Why do people leave the Catholic Church?

[SSTeacher]

I left the Catholic church in 1977. I attended a bible study from a Baptist church and discovered that the Bible is what we are to follow (not what man said), as pretty well all teaching in the Catholic church comes from men and tradition. The Bible is the book of instruction, after all, it is God’s word and we will be judged by it in the end judgement. All this pomp and ceremony in the Catholic church does not amount to a hill of beans. Who declared that the Pope was Holy, (man), only God is Holy, who declared that a priest could forgive sin,(man) ,only God can forgive sin. Catholics look to rank and file in the church for direction, God is our only direction and we find that direction in His word, the Holy Bible.God’s true church has no denomination, His church are the called ones of God, those who are saved. Do not forget to read and follow the instruction, the Holy Bible. Ralph

Ralph,

Would you care to enlarge upon why you left the Catholic Church in 1977?

Wonderingly,
Mick

 

[SSTeacher]

As a former Catholic I could never hold tradition as more important than scripture. An answer to the OP

Thanks for that answer.

Would you mind revealing the point in your spiritual development that you came to the view that you could never hold tradition as more important than Scripture and perhaps briefly detail the influences that led you to it?

Inquiringly,
Mick

 

[SpiritMeadow]

You say there is no list. However, I would agree that there is no one list but I would disagree saying one list means permisiveness of another. For instance the 10 commandments themselves do not list homosexuality. However, it does mentions three consepts which homosexuality may fall under. 1. No fornication 2. no adultery 4. no lust.

The book of Exodus land Leviticus list punishment for the offense of homosexuality and specifically calls it an abomination. Paul also indicates that women (and men) have given up the natural affections for the opposit sex and have sexual relations among themselves (two of the same sex). He ends up calling it an abomination and sin. So where two list coincide with what is considered to be sin we can safely assume it is.

You may very well get along famously with my mother. I love her and we often agree to disagree. However, at what point do you cease to be a christian and end up being a secularist? Which is a germane question.

I’m sorry but I don’t understand your statement (one list means permissiveness of another)??? The 10 Commandments is not as i understand it a purity code or family code. That is what I was speaking of. Whenever you find such a list, it is different from others. The Levicial codes for instance were instituted in some manner to separate the Hebrew people as completely as possible from their surrounding neighbors. So practices that were apparent in those communites were usually not permitted in the Hebrew community. Pauls lists are not the same in different letters. They are but examples.

And if you read him carefully, he suggests that the actions are not sinful in themselves, but when we see people doing them, we can find evidence that they have turned from God.

As I said, the Livitical codes were essentially to separate the Hebrews from their neighbors. Admittedly, homosexual behavior was not practiced much in Hebrew society. The type of homosexuality Liviticus refers to is temple prostitution. The Hebrews of course denied that sex was part of any worship and thought it an abomination.

I can but explain again, it is the words Paul uses, and was was commonly understood in his time (which can only be learned through reading other writings of that time of course) that leads many scholars to conclude that Paul was not referring to any type of homosexuality that we would understand today as the norm, namely two individuals in a loving, supportive, equal relationship based on biological and/or psychological predisposition. Such notions were simply unknown in his day. Paul in effect is forbidding actions that are the result of physical control, unbridled lust by choice, power manipulation, and reducing sex to a monetary exchange. We can all pretty much agree that those reasons are wrong.

As I understand it, Christians profess that Jesus died for our sins and is divine. Secularists are those as I understand who are concerned with the world and not the religious or spiritual. Because one believes that all faiths are valued by God and upheld by God, or believes that God has not created a class of people and by definition forbid them from bodily pleasure like everyone else, does not make one either non religious nor non-spiritual in my opinon.

 

[SpiritMeadow]

That statement was written in the gospel 50+ years after Jesus had been gone. Therefore, an interpolation by the Church with the purpose to document the Church with apostolocial credibility. Besides, Peter was a Nazarene and never a Christian. It means, he could have never been a Pope. The first Pope was Paul, the real founder of Christianity. (Acts 1`1:26)

Ben:

I agree that “Church” references in the NT is largely interpolation by the later church, but I don’t agree that Paul was the first “pope”. There are several references in the ECF that Linus was the first bishop of Rome, almost none that Peter was. Actually there is evidence that Peter was bishop of Antioch. Interesting of course is the fact that Paul in righting to the Romans, makes no mention in his salutation to Peter, and Paul is quite careful to address all the important personages. He would of course probably not written at all to the Romans had Paul been there as Bishop, since it would have been clear overstepping. As far as I know, Paul was bishop nowhere in the entire Roman Empire.

