You believe that posting stories of Protestants converting to Catholicism will encourage other Protestants to do so as well. Out of love for them and a concern for their souls, you so post. Do I have that right?
If I may respond briefly, let me observe:
1. These posts are counterproductive to your intent. They are implicitly offensive. Have you considered whether this approach is the best way? When has insulting someone or his beliefs ever won a soul? Do you have any objective evidence that your approach has succeeded, even in a single instance? Where is the testimonial from even one person who corresponded with you after the fact to thank you for leading him to the light through this method? After such extensive efforts by you, certainly one should expect a harvest of some sort by now.
2. Does it not give you even a moment's pause to be so smug that you can make such sweeping criticism of Protestant Christianity? Are none of us Protestants capable of salvation apart from Catholicism--have you damned all of us to hell? On what basis? Don't you owe us at least a thorough explanation, or must we merely succumb to the force of your persistence?
3. You and NYer seem to have given no thought at all to the impact your demeaning posts must surely have. Why is it offensive to me, and other Protestants, to be told again and again by you in the Religion Forum that we are flat wrong and are going to hell? You can actually ask such a question? Why didn't you ask that question before making all these derisive posts? If there is no other way to make the point, perhaps mentally reversing our roles will help: What would your reaction be to a seemingly unending series of Protestant posts accusing the Catholic Church and its adherents of grave error?
LOL That occurs just about every single minute here. We have a Petronski. ROFL
Yes, you outlined my position correctly.
1. I have several people complimenting me on these threads, and informing me that they were helpful to them in their own conversion. Others simply appreciate a chance to better understand Catholicism. Also, my wife is a recent convert from Protestantism and she accused me of not doing enough to show the Protestants their errors.
2. I do not make a sweeping criticism. Much in Protestantism has retained the Catholic Orthodox core and is therefore very good. The love for the Holy Scripture, common among the Protestants is also a very positive example. The Catholic Chruch teaches that the Protestants can be sanctified, and therefore saved, through their love for the Scripture and their good works. Further, I only address specific problems in Protestantism that do endanger salvation of souls: the false and counterscriptural doctrines of Bible Alone, and Faith Alone, their anti-clericalism and their anti-Catholicism.
3. I do not go on Protestant threads to disrupt discussions there. My style of posting is generally calm and academic, and is based on the scripture or, if a Catholic doctrine is discussed, on Catholic catechetical material, so that I can properly explain it. I encouraged the Protestant Freepers to respond in kind and post Protestant conversion stories, but no one has taken up the challenge. Those Protestant conversion stories that I have seen tend to come from people poorly versed in Catholicism or tired of the considerable burden of obedience that the Church asks for. I have not seen a single conversion story where someone was willing to pay a price of any kind with his conversion, while I have seen numerous instances of ministers losing their entire careers, and Anglican priests losing their vocation, in order to become Catholic. These are not conversions made of ignorance or laziness. At least such are the stories I selected.