed if you’re a member that leaves Protestants who are in general familiar about this question… I think many parents would screen their kids’ friends and find out if they were Catholics, Christian until they are old enough to defend their faith.

Some people find the question on there heretical…I was just curious why…they are only asking when did the person in question actively choose by themselves to follow Christ.

 

[Whitacre_Girl]

Someone else may have answered (I didn’t read all the responses) so I’m gunna address the OP.

They are basically asking when the person in question personalized their faith. FOr example: when did that persona ccept their faith and relationshipw ith God as their own rather than a tradition or family concept. You can fill in a confirmation date, or ask your son when he decided to personally follow christ and develop a personal relationship with him.

I personally don’t find these questions offensive in any way, shape or form. Evangelicals are horibble malnourished by a lack of sacraments. Basically, if you are raised in that environment you have to wait for a specific time when your faith becomes “personal.” FOr some, this doesn’t happen until the 20’s. Confirmation in the CC or traditional protestant divisions make people face the decision and make their faith their own.

I see the question more as the sign of a lack of structure and hoping children will find their own way, than an offensive statement. We, as catholics, should joyfully proclaim our confimation as the day we accepted Jesus personally.