What To Do About My Baptist Friends?

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HisGrace1967

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:(Hey everyone I recently returned to The RCC and blessed for it. I have very few friends so the 4 or 5 at the baptist church have helped me out of my Isolation and depression. I usually visit them on Thursdays or Saturdays. I was there Saturday and was leaving rather earlier than usual. They questioned me and I wasn’t as blunt as I would’ve like to be. I was going to Confession. I’m not sure what to do. They are always trying to get me to join there church and I’ve bumped heads with a few of them. They are very critical, self-righteous, and judgmental. I don’t want anyone to think that all fundamentalist are this way. I’m struggling to end these relationships and let them know that I’m Catholic. They will attack me about being Catholic that is for sure. Most baptist don’t think that Catholics are Christian anyway. I really don’t know what to do. Thanks:shrug:
 
Is it possible, for you to use the opportunity to present the teachings of the Catholic Church to them in a non-argumentative way. To simply present the facts for them to think about?

I took a course study on the Compendium of the Catholic Church and for a couple of years I was a sponsor for RCIA. Those experiences have helped me to understand Sacraments, the Early Church, Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium.

I watch quite a bit of EWTN to help me understand the fullness of our faith and I listen intently to the Journey Home and other programs hosted by ex-denominational protestants (Scott Hahn, Jeff Cavins, Stephen Ray, etc.).
 
HisGrace1967 said:
:(Hey everyone I recently returned to The RCC and blessed for it. I have very few friends so the 4 or 5 at the baptist church have helped me out of my Isolation and depression. I usually visit them on Thursdays or Saturdays. I was there Saturday and was leaving rather earlier than usual. They questioned me and I wasn’t as blunt as I would’ve like to be. I was going to Confession. I’m not sure what to do. They are always trying to get me to join there church and I’ve bumped heads with a few of them. They are very critical, self-righteous, and judgmental. I don’t want anyone to think that all fundamentalist are this way. I’m struggling to end these relationships and let them know that I’m Catholic. They will attack me about being Catholic that is for sure. Most baptist don’t think that Catholics are Christian anyway. I really don’t know what to do. Thanks:shrug:
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Why do you want to end these relationships? I know it can be tough–indeed, opposition by family and friends was one of the reasons I never became Catholic (though my fundamentalist friends don’t think Episcopalians are much better–worse in some ways, in fact). But surely you want at least to make an effort to maintain the friendship.

You have nothing to be ashamed of. You are more fully part of historic Christianity than you were before, and you should relate to them on that basis. Don’t try to prove superiority–just show them that you are more closely united to Jesus than ever.

And by the way, I don’t think it’s true that most Baptists worldwide deny that Catholics are Christians. However, many Baptists are very anti-Catholic, and if you live in the South or other very conservative areas you may never have met a Baptist who accepted Catholics as brothers and sisters. (I grew up in East Tennessee, so I know about this.)

Edwin
 
Contarini said:
And by the way, I don’t think it’s true that most Baptists worldwide deny that Catholics are Christians. However, many Baptists are very anti-Catholic, and if you live in the South or other very conservative areas you may never have met a Baptist who accepted Catholics as brothers and sisters. (I grew up in East Tennessee, so I know about this.) Edwin
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This “Journey Home” interview with ex-Baptist pastor Michael Matthews talks in great detail about the various segregations within the Baptist denominations and the differences of thought concerning Catholics and other protestant denominations.

youtube.com/watch?v=eZUBhZDj0_w
 
You don’t need to hide your faith or feel ashamed for it. Your friends will either accept you as you are or reject you. If they reject you out of hand were they every truly your friends in the first place? I think you should make sure you know the bibical support for confession and why you do it so you can be prepared to teach them more about the Catholic faith when the try to discuss it with you. But don’t feel like you need to hide what you are doing because you are not doing anything wrong.

Also, try joining some of the social groups at your Catholic Church. This will also help with your feelings of isolation and depression. In addition, you won’t feel the added pressure of hiding who you are and your faith.
 
