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Why would anyone become Catholic?
https://www.indiegogo.com ^ | October 2, 2014 | Indiegogo

Posted on 10/08/2014 11:39:09 AM PDT by NKP_Vet

Why would intelligent, successful people give up their careers, alienate their friends, and cause havoc in their families...to become Catholic? Indeed, why would anyone become Catholic?

As an evangelist and author who recently threw my own life into some turmoil by deciding to enter the Catholic Church, I've faced this question a lot lately. That is one reason I decided to make this documentary; it's part of my attempt to try to explain to those closest to me why I would do such a crazy thing.

Convinced isn't just about me, though. The film is built around interviews with some of the most articulate and compelling Catholic converts in our culture today, including Scott Hahn, Francis Beckwith, Taylor Marshall, Holly Ordway, Abby Johnson, Jeff Cavins, Devin Rose, Matthew Leonard, Mark Regnerus, Jason Stellman, John Bergsma, Christian Smith, Kevin Vost, David Currie, Richard Cole, and Kenneth Howell. It also contains special appearances by experts in the field of conversion such as Patrick Madrid and Donald Asci.

Ultimately, this is a story about finding truth, beauty, and fulfillment in an unexpected place, and then sacrificing to grab on to it. I think it will entertain and inspire you, and perhaps even give you a fresh perspective on an old faith.

(Excerpt) Read more at indiegogo.com ...


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Charismatic Christian; Evangelical Christian; General Discusssion; Mainline Protestant; Other Christian; Religion & Culture; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic; willconvertforfood
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To: terycarl
why would be do that....why not just say these things should be used to represent who I am....

Why indeed; since the JEWS already KNEW that the EMPTY CHAIR was for the Messiah!

2,281 posted on 10/18/2014 3:21:23 PM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: terycarl
....how hard could it be for Jesus' mom?

IMPOSSIBLE; for a HUMAN!

'assumed' or not!

2,282 posted on 10/18/2014 3:22:22 PM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie; terycarl

terycarl - He just doesn’t want to do those naughty things....

Elsie - Is this a parable; or an example of reading the mind of GOD?


The Expanded Monty Python translation?


2,283 posted on 10/18/2014 3:24:36 PM PDT by Rides_A_Red_Horse (Why do you need a fire extinguisher when you can call the fire department?)
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To: terycarl
And don't forget, in hEAVEN A THOUSAND YEARS IS THE SAME AS A SECOND....

Did you pluck this from some dark place?

Why can't you even quote your 'first pope' accurately???


2 Peter 3:8
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

2,284 posted on 10/18/2014 3:25:43 PM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: terycarl
the first Catholics were there at the very moment that the true church was founded....

And the infallible teachings of Peter (that CONDEMNED guy) followed them into those seven PERFECT Catholic churches in Asia.


2,285 posted on 10/18/2014 3:28:23 PM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Springfield Reformer
It is a fallacy to define Protestant as "Not Catholic," because obviously then one would have to include religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.

Catholic do not define protestants as non-catholics...we define Protestants as non-Catholic CHRISTIANS...or followers of Christ....merely, perhaps, incomplete or misguided...

2,286 posted on 10/18/2014 3:29:27 PM PDT by terycarl (common sense prevails over all)
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To: terycarl
Shouldn't your church follow THOSE 'established' rules??

Your 'first pope' was sent to the Jews.

I'm not Jewish...Jesus was.

I don't think whether you are Jewish has any bearing on the TRUTH.

2,287 posted on 10/18/2014 3:29:53 PM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: af_vet_1981
It sees to me you are articulate, intelligent, with an astute, agile, and facile command of the Scriptures and Biblical languages.

So are your leaders...

#1463


2,288 posted on 10/18/2014 3:31:04 PM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: terycarl
Catholic do not define protestants as non-catholics...we define Protestants as non-Catholic CHRISTIANS...or followers of Christ....merely, perhaps, incomplete or misguided...

Why would anyone become Catholic?


2,289 posted on 10/18/2014 3:32:15 PM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: St_Thomas_Aquinas; Elsie
So by what authority did Luther remove books from the existing Bible, if the Bible ALONE is the ultimate rule of faith?

Which again presupposes what need to be proved, that there was a uniform infallible canon that a RC could not dissent from. Thus you need to answer my questions in post to you in response to this question and others, which has so far been ignored.

