To My "Bible Only" Christian Brothers and Sisters, From A Catholic Convert [a humble vanity]

It is my sincere and humble prayer that we all turn to God in prayer to ask him to show us the real, honest Truth about all of these questions, and any other questions and issues that may come up between us. (And all of us should always remember that, when conversing with God in prayer, it is a very good idea to really just stick to the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, as I'm sure that none of us can possibly ever fool "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" about anything.)

And my further prayer is that we ALL may be ONE (just as Jesus prayed) within the one and only Church HE built -- about 1500 years before Martin Luther and John Calvin came along -- and that we may continue to grow steadily in enlightenment as provided by the "Light of the World", and progress to an ever greater level of understanding and love (as willed by God) and become saints, and make it into heaven!

May God bless all of us.

Jesus says otherwise.

Revelation 22:18-19

I also wanted to share with everyone a brief list of some of the resources that have been helpful (and are still being helpful) to me in my own spiritual journey. A lot of the books shown here were written by former Evangelical and Fundamentalist Protestants, who have converted to the Catholic faith. (One of the authors, the former Protestant Pastor, Scott Hahn, said that he used to believe that Rosary beads and praying the Rosary were idolatrous and superstitious nonsense, and he actually deliberately broke his own Catholic Grandmother's Rosary beads, to save her from what he then believed were her idolatrous sins. He later became much more enlightened, converted to the Catholic faith, and profoundly regretted that earlier impulsive action, and today he prays the Rosary regularly himself, and advocates it for all other Christians as well.)

I hope this list is helpful to somebody.

(Note to NYer and Salvation - If you would like to add any helpful resources to this list, it would be greatly appreciated.)

SOME RECOMMENDED BOOKS

- New Catholic Answer Bible: Revised New American Bible

- Catholic Scripture Study Bible RSV-CE Large Print Leather Bound - Gail Buckley (Editor)

- Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament Paperback - Curtis Mitch (Compiler), Scott Hahn (Editor)

- Understanding The Scriptures: A Complete Course On Bible Study (The Didache Series) - Scott Hahn

- Catholicism and Fundamentalism: The Attack on "Romanism" by "Bible Christians" - Karl Keating

- What Catholics Really Believe--Setting the Record Straight: 52 Answers to Common Misconceptions about the Catholic Faith - Karl Keating

- Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic - David B. Currie

- Rapture: The End-Times Error That Leaves the Bible Behind - David B. Currie

- Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism - Scott Hahn

- Reasons to Believe: How to Understand, Explain, and Defend the Catholic Faith - Scott Hahn

- Hail, Holy Queen: The Mother of God in the Word of God - Scott Hahn

- The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth - Scott Hahn

- Signs of Life: 40 Catholic Customs and Their Biblical Roots - Scott Hahn

- Scripture Matters: Essays on Reading the Bible from the Heart of the Church - Scott Hahn

- Catholic for a Reason: Scripture and the Mystery of the Family of God - Scott Hahn, Leon J. Suprenant (editors)

- Catholic for a Reason II: Scripture and the Mystery of the Mother of God - Scott Hahn, Jr. Leon J. Suprenant (editors)

- Catholic for a Reason III: Scripture and the Mystery of the Mass - Scott Hahn, Regis J. Flaherty (editors)

- Catholic for a Reason IV: Scripture and the Mystery of Marriage and Family Life - Scott Hahn and Regis Flaherty (editors)

- Crossing the Tiber - Steve Ray

- Upon This Rock: St. Peter and the Primacy of Rome in Scripture and the Early Church - Stephen K. Ray

- Essential Catholic Survival Guide - Catholic Anwers Staff

- If Protestantism is True: The Reformation Meets Rome - Devin Rose

- Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist: Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper - Brant Pitre

- With Us Today: On the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist - John A. Hardon

- Where is That in the Bible? - Patrick Madrid

- Answer Me This! - Patrick Madrid

- Why is That in Tradition? - Patrick Madrid

- Does the Bible Really Say That?: Discovering Catholic Teaching in Scripture - Patrick Madrid

