If you ask me why I left the Catholic Church, I’ll tell you it’s not about the scandals. It’s that the rules and dogma of the church took me further from God, rather than closer.
In my experience as a Protestant, all the Catholics who had a conversion in a Protestant setting lacked a firm grasp of their Catholic faith.
How I led Catholics Out of the Church
Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list
Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out. Good riddance. If you don’t like it then leave but don’t cry over leaving and attack what you just turned your back on.
"Learning I was one with God and God was Absolute Goodness, which was inherent in me, made sense. Knowing God did not punish, was not vengeful, and was accepting of everyone was my “You see!” to Catholicism."
From the kettle to the frying pan.
If her reasons were because of the general fruit of Catholicism, and the gospel which it officially holds to and effectually conveys, and Rome's false basis for her claim to be the the One true church , and she instead became convicted of her sins, and utter inability to escape damnation of gain eternal life based upon any merit of her works or that of the church, and with a broken heart and contire spirit cast all her faith on Christ to save her, (Ps. 34:18) then her story would be worthy to print.
"In my experience as a Protestant, all the Catholics who had a conversion in a Protestant setting lacked a firm grasp of their Catholic faith."
No doubt true, and to that you can include much of any degree of Bible literacy, which either attests that RC's are generally spiritual dead, with little hunger for such, and or that the church which P's are told they must join is a very poor teacher, or that they believe what Rome most effectually conveys (further down).
From, "How I led Catholics Out of the Church:"
"Most of the Catholics who attend these services are not accustomed to hearing such direct challenges to abandon sin and follow Christ."
The author claims to have been a Protestant evangelist, however, his explanation here hardly does justice to the gospel that evangelicals generally preach, as it is not one of reformation, but one that works to convict souls of their need for salvation and inability to gain it, or to live for Christ by their strength, and so trust Christ to save them, with forsaking the old life of sin and following Christ being implicit in that acceptance.
"many Catholics experience a genuine conversion [in Fundamentalist, Evangelical, and charismatic Protestant churches]"
Also true, but which means the author admits that these Catholics were not saved, yet he attacks the churches that brought about that regeneration, and its resultant spiritual fruits.
"John 3:5 which stresses the necessity of being "born of water and spirit."
He bemoans the ignorance of Catholics on this, yet according to Rome, all the former Catholics who became evangelicals were already born again, usually as infants through proxy faith. The author does not touch on that latter aspect, while as regards accountable souls, his interpretation of Jn. 3:5 agrees with all the Protestant Churches of Christ. But as a study of John will show, his juxtaposition between the physical and the spiritual, indicates that v. 6 interprets v. 5, that he is referring to two birthdays, that one must be born of the flesh (water) as well as the Spirit, and thus John's his sparse references to baptism, and constant statements that faith results in eternal life.
In regards to faith, the Bible reality is that baptism can be a "sinner's prayer" in body language, as confession of Jesus as Lord. And as souls can be saved prior to being baptised, (Acts 10:43-47; 11:8; 15:7-9), Evangelicals place the confession by mouth first, while Rome itself believes in the validity of baptism by desire. Because of the multitude of souls who assumed they were born again by baptism but who later were born again, evangelicals wrongly do not emphasize baptism as normally being more concomitant with conversion.
Apart from the proxy faith issue (infants need not and cannot obey the requirements for baptism: Acts 2:38; 8:36,37, and the only ability of the palsied man was physical, not mental cognizance), the real difference here is the faith which baptism represents to Catholics versus Evangelicals.
“And I certainly never brought up Titus 3:5:” Hard to believe, as he leaves out the beginning here, who negates works as a cause of justification: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. “(Titus 3:5) The washing corresponds to 1Cor. 6:11 and Rev. 3:5, and
"I mistakenly thought the Catholic Church denied that salvation was by grace."
No, even Mormons believe in that, the difference is that Rome teaches salvation thru grace by merit, that by God's grace souls produce works which merit them eternal life, as in,
"nothing further is wanting to the justified, to prevent their being accounted to have, by those very works which have been done in God, fully satisfied the divine law according to the state of this life, and to have truly merited eternal life." (Trent, 1547, The Sixth Session Decree on justification, chapter XVI)
Canon 32 similarly states that one who is “justified by the good works that he performs by the grace of God and the merit of Jesus Christ” truly merits the attainment of eternal life, if he dies in grace.
“Every Catholic I met during my twenty years of ministry confirmed my misconception that Catholicism taught salvation is by works instead of grace.”
Likely because when asked the typical inquiry, "If you were to die today, why should God let you into Heaven?", the answer almost invariably is, "Because I'm a good person", and or, "I'm a Catholic."
But if all these Catholics misunderstood the teaching of Rome, then whose fault is that? But rather than being obtuse, what the author confirms is that Catholics believe what Rome most effectually conveys, that once baptized, you are saved, and as long as you die in her arms, she will get you to Heaven, with a modicum of good works helping, even if you are a abortion-promoting politician. That is her modern legacy.
"You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone."
As if James represented the definitive teaching on the subject, rather than being a polemic against misunderstanding the definitive teaching by Paul, who precisely deals with what exactly justifies a souls, works or faith, and states,
“What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,” (Romans 4:1-6)
While Genesis 15:6 confirms that Abraham “believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness,” and which doctrine Eph. 2:8,9, and many other texts confirms, James states, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” (James 2:21-23)
This would eliminate baptism by desire and deathbed conversions if absolutely requiring bodily deeds. Romans 10:9-10 helps to understand this apparent contradiction between James and Rm. 3-4, etc., “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Thus while it is clearly stated that faith is the effective means of appropriating imputed righteousness, it is a confessional type faith, not one that is alone, having no profession. While God can see true faith in the heart and grant regeneration, this will have a confession in both word and deed. “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. “(Matthew 10:32)
Thus while it is only by a faith which produces works that one is saved, it is not by any merit of the works themselves that one is saved by. While this may seem to be a minor distinction, as it is the nature of man to suppose he will merit eternal life by his goodness (and or by God's mercy which does not need the blood of Christ), and salvation requires the abasement of the sinner as unworthy of salvation, so the preaching of the cross must work toward that realization, the apostle's did.
Yet, in regards to fruits of regeneration, while the necessity of works is constantly voiced by Catholics in response to the emphasis upon faith, it is the evangelicals who by far manifest the most fruit as quantifiable measured.
She is a creation of God.
Jesus must have shed some tears over her going to the dark side. But he doesnt rule her out yet for good, and neither do I.
Pray for Michele Mattia. To return to her baptismal font, even in her heart as she realizes her mistake. It will be a matter of patience and time. She will return. She writes and I read. I sense spiritual some immaturity, and restless searching, which are all normal human traits, including rebelliousness and experimentation. I have this sense she is going to outgrow it and something stunning will open her eyes to the reality and the Truth which she has apparantly turned her back upon. A shame, but sometimes we do have to take "a journey" and end up at Square One. Many of the Great Ones did exactly the same thing. This young lady could well turn out to be one of the most fierce apologists for Catholicism after she runs her course and does what she must do.
Happy Easter.
There are plenty of other denominations! Feel Free to pick the one that fits YOUR beliefs!
So it doesn't seem like the Faith, but the FORMATION that was the problem. Catechetics since Vatican II has been woefully inadequate, so frankly I'm not surprised.
who-cares alert.