The reason why Luther removed books from the Bible was because of passages in the Old Testament that contradicted his new doctrines, like his rejection of Purgatory and praying for the dead. Really? We were just told by another RC that these books were not important for RC doctrines, which explains why Paul did not cite them them. Of course, he did not even teach Purgatory and praying for the dead, which are actually "new doctrines."

Regardless, besides 2Mac, what other apocryphal books were cited against Luther in supporting RC doctrines, so that he would be motivated to reject them?

And why was this not the motive of other Catholics who also rejected apocryphal books?

And how does praying for men who died in mortal sin, so that they may be resurrected instead of damned, support purgatory and praying for the dead?

Even if you reject the Authority that wrote the NT,

Authority? To make this charge you must make the NT a corporate project commissioned by an authoritative magisterium, and that this church is the church of Rome now, for we do not reject the individual members of the church which wrote writing letters even though they were not commissioned by a magisterium nor even all officially universally affirmed as being from God for over 1400 years.

The writers had authority without the sanction of a magisterium which only affirmed their work later, while the NT they wrote and the church they were of was critically different than they church of Rome, beginning with the latter's premise of assured veracity.

, and preserved and canonized the Bible,

The old "we gave you the Bible, you must submit to Rome" logic, the presuppositions of which must be understood. To be meaningful. your argument must be that an assuredly (if conditionally) infallible magisterium is essential for determining, conveying and preserving Truth. And to fulfill promises of Divine presence, providence of Truth, and preservation of faith, and authority.

And that being the historical instruments and stewards of Divine revelation (oral and written) means that such is that assuredly infallible magisterium. Thus those who dissent from the latter are in rebellion to God.

Is this what you are saying?

Of the approximately 300 Old Testament quotes in the New Testament, approximately 2/3 of them came from the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) which included the deuterocanonical books that the Protestants later removed.

No sooner do we refute one RC who tried this by another papist pops up with the same polemic. However,

Manuscripts of anything like the capacity of Codex Alexandrinus were not used in the first centuries of the Christian era, and since in the second century AD the Jews seem largely to have discarded the Septuagint…there can be no real doubt that the comprehensive codices of the Septuagint, which start appearing in the fourth century AD, are all of Christian origin.

Nor is there agreement between the codices which the Apocrypha include...Moreover, all three codices [Vaticanus, Sinaiticus and Alexandrinus], according to Kenyon, were produced in Egypt, yet the contemporary Christian lists of the biblical books drawn up in Egypt by Athanasius and (very likely) pseudo-Athanasius are much more critical, excluding all apocryphal books from the canon, and putting them in a separate appendix. (Roger Beckwith, [Anglican priest, Oxford BD and Lambeth DD], The Old Testament Canon of the New Testament Church [Eerdmans 1986], p. 382, 383; http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2008/01/legendary-alexandrian-canon.html)

Philo of Alexandria's writings show it to have been the same as the Palestinian. He refers to the three familiar sections, and he ascribes inspiration to many books in all three, but never to any of the Apocrypha....The Apocrypha were known in the church from the start, but the further back one goes, the more rarely are they treated as inspired. (Roger T. Beckwith, "The Canon of the Old Testament" in Phillip Comfort, The Origin of the Bible [Wheaton: Tyndale House, 2003] pp. 57-64)

No two Septuagint codices contain the same apocrypha, and no uniform Septuagint ‘Bible’ was ever the subject of discussion in the patristic church. In view of these facts the Septuagint codices appear to have been originally intended more as service books than as a defined and normative canon of Scripture,” (E. E. Ellis, The Old Testament in Early Christianity [Baker 1992], 34-35.