Also, at your parish, there must be groups, outreach and/or volunteer opportunities. This could be a way to make new friends. I do understand, with you suffering from depression, this might feel daunting for you. However, it might be worth a try… 👋
 
Be yourself, agree to disagree. I know many baptist folks who are better “catholics” than the catholics I know, lol! 🙂 It is okay to agree to disagree-and many baptist folks are so cool! Some don’t judge you or anything, just genuine Christians who loves Jesus-there are many things both baptists and catholics have in common, some we don’t yet because they were there for you when times have gotten tough, don’t break the friendship. Shucks-both you and your friends can take this opportunity to learn about each other’s beliefs (in a respectful manner) and kind of bridge that wedge a bit more by talking about the similarities. Best of luck-and many catholic converts were baptists growing up-in fact, I am a catholic revert-I left the catholic faith and became baptist just to return back to the faith I grew up in. Some baptist churches are anti-christian, or extreme like the westboro baptist church-they are nothing but a bunch of jerks. Many are real down-friendly folks. :signofcross::knight1::grouphug::blessyou:
 
HisGrace1967 said:
:(Hey everyone I recently returned to The RCC and blessed for it. I have very few friends so the 4 or 5 at the baptist church have helped me out of my Isolation and depression. I usually visit them on Thursdays or Saturdays. I was there Saturday and was leaving rather earlier than usual. They questioned me and I wasn’t as blunt as I would’ve like to be. I was going to Confession. I’m not sure what to do. They are always trying to get me to join there church and I’ve bumped heads with a few of them. They are very critical, self-righteous, and judgmental. I don’t want anyone to think that all fundamentalist are this way. I’m struggling to end these relationships and let them know that I’m Catholic. They will attack me about being Catholic that is for sure. Most baptist don’t think that Catholics are Christian anyway. I really don’t know what to do. Thanks:shrug:
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Inform them of their status as “separated brethren” as gently as possible. It’s a good ice-breaker. Generally goes over quite nicely.
 
I feel your pain; I’m the only Catholic in the Bible study at the local Baptist church, and I had to figure out the right way to interact. You don’t need to end your friendships with them just because you’re Catholic and they’re Baptist. (If they do indeed get mean with you and kill the friendship, then that’s their bad decision.)

My advice is to be honest about your Catholicism without flaunting it. You don’t need to bring it up for no reason just to make all of you feel uncomfortable. But when you left to go to confession, it would have been a very appropriate time to announce, “I’m going to confession,” and see what happened. No doubt they would ask questions. When that happens, keep your replies short, non-defensive, and very cheerful. Sample replies might include: “Yes, I am Catholic.” “I find confession really helpful to my relationship with Jesus.” “I feel so much closer to God since I became Catholic.” At that point, the Baptists I know generally nod and smile and look confused, and consider me a fellow Christian.

Above all, don’t worry about what they think of you. “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

Hope it goes well!
 
I told my baptist friend that I had re-joined the Catholic Church after 33 years of being out.

He gave me a slightly condescending…

“That’s a good start”.

Take a deep breath and move on.

(As a side note: my rejoining the church is the best thing i’ve ever done)

Peter
 
KristinVT said:
At that point, the Baptists I know generally nod and smile and look confused, and consider me a fellow Christian.
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Kristin,

If the VT in your username is an indication of where you live, then the Baptists you know may be very different from the Baptists the OP knows. But the approach you describe is indeed the best one, no matter how the Baptists respond. If they are anti-Catholic fundamentalists, knowing a Catholic who speaks to them courteously and confidently about his faith in Jesus may begin to crack their armor. But it’s darned hard for the Catholic.

We had a flood in our basement a week ago, and I was going through the books to sort out the ones that could be salvaged and the one’s that couldn’t. I have a whole library of anti-Catholic literature down there, much of it given me or my parents by well-meaning Southern friends! (I hoped that these would be the books taken out by the flood–unfortunately some of them escaped and some that I could have spared much less readily–German poetry and Penguin classics of medieval history–were taken out. But it’s my fault for keeping them down there in the first place!)

I mention this just because going through these books brought back those agonizing (yet exciting) days in my 20s when I thought maybe I was really onto the Truth and nearly everyone I cared about was telling me I was deluded by Satan. Being the kind of undecided person I am, I split the difference and became Episcopalian–and no, I don’t claim that this was the right solution.

