True. But the fact that he is an ex-Catholic does make his opinion more trustworthy than that of a non-Catholic (see above for some of those).
After all, there are quite a few people who once worked in the Trump Administration that are virulently anti-Trump; does their experience working in his Administration make their opinion more reliable? Or could they be perhaps motivated by other factors (such as monetary ones)?
Not necessarily or even likely. Those who are an ex-anything and go to the trouble of making a youtube video explaining why are often trying to justify a decision they subconsciously (or consciously) feel guilty about. I would be more likely to trust a neutral 3rd party (assuming they are well informed) who can look at the issues without the personal baggage. This is especially true in the Church today where Catholics are exposed to so many heretical priests and bishops spouting modernist drivel.
No, because he could have never attended mass, never learned anything and just been a pew warmer.
Not really. Plenty of Catholics aren't well catechized on their own faith; some of them become ex-Catholics. There are Protestant scholars who have never been Catholic who have reasonable insights into Catholicism.
The depth of a person's study and their ability to construct a well-reasoned argument based on actual facts count for a lot more than their personal history.
“But the fact that he is an ex-Catholic does make his opinion more trustworthy than that of a non-Catholic (see above for some of those).”
Not really. After all his own bio says the following:
He was stout defender of the Catholic faith for 35 years.
He left the Catholic faith in 1984. This means he is claiming he was a strong defender since he was born. So he was a strong defender of the Catholic faith when he was 4 years old? Really? Also, it says he only read the Bible for the first time in 1932 - that would mean he was about 33 years old. How could he have been a strong defender of the Catholic faith and yet NEVER READ THE BIBLE until he was in his 4th decade? https://www.proclaimingthegospel.org/page/about
A much more convincing conversion story would be this one: https://www.calledtocommunion.com/2012/09/i-fought-the-church-and-the-church-won/ And I freely admit I have no idea where Stellman is at now.
1982 not 1932. Darn typos!
This ex-Catholic will second any criticism of the RCC.
Lived it for 19 years or so. Only Jesus Saves, not some building, not some organization, not some “church”.