Interesting. I’m a Baptist converting to Catholicism. I have relatives that, when they find out, will not talk to me. They will go back to thier congregations (I think most are Methodist now), drink lattes in the church basement Starbucks and wifi hotspot, and discuss the illegals they assist breaking the law.
Welcome home — this Easter, right?
You’re going to have an interesing life, my FRiend.
When you find out where they prove that the apostles taught the assumption of Mary let us know will you. Surely you wouldn't want to follow someone Paul says should be considered accursed.
So as a Baptist you have never become 'born again'??? You do not believe in eternal security??? You don't believe heaven or hell is a real, physical place??? You believe you have to do good works to attain salvation at the end of your life???
Then it is likely they have been no more more born again than the RCs they shun. As a former RC, raised devout and going weekly when i truly and tearfully repented and then trusted the Lord Jesus to save me by His blood, ot any merit I had, and realized the profound changes in heart and life of true regeneration, i would go out my way to talk to you.
In fact, I remained a weekly practicing RC for 6 years after my conversion, and sought to find other RCs to talk to (though i was not pushy) about what God had and was doing in my life, and the things of the Bible,, and with as heart for the lost, but such were very rare. The charismatic groups showed more the best shot, but besides other things they got linked up by the hierarchy with a type of liberation theology nuns group.
When i finally (dared to) sincerely prayed to God whether He would have me go to a different church, though i knew no viable ones locally - and which prayer He answered the next day in a manifest way and confirmed it continually - then it was more to be with a church having the heart to reach the lost, and for prayer etc. than doctrinal reasons, though i had been seeing some of the contrasts between Scripture and the Catholic church, besides the general deadness.
And while i have no personal angst against it, but contend against error, i could not go back as it is clear that Catholicism is a critical deformation of the NT church, as shown here. And part of which is that you will have liberals as a majority for members, as Rome treats even proabortion prosodomite proMuslim politicians as members in life and death.
But the main issue is when and how were your born again, and realized the profound changes in heart and life because of it? After i was then things in my heart changed that i did not even ask for, with a virtually insatiable hunger to know how to please God from the Bible, which evangelical radio help to feed, and to be with people of like heart. Even nature seemed new to me.
My dad pulled out of methodism before I was born, over 60 years ago. They were one of the first to go wingnut liberal. They weren’t Sola Scriptura in practice at all, which is why he left. Liberal theology in the seminaries had destroyed respect for God’s word.
So we went hillbilly Baptist. Truly hillbilly, imported to Illinois direct from the backwoods of Kentucky. Yet I ended up being deluded by liberal theology myself, which led to a period of exploration, TM, even atheism, and slavery to sin.
In the end, I have returned home. I am a Baptist, but that comes second to being a Christian. I know now my salvation does not come from any sort of gnosis or sacrament, but from an authentic personal relationship with Christ that cannot be manufactured by any rote activity, not the sinner’s prayer nor baptism nor eating unleavened bread nor membership in the “right” group, but only by heart-repentance from sin and true faith in the Son of God, who loved me enough to die for all my sin, nothing left out, nothing put on the installment plan or otherwise subject to conditions buried in the “small print.” And this faith cannot be manufactured either. It is a gift of God’s free grace. Because love is like that.
In the beginning, we were all just Christians. One day we will be again. I very much look forward to that time.
Peace,
SR
Interesting indeed. I was born Catholic, baptized, attended CCD, made my first communion, was confirmed and married to my wife in the Catholic Church.
Both of us left the Catholic church and became a born again evangelical Christian. I have Catholic family members who not only refuse to talk to me, some of their last words to me were "you're going to hell for leaving the church."
One of those people was my own mother. Rest her soul.
I was always the rebel in the family I suppose. When my youngest brother (also born, raised, married in the Catholic church as I was) left the church to also become an evangelical Christian -- guess who got the blame?
Yup. That would be me. He and I now attend the same church and we've never been closer.