What Converts Teach Us

[Aloysius]

intersting...

as i said b4, these are just generally what i have noticed from ppl. MartinLuther, i didn't mean 2 make u upset. i was afraid it might make ppl upset, but i really wanted to post my thoughts on this based on my experience. please don't take it as an attack. i was just posting what i have generally observed in my experience. in your experience, you have generally observed something else. it would be interesting to see statistics or something to know which is the majority, cause as far as i can tell the majority is what i posted above. this doesn't include all, and may not include u and your friends.

just a ?, again, not meant to make u mad or prove really much of anything as we don't have reliable statistics, in your experience have u ever met someone who converted to Catholocism and ended up hating protestants? and have u ever met a Catholic converted to Protestantism that hated Catholics?

and, as all debates tend to go, this thread has gone back and centered on whether Christ established the Catholic Church. The fact is that He did, and i really wish u could see that. but u know, no PhatMass poster is gonna convince u of that, the Holy Spirit must lead you. the Holy Spirit guides me as much as i am willing to accept. and i admit, within my heart still lies an obstinance that keeps me from accepting all of His guidance, but i know without a doubt He guides me into the Catholic Church. the question is, do i think he guides me into the Catholic Church from my obstinance, or do you think He guide you out of the Catholic Church because of your obstinance. because, i tell u my bro in Christ, we all have obstinance in our hearts, our own preconcieved notions, experiences that have affected us. it is a constant practice of mine to search out where i must give up more control to the Holy Spirit and let Him guide me, it's called examination of conscience. i would reccomend u to do this. everyonce in a while ask the Holy Spirit to take a trip with you into your soul and create it anew, tearing down the parts that block His will, and replacing them with total surrender to the will of God no matter how much what u think you know is against it, no matter what ppl will think, no matter what ur past experiences are. if you truly do this, i am confident u will begin to accept more and more Catholic truths. just let the Spirit take over. don't even think about what u brain tells u, stay focused on God's will.

[PedroX]

Al,

I still think its important to point out that not all of the people who "convert" to Catholocism are "real" Catholics. I know that many people have experienced this in their RCIA classes.

peace...

[MartinLuther]

Looking back at the words of my earlier post, and the responses to it, it seems that I havent accurately communicated my views. To clarify: I had accepted Jesus as my saviour as a catholic. I accepted him again with greater conviction later.

You people dont know me, you don't know what I have experienced and you dont know what I know so I will be disregarding the other criticisms of my supposed ignorance & my knowledge or lack of knowledge of catholic teaching.

Back on topic in repsonse to Aloysuis' questions: Apart from those who married Catholics, I have only met one convert to Catholicism. For the Ex-Catholics I have met in other Christian churches, the focus has been on Jesus & the Bible, not on criticisng Catholicism. I am in Australia where the history of interaction between teh denominations is different to the US with the puritans etc. & the large proportion of Baptists in some areas. I have deliberately avoided Baptist churches due to early experience of the anti catholic views of several Baptists, and I have had limited exposure to Pentacostal churches so my experience may be different to others. Your views may be accurate for some denominations, maybe even for a majoirity in your area, but i dont think you can generalise on this issue.

[Freaky Chik]

come on!  let's get a Freaky Chick response! (she's my fav protestant on here, she's just so darn reasonable compared to the rest that are goin about PhatMass)

lol i only just saw this now.

awwww :wub:

anyways, i'm not in the mood to reply properly right now hehe, i have a headache again

But anyways, I will say one thing.... I think things over in Oz are different. Well from what I've seen anyways. There's more unity and acceptance here...

Take this for example : I went to a LUTHERAN highschool (my parents are non-religous tho... it was just a good school) ... but they accepted CATHOLICS, and there were many catholics that I was friends with... and there was never a problem from either party.

I'll say more later... I can't concentrate right now.

luv ya all :D

[Freaky Chik]

Take this as another example... it came outta a South Australian christian site:

Universe is a non-profit, christian-based organisation that operates on the university campuses across Australia.

In South Australia, Universe is actively involved with the student life on each of the three universities; University of South Australia, Adelaide University and Flinders University.

We aim to impart a positive message of hope that offers direction and purpose to today's university students.

We recognise that the future leaders of our society are on the campuses today, and that they are looking for strong leadership and direction as they make important life choices. Ultimately, Universe operates out of the strong conviction of each student's deep-seated need to enter a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Universe supports local churches throughout the community and in turn enjoys the support of all Christian denominations including Baptist, Uniting, Lutheran, Australian Christian Churches, Anglican, Catholic, Church of Christ and the Salvation Army.

[jasJis]

[Take this for example : I went to a LUTHERAN highschool (my parents are non-religous tho... it was just a good school) ... but they accepted CATHOLICS, and there were many catholics that I was friends with... and there was never a problem from either party.

Hey Freaky,

I went to a Catholic High School. We had plenty of non-Catholic Christians and Non-Christians. A few kids were Jewish and were well liked and popular. I believe they went to Religion class with us, but they weren't in my class. My R. teacher would refer to conversations with them when we talked about the Jewish Faith. After all, Christianity is the culmination of the Jewish faith. ;)

[Aloysius]

Looking back at the words of my earlier post, and the responses to it, it seems that I havent accurately communicated my views.  To clarify: I had accepted Jesus as my saviour as a catholic.  I accepted him again with greater conviction later.

You people dont know me, you don't know what I have experienced and you dont know what I know so I will be disregarding the other criticisms of my supposed ignorance & my knowledge or lack of knowledge of catholic teaching.

Back on topic in repsonse to Aloysuis' questions:  Apart from those who married Catholics, I have only met one convert to Catholicism.  For the Ex-Catholics I have met in other Christian churches, the focus has been on Jesus & the Bible, not on criticisng Catholicism.  I am in Australia where the history of interaction between teh denominations is different to the US with the puritans etc. & the large proportion of Baptists in some areas. I have deliberately avoided Baptist churches due to early experience of the anti catholic views of several Baptists, and I have had limited exposure to Pentacostal churches so my experience may be different to others.  Your views may be accurate for some denominations, maybe even for a majoirity in your area, but i dont think you can generalise on this issue.

i figured i might get a response that i was just generalizing. that's whyi tried to make it clear that this was just what i had observed. im sure we can't just say the few ppl u know of who don't hate Catholocism represent the majority of converts, as we can't definitively say that the ppl i know of represent the majority of converts. like i said, i really wish there were statistics out there or something.

however, it's been my experience that i have never met someone who has converted to the Catholic faith from a protestant faith that ever said the protestants were damned to hell and weren't Christians. however, it is fairly easy to find a convert from the Catholic faith to the protestant faith that believe that Catholics are either not saved, not Christians, damned to hell, evil, idolatrus, yada yada yada. just search the web for former Catholics,,,

then search the web for former protestants

in fact, im gonna do that test right now

anyway,

i think we've misrepresented america here though, it's not this big place where all the Christians of diff denoms hate each other. however, i think it is more common in America for protestant denoms to not be accepting of Catholocism, so i kinda get ur point.

Peace of Christ!

[Jake Huether]

Martin Luther,

How do you know that if you came back to the Catholic Church, with the relationship you now have with Christ, that you wouldn't INCREASE that relationship?

You can't know unless you try. In otherwords, unless you fully understand the teachings of the Church.

If you "don't agree with them", then we must help you to understand them better.

If you understand them in their fullest, and you still reject them, then I'm sorry, you are rejecting Christ himself.

Can you elaborate on which Teachings you reject? Maybe we can help you to understand them better?