Why do Protestants become Catholic?

[Church_Militant]

Julia1:

People who enter the Church generally know a lot more than those who leave it.

Well that’s intriguing…and you know this how?This is really simple. Non-Catholics coming into the Catholic Church go through RCIA classes and so have been taught the essentials of the faith over many months. Clowns like me who leave the faith didn’t pay attention at Mass or in religion class where I could’ve got the straight dope of why we believe the things that we believe. (My Story ) Also…guys like me study like mad to make sure that all the trash talked about the Catholic faith isn’t really true, because like Bishop Sheen said.
“Few people in America hate the Catholic religion,
but there are many who hate what they mistakenly believe is the Catholic religion
—and if what they hate really were the Catholic religion,
Catholics would hate it too.”
Pax tecum,

 

[valient_Lucy]

Julia1:

Well that’s very nice and thoughtful of you!

So what ‘contradictory things’ are they?

1 How are people saved?
2 What is the meaning of the Sacraments?
3 Can people lose their salvation?
4 How are Church leaders to be chosen?

I’m just naming a few examples, but I could go on. Many time Protestants say that they disagree on “secondary things,” but how do Protestants determine what is “primary” and what is “secondary?”

You stated in another post that the Presbyterian Church is an Apostate Church. How is that determined? How do you know that their interpretation of the Bible is any better or worse than your own?

 

[Julia1]

Maybe I am reading too much between the lines of your post. If so I am sorry.

Are you certain that we are discussing the same person. Scott Hahn was a former Presbyterian minister. Are you saying that you think that Presbyterians are an apostate church? Does that mean that you don’t think that Presbyterians are Christian?

Your doubts about Scott Hahn salvation sounds as if you don’t think that a ‘saved’ person could be Catholic. Is that your belief?

So, which churches are true churches in your mind and which aren’t? Do you really not consider Presbyterians, Christians? How can you judge such a thing?

How can you not ‘judge’ such a thing is the question.

I am very aware that Mr. Hahn used to be a part of that Church. And yes, the Presbyterian Church is Apostate…she is the Harlots daughter after all.

As for Presbyterian being Christians? Some may be, some are definetly not. Just because one goes to a certain ‘church’ does not make one a Christian, do you not agree?

 

[Julia1]

I should say ONE of the Harlot’s daughters…

 

[Julia1]

Originally Posted by Ted CharlotteNC
That’s why I am Catholic, because it is The Way.
God bless you all.

As in:

Joh 14:6 -
"Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” ?

 

[Julia1]

Really? If there is no infallible interpreter of Scripture, who’s to say when a church has apostasized? Or is this just in your own judgment, and if so, which ones have not apostasized, and what standard did you apply in reaching that conclusion?

And why are you investing time in something about which you “really don’t care?”

Well this is very sweet of you to care about my time, Sweetie!

I can say the same about your standards of how you judge…you say that your Church is the One True Church and that’s nice and all. The Mormons tell me the same thing as well as the Eastern Orthodoxs and the Jehovah Witnesses and the Muslims and some of the Protestant off the wall sects so on and so forth…so who do I believe?

I should believe what your Church claims about itself?

Why? Because Peter was the first Pope and yada yada yada?

I can get the same yada yada yada from debating Eastern Orthordoxs. .

 

[Julia1]

1 How are people saved?
2 What is the meaning of the Sacraments?
3 Can people lose their salvation?
4 How are Church leaders to be chosen?

I’m just naming a few examples, but I could go on. Many time Protestants say that they disagree on “secondary things,” but how do Protestants determine what is “primary” and what is “secondary?”

You stated in another post that the Presbyterian Church is an Apostate Church. How is that determined? How do you know that their interpretation of the Bible is any better or worse than your own?

So how do you determine that your Church is right?

 

[Julia1]

Then if you don’t really want to have a debate, discuss the issues, or perhaps even, with an open mind, consider why on Earth someone that has been “saved” would turn to the Church with their whole mind, body, soul, and heart, why bother posting on this forum?

Because you all are so much fun (and so darned easy) to annoy!

 

[Julia1]

Originally Posted by Julia1
People who enter the Church generally know a lot more than those who leave it.

Well that’s intriguing…and you know this how?

This is really simple. Non-Catholics coming into the Catholic Church go through RCIA classes and so have been taught the essentials of the faith over many months. Clowns like me who leave the faith didn’t pay attention at Mass or in religion class where I could’ve got the straight dope of why we believe the things that we believe. (My Story ) Also…guys like me study like mad to make sure that all the trash talked about the Catholic faith isn’t really true, because like Bishop Sheen said.

“Few people in America hate the Catholic religion,
but there are many who hate what they mistakenly believe is the Catholic religion
—and if what they hate really were the Catholic religion,
Catholics would hate it too.”

