What are some of the main reasons that people are attracted to the Protestant faith?

[PRmerger]

I haven’t a clue what that has to do with me personally not liking the taste of alcohol or why Catholics become Protestants. That I don’t drink alcohol merely came up earlier because you tried comparing restaurant prices for a glass of wine to Christ’s church.

Do you understand the comment in red, in response to my comment in blue, both of which I made a few days ago?

Just curious, HH. When you daughter wants to get married will you leave your church for selling the sacrament of marriage?

*Please note: this is a hypothetical. So I hope to pre-empt any irrelevant comments like, “I only have sons” or “My daughter doesn’t plan to get married.”

 

[Sy_Noe]

Do you understand the comment in red, in response to my comment in blue, both of which I made a few days ago?

Just curious, HH. When you daughter wants to get married will you leave your church for selling the sacrament of marriage?

*Please note: this is a hypothetical. So I hope to pre-empt any irrelevant comments like, “I only have sons” or “My daughter doesn’t plan to get married.”

What I’m understanding is you seem to like to deal in hypotheticals.

 

[Irishgal49]

I browsed the whole thread and it’s flooded with current Catholics. It seemed that the question was why do people leave the Catholic Church and become Protestant. I was raised Protestant all my life and never knew that designation. I just knew we were Baptist, my mom was Lutheran, and my aunt went to the Assembly of God. People under the umbrella of Protestant never even think of being connected under that designation. No one I know says, “Yes we are all Protestant”. They don’t relate as being opposed to being Catholic per se, but see themselves as a faith where they have had a personal experience with Jesus Christ. Studying and analyzing books and belief is not the norm for the every day people I knew. They could point to a certain experience with Christ, were very strong in their commitment to a personal relationship with Christ and I knew quite a few Catholics who had left to be in a particular faith because of their belief t they had a personal experience with Christ.

I converted to Catholicism after a personal tragedy. I also have OCD and bipolar disorder and am on good medications. I didn’t learn much about what the Church believed growing up and never really knew anything about the Catholic faith. I was a former ordained Methodist clergy and had been raised Protestant all my life. I took an RCIA class that really didn’t teach us much and I think that may have also been why I ended up leaving later.

I genuinely tried to believe/be/do what the Church taught but I realized after some digging I just didn’t believe what the Catholic Church taught. I spent tons of time reading and studying and sadly wouldn’t have joined had I saw these things in RCIA. I have a good friend who is a priest and we still talk but nothing could resolve the issues enough to stay.

I have had a major falling out at a former parish regarding my scrupulosity and after that no one at the parish wanted to talk to me. I was having problems with scrupulosity and I kept asking the pastor what to do and he blew a gasket and chewed me out. The guilt got to be so bad I couldn’t take it and found my life became nothing but misery.

I felt like I just withered inside and slowly began to hate myself more and more. I had continuous panic attacks as a result that would only happen in church. I would have to leave only 1/3 to 1/2 way through Mass. I watched people who said they loved and cared about me walk away because of the things that happened. I spent hours hating myself, damning myself, never feeling good enough. I tried to say I agreed with the Church but I didn’t. I really don’t. I tried going to a new parish but was too terrified to reach out. I was alone, isolated, depressed, and frustrated.

This has been a nightmare that has gone on for almost three years. I am going to a book study at an ELCA church and they are studying about what it means to be a part of a community. It seems like a good place to start looking at my past and where I would best fit for the future. I am not attending worship, just the book study.

I posted similar comments on this site but I cannot find them. I hope that people who left would share more of their stories since that is what was being asked on here and people can see that it’s not always so simple to pin down. Sometimes it’s about not feeling welcome, or having a mental illness that makes it impossible to handle the anxiety, or realizing that you have enough respect for the Catholic Church that if you sincerely don’t believe what it teaches it’s really best to leave. Maybe my mental illness is such that the scrupulosity makes Catholicism a bad fit for me. Not sure, but I had to leave. The mental anguish was too much.

 

[lutheran_farmer]

I am so sorry for your pain. I’m also sorry that your parish wasn’t more understanding. Could you make an appointment with a different priest in a different parish to discuss what happened and give you some closure? Perhaps they can also refer you to counseling with someone that can help you with your day to day life. God bless you and I hope you find your way home. Catholicism isn’t for certain people. It’s for everyone.