 

[rinnie]

Scripture is Gods revelation to us. through scripture we can come to know God and what He expects of us. Scripture is the OT also, the NT is the OT revealed.
Scripture tells us not to foresake the assembly together.

Thank you for your honesty most Catholics would not say that tradition is more important than scripture yet by their decisions they demonstrate it is.
As a former Catholic I could never hold tradition as more important than scripture. An answer to the OP

Hi Hisalone:wave: I have a question for you if you don’t mind. Now being’s that you were catholic you do understand that there is no difference between Tradition and written Scripture correct?

Now here is my question first do you agree with that, and then if you disagree what is the difference between tradition and scripture. I mean it all came from Jesus at the same time. I guess what I am asking how could you separate the two? Thanks

 

[rinnie]

I agree that “Church” references in the NT is largely interpolation by the later church, but I don’t agree that Paul was the first “pope”. There are several references in the ECF that Linus was the first bishop of Rome, almost none that Peter was. Actually there is evidence that Peter was bishop of Antioch. Interesting of course is the fact that Paul in righting to the Romans, makes no mention in his salutation to Peter, and Paul is quite careful to address all the important personages. He would of course probably not written at all to the Romans had Paul been there as Bishop, since it would have been clear overstepping. As far as I know, Paul was bishop nowhere in the entire Roman Empire.

SP got a question for you if you don’t mind. Now you say that ALMOST none that Peter was the first Pope. Now okay, then why did Jesus change Peter’s name, and why did Jesus give Peter the keys to the kingdom, and why did Jesus say Peter was the leader of the Flock. What did all of that scripture mean. Thanks SP.

 

[rinnie]

Jesus made the Pope Holy. Peter upon This Rock I will build my Church. Jesus gave the first Priests the power to forgive sin. It’s in the Bible.

Amen to that Pontoon, And if I made add that Apostolic succession will never die. Thank you for your response pontoon.

 

[graceandglory]

Do you think people generally leave Catholicism for reasons of conscience or simply because they aren’t much interested in spiritual matters of any kind?

Curiously,
Mick

Hi Mick. I left the Catholic Church because I loved the Lord and wanted to serve Him in Spirit and in Truth. I was drawn to evangelical Christianity because the evangelicals were in love with the Lord and were not ashamed to be called Christian.

The Catholics I grew up with and went to high school and college with were sleeping around and getting drunk. The priests I knew weren’t much better.

I honestly was never shown the true Catholic faith growing up. Bits and pieces of the true Church, but not the entirety of it. Had I experienced the true Catholic faith, I would have never left.

Being a truth seeker, my spiritual journey brought me right back to where I started. I’m a Catholic “revert.” I wish I had never left. I feel I lost a huge chunk of my life that could have been better served in the Catholic Church. Nevertheless, we all have our own life stories, and they can all be used for the glory of God.

 

[rinnie]

Hi Mick. I left the Catholic Church because I loved the Lord and wanted to serve Him in Spirit and in Truth. I was drawn to evangelical Christianity because the evangelicals were in love with the Lord and were not ashamed to be called Christian.

The Catholics I grew up with and went to high school and college with were sleeping around and getting drunk. The priests I knew weren’t much better.

I honestly was never shown the true Catholic faith growing up. Bits and pieces of the true Church, but not the entirety of it. Had I experienced the true Catholic faith, I would have never left.

Being a truth seeker, my spiritual journey brought me right back to where I started. I’m a Catholic “revert.” I wish I had never left. I feel I lost a huge chunk of my life that could have been better served in the Catholic Church. Nevertheless, we all have our own life stories, and they can all be used for the glory of God.

Hey you are back, thats all that counts. Sometimes we have to lose what we have, to appreciate what we got. WELCOME HOME!

 

[Hesychios]

Jesus made the Pope Holy. Peter upon This Rock I will build my Church. Jesus gave the first Priests the power to forgive sin. It’s in the Bible.

