What are the reasons I should (or shouldn't) become Catholic?

[Charlie_Zeaiter]

No offense; but I find the phrase “Bride of Christ” kind of creepy.

Hi KimL,

God wants us to have a new Adam and a new Eve to give us the new everlasting spiritual life (sanctifying grace) that the original Adam and Eve lost for us.

Like Eve who was considered to be the Bride of Adam, the Church is considered to the Bride of Christ (Eph 5:32). Like Eve who was born sinless, the Church is immaculate without a stain or blemish (Eph 5:25-27). Like Eve who was born from the ribs of Adam when he was in his deep sleep, the blood that founded the Church poured from Christ’s ribs when he was speared in His side as he slept, in death, upon on the cross (Ac 20:28, Jn 19:34).

The Church was born when Christ was speared in His side. The remarkable imagery with Adam and Eve is fascinating. Don’t you think?

 

[Olivermax]

I can’t believe anyone could read John Chapter 6 and say it is just about faith without signs! Jesus says over and over and over again (how could he have made it more clear to you) that you have to eat his flesh and drink his blood. “My flesh is food indeed. My blood is drink indeed.” If you are brave enough, please look up the historical documents of the early Christians. There are letters and apologies written by early Christians during the time of the apostles and shortly thereafter. It is a matter of historical fact that the earliest Christians believed in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. But only read these historical documents if you are ready for the Truth. But if you want to persist in your denial, don’t. Did you know that there have been around 450 protestant ministers who have reconciled to the Catholic Church in the last 10 years, and about the same number are in the pipeline? They must have discovered the historic documents of the early Christians and couldn’t find their denominations there.

 

[donnyblake]

“But if you want to persist in your denial, don’t. Did you know that there have been around 450 protestant ministers who have reconciled to the Catholic Church in the last 10 years, and about the same number are in the pipeline?”

I’m willing to bet there haven’t been 450 Catholic pastors who’ve left and become Protestant over the past 1000 years, yet alone the past 10. That number says it all. Praise God

 

[Isa_Almisry]

“But if you want to persist in your denial, don’t. Did you know that there have been around 450 protestant ministers who have reconciled to the Catholic Church in the last 10 years, and about the same number are in the pipeline?”

I’m willing to bet there haven’t been 450 Catholic pastors who’ve left and become Protestant over the past 1000 years, yet alone the past 10. That number says it all. Praise God

Here you would be wrong. Plenty of Latin priests (and bishops)joined the Reformation, starting with a couple:Martin Luther, John Knox, Ulrich Zwingli and Archbishop Cranmer.

Also, you should have said 500 years. A thousand years ago the protestants didn’t exist.

 

[Olivermax]

“But if you want to persist in your denial, don’t. Did you know that there have been around 450 protestant ministers who have reconciled to the Catholic Church in the last 10 years, and about the same number are in the pipeline?”

I’m willing to bet there haven’t been 450 Catholic pastors who’ve left and become Protestant over the past 1000 years, yet alone the past 10. That number says it all. Praise God

 

[Olivermax]

Actually there have been around 450 protestants ministers who have converted to the Catholic Church, and according to the Coming Home Network, there are about that many in the process of converting. The Coming Home Network is an organization founded by Marcus Grody, who is a former minister. He wanted to help the many other ministers who were discovering the truth of the Catholic Church. Once they discovered this truth, they couldn’t in good faith continue their ministry. Google The Coming Home Network, and find out for yourself.

 

[Nella]

“But if you want to persist in your denial, don’t. Did you know that there have been around 450 protestant ministers who have reconciled to the Catholic Church in the last 10 years, and about the same number are in the pipeline?”

I’m willing to bet there haven’t been 450 Catholic pastors who’ve left and become Protestant over the past 1000 years, yet alone the past 10. That number says it all. Praise God

I don’t believe that is true. I remember reading that the RC’s own figures for 2002 had its membership down 674,000 in Europe alone. Anyone care to speak to that?

 

[Theist]

If your God Given Free Will and Faith in God are weak, then sure become a Catholic and strenghten that bond. It’s as good a religion as any.

Any religion will do.

 

[The_Truthinator]

Oooh! Oooh! Pick me!

Uh, let’s start with the shouldn’ts: Protestant churches usually have awesome music!

Now that that’s taken care of …

You’ll find the basis of the Protestant faiths (sola Scriptura, or Scripture alone, and sola fide, or faith alone) refuted in the following passages:

1 Thessalonians 2:15; 1 Timothy 3:15

And,

James 2:17, 24

The fact that James states that we are “justified by works and not by faith alone” explicity and outright should prove especially convincing. Then, taking into account the first two passages, we come to a shocking conclusion: The Church, not the Scriptures (which can of course be distorted), is the pillar and support of truth, and apostolic Traditions have played a vital role in the Christian Community since the earliest days. What’s more, Christianity not only survived roughly 400 years (much longer than from the American Revolution to the modern day) without the Bible but also flourished. Was the Roman Empire converted by a band of disorganized, doctrinally confused Jewish Christians? No! Their unity contributed greatly to the whole thing–some even speculating that Constantine used the Faith as a means of uniting his crumbling Empire. So where did this unity come from? The Apostles’ doctrine, their Tradition, which was carefully preserved and passed down for generations, even to the modern day.