Likewise Gleason Archer affirms,

Even in the case of the Septuagint, the apocryphal books maintain a rather uncertain existence. The Codex Vaticanus (B) lacks [besides 3 and 4] 1 and 2 Maccabees (canonical, according to Rome), but includes 1 Esdras (non-canonical, according to Rome). The Sinaiticus (Aleph) omits Baruch (canonical, according to Rome), but includes 4 Maccabees (non-canonical, according to Rome)... Thus it turns out that even the three earliest MSS or the LXX show considerable uncertainty as to which books constitute the list of the Apocrypha.. (Archer, Gleason L., Jr., "A Survey of Old Testament Introduction", Moody Press, Chicago, IL, Rev. 1974, p. 75; http://www.provethebible.net/T2-Integ/B-1101.htm)

The German historian Martin Hengel writes,Sinaiticus contains Barnabas and Hermas, Alexandrinus 1 and 2 Clement.” “Codex Alexandrinus...includes the LXX as we know it in Rahlfs’ edition, with all four books of Maccabees and the fourteen Odes appended to Psalms.” “...the Odes (sometimes varied in number), attested from the fifth century in all Greek Psalm manuscripts, contain three New Testament ‘psalms’: the Magnificat, the Benedictus, the Nunc Dimittis from Luke’s birth narrative, and the conclusion of the hymn that begins with the ‘Gloria in Excelsis.’ This underlines the fact that the LXX, although, itself consisting of a collection of Jewish documents, wishes to be a Christian book.” (Martin Hengel, The Septuagint as Christian Scripture [Baker 2004], pp. 57-59)

Also,

The Targums did not include these books, nor the earliest versions of the Peshitta, and the apocryphal books are seen to have been later additions, and later versions of the LXX varied in regard to which books of the apocrypha they contained. “Nor is there agreement between the codices which of the Apocrypha include. (Eerdmans 1986), 382.

And Cyril of Jerusalem, whose list rejected the apocrypha (except for Baruch) exhorts his readers to read the Divine Scriptures, the twenty-two books of the Old Testament, these that have been translated by the Seventy-two Interpreters,” the latter referring to the Septuagint but not as including the apocrypha. (http://www.bible-researcher.com/cyril.html)

This is additional evidence that Jesus and the apostles viewed the deuterocanonical books as part of canon of the Old Testament. Mark 7:6-8 – Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13 from the Septuagint –

That proves nothing at all, as to be meaningful it presumes both that the 1st c. LXX contained the deuteros (deuterocanonical) and that they were uniform in doing so, which is a unproven dubious claim.

The most obvious example is the story of the mother who watched her seven sons tortured to death for their faith, who in turn was also tortured and murdered. The entire story is recounted in 7 Macabbees.. Hebrews 11:35 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.

Even if this can be shown to reference 2 Maccabees 7. it also proves nothing, any more than the Lord citing the fall of the tower in Siloam (Lk. 13:4) means the source of the story is Scripture, or Paul citing an infallible truth spoken by a pagan poet. (Acts 17:28) In contrast to books of the Hebrew canon, neither this nor any of the other supposed references to the deuteros are referred to as "Scripture." By which the Lord substantiated His mission by and said to search, (Lk. 24:44; Jn. 5:39) - and which means there was an established body of them, and out of which Paul reasoned and Apollos mightily convinced the Jews by. (Acts 17:2; 18:28) Or are called the word of God/the Lord," or "it is written," etc.

Jesus didn't hand out Bibles.

While there were no Bibles to hand out for multitudes, in contrast to your RC marginalization, the Lord began His ministry by quoting Scripture to defeat the devil, (Mt. 4:4ff) substantiated His Truth claims by Scripture and the miracles it provides for, and ended His instruction after,

he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, (Luke 24:44-45)

. The canon of Scripture had to come from somewhere. Who or what entity infallibly determined the canon of Scripture?

Again, like the Jewish tempters of Christ, your questions are based upon presuppositions that must be questioned, thus the question remains, is an infallible magisterium essential for correct discernment of both men and writings of God? And is an infallible determination of a complete canon of Scripture even essential?

You now have more questions to answer so get to work. Posting more parroted polemics only provides more propaganda.

2,290 posted on 10/18/2014 3:41:43 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: Rides_A_Red_Horse
Incidentally, the first time I read the Bible completely through I had it on a computer screen parallel with Strong's Concordance and Matthew Henry's concise commentary. I was about 33 years old, I had left Catholicism at about 21 and had never actually read the Bible. I was very annoyed when I learned how far the Catholic Church strayed from the teachings of Jesus and His apostles.

let's see now...you conducted a private study of the bible and some other related books and came to the conclusion that your interpretation of the bible was correct and that of the 2,000 year old Catholic and hstorical church was wrong.....Pathetic.