 

[PRmerger]

What I’m understanding is you seem to like to deal in hypotheticals.

Sometimes, yes. They are quite helpful.

What I’m understanding is that you are quite concrete in thought and cannot understand hypotheticals?

Or is it that, as sometimes happens when people do understand the point being made in hypotheticals, but don’t like the necessary conclusion that must be attained, they attempt to deflect by offering some really lame objection like, “Well, I don’t have daughters” or “I have never longed to eat the slop of pigs” or “I don’t drink wine”.

When we are dealing with hypotheticals, one ought to be able to suspend the concrete in favor of the higher thought being presented and say, “If I did have daughters then…” or “If I did long to eat something that was for animals because I was so dissolute in my living then…” or “If I did drink wine then…”

 

[PRmerger]

Catholicism isn’t for certain people. It’s for everyone.

:yup:

 

[PRmerger]

I browsed the whole thread and it’s flooded with current Catholics. It seemed that the question was why do people leave the Catholic Church and become Protestant. I was raised Protestant all my life and never knew that designation. I just knew we were Baptist, my mom was Lutheran, and my aunt went to the Assembly of God. People under the umbrella of Protestant never even think of being connected under that designation. No one I know says, “Yes we are all Protestant”. They don’t relate as being opposed to being Catholic per se, but see themselves as a faith where they have had a personal experience with Jesus Christ. Studying and analyzing books and belief is not the norm for the every day people I knew. They could point to a certain experience with Christ, were very strong in their commitment to a personal relationship with Christ and I knew quite a few Catholics who had left to be in a particular faith because of their belief t they had a personal experience with Christ.

I converted to Catholicism after a personal tragedy. I also have OCD and bipolar disorder and am on good medications. I didn’t learn much about what the Church believed growing up and never really knew anything about the Catholic faith. I was a former ordained Methodist clergy and had been raised Protestant all my life. I took an RCIA class that really didn’t teach us much and I think that may have also been why I ended up leaving later.

I genuinely tried to believe/be/do what the Church taught but I realized after some digging I just didn’t believe what the Catholic Church taught. I spent tons of time reading and studying and sadly wouldn’t have joined had I saw these things in RCIA. I have a good friend who is a priest and we still talk but nothing could resolve the issues enough to stay.

I have had a major falling out at a former parish regarding my scrupulosity and after that no one at the parish wanted to talk to me. I was having problems with scrupulosity and I kept asking the pastor what to do and he blew a gasket and chewed me out. The guilt got to be so bad I couldn’t take it and found my life became nothing but misery.

I felt like I just withered inside and slowly began to hate myself more and more. I had continuous panic attacks as a result that would only happen in church. I would have to leave only 1/3 to 1/2 way through Mass. I watched people who said they loved and cared about me walk away because of the things that happened. I spent hours hating myself, damning myself, never feeling good enough. I tried to say I agreed with the Church but I didn’t. I really don’t. I tried going to a new parish but was too terrified to reach out. I was alone, isolated, depressed, and frustrated.

This has been a nightmare that has gone on for almost three years. I am going to a book study at an ELCA church and they are studying about what it means to be a part of a community. It seems like a good place to start looking at my past and where I would best fit for the future. I am not attending worship, just the book study.

I posted similar comments on this site but I cannot find them. I hope that people who left would share more of their stories since that is what was being asked on here and people can see that it’s not always so simple to pin down. Sometimes it’s about not feeling welcome, or having a mental illness that makes it impossible to handle the anxiety, or realizing that you have enough respect for the Catholic Church that if you sincerely don’t believe what it teaches it’s really best to leave. Maybe my mental illness is such that the scrupulosity makes Catholicism a bad fit for me. Not sure, but I had to leave. The mental anguish was too much.

Irishgal, I have multiple tabs open on my computer this morning, reading several things online in addition to the CAFs, and it just so happens (really? does “it just so happens” really mean: the Holy Spirit is at work here? I dunno)…

that I read this below, only seconds after reading your post above.