- Jesus-Shock - Peter Kreeft

- Walking With God: A Journey Through the Bible - Tim Gray, Jeff Cavins

- Sacraments in Scripture - Tim Gray

- Nuts & Bolts: A Practical, How-To Guide for Explaining & Defending the Catholic Faith - Tim Staples

- A Biblical Defense of Catholicism - Dave Armstrong

- The Catholic Verses: 95 Bible Passages That Confound Protestants - Dave Armstrong

- Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths: A Source Book for Apologists and Inquirers - Dave Armstrong

- The Salvation Controversy - James Akin

- Evangelical is Not Enough: Worship of God in Liturgy and Sacrament - Thomas Howard

- On Being Catholic - Thomas Howard

- Lead, Kindly Light: My Journey to Rome - Thomas Howard

- By What Authority? an Evangelical Discovers Catholic Tradition - Mark P. Shea

- This Is My Body: An Evangelical Discovers The Real Presence - Mark P. Shea

- Why Catholics Are Right - Michael Coren

- A Biblical Walk Through the Mass: Understanding What We Say and Do In The Liturgy - Edward Sri

- Worthy is the Lamb: The Biblical Roots of the Mass - Tom Nash

- The Biblical Basis for the Catholic Faith - John Salza

- The Biblical Basis for the Eucharist - John Salza

- The Biblical Basis for the Papacy - John Salza

- The Biblical Basis for Tradition: Why Catholics Don't Rely on Scripture Alone - John Salza - (Note: Available soon on Amazon or check other sources) (Such as here: The Biblical Basis for Tradition: Why Catholics Don't Rely on Scripture Alone - John Salza

- The Biblical Basis for Purgatory - John Salza

- The Rapture Trap: A Catholic Response to "End Times" Fever - Paul Thigpen

- Will Catholics Be Left Behind?- Carl E. Olson

- No Price too High: A Pentecostal Preacher Becomes Catholic - Alex Jones

- Praying Constantly: Bringing Your Faith to Life - Benedict J. Groeschel

- Prayer for Beginners - Peter Kreeft

- Prayer Primer : Igniting a Fire Within - Thomas DuBay

- Fire Within - Thomas DuBay

- The Imitation of Christ - Thomas A. Kempis

- Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration - Pope Benedict XVI

- Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance Into Jerusalem To The Resurrection - Pope Benedict XVI

- God and the World: A Conversation With Peter Seewald - Benedict XVI (Author), Peter Seewald (Author)

- Salt of the Earth: The Church at the End of the Millennium- An Interview With Peter Seewald - Peter Seewald (Author), Adrian Walker (Translator), Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Collaborator)

- Light of the World: The Pope, The Church and the Signs Of The Times - Peter Seewald (Author), Pope Benedict XVI (Author)

- God Is Near Us: The Eucharist, the Heart of Life - Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

- Where We Got the Bible... Our Debt to the Catholic Church - Henry G. Graham

- The Bible and the Liturgy - Jean Danielou

- Catholicism DVD Box Set - Fr. Robert Barron, Matt Leonard - Format: DVD

- Theology For Beginners - Frank J. Sheed

- A Map of Life: - Frank J. Sheed

- Link for Magnificat Magazine

- Catechism of the Catholic Church

SOME RECOMMENDED WEB SITES

   Scott Hahn's Web Site

   Catholic Answers Web Site

   Catholic Convert - Stephen Ray's Web Site

   Patrick Madrid's Web Site

   Peter Kreeft's Web Site

   Ask A Catholic Web Site

   Mark Shea's Web Site

   Biblical Evidence for Catholicism with Dave Armstrong - Web Site

   One Hundred Fifty Reasons I'm Catholic And You Should Be Too! by Dave Armstrong - Web Site

   Catholics Come Home Web Site

   Coming Home Network Web Site

   Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) Web Site

   Scripture Catholic - Providing Scriptural Evidence for the Teachings of the Catholic Church - Web Site

   Catholic Truth Society Web Site

OTHER RECOMMENDED LINKS (youtube, etc.)