2,291 posted on 10/18/2014 3:43:34 PM PDT by terycarl (common sense prevails over all)
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To: terycarl; metmom
OH NO!!!!I always believed that JESUS DIED for mankind, now you tell me that if He was sinless, He couldn't die....


Jesus had no sins of His own so He took on ours and died in our place.

Catholics would understand this if they spent less time worshiping Mary, bowing to idols and playing with corpses.

2,292 posted on 10/18/2014 3:44:46 PM PDT by Rides_A_Red_Horse (Why do you need a fire extinguisher when you can call the fire department?)
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To: terycarl; Religion Moderator

terycarl wrote -

let’s see now...you conducted a private study of the bible and some other related books and came to the conclusion that your interpretation of the bible was correct and that of the 2,000 year old Catholic and hstorical church was wrong.....Pathetic.

- Making it “personal?”

Is this about the topic or about a poster?


2,293 posted on 10/18/2014 3:46:52 PM PDT by Rides_A_Red_Horse (Why do you need a fire extinguisher when you can call the fire department?)
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To: CynicalBear
On second thought. I'm done with you.

and some people don't think God answers prayer!!!!!!!!!

2,294 posted on 10/18/2014 3:49:02 PM PDT by terycarl (common sense prevails over all)
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To: CynicalBear
Please show where the apostles taught that.
  1. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
  2. And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
  3. And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
  4. Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
  5. Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
  6. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
  7. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
  8. My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
  9. For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
  10. Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
  11. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
  12. Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
  13. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
  14. This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

Bear, do you know who your bishop is ?

2,295 posted on 10/18/2014 3:49:04 PM PDT by af_vet_1981 (The bus came by and I got on, That's when it all began.)
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To: Elsie; terycarl

2 Peter 3:8
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.


Catholics seem to mistake Mary for God.


2,296 posted on 10/18/2014 3:49:23 PM PDT by Rides_A_Red_Horse (Why do you need a fire extinguisher when you can call the fire department?)
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To: CynicalBear
What???? That is bizzare. Go read post 2196 again and come back and tell us what that post had to do with bondage

2196 was a post to metmom who stated Jesus came to set us free, not put us into bondage....I merely challenge the interpretation of what bondage is...

2,297 posted on 10/18/2014 3:53:14 PM PDT by terycarl (common sense prevails over all)
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To: af_vet_1981
Well if you don't like my Scriptures, you probably will not like these verses either

Your refusal to give a straightforward answer testifies to avoidance, or that your cannot answer them, and thus you have no argument. Again,

the question of definition must be asked, which is upon what basis was the original holy, catholic, apostolic church established? On the premise that being the historical instruments and stewards of Divine revelation (oral and written) means that such possesses assured infallibility, as Rome claims?

And that this is essential for the conveyance, determination, assurance and preservation of Truth, and with authenticity being assured by historical descent?

It sees to me you are articulate, intelligent, with an astute, agile, and facile command of the Scriptures and Biblical languages. If you are wholly convinced the Catholic Church is erroneous, and the Eastern Orthodox as well, why not be an advocate for an Independent Fundamental Baptist remnant that is the direct descendant of genuine apostolic New Testament churches ? And if not, will you in a sentence name which denomination(s) you deem acceptably authentic New Testament churches ? Is there a kosher alternative to publicly confessing Jesus is LORD and Messiah tomorrow in a local Catholic Church (assembly) ?

You questioning is all based upon a fundamental issue of determination of Truth and authenticity, as were the questions asked of Christ by the powers that be on this issue, and thus like as with them, it is you which must clearly answer the questions put to you, rather than avoiding them.

2,298 posted on 10/18/2014 3:58:26 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: metmom
Pretty blue font, but what is it? Did you make that up? If not, where did you get it from?
  1. It is a font fit for a king.
  2. No
  3. Somewhere, over the rainbow

2,299 posted on 10/18/2014 4:03:52 PM PDT by af_vet_1981 (The bus came by and I got on, That's when it all began.)
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To: af_vet_1981; CynicalBear

Bear, do you know who your bishop is ?


Do you know your Bishop’s wife?

See 1 Timothy 3:1-12


2,300 posted on 10/18/2014 4:09:27 PM PDT by Rides_A_Red_Horse (Why do you need a fire extinguisher when you can call the fire department?)
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