Edwin
 
HisGrace1967 said:
:(Hey everyone I recently returned to The RCC and blessed for it. I have very few friends so the 4 or 5 at the baptist church have helped me out of my Isolation and depression. I usually visit them on Thursdays or Saturdays. I was there Saturday and was leaving rather earlier than usual. They questioned me and I wasn’t as blunt as I would’ve like to be. I was going to Confession. I’m not sure what to do. They are always trying to get me to join there church and I’ve bumped heads with a few of them. They are very critical, self-righteous, and judgmental. I don’t want anyone to think that all fundamentalist are this way. I’m struggling to end these relationships and let them know that I’m Catholic. They will attack me about being Catholic that is for sure. Most baptist don’t think that Catholics are Christian anyway. I really don’t know what to do. Thanks:shrug:
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where you formerly a baptist? your religion says x-protestant, so I am guessing not (Baptists are not protestants); either way you should be “saved” by now, so they should not have that concern. Unless they are close minded, or very ignorant they should be able to understand your perspective. I would simply explain that I need a different community for my faith. Living in the American South I must admit as a Catholic I feel outnumbered (compared to where I am from in the Midwest), I have many Baptist friends, they are my favorite non-Catholics (except maybe Lutherans), yes they can be very self righteous, and judgeMENTAL, but what can you expect from people who take the bible literally? For the most part we both believe the same things. I have heard baptists online talk a lot of smack, but no one to my face has told me I a not a christian. If they are real friends, then this won’t be an issue.
 
What to do about your Baptist friends? Love them. 🙂

In Christ,
Andrew
 
Deo_Vindice said:
where you formerly a baptist? your religion says x-protestant, so I am guessing not (Baptists are not protestants)
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Some Baptists claim not to be, but that’s hardly some kind of objective truth. Indeed, usually the claim is based on historical arguments that are simply bonkers. Historically, Baptists derive primarily from a radical version of English Puritanism.

Edwin
 
HisGrace1967 said:
:(Hey everyone I recently returned to The RCC and blessed for it. I have very few friends so the 4 or 5 at the baptist church have helped me out of my Isolation and depression. I usually visit them on Thursdays or Saturdays. I was there Saturday and was leaving rather earlier than usual. They questioned me and I wasn’t as blunt as I would’ve like to be. I was going to Confession. I’m not sure what to do. They are always trying to get me to join there church and I’ve bumped heads with a few of them. They are very critical, self-righteous, and judgmental. I don’t want anyone to think that all fundamentalist are this way. I’m struggling to end these relationships and let them know that I’m Catholic. They will attack me about being Catholic that is for sure. Most baptist don’t think that Catholics are Christian anyway. I really don’t know what to do. Thanks:shrug:
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Friend:

1a : one attached to another by affection or esteem b : acquaintance
2a : one that is not hostile

Not people that I’d consider friends. Disagreeing with your beliefs is one thing, not respecting them is entirely different. If they truly attack you (assuming you mean verbally) the best thing for you to do is to walk away and let them know that if they’d like to have a civil discussion that’s fine but you’re under no obligation to allow them to berate you for your beliefs regardless of how helpful they may have been in getting you through your depression. I don’t care if someone literally saves your life by taking a bullet for you, that does not give them license to judge your beliefs. Be strong and if you find it too difficult on your own remember that Christ is always there to give you that extra strength you may be lacking.
 
Harpazo said:
What to do about your Baptist friends? Love them. 🙂
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Yes–even if they shun you–continue to love them and pray for them. Not long ago, my wife received a letter from someone she had recently befriended. The woman is a non-denominationalist. The letter informed my wife that the relationship is being terminated and she wants no part of my wife’s friendship or religion. She went on to say that my wife does not serve the same God. She said my wife’s God is small and weak (as opposed to her mighty and all-powerful God). She said that my wife was an idol worshipper because of the Icons. And she said that my wife was involved in a false religion.

We were flabbergasted at such ignorance! But we still pray for her and her family. Obviously, the friendship won’t continue.
 
Mickey said:
Yes–even if they shun you–continue to love them and pray for them. Not long ago, my wife received a letter from someone she had recently befriended. The woman is a non-denominationalist. The letter informed my wife that the relationship is being terminated and she wants no part of my wife’s friendship or religion. **She went on to say that my wife does not serve the same God. She said my wife’s God is small and weak (as opposed to her mighty and all-powerful God). She said that my wife was an idol worshipper because of the Icons. And she said that my wife was involved in a false religion. **

We were flabbergasted at such ignorance! But we still pray for her and her family. Obviously, the friendship won’t continue.
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:eek:

Did she explain the “logic” behind calling our “different” God weak? Or that it’s a different God at all for that matter?
 
mdrummer5 said:
:eek:

Did she explain the “logic” behind calling our “different” God weak? Or that it’s a different God at all for that matter?
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Yes. She said it is because we are not assured of our salvation. I would love to respond to each insult—but I think it might be pointless. 🤷
 
Mickey said:
Yes. She said it is because we are not assured of our salvation. I would love to respond to each insult—but I think it might be pointless. 🤷
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So… if I understand you correctly she feels that she IS assured and is thereby claiming to know God’s judgment… I’m not even really Catholic yet but I’m pretty sure that’s blasphemy or something along those lines.
 
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