The Bishop of Roma is a man, it is not a foregone conclusion that he is holy. The Papacy is a church office, it is a job for a bishop. It is not a sacrament and not by nature holy in and of itself.

Jesus IS the church, the Body of Christ and the church is holy by nature.

Whether Apostles are holy is entirely up to them, they can choose for themselves whether they will cooperate with God or choose the way of humanity. We can see that from the ***very first circle ***of Apostles, the inner circle, one found it possible to take his own life, one doubted the resurrection until he should put his own hand into Our Lord’s side and another denied Jesus three times!

Being mere humans, any Christian can fail, even bishops…that includes the Bishop of Roma as well as the Bishops of Boston, Los Angeles, Krakow or Constantinople.

Just as Peter denied Jesus three times, any bishop can fail, and with genuine repentance can be forgiven! But the church as a whole, the Body of Christ, cannot fail. With the Holy Spirit it shall last for all time, until the end of days.

The Church does not fail.

 

[michaelcollins]

People leave the Catholic church because Catholics do not follow God’s word, the Bible. Ralph

You need to read this forum’s rules. You probably made a wrong turn at the protestant reformation and thought you were headed to sunday school instead of mass but you are free to post your opinions to an extint, that extint is violated when the opinion does nothing but attack catholisim. Your post is a blatant violation of forum rules. I am not reporting it or turning you in to the teacher as you are new here and we try to act with some charity , however, when it is clear a poster comes here not to find out answers about our faith and teachings but simply to attack catholism or convert they are not welcomed and are banned.

Please read the forum rules, we expect you to act like a guest, I assume you would not go to someones home and start insulting them?

 

[michaelcollins]

I left the Catholic church in 1977. I attended a bible study from a Baptist church and discovered that the Bible is what we are to follow (not what man said), as pretty well all teaching in the Catholic church comes from men and tradition. The Bible is the book of instruction, after all, it is God’s word and we will be judged by it in the end judgement. All this pomp and ceremony in the Catholic church does not amount to a hill of beans. Who declared that the Pope was Holy, (man), only God is Holy, who declared that a priest could forgive sin,(man) ,only God can forgive sin. Catholics look to rank and file in the church for direction, God is our only direction and we find that direction in His word, the Holy Bible.God’s true church has no denomination, His church are the called ones of God, those who are saved. Do not forget to read and follow the instruction, the Holy Bible. Ralph

I grew up in a Baptist church there every sunday twice wednsday prayer meeting every rvival, my uncle is a Baptist minister. I became agnostic as a result of the Baptist church, could not agree that there God existed outside of their minds, could not understand why they wanted him to exists,

Long story short converted when through catholic church found faith, God’s gift, loved God, intellectually found the Church stimulating, the factual basis for the resurrection the best ever found. I like both the history, the teachings and the beliefs,

Ask you the same question I have never obtained an answer from from any protestant yet-where in the Bible does it say sola scripta? Only scripture for those among us who did not know what the doctrine protestants used was called. thanks for your answer, I will tell you in advancxe if you use the parts most use it does not actually say it you have to interpret it to say it.

 

[mario_grgic]

What you dont understand is that by subjecting scripture to tradition you are placing your ultimate authority in tradition. Tradition should be subjected to tradition.

When you say tradition should be subjected to scripture, you really mean “scripture as I interpret it” or “scripture as the group I belong interprets it”.

But let me say this to you. Jesus said to his apostles go and preach the good news, heal the sick, cast out devils and forgive sins in my name. And if someone will not hear you, shake the dust off your sandals as you leave. Sodom and Gomorrah will fare better than that place.

My church has not changed its teaching since it was founded, and your ancestors were part of it. But now you decided you know better. Are you absolutely sure you are on the right path?

Let me also ask you this, was the history textbook written before the history happened or after?

 

[Peter_J]

The Bishop of Roma is a man, it is not a foregone conclusion that he is holy. The Papacy is a church office, it is a job for a bishop. It is not a sacrament and not by nature holy in and of itself.

Jesus IS the church, the Body of Christ and the church is holy by nature.