Do some reading about the Eucharist, too. What an expression of Love! As St. Francis said, “O sublime humility, O humble sublimity!” The Eucharist means God so desires to be one with us that he, to this very day, takes on so breakable–so frail–a form, that he might give himself to us wholly and totally: We united to him, him to us, we to each other. It shows his burning passion for his People and is the miraculous at its best.

 

[Mannyfit75]

I don’t believe that is true. I remember reading that the RC’s own figures for 2002 had its membership down 674,000 in Europe alone. Anyone care to speak to that?

Actually I read a recent report since Pope Benedict XVI preached in Europe more it is actually going up.

 

[boppaid]

At the time it was necessary.

newadvent.org/cathen/08026a.htm Read this about the Inquistion

Thanks for the link. I still cannot believe it is ever necessary to put people to death for their beliefs. There were a lot of people in scripture who believed wrongly and Jesus never advocated human beings killing them for their beliefs (that I can remember). I may be wrong?

 

[Mannyfit75]

Thanks for the link. I still cannot believe it is ever necessary to put people to death for their beliefs. There were a lot of people in scripture who believed wrongly and Jesus never advocated human beings killing them for their beliefs (that I can remember). I may be wrong?

I think it was necessary at time. Had those heresy occur in our time, I think the Catholic Church would have approach it differently.

 

[Isa_Almisry]

If your God Given Free Will and Faith in God are weak, then sure become a Catholic and strenghten that bond. It’s as good a religion as any.

Any religion will do.

I think I’ll become Aztec. Now, where’s that obsidian knife…

 

[Isa_Almisry]

Thanks for the link. I still cannot believe it is ever necessary to put people to death for their beliefs. There were a lot of people in scripture who believed wrongly and Jesus never advocated human beings killing them for their beliefs (that I can remember). I may be wrong?

Luke 9:51-6.

 

[Isa_Almisry]

I don’t believe that is true. I remember reading that the RC’s own figures for 2002 had its membership down 674,000 in Europe alone. Anyone care to speak to that?

The population in Europe is down period.

I remember at JP II funeral the media talking about how many he drove out of the church.

I think it was 800 million when he became pope of Rome.

And its over a billion now.

Admittedly, I’ve been out of school and math class for a while, but it seems that a billion is a tad more than 800 million.

And I know a number of Protestants who have become Latin (and Orthodox). I don’t think I know all of them.

Btw I’m not Latin.

 

[Theist]

I think I’ll become Aztec. Now, where’s that obsidian knife…

Sure the Aztec belief in Teotl is as good as any. At least you’ll have a choice between multiple Gods. Tonatiuh is my personal fav!

 

[Isa_Almisry]

Sure the Aztec belief in Teotl is as good as any. At least you’ll have a choice between multiple Gods. Tonatiuh is my personal fav!

yes, but the mass is a lot bloodier.

 

[DarleneGail]

Hello Simple Theist,
I too, have asked a similar question within the past year. I have been an Evangelical Protestant for over 30 years. One of the catalysts that lead me toward Catholicism began in church while singing “Onward Christian Soldiers.” When we came to the part, “One in faith and doctrine, one in charity” I heard a voice within say, “You aren’t one in faith and doctrine. Protestants argue all the time and disagree about doctrine.” Then I began to realize the fallicy of Sola Scriptura. Many sincere Christians claim the Bible alone, yet these same persons, filled with the Holy Spirit, interpret the Bible differently. How can this be? The Bible was not meant to be “self evident” as Luther believed. Near the end of his life, Luther exclaimed, “Now there are many popes. Even the poor milkmaids and farmers all think they can interpret scripture.” Look at the legacy of Protestantism. Hundreds of denominations.
As I began investigating the Catholic faith, I discovered the beauty of the Magesterium. I went back in history and read about the Councils of Hippo and Carthage. where the bishops decided what would be in the canon of scripture and what would not. The Catholic Church has the deposit of faith within the Magesterium and has guarded the teaching of Sacred Scripture since Christ founded this Church. The Catholic faith has not wavered on faith & morals in 2,000 yrs. Look into history and you will find that the early Church believed in the Eucharist as the true body, blood soul and divinity of our Lord. The early church believed in all the sacraments as does the Catholic Church today. Read about the history of the early Church fathers. John Cardinal Newman, a convert to Catholicism said, “To be steeped in history is to cease to be Protestant.” Come over and join us at The Journey Home forum as well. You will encounter loving Catholics who will do their best to answer all of your questions. Darlene

 

[jmcrae]

I don’t believe that is true. I remember reading that the RC’s own figures for 2002 had its membership down 674,000 in Europe alone. Anyone care to speak to that?

This is due to the combined influence of Communism and secular humanism.

Protestant figures are even worse than the Catholic figures in Europe - Catholics are not becoming Protestant - rather, Christians of all denominations are quitting Christianity - and the whole concept of religion - altogether.

 

[Theist]

yes, but the mass is a lot bloodier.

Oh I don’t know. Human sacrifice is in many religions…though some don’t practice it as they should.

“Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble”; (Wisdom 3:5-7 NAB The Book of The Wisdom of Solomon is mostly in Catholic versions of the Bible.)

[The Lord speaking] “The one who has stolen what was set apart for destruction will himself be burned with fire, along with everything he has, for he has broken the covenant of the LORD and has done a horrible thing in Israel.” (Joshua 7:15 NLT)

edited: to say many not every religion…these sweeping generalizations are so tempting. lol