   Scott Hahn's conversion to Catholicism - 1/6

   Scott Hahn's conversion to Catholicism - 2/6

   Scott Hahn's conversion to Catholicism - 3/6

   Scott Hahn's conversion to Catholicism - 4/6

   Scott Hahn's conversion to Catholicism - 5/6

   Scott Hahn's conversion to Catholicism - 6/6

   Fr. Robert Barron and Dr. Scott Hahn on Biblical Interpretation and The Liturgy

   EWTN Live Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J. and Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J.

   Let Me Be Born - Ladies of Cecilia (pro-life from a baby's viewpoint)

   Voices - Chant From Avignon - Benedictine Nuns

   The Nuns - Chant From Avignon - Overview Plus (youtube)

Brooklyn Museum: The Communion of the Apostles (La communion des apôtres)

"The Communion of the Apostles" by James Tissot (Brooklyn Museum)

Like you, I too used to be a "Bible Only" Christian, who would have said, "I only accept it and believe it if it's in the Bible!" With great regret and contrition, I also have to admit that I too was once very anti-Catholic...

The above statement assumes that people who believe this way are anti-Catholic. The assumption is incorrect.

Yup, you won’t see this Protestant bashing Catholics. If anything, I have a great deal of suspicion of those who seem dedicated to causing strife between us.

you’re weird as hell.

Your text link says "Revelation 22:18-19 King James Version (KJV) 18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

Who (in your mind) is adding to the prophecies in the "Book of Revelation"?

(Would a preacher, preaching about those texts, be adding to them? Would a FR poster, discussing and interpreting them them like you did, be adding to them?)

I’m happy you found a place to worship Christ that you feel comfortable.

The issues I have with the Catholic church are not the ones you cite. Having explored it fully,
and having been Catholic and found Jesus Christ outside the Catholic church, I too am thankful
I found a place to worship Him.

I’m just passing along a serious warning from the Book of Revelation. Make of it what you will.

Christ founded His Church [Thou art Peter, etc.] in AD 30-~33~[?]

The Epistle of St. James is put by several at the very beginning of Christian literature, between the years 40 and 50, the earliest Epistles of St. Paul about 52 till 58.

Thus there is no NT Bible for at least 7 years.

A Church with no New Testament for 7 years?

How did it ever survive? [sarc]

There is a unity in the Church, but not in the Roman Church alone. We all are under Christ’s headship.

where in the Bible (Book, Chapter, and Verse please) does it tell you that you are to rely only on the Bible for your rule of faith?

Natural Law can be relied on as well.

However, if anything CONTRADICTS the Bible it is to be suspect because the Bible is, in fact, the Word of God. The church is not the Word of God.

Your post is way too wordy to read all the way through but I picked out one erroneous way that you're thinking near the beginning.

As can be seen in the Bible itself, the Church was already in existence (and being severely persecuted) before the New Testament was even completely written

Yes, the church was in existence...in fact, God's people were in existence far before New Testament times. However, the church after the apostolic age cannot be judged to be God's word. The NT apostolic writings, however (as well as the OT writings), are the Canon (which means "rule") by which things are measured.

I appreciate your thoughtful reply.

I know people have other issues (as I did too), but I was trying to discuss the ones I've seen quite a few times on various threads here.

Welcome home!

I also used to be a Catholic bashing Protestant, but found I could only be fed with the “real food” of the Eucharist.

Eph 2:8-9: By FAITH are you saved by Grace.

How did it ever survive?

Easy...it was aided by the OT scriptures as well as the preaching of the Apostles which was set down on paper later.

Moses said the same thing in Deuteronomy, but we don’t throw away everything said after him, including Revelations. The passage is about the revelations of John, not God’s word.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=deuteronomy%204:2&version=KJV

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Thanks.

It was commanded directly from the mouth of God in the Upper Room, but it took me a while to grasp it.