My Story

Catholic Converts ^ | January 26, 2007 | Chris

[annalex]

(*) I combined the three (not two!) parts together. A-x.

[annalex]

50 Days of Easter 2008 Celebration ping, dedicated to converts to the Catholic faith. If you want to be on the list but are not on it already, or if you are on it but do not want to be, let me know either publicly or privately.

Happy Easter. Christ is risen!

Alex.

---

Previously posted conversion stories:

Anti-Catholicism, Hypocrisy and Double Standards
Hauled Aboard the Ark
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part I: Darkness
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part II: Doubts
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part III: Tradition and Church
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part IV: Crucifix and Altar
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part V: The Catholics and the Pope
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part VI: The Biblical Reality
His Open Arms Welcomed Me
Catholic Conversion Stories & Resources
My Personal Conversion Story
My (Imminent) Reception into the Roman Catholic Church
Catholics Come Home
My Journey of Faith
LOGIC AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF PROTESTANTISM
"What is Truth?" An Examination of Sola Scriptura
"Have you not read?" The Authority behind Biblical Interpretation
The Crisis of Authority in the Reformation
Our Journey Home
Our Lady’s Gentle Call to Peace
A story of conversion at the Lamb of God Shrine
Who is Mary of Nazareth?
Mary and the Problem of Christian Unity
Why I'm Catholic
A Convert's Response to Friends

Also see:
Sheep That Go Astray
Pope Benedict Goes to Washington Ecumenical Meeting at St. Joseph's Church, New York

[MeanWestTexan]

Sure a lot of inter-denominational Christian bickering on F.R.

Not sure how constructive it is.

[VRWCer]

Bookmarking. Thank you!

[annalex]

I stay away from interdenominational issues. I am Catholic; I am only interested in explaining what my faith is and why.

[ConservativeMind]

So, basically, this person wasn't serious about his faith until he was older and in college. At that time, he happened to start to go to a Catholic church, which he felt ministered to his college-needs.

His arguments make it sound as though he could have just as easily attended other campus churches.

So he chose Catholicism seemingly largely from convenience.

Not a great conversion story to hear for Catholicism.

[MeanWestTexan]

I am not doubting your sincerity or intent, but this kind of post just seems to invite yet another “my denomination is better than your denomination,” which are generally not constructive discussions.

With rare exceptions, protestants of every type, to Roman catholics, to Anglican Catholics, to Messianic Jews (me) agree on 99.94% of theology.

If only more time was spent on the rest as that .06%, the greater Christian Church would be much better off.

[annalex]

This is a story of growth, — a rather typical Catholic conversion story. Most Catholic converts do not go away from their old faith, they simply grow into the Catholic Church.

[annalex]

God bless you; if indeed I could see that 99.94% agreement I would not be running the series. What I see, however, are, to pick a few examples, accusations of the Catholics being deceived into a cult by power-hungry priests, of ignorance and rejection of the Holy Scripture, and of idolatry. That is 0.06%?

This thread is not so typical, because the author is not arguing with anyone, he is simply telling his own story. For that, he is immediately dismissed as an airheaded student, hardly a charitable attitude either. If you peruse the links at my first post, you will see little evidence of “99.94% agreement”, which is a pity and a scandal.

[adiaireton8]

You seem to be suggesting that "all denominations are equivalent" is the better position.

Catholics believe that Christ founded only one Church, and made Peter the rock on which He built His Church. All other "denominations" not in full communion with Peter's episcopal successor are in some form of schism from the Church Christ founded. We believe *that* is the "better" position, because we believe that is the truth. We believe that the notion that all denominations are equivalent is false, and is a form of gnosticism that denies the necessity of full *visible*, *material*, and *institutional* unity, as well as the possibility of schism and heresy.

-A8

[Always Right]

So, basically, this person wasn't serious about his faith until he was older and in college. At that time, he happened to start to go to a Catholic church, which he felt ministered to his college-needs. His arguments make it sound as though he could have just as easily attended other campus churches. So he chose Catholicism seemingly largely from convenience. Not a great conversion story to hear for Catholicism.

No it was a great story. See, we are mindless fools who should base our spiritual beliefs on some guy we don't even know, because we know he must be smarter than us. I am convinced.

[TheThirdRuffian]

