Well, I started out as a Baptist and ended up a Catholic. I prefer the statue “idols” to the preachers, Christian rock singers, and bible interpretations I saw treated as idols among Evangelicals. I still love them all dearly, but I think the theology is “pure b.s.”
You're right! Your comment reminded me of an article written by Kristine Franklin.
"How I Solved the Catholic Problem"
by Kristine L. Franklin
Guatemala is at a turning point. Historically it's been a 100% Catholic country - but that's changing - rapidly. Demographers predict that early in the next century Guatemala will become the first mostly-Protestant Latin American country.
The jet made a careful descent between the three volcanoes that ring the sprawl of Guatemala City. It was April 19th, 1992. My husband, Marty, and I had reached the end of eight years of preparation to be Evangelical Protestant missionaries.
We were finally here, excited and eager to settle in Guatemala. We knew our faith would be challenged and stretched, but we were more than ready for it because above all else, we desired to serve God with everything we could offer. Our new life as missionaries had just begun.
I didn't feel even a twinge of regret over what we'd left behind in the States: family, friends, a familiar language and culture, and amenities like clean water and good roads we Americans so often take for granted. In spite of the unknowns ahead, I knew we were being obedient, regardless of the cost. We were living smack in the middle of God's will, and it gave us a great feeling of security. We had given ourselves fully to bringing Christ's light to the darkness of this impoverished, Catholic country.
As the jet touched down onto the bumpy runway, tears welled in my eyes. "Thank you, Jesus," I whispered as I reached over to squeeze my husband's hand. Marty and I had come to the end of a long journey, but we were also beginning a new one. "Some day, Lord," I prayed silently, "I hope this foreign place will feel like home."
I was elated as we walked down the exit ramp from the plane and began the long-awaited adventure of being Protestant missionaries - missionaries sent to "rescue" Catholics from the darkness of their religion's superstition and man-made traditions and bring them into the light of Protestantism.
There's no way I could have known that three years later, almost to the day, my husband and my two children and I would stand holding hands again, elated again, waiting to be received into the Catholic Church. Let me explain what happened that led me, a staunch Evangelical, to become Catholic.
It is sad but true that the Church has fallen short in her obligation to the faithful to catechize and protect them from error.
Twice in the past week at my job I have encountered “Latin Americans” who were completely ignorant of the Church and her history, doctrines and commission by Christ.
One man, upon seeing the bracelet I was wearing with depictions of different holy people and Christ, asked if I was Mexican. When I said no, I am Catholic he expressed extreme surprise and remarked, “I thought only Mexicans were Catholic and all white people are Christian.” He actually had no idea that the Catholic church in Mexico is the same Church in America, Italy, Ireland, Poland and throughout the world, or that Catholics are Christians.
Another family I met also commented on the bracelet and we spoke of which church we attend. They told me they go to a “Christian” church now. They really like all the music and stuff according to them, so they have quit going to Mass.
These are just two glaring examples of a real failure that needs to be addressed by the clergy and hierarchy of the Church.
I am not just an Evangelical but a Born Again Christian. I pray to GOD, not some idol. I am not welcome in the Catholic church, I’m divorced. They would have rather I stay with an abusive man. I love my boys to much to stay with a man who wanted to beat them. Spent 10 years as a single mom until GOD put a good man in our path, who raised them like his own. I couldn’t even be buried in ‘hallowed’ ground according to the Catholic church.
Your false accusations of idolatry transgress the commandment against bearing false witness.
Amen!
We welcome you back. Go to Coming Home Network.
Do people convert to Catholicism? Sure the unsaved want to be in charge of their salvation, they want to be saved because they deserve it.. Catholicism offers that.
Some convert because they like all the pomp of the services ,the incense and the golden vessels, the vestments , the candles the statues and the rules all look holy.. .. they want to feel holy even if they do not really know what it means..
I do not believe a saved person would convert to Catholicism .. they would have too many spiritual issues with the doctrine.. ..so i have no problem with them going..laymen or pastors.. as scripture tells us as time comes near the ends.. the tares will be bundled together and I am personally glad to get the tares out of the pulpit
You wrote:
“Pure b.s. and wishful thinking.”
I work in a Catholic establishment. There are only five fulltime employees. Two are converts from Evangelicalism. One is a former non-denominational minister who is now bringing in one friend after another. The other convert was a Evangelical seminary student before converting. My best friend wants to convert, but his wife won’t let him. Another good friend is my first godson (he was two years older than me I was when he converted!). He was a fallen away Mormon by the way. Another close friend is a former Lutheran pastor and very much an Evangelical.
One of the people I mentioned converted 15 years ago.
Another 11 years ago.
Another 2 years ago.
Another 18 months ago.
It’s happening all the time. Fo you to dismiss what I see before my very eyes at work every day makes no sense.
“My wife and I left the catholic “church” and will never return to it.”
That in no way makes the article inaccurate.
“We have found God in Spirit and truth; not in idols.”
Me too. I’m Catholic.
“If you want to see the future, look at Latin America, and see how catholics are becoming evangelicals by the hundreds of thousands. Or you can stick your head in the ground.”
Africa is becoming Catholic. Much of Asia is becoming Catholic. Latin America will come back one day.
In larger evangelical groups I’ve been a part of 1/4 t 1/3 were ex-Catholics....who never heard the gospel or clear biblical teaching in the ceremony-only Churches of their youth.
With Beckwith and others...they just returned to the Church of their youth. And some, like Scott Hahn were fraudulently hyped...”Presbyterian minister” my eye! He went to seminary, and was an elder in tiny tiny house church—and while teaching at a Christian school (where he had fraudulently sworn that he believed their statement of faith—when at the time he did not) converted to Rome. His real story is not nearly as dramatic as the spin about it.
I can’t say I’m worried about any Evangelical-to-Roman Catholic trend, as there are far more ex-Roman Catholics in Evangelical circles, than ex-Evangelicals in Roman Catholic circles.