(1) Many left the Church-- not due to doctrine or in a search for truth-- but for personal reasons. These include living in a sinful lifestyle like adultery or homosexual unions; maybe some priest or layperson was "mean" to them or didn't let them have their way in planning a marriage or funeral; they wanted to marry outside the Church and just went with the flow to their spouses church (or lack of same).
(2) Many were lazy and just found the moral and disciplinary laws of the Church too demanding. Heaven forbid they be troubled to attend an hour of Mass or holy day of obligation or go to confession occasionally. These are the type that say "the Church has too many rules" when what they really want is not to have ANY rules or imposition in their leisure time at all.
(3) People who say they left the Church for "doctrinal reason" are usually liars. Fact is, the average Catholic is so ignorant of their own faith they wouldn't know a theological fallacy if it fell on them. It's only after they have left the Church for one of the reasons above that they make up some kind of after-the-fact "theological" reason-- usually it's something they learned in their new church which, odds are, doesn't have a clue what the Catholic Church actually teaches. You only have to talk to most ex-Catholic Protestants for about 5 minutes to know that they didn't know anything about their Catholic Faith when they left it, and their new church has filled in the gaps with misinformation.
Like I said, this is based solely upon about 30 years of first hand experience, but it is borne out consistently again and again.
A well thought out and correct post as it corresponds with my personal experiences as well.
... Wow Mormons say the same stuff about former mormons
I agree with everything you’ve said here.
Regards,
PS: My formerly Lutheran husband finally entered the Church on Aug. 5, 2013 after only 20 years of marriage!
The same can be said for those who leave evangelical churches. But if anything, there is less reason for such to leave Rome, as such are treated as members in life and in death. How was Ted Kennedy treated?
Many were lazy and just found the moral and disciplinary laws of the Church too demanding...These are the type that say "the Church has too many rules"
Moral and disciplinary laws too demanding?! Are you longing for thinking of the day of the Inquisition and all its means? The majority of RCs can hardly be said to find moral and disciplinary laws of the Church too demanding, as it abounds with liberals. Back in the 60s i remember my mom saying how strict the RC church was, in support of it, as were devout practitioners, yet while having a high moral code in our family, Catholics where in and out of church in an hour, could smoke, drink, even had their own KoC barooms, and could work and play on Sunday, etc., and had no home devotions outside of the Lent rituals, and less faithful had no problem getting the sacraments. That was being strict.
In contrast, we had some Nazarene neighbors, also with kids, and they were gone to church most of the day, and the kids could not even play on Sunday, and no drinking etc. That was what seemed strict to me, and today if i lived by Catholic rules i would have a lower standard of conduct.
People who say they left the Church for "doctrinal reason" are usually liars. Fact is, the average Catholic is so ignorant of their own faith they wouldn't know a theological fallacy if it fell on them.
Actually, while the average Catholic is very ignorant, as that is what Rome breeds, most who leave Rome for evangelical churches do not do so much as due to doctrinal reasons, but do so because of the spiritual deficiency they found in Rome, myself being one of them.
Only 20% of former Catholics now evangelical were unhappy about Catholicism's teachings on abortion/homosexuality (versus 46% of those now unaffiliated); and 23% also expressed disagreement with teaching on divorce/remarriage; and only 12% were dissatisfied with teachings on birth control.
And 46% of evangelical converts from Catholicism said the Catholic Church did not view the Bible literally enough. And if they ever read their study notes in their NAB beginning in 1970, they would have even more reason.
Like I said, this is based solely upon about 30 years of first hand experience, but it is borne out consistently again and again
But which is largely meaningless as regards these reasons being exclusive to Catholicism, while what is abundantly evident is that being liberal, divorced, etc. is not much of a hindrance for Catholics, as some here have testified.
And it is my 40 year experience as a born again, former RC, that Catholics are overall not only liberal, but far interested in talking about Christ, salvation and things of the Bible, except to promote their church. If that.
Booooo!
Again, you may wish to observe that you may be part of the problem yourself.
Calling them “sinners”, accusing them of being undisciplined and immoral, and lying stupid people is also not advisable - it only convinces people that you are the problem and they continue to vote with their feet.
Why not be happy for them that they’ve found a home rather than rationalize their departure as reinforcing your own moral, intellectual, and disciplinary superiority?