It is the story of an atheist’s conversion to Catholicism.
Another factor I have not yet mentioned: frequent bouts of mental illness. For years these convinced me that Catholicism would have the same impact on my soul which a lighted match would have on a gunpowder factory. Had I known that the opposite was true (and that my Catholicism has been more important than anything else in blunting the sharpest edge of illness), I would never have hesitated for so long. whyimcatholic.com/index.php/conversion-stories/atheist-converts/item/96-atheist-convert-rj-stove

Perhaps the Truth of Catholicism will blunt eh sharpest edge of your illness?

 

[Irishgal49]

I am so sorry for your pain. I’m also sorry that your parish wasn’t more understanding. Could you make an appointment with a different priest in a different parish to discuss what happened and give you some closure? Perhaps they can also refer you to counseling with someone that can help you with your day to day life. God bless you and I hope you find your way home. Catholicism isn’t for certain people. It’s for everyone.

Thanks so much for your warm comments. I have met with 3 or 4 priests, who I like a great deal and sorted this out with one in particular. He understands that I needed to leave. I am having lunch with one who will be in town next month. He knows all this and we talk about it quite a bit. We are friends and I know he prays for me. Been to tons of therapy and since it’s only showing up in the Catholic Church (scrupilosity) and I’m very stable elsewhere (I work as a mental health therapist with the homeless) I don’t see that changing my decision.

I didn’t say this to make people feel sad, feel pity, or argue, I am saying this because the reasons people leave are often rooted in our humanness; anger, hurt, deep emotional wounds and sometimes the origins of those are not in the Church but they can be triggered or not able to be resolved so easily. There are a lot of trivial reasons people do lots of things in life but when it comes to church I have seen people throw fits and stomp off but there is a point, when they calm down and think about it, they really contemplate that choice and they make a decision. It’s not about lofty theology at the end of the day, it’s about pain, decision, and belief or lack thereof. Sometimes those decisions aren’t ones others can understand or agree with but they sincerely try to do the best they can. It’s not about a written list of musts, it’s about their heart. Preaching never works, prayer may be the answer. And listening really helps, I learned that working with the homeless. Listening can give you insight but only if you really listen. That’s not easy to do.

The topic asked why people leave. That’s one answer. There are probably a million more.

 

[Irishgal49]

Irishgal, I have multiple tabs open on my computer this morning, reading several things online in addition to the CAFs, and it just so happens (really? does “it just so happens” really mean: the Holy Spirit is at work here? I dunno)…

that I read this below, only seconds after reading your post above.

It is the story of an atheist’s conversion to Catholicism.
Another factor I have not yet mentioned: frequent bouts of mental illness. For years these convinced me that Catholicism would have the same impact on my soul which a lighted match would have on a gunpowder factory. Had I known that the opposite was true (and that my Catholicism has been more important than anything else in blunting the sharpest edge of illness), I would never have hesitated for so long. whyimcatholic.com/index.php/conversion-stories/atheist-converts/item/96-atheist-convert-rj-stove

Perhaps the Truth of Catholicism will blunt eh sharpest edge of your illness?

No actually it makes it worse, the longer I stayed the sicker I got. This has been since 2000 not just a few months. I almost had to be hospitalized several times and often battled suicide. I received the anointing of the sick twice. Since leaving I’ve been fine. It depends a lot on the mental illness. I work for a county mental health agency and have been a mental health therapist for nine years.

That is neat that you found that post…for many who are ill faith can help but, sadly, it depends on the priest and church. There are some that treat mentally ill people HORRIBLY. They have hopes and dreams and want love and acceptance like everyone else. I would love to see more about the mentally ill in the Catholic Church.

Thanks for that–I’m checking out.

 

[PRmerger]

No actually it makes it worse, the longer I stayed the sicker I got. This has been since 2000 not just a few months. I almost had to be hospitalized several times and often battled suicide. I received the anointing of the sick twice. Since leaving I’ve been fine. It depends a lot on the mental illness. I work for a county mental health agency and have been a mental health therapist for nine years.

That is neat that you found that post…for many who are ill faith can help but, sadly, it depends on the priest and church. There are some that treat mentally ill people HORRIBLY. They have hopes and dreams and want love and acceptance like everyone else. I would love to see more about the mentally ill in the Catholic Church.

Thanks for that–I’m checking out.

See you on the CAFs some other time, doll!

 

[Irishgal49]

See you on the CAFs some other time, doll!