So you are speaking for millions of people? That’s truly amazing! Have they made you into a Saint yet?

 

[montanaman]

Julia, many of us here are pretty mean. I admit that. But we’re mean because as Catholics, we’re every Protestant sects whipping boy, and for no real reason. Almost every single Protestant who criticizes the Church does so under great misunderstandings. We also get it from the secular side which just tends to mock.

That brings me to you–your tone can be interpreted as sarcastic and mocking. If that’s the case, please, stick around–I love playing around with mocking, sarcastic people. But if you have a sincere reason for here, then please, again, stick around. You’ll be welcomed with open arms.

 

[Julia1]

If the Protestents really understood that all the good cooks were Catholic, they would all convert.

My husband and his family are all great cooks but most of them are ill-tempered drunks AS WELL as being mean and vicious so I’m not converting, Cowboy.

 

[Julia1]

Julia, many of us here are pretty mean. I admit that. But we’re mean because as Catholics, we’re every Protestant sects whipping boy, and for no real reason. Almost every single Protestant who criticizes the Church does so under great misunderstandings. We also get it from the secular side which just tends to mock.

That brings me to you–your tone can be interpreted as sarcastic and mocking. If that’s the case, please, stick around–I love playing around with mocking, sarcastic people. But if you have a sincere reason for here, then please, again, stick around. You’ll be welcomed with open arms.

Oh let me get a tissue! (wiping tears from her eyes…)

Snort.

 

[Eden]

Julia1:

If the Protestents really understood that all the good cooks were Catholic, they would all convert.

My husband and his family are all great cooks but most of them are ill-tempered drunks AS WELL as being mean and vicious so I’m not converting, Cowboy.

No wonder you have come on to an anonymous forum to vent. Your home environment sounds pretty bad.

 

[Eden]

Julia1:

Have they made you into a Saint yet?

This is a common misconception. That when the Church canonizes someone they “make” them a saint. The Church can’t “make” someone a saint. Canonizing a saint means that that particular person is definitely in heaven. All souls in heaven are saints.

 

[Nicene]

Julia1:

Julia, many of us here are pretty mean. I admit that. But we’re mean because as Catholics, we’re every Protestant sects whipping boy, and for no real reason. Almost every single Protestant who criticizes the Church does so under great misunderstandings. We also get it from the secular side which just tends to mock.

That brings me to you–your tone can be interpreted as sarcastic and mocking. If that’s the case, please, stick around–I love playing around with mocking, sarcastic people. But if you have a sincere reason for here, then please, again, stick around. You’ll be welcomed with open arms.

Oh let me get a tissue! (wiping tears from her eyes…)

Snort.

The quote button is the little button in the right hand bottom corner of the post to which you are replying.

It helps in identifying who said what and to whom you are replying.

Many blessings.

Peace and God Bless
Nicene

 

[Eden]

Julia1:

I’d rather go out and debate a rock for all the good it does me. I’d still get the same end results.

I don’t think you would get the same results. A rock can’t speak or type. Seeing you in a debate with a rock would be fun to watch though (for maybe a minute).

 

[Nicene]

Julia1:

1 How are people saved?
2 What is the meaning of the Sacraments?
3 Can people lose their salvation?
4 How are Church leaders to be chosen?

I’m just naming a few examples, but I could go on. Many time Protestants say that they disagree on “secondary things,” but how do Protestants determine what is “primary” and what is “secondary?”

You stated in another post that the Presbyterian Church is an Apostate Church. How is that determined? How do you know that their interpretation of the Bible is any better or worse than your own?

So how do you determine that your Church is right?

How do you determine yours is?

Peace and God Bless
Nicene

 

[valient_Lucy]

Julia1:

So how do you determine that your Church is right?

