Posted on 09/20/2018 4:58:49 PM PDT by marshmallow
Some amazing news came out of Australia today with a famous atheist politician receiving baptism. Bill Hayden had been the leader of a major Australian political party, then was the Governor General of Australia for 7 years. (The Governor General is the one who signs bills into law in the Queen’s name in 15 Commonwealth countries.) Recently, at 85, he renounced his atheism and joined the Catholic Church.
Getting Close to Death
The Australian reports his motivation to take this step.
Bill Hayden, at age 85, has renounced his atheism and been baptised into the Catholic Church.
The former Labor leader and governor-general said it was witnessing so many selfless acts of compassion by Christians over his lifetime, and deep contemplation while recovering from a stroke, that prompted his decision.
Toying with Catholicism for Years
The Australian article continues with a bit of background from Bill Hayden.
“I always regarded myself as a fellow traveller with Catholicism and declared I was a Catholic on official forms, but it wasn’t official,” Mr Hayden said. [His family had been Catholic.] “I would go to mass every Sunday and then go to benediction when I was a teenager. I didn’t know that I wasn’t officially a Catholic, and found that out only later when my sister did the family history.
(Excerpt) Read more at patheos.com ...
Wonderful news!
Age and impending death will do that.
Constantine did a similar thing
Sounds like he may have needed an exorcism first...
Doesn’t matter. A prodigal son comes home.
The Holy Spirit works in marvelous ways. It proves that deep within each soul is an abiding desire to come home to the Creator.
Getting ready for the final exam....
FABULOUS NEWS!!
Baptism saves? Not according to the Bible.
One can be saved without baptism - Jesus said as much.
In fact, one is never saved by baptism. And be aware that there are many who are baptized and/or who profess faith in Christ, but they are not saved.
Consider the following words of Jesus:
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [a]miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’
Matt 7:21-23 (NASB version)
.
Am I throwing pearls before swine here?
Well, I wish he’d become a presbyterian, but I know RC is HUGE in Australia, so good on him! Much, much better than being a stupid atheist! Faster please, as Ledeen would say!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.