Sorry, I meant to say I’m checking THAT out, not I’m checking out, LOL. I am going to read the link you posted. Sorry–that didn’t sound good

 

[PRmerger]

Sorry, I mean to say I’m checking THAT out, not I’m checking out, LOL. I am going to read the link you posted. Sorry–that didn’t sound good

Ah, very good then.

Incidentally, I just wanted to point out that your comment about wishing that the CC would pay greater attention to mental illness is warranted.

But I would add that almost no Christian denominations can say, “We pay great attention to mental illness”.

It’s just a society thing I guess.

 

[Irishgal49]

Ah, very good then.

Incidentally, I just wanted to point out that your comment about wishing that the CC would pay greater attention to mental illness is warranted.

But I would add that almost no Christian denominations can say, “We pay great attention to mental illness”.

It’s just a society thing I guess.

You are so right, that wasn’t a Catholic indictment at all. I have seen one parish that has a couple with mentally disabled kids. They are in their teens and really don’t follow what’s going on at all. They can sit quiet most of the time but may occasionally speak loud or make a noise but with redirection quiet down. The church seems to be very supportive of them bringing their adopted sons into church. I commend them as I’m sure there are churches of many faiths who aren’t that open. Obviously all of society has more work to do in that regard.

I have no qualms with the Catholic Church. I was hurt badly by one particular priest but I am not angry, didn’t stomp off, I have no beef at all. I just cannot work through the scrupulosity and the dark depths of guilt and self hatred it induces. It’s very dangerous to my mental well-being. I still follow chats on here and I am not rejecting the church in an angry fit of rebellion. I felt it best to leave after many years of watching myself move in and out of mental deterioration. I am still friends with an amazing priest and we meet a couple times a year for a meal and chat. I don’t pretend to agree with the RCC. I wrestled hard and long with things that they taught. I figured it was partly because of my illness. It was the massive panic attacks and frightening scrupulosity that made me decided what I did. I left a few months ago.

Anyway, thanks again. I am following this thread to see if there are others who have something to say about why they left and to read some interesting conversation. Sorry I interrupted your discussion, I am always the “weird” person in the room when it comes to the forum. Please feel free to return to your previous broadcast, LOL

 

[Isaiah45_9]

You are so right, that wasn’t a Catholic indictment at all. I have seen one parish that has a couple with mentally disabled kids. They are in their teens and really don’t follow what’s going on at all. They can sit quiet most of the time but may occasionally speak loud or make a noise but with redirection quiet down. The church seems to be very supportive of them bringing their adopted sons into church. I commend them as I’m sure there are churches of many faiths who aren’t that open. Obviously all of society has more work to do in that regard.

I have no qualms with the Catholic Church. I was hurt badly by one particular priest but I am not angry, didn’t stomp off, I have no beef at all. I just cannot work through the scrupulosity and the dark depths of guilt and self hatred it induces. It’s very dangerous to my mental well-being. I still follow chats on here and I am not rejecting the church in an angry fit of rebellion. I felt it best to leave after many years of watching myself move in and out of mental deterioration. I am still friends with an amazing priest and we meet a couple times a year for a meal and chat. I don’t pretend to agree with the RCC. I wrestled hard and long with things that they taught. I figured it was partly because of my illness. It was the massive panic attacks and frightening scrupulosity that made me decided what I did. I left a few months ago.

Anyway, thanks again. I am following this thread to see if there are others who have something to say about why they left and to read some interesting conversation. Sorry I interrupted your discussion, I am always the “weird” person in the room when it comes to the forum. Please feel free to return to your previous broadcast, LOL

Hello Irishgal49,

There is a very good book by a Catholic Psychiatrist (Dr. Aaron Kheriaty) and a Catholic Priest (Father John Cihak) called:

Catholic Guide to Depresion.

Dr. Kheriary has been a guest several times at the Catholic Answers Live Radio Program:

Dr. Kheriaty @ CA Live.

I have included links to them .

I suffer from depression as well and it is a subject that’s very dear to my heart.

My view on depression on a personal level is comparable to Peter walking on water at Jesus command: As long as Peter was focused on Jesus he was fine, the moment he focused on the storm more than on Jesus, he started to sink and drown.

Keep your eyes on Him and move forward.