Whether Apostles are holy is entirely up to them, they can choose for themselves whether they will cooperate with God or choose the way of humanity. We can see that from the ***very first circle ***of Apostles, the inner circle, one found it possible to take his own life, one doubted the resurrection until he should put his own hand into Our Lord’s side and another denied Jesus three times!

Being mere humans, any Christian can fail, even bishops…that includes the Bishop of Roma as well as the Bishops of Boston, Los Angeles, Krakow or Constantinople.

Just as Peter denied Jesus three times, any bishop can fail, and with genuine repentance can be forgiven! But the church as a whole, the Body of Christ, cannot fail. With the Holy Spirit it shall last for all time, until the end of days.

The Church does not fail.

Well said.

Who knows, maybe you’ll bring sanity back to this thread.

A STRANGE GAME
THE ONLY WINNING MOVE IS NOT TO PLAY

Tic-tac-toe?

 

[Ronald_E]

Hi Mick. I left the Catholic Church because I loved the Lord and wanted to serve Him in Spirit and in Truth. I was drawn to evangelical Christianity because the evangelicals were in love with the Lord and were not ashamed to be called Christian.

The Catholics I grew up with and went to high school and college with were sleeping around and getting drunk. The priests I knew weren’t much better.

I honestly was never shown the true Catholic faith growing up. Bits and pieces of the true Church, but not the entirety of it. Had I experienced the true Catholic faith, I would have never left.

Being a truth seeker, my spiritual journey brought me right back to where I started. I’m a Catholic “revert.” I wish I had never left. I feel I lost a huge chunk of my life that could have been better served in the Catholic Church. Nevertheless, we all have our own life stories, and they can all be used for the glory of God.

I totally agree. We leave because of people and return because of Grace.

 

[josie_L]

What you dont understand is that by subjecting scripture to tradition you are placing your ultimate authority in tradition. Tradition should be subjected to tradition.

The Relationship between Tradition and Sacred Scripture

80 Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together and communicate one with the other. For both of them, flowing out from the same divine well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing and move towards the same goal. Each of them makes present and fruitful in the Church the mystery of Christ, who promised to remain with his own “always, to the close of the age.”

82 As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, “does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the Holy Scriptures alone.
Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence.”

 

[Hesychios]

Tic-tac-toe?

Yes!, and also Thermonuclear War…and internet debate!

The quote is from Wargames, the movie.

I was so taken by it that I thought I would display the quote for a while.

 

[SSTeacher]

Hi Mick. I left the Catholic Church because I loved the Lord and wanted to serve Him in Spirit and in Truth. I was drawn to evangelical Christianity because the evangelicals were in love with the Lord and were not ashamed to be called Christian.

The Catholics I grew up with and went to high school and college with were sleeping around and getting drunk. The priests I knew weren’t much better.

I honestly was never shown the true Catholic faith growing up. Bits and pieces of the true Church, but not the entirety of it. Had I experienced the true Catholic faith, I would have never left.

Being a truth seeker, my spiritual journey brought me right back to where I started. I’m a Catholic “revert.” I wish I had never left. I feel I lost a huge chunk of my life that could have been better served in the Catholic Church. Nevertheless, we all have our own life stories, and they can all be used for the glory of God.

Many thanks for relating your interesting story and I agree that all our stories can be used by God for His glory.

I’ve encountered several other “reverts” on this site. I guess it’s natural to regret the years that the locusts have eaten but it occurs to me that the period you spent outside the Catholic Church has probably resulted in you subsequently developing a much more intense faith.

May the Lord bless you in all your endeavors.

Grace and peace,
Mick

 

[fbl9]

I walked up with a smile on my face (not purposely but because of my expectation on recieving Christ) and when the priest said “the body of christ” my grin became a full on smile as I said “amen” knowing full well I was saying "so be it.

For me it is hard to keep the tears from coming down my face,which are a mixture of sorrow and love.Sorrow for the "lost"yrs and the deepest heartfelt love.When my now wife and i were rehearsing our wedding vows both of us had tear soaked faces,we did make it throught the actually vows without crying but it was close.

As to the thread’s topic:for myself it was a combo of sin and the human ego…which eventually left me with no belief other than a belief in God.

Can any one deny salt the right to be salty?

 

[sdtouchton]

Because they are ignorant about truth and catholic faith.