First of all, I believe that the Catholic Church is right because I believe in the authority of the Catholi Church. In other words, I believe that Christ gave the Apostles the Authority to teach, and I believe that he also gave them the Holy Spirit to protect them from teaching error about faith and morals. I also believe that the this Authority did not dissapear with the Apostles, but that the Apostles chose men to succeed him, and they gave this authority to their successors, and that the bishops, as the successors of the Apostles, possess this authority.
Now, how did I come to believe this? Well, I used to be a non-denominational Christian. I believed in the sufficiency of Scripture and that the Church became corrupt at some point (probably around the time of Constantine) and Satan basically took over. After that, the Catholic Church started teaching all sorts of “crazy” unbiblical doctrines like the Mass, Sacraments, prayers to the Saints, etc.
The problem was, as I read my history, I started to realize that these beliefs pre-dated Constantine. The persecuted Church under the Romans asked the martyrs to intercede for them, and they certainly believed in the Real Presence. I wondered why these “heresies” emerged so early in the Church’s history. Why did the Church become corrupt so early?
Then, I had a thought. In the Bible, Christ repeatedly promised that the Church would not fail. In Mattew, Christ promised that “The Gates of Hell will not prevail against it.” In John, during the Last Supper, Christ promised the desciples that he would “send the Spirit of Truth who will guide you to all truths.” Paul also believed that the Church was the pillar and foundation of truth (1 Timothy 3:15.) If the Church did go into Apostacy, then the Holy Spirit failed to do His job. He could not protect the Church from error. Plus, if the Church fell into apostacy, and the Holy Spirit could not do his job, then Christ was a liar. If Christ is a liar, then he is NOT God. He was just an ordinary man, and why on earth should I waste my time worshipping and devoting my life to an ordinary man?
Finally, I decided that Christ is Truely God, and that He is worth my obedience. But I needed to find a Church that did not belive in the necessity of some kind of Reformation, a Church that believed that God had stood by her and guarded her since the beginning, and would continue to guard her to the end. In short, I needed to find the original Church, the Church that Christ founded, that He promised would withstand the assault of Hell, and would possess the Holy Spirit, which would guide the Church to the very end. After more study, I came to believe that the Catholic Church is indeed the Original Church that the Apostles started. My mom recently asked me, “When did the Catholic Church start?” I said, “Pentecost.”
That’s how I know that the Catholic Church teaches the truth.

 

[MariaG]

Julia1:

My husband and his family are all great cooks but most of them are ill-tempered drunks AS WELL as being mean and vicious so I’m not converting, Cowboy.

By this, I would assume your husband is Catholic?

It is a shame you choose to judge the teachings of Christ and His Church by those who are not following those teachings from the sounds of it .

Sadly, you are not just rejecting your husband and his drunk relatives.

 

[ScottH]

I’m in the process of becoming a Roman Catholic Christian, so this subject is very near and dear to me.

I was a Presbyterian for 32 years of my life, and only the last year/year and a half both myself and my Presbyterian wife decided we should leave not only the Presbyterian Church USA, but protestantism itself.

I had a lot to “get over” and come to grips with last year- and this forum and this site helped. I wasn’t always kind in my questioning of “why you folks do what you do” last year, and I even got banned for a spell in spring of 2005.

I had to realize it wasn’t “Mary Worship” but Mary veneration. I had to read the church history. I had to read up on both JPII and Pope Benedict. I had to watch Roman Catholics practice their faith in quiet reverence, respect, and peace.

Even more, I had to watch an old protestant denomination crumble even further, as they allowed the Jesus Seminar in their churches, moved towards gay ordination, and try to move to strike all references about homosexuality being a sin. I watched that same denomination fall into liberalness and foolishness, such as “hazing” conservative pastors in the denomination to make them uncomfortable in the Presbyterian Church USA… to clear them out for more “worldly thinkers.” I saw PC-USA pastoral hopefuls fail subjective parts ordination tests because they called God “Him” in the masculine… I saw good pastors having to lie to earn the right to preach in the denomination- just to get past the ordination boards controlled by the ultra-leftist PC-USA representatives who got on the ordination boards.

I thought to myself: logically- who do I trust more at the helm of the church I go to. Crazies like the Presby General Assembly, or respected men like recent Popes, such as John Paul the Great, and Pope Benedict? The more I thought about it, the answer was easy.

…and I saw it in other denominations too. Lutheran. Baptist. Episcopal. And the non-denominational churches I visited were havens for “do-whatever you feel” charasmatics or “name-it-claim-it” feelgooders like Joel Osteen who fill parking lots with charm and presentation.

Plus I felt shamed of myself. I was unkind to Roman Catholics in the past. In almost every incident or post I recall, they were far kinder to me than I was to them. I hope all of you who remember me from spring of last year would forgive me now.

Two months ago, I visited the local Roman Catholic church and heard a good man (our local priest) who is helping me and my wife through this process.

Lastly, I’ll say this: I still love my fellow protestant friends from my old church. They do not understand this decision, and many of them have responded harshly. Some are understanding, others are hard. I’m bombarded with phone calls- some kind asking me to come back, and others not so kind, saying I’m a fool who’s believing a lie.

But a year and a half ago, I guess I would have said the same to someone like me, doing what I’m doing.

But that is why some of us come. Perhaps we realize we having nothing left to “protest”. Perhaps we realize that the old denominations are crumbling theologically, morally, and are in need of “reform” themselves. Perhaps we realize where the greater stability is.

Perhaps we are completely in awe of the kindness that some of you have shown despite our harshness.

My answer is- all of the above.