Oh, don’t forget to breathe

Peace,

 

[Sy_Noe]

I browsed the whole thread and it’s flooded with current Catholics. It seemed that the question was why do people leave the Catholic Church and become Protestant. I was raised Protestant all my life and never knew that designation. I just knew we were Baptist, my mom was Lutheran, and my aunt went to the Assembly of God. People under the umbrella of Protestant never even think of being connected under that designation. No one I know says, “Yes we are all Protestant”. They don’t relate as being opposed to being Catholic per se, but see themselves as a faith where they have had a personal experience with Jesus Christ. Studying and analyzing books and belief is not the norm for the every day people I knew. They could point to a certain experience with Christ, were very strong in their commitment to a personal relationship with Christ and I knew quite a few Catholics who had left to be in a particular faith because of their belief t they had a personal experience with Christ.

I converted to Catholicism after a personal tragedy. I also have OCD and bipolar disorder and am on good medications. I didn’t learn much about what the Church believed growing up and never really knew anything about the Catholic faith. I was a former ordained Methodist clergy and had been raised Protestant all my life. I took an RCIA class that really didn’t teach us much and I think that may have also been why I ended up leaving later.

I genuinely tried to believe/be/do what the Church taught but I realized after some digging I just didn’t believe what the Catholic Church taught. I spent tons of time reading and studying and sadly wouldn’t have joined had I saw these things in RCIA. I have a good friend who is a priest and we still talk but nothing could resolve the issues enough to stay.

I have had a major falling out at a former parish regarding my scrupulosity and after that no one at the parish wanted to talk to me. I was having problems with scrupulosity and I kept asking the pastor what to do and he blew a gasket and chewed me out. The guilt got to be so bad I couldn’t take it and found my life became nothing but misery.

I felt like I just withered inside and slowly began to hate myself more and more. I had continuous panic attacks as a result that would only happen in church. I would have to leave only 1/3 to 1/2 way through Mass. I watched people who said they loved and cared about me walk away because of the things that happened. I spent hours hating myself, damning myself, never feeling good enough. I tried to say I agreed with the Church but I didn’t. I really don’t. I tried going to a new parish but was too terrified to reach out. I was alone, isolated, depressed, and frustrated.

This has been a nightmare that has gone on for almost three years. I am going to a book study at an ELCA church and they are studying about what it means to be a part of a community. It seems like a good place to start looking at my past and where I would best fit for the future. I am not attending worship, just the book study.

I posted similar comments on this site but I cannot find them. I hope that people who left would share more of their stories since that is what was being asked on here and people can see that it’s not always so simple to pin down. Sometimes it’s about not feeling welcome, or having a mental illness that makes it impossible to handle the anxiety, or realizing that you have enough respect for the Catholic Church that if you sincerely don’t believe what it teaches it’s really best to leave. Maybe my mental illness is such that the scrupulosity makes Catholicism a bad fit for me. Not sure, but I had to leave. The mental anguish was too much.

Irishgal, thank you for sharing your incredible journey. One sentence especially stood out ro me. “I genuinely tried to believe/be/do what the Church taught but I realized after some digging I just didn’t believe what the Catholic Church taught.” Bingo. I think this is something Catholics simply have a difficult time grasping. It works for them so surely it should work for everyone. It’s even been said on this thread time and time again no one leaves if they understand Catholic teaching. Untrue. It’s one thing to understand. It’s another thing to believe. And I do think many leave because in the end, it’s not that they don’t understand, they don’t believe what the CC teaches. Peace be with you and God bless.

 

[Sy_Noe]

Sure, there are protestant churches that don’t require attendance; they come in all stripes.

This actually might have hit on another reason Catholics are attracted to Protestant churches. They come to believe Catholic leaders have overstepped or strayed from what Christ intended. For example It’s one thing to say a way for believers to show their love for God is to freely show up in worship. Quite another to force their attendance upon penalty of mortal sin. Some who leave might see this definition of mortal sin if one misses just 1 week as a man made rule unintended by Christ. And yes I know what Catholics will say about what is bound on earth… But basically it comes back to losing faith in Catholic teaching authority. Anyway just something that crossed my mind after rereading this.

