Posted on 10/08/2014 11:39:09 AM PDT by NKP_Vet
Why would intelligent, successful people give up their careers, alienate their friends, and cause havoc in their families...to become Catholic? Indeed, why would anyone become Catholic?
As an evangelist and author who recently threw my own life into some turmoil by deciding to enter the Catholic Church, I've faced this question a lot lately. That is one reason I decided to make this documentary; it's part of my attempt to try to explain to those closest to me why I would do such a crazy thing.
Convinced isn't just about me, though. The film is built around interviews with some of the most articulate and compelling Catholic converts in our culture today, including Scott Hahn, Francis Beckwith, Taylor Marshall, Holly Ordway, Abby Johnson, Jeff Cavins, Devin Rose, Matthew Leonard, Mark Regnerus, Jason Stellman, John Bergsma, Christian Smith, Kevin Vost, David Currie, Richard Cole, and Kenneth Howell. It also contains special appearances by experts in the field of conversion such as Patrick Madrid and Donald Asci.
Ultimately, this is a story about finding truth, beauty, and fulfillment in an unexpected place, and then sacrificing to grab on to it. I think it will entertain and inspire you, and perhaps even give you a fresh perspective on an old faith.
(Excerpt) Read more at indiegogo.com ...
“Take away that those that don’t practice, which is exactly like a protestant not practicing their faith, and you are still left with the BIGGEST CHRISTIAN DENOMINATION in the world.”
I appreciate your opinion, but I consider it irrelevant as an argument for these reasons:
1. Size means nothing. The Savior said many times that wide is the way and narrow the door... that tares will grow up with wheat... that many are called and few chosen, etc. HE never says size matters to truth. It is a difficult argument to claim it means something when God doesn’t make that claim.
2. It is difficult to put a number on how many “catholics” are “catholic.” If they NEVER attend in a year, never practice the sacraments as the RC church proscribes, in what sense are they “catholic?”
3. If you take Belgium alone, your claimed numbers there deflate by 75%.
4. The end desire isn’t to have a large denomination, but to bring people to heaven and change lives.
5. Protestants are twice as numerous in the US as Catholics, according to statistics I’ve seen. To me, that is irrelevant. Without regard to denomination, the single and only thing that counts for eternity is the number who have entrusted themselves to Him, to His sacrifice for their sins, and understand that He alone saves.
I do agree that there are members in every denomination that do not practice. I do not consider them believers.
best
But that is not what the poster said. Not at all.
...sigh...the response I made was made in, and intended to be, a jocular manner, which was not designed for serious debate...
Perhaps you are correct in your interpretation more than you realize right now.
...if you are informing me in cryptic fashion that I am in fact a reprobate, don’t trouble yourself with euphemism, just come out and say so...you won’t hurt my feelings...
I’m not as hostile as some seem to think
...whether you are hostile or not (I don’t find you so) is immaterial to me...
I’m no “hater.”
...I’m certain you are not...
...but I would like your reasoning as to why you think Traditional Catholicism is not representative of reality...
Prove it. Post the verses where Jesus tells us to follow other men.
Matthew 4:19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Matthew 8:22 And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
Matthew 9:9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
Matthew 10:38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
Mark 1:17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
Mark 2:14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
Mark 8:34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Mark 10:21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
Luke 5:27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.”
Luke 9:23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Luke 9:59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
Luke 18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
John 1:43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
John 12:26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
John 21:19 And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
John 21:22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”
And there it is. In black and white and blue and red!
It’s not representative of the church. The magesterium, the Vatican, the priests, the bishops, the Pope himself. You are at odds with the church as it stands and as it has stood for over half a century. The vast majority of your fellow Roman Catholics do not agree with you, they are in agreement with the hierarchy. Voting patterns in the US bear this out. It’s not just the US, it’s worldwide. You and other traditionalist are just as surely outsiders as I am.
My first Church was Baptist. Then I discovered girls and went to a whole list of different Churches. In all my spiritual travels I somehow felt that something was missing, though I couldn’t say what it might be.
Eventually I met, dated and married a Catholic girl. I shouldn’t have but I was young and stupid. To make her happy I studied and then became Catholic too.
After sixteen years and six children we divorced. In the ensuing years I went through several wives (some mine). The one I have now is a Methodist Pastor but I don’t go to her Church. I cannot stand the mealy-mouthed crap Methodists try to sell.
One Sunday I rode over to her Church and then entered a nearby Catholic Church. I was early and I took a seat in the back to wait. The priest came over, introduced himself and said “Welcome.”
Imagine, if you will, an bearded, old, fat man breaking down in tears and gasping “yes, I am!”
That was six years ago and while I don’t always attend mass every Sunday I go to confession regularly and once again count myself as one of Christ’s faithful followers.
I’m 80 years old now and can’t reasonably expect many more birthdays, but I now know I have a fighting chance of staying out of Hell. My faith gives me peace in these troubled times with the knowledge that I have been absolved of all those years of past misdeeds.
So, in answer to the original question, I consider my own experience and say “why would anyone NOT become Catholic?”
You and other traditionalist are just as surely outsiders as I am.
...ah, so that’s what you’re referring to...but since Traditional worship existed for a millenium, and the modern church for forty years, I’m not going to worry too much about being out of step...I attend a TLM, based on the 1962 Missal, which the Holy See has in fact approved, and seems to be in no hurry to abrogate...and I care not a whit what my pewmates in the Novus Ordo churches think about my beliefs...
...when and if the Vatican sees fit to abrogate Summorum Pontificum, and ban the Traditional Mass, I will know the Church has abandoned me, and, in deference to Her, I will leave, so as not to retard Her mission on earth...
If you’re following the pagan Roman church, you’re lacking discernment.
...well, I guess that’s all there is to say, then...thanks for your most astute input...
It truly sounds impressive when you talk Roman Catholic stuff.
See post 69
No.
There is Catholicism, and then there is every kind of wild mushroom under the sun!
What else do catholics have to trust/believe? do they not have to believe the catechism and ALL that it teaches?
this makes it like the book of Mormon.
Catholics always triple post. Just kidding...I have absolutely no idea what happened. I don’t believe I could do it again if I tried.
” - - - this makes it like the book of Mormon. “
IN NO WAY
A movie that’s coming out. Watch this video.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/convinced
Watch the trailer on this movie. Fantastic
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