I don't think you are using the word "gnostism" correctly. Generally, it refers to "secret" teaching --- e.g., like the mormons who think you need the secret temple handshake to get into higher levels of heaven, that sort of thing. Gnosticism (Greek: γνώσις gnōsis, knowledge) refers to a diverse, syncretistic religious movement consisting of various belief systems generally united in the teaching that humans are divine souls trapped in a material world created by an imperfect spirit, the demiurge, who is frequently identified with the Abrahamic God. The demiurge may be depicted as an embodiment of evil, or in other instances as merely imperfect and as benevolent as its inadequacy permits. This demiurge exists alongside another remote and unknowable supreme being that embodies good. In order to free oneself from the inferior material world, one needs gnosis, or esoteric spiritual knowledge available to all through direct experience or knowledge (gnosis) of God.[1][2] Jesus of Nazareth is identified by some Gnostic sects as an embodiment of the supreme being who became incarnate to bring gnosis to the Earth. In others he was thought to be a gnosis teacher, and yet others, nothing more than a man (see, for instance, the writings of Valentinus).[3] Gnosticism was popular in the Mediterranean and middle eastern regions in the second and third centuries, though some scholars claim it was suppressed and was actually popular as early as the first century, predating Jesus Christ[4] as a dualistic heresy in areas controlled by the Roman Empire when Christianity became its state religion in the fourth century. Conversion to Islam and the Albigensian Crusade greatly reduced the remaining number of Gnostics throughout the middle ages, though a few isolated communities continue to exist to the present. Gnostic ideas became influential in the philosophies of various esoteric mystical movements of the late 19th and 20th centuries in Europe and North America, including some that explicitly identify themselves as revivals or even continuations of earlier gnostic groups.

[TheThirdRuffian]

“If you peruse the links at my first post, you will see little evidence of “99.94% agreement”, which is a pity and a scandal.”

I would respectfully agree with the earlier poster that the major denominations all in agreement on the core of the gospel. (Don’t know about 99.44%, though.) Certainly crucifiction, death, resurrection of Jesust the Christ for our sins. Even sola scriptura folks hit 90+%.

Could some denominations have it more right that others?

Sure.

If you haven’t noticed, there are actual mohammedians and pagans and satanist and materialists/secularist who want to thwart (and/or kill) Christians of every type.

THIS is a very real war against the body of Christ, waged by Satan.

Given the seriousness of said war, it seems best to put aside denominational differences (for now — I am not saying they are not legitimate) and concentrate on real enemies.

In this regard, someone switching from Roman Catholic to Methodist or whatever this story was about seems, well, very Northern Ireland.

I mean seriously -— a believing Baptized Christian is a Baptised Christian and, full communion or no full communion, will end up in heaven.

Stories of mohammedians (who would go to Hell) switching to Roman Catholic? Now THAT’s a legitimate event.

[annalex]

The reference in post 10 was to the belief in the invisible church that is united in some or another intangible way, while visibly splintered. It is reminiscent to gnosticism in that gnosticism has an apparent difficulty with Christ’s incarnation in the human body, and Protestantism has an apparent difficulty with Christ founding one visible Church of human beings which is His one undivided mystical Body. You are correct that gnosticism as a whole cannot be limited to just this one aspect.

[MeanWestTexan]

“What I see, however, are, to pick a few examples, accusations of the Catholics being deceived into a cult by power-hungry priests, of ignorance and rejection of the Holy Scripture, and of idolatry.”

Sure, that kind of garbage is exactly the kind of thing that is not constructive -— and takes up 99% of inter-denominational dialog.

There is ample shared theology, and seldom discussed.

[thefrankbaum]

I mean seriously -— a believing Baptized Christian is a Baptised Christian and, full communion or no full communion, will end up in heaven.

And there lies the rub. Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus. Who is a "believing Baptized Christian?" Are Mormons? Jehovah's Witnesses? Are Jews saved if they do not recognize Christ? Is it impossible for a Muslim to go to Heaven, if they never really hear the Gospel?

Catholics continue to hold onto their faith because, in the immortal words of Lincoln, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." I agree there are other issues facing us in the world today, but focusing solely on external affairs and ignoring internal strife can lead to an internal collapse of what we are fighting for. It is the same with the war on terror - we might very well defeat Islamic terrorism, but if our culture continues to collapse, it will be a Pyrric victory.

[annalex]

When I see a reasonable attitude to Catholicism prevail on FR religion forum, I will be very happy indeed.

However, an interest in the absolute truth is an important aspect of our humanity. We can cooperate where we can, for example, in the political arena or in witness to the non-Christian world, but such cooperation should not come at a price of indifferentism, which deadens the soul.

[RJR_fan]

I stay away from interdenominational issues. I am Catholic; I am only interested in explaining what my faith is and why.

The sibling I am closest to, spiritually speaking, is a practicing Catholic. I'm a Calvinist -- someone who processes Protestant convictions through Catholic hard wiring. Something about being raised a Catholic predisposes one to seeking global implications for his faith.

For me, as much as I respect my beloved fellow Christians of the Roman communion, the cult of the BVM is an insuperable barrier on the road back to Rome.

Meanwhile, I am grateful for the vast majority of theology and conviction we have in common.

[annalex]

There is ample shared theology, and seldom discussed

But we cannot discuss it unless we have a common platform of mutual respect. For example, a conversion to Catholicism should be treated like a sincere journey of faith of an intelligent human being, not like an impressionable youth being fooled by bells and smells.

[MeanWestTexan]

Well, all I can say is there are plenty of idiots in this world. Can’t worry about them.

Perhaps start a series of threads on the Book of Hebrews and work your way through it. Use a Roman Catholic study guide, if that’s what you have.

Tell everyone the rules are: to not mention their denomination -— no cutting and pasting from other sites.

Just believers and the Holy Spirit.