 

[PRmerger]

This actually might have hit on another reason Catholics are attracted to Protestant churches. They come to believe Catholic leaders have overstepped or strayed from what Christ intended. For example It’s one thing to say a way for believers to show their love for God is to freely show up in worship. Quite another to force their attendance upon penalty of mortal sin. Some who leave might see this definition of mortal sin if one misses just 1 week as a man made rule unintended by Christ.

This is essentially saying, “I don’t like that we must attend Mass every Sunday, therefore God didn’t say it.”

Where does one get the idea that one mustn’t attend Mass every Sunday?

Except from the idea that “I really don’t like that I have to.”

 

[Tommy999]

As a lifelong protestant who has been spending time learning more about Catholicism, I will take a stab at why some Catholics may be attracted to certain Protestant denominations.

Note: Keep in mind, there are many reasons why Protestants can be attracted to Catholicism, too, but that is not the subject of this thread. That would be a long list, as well, and I would have a lot to add to that list.

When I refer to “protestant”, I am speaking of my denomination, which is AOG. I do not speak for all denominations, because the Anglicans and Lutherans are more similar to Catholics in a lot of ways than my particular denomination.

Reasons may include but are not limited to:

• Less complicated belief system (or at least to me, but I wasn’t born and raised Catholic).

Analogy: Catholicism can appear to some to be like the yoke of the Pharisees with all the rules and regulations, with many religious obligations and scorekeeping of sins (is it mortal or venial?,etc).

By contrast, some Protestant denominations appear to resemble a more simple faith and a lighter burden like those obligations recommended in Acts 15 by Peter and the Jerusalem Council for new Gentile Christians compared to Judaism at the time of Peter.

• Pastors and Christian counselors are available for consultation as needed at the believer’s discretion, but there is no requirement for Reconciliation through clergy and no requirement for intervention between the believer and God except through Christ.
• Scupulosity is almost unheard of. I wasn’t even familiar with the term until I came to CAF and heard of so many Catholics who suffer from it. From the outside looking in, all the rules and obligations combined with a belief in Purgatory plus the need to be free of mortal sin before you take the Eucharist or before dying might contribute to scupulosity with some Catholics, I would imagine.
• Music style is generally more contemporary in protestant denominations and appeals to younger audiences, in general.
• Remarriage after divorce, although not ideal, is not forbidden in many protestant denominations.

– Most churches have greeters and help make visitors feel welcome, although I was also greeted warmly when I visited a Catholic parish for my first Mass that I experienced.

 

[PRmerger]

As a lifelong protestant who has been spending time learning more about Catholicism, I will take a stab at why some Catholics may be attracted to certain Protestant denominations.

Welcome!

I just want to address this point at the moment:

• Remarriage after divorce, although not ideal, is not forbidden in many protestant denominations.

You do realize that this is because Protestant denominations have decided that it’s ok to edit the Word of God to make it more palatable, right?

Divorce and re-marriage is adultery according to Christ.

I wish He hadn’t said that.

But those are His Words, not ours.

Thus, the CC conforms to His Words, no matter how unpalatable that may be.

We have indeed lost many folks to this, and would that the CC could change the Word of God into something more friendly!

But, sadly (or, gratefully), the CC does not usurp the Word of God into saying something that is more attractive.

Most churches have greeters and help make visitors feel welcome, although I was also greeted warmly when I visited a Catholic parish for my first Mass that I experienced.

Yes, Protestant worshippers certainly put Catholics to shame with their warmth and hospitality.

Most Catholics just look mad when they are in church. :sad_yes:

 

[Irishgal49]

Hello Irishgal49,

There is a very good book by a Catholic Psychiatrist (Dr. Aaron Kheriaty) and a Catholic Priest (Father John Cihak) called:

Catholic Guide to Depresion.

Dr. Kheriary has been a guest several times at the Catholic Answers Live Radio Program:

Dr. Kheriaty @ CA Live.

I have included links to them .

I suffer from depression as well and it is a subject that’s very dear to my heart.

My view on depression on a personal level is comparable to Peter walking on water at Jesus command: As long as Peter was focused on Jesus he was fine, the moment he focused on the storm more than on Jesus, he started to sink and drown.

Keep your eyes on Him and move forward.

Oh, don’t forget to breathe

Peace,

Thanks so much, I will check out that book. Breathing is important, LOL