FORMER BAPTISTS - what made you convert ? - Page 2

Jack 726 · #16 Oct 19, '12, 8:40 pm

I became a Catholic 60 years ago at the age of 26 . . . a "backslid" Oklahoma Baptist . . . because Notre Dame had a great football team and the Catholic Church is the most charitable institution in the history of the world. My wilfe who passed away 27 years ago was never baptized a Catholic but she devoted many years volunteering for Catholic chariltable causes such as soup kitichens and homeless shelters. The priest who gave her last rites . . . which caused a lot of flack with a few sniffy, rule-bound Catholics . . . told me that she was a better Catholic than most Catholilcs he knew.

1AugustSon7 · #17 Oct 19, '12, 9:09 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by classica87

I am converting for a lot of reasons, but my first realization came in acknowledging the Real Presence of the Eucharist. I wrote a paper on the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, also a convert, which required me to both give a brief biography and analyze a poem. I learned he converted to embrace the Real Presence, and I wanted to know what that was, because I enjoy having a firm grasp on things.

Cue God smacking me over the head. Very literally. As soon as I acknowledged God in the Eucharist, I acknowledged Him in His Church. Ultimately, I realized that Protestant arguments are just that--protest. I converted for the reason many others have, which is Truth.

I suppose you could say it boiled down to three things:

1. An understanding of sacraments and the realization that they were both necessary and beautiful (And Biblical, which much of Protestant theology is not.)

2. Realization of the historicity of the Church and the truth of the Protestant Reformation and its claims (For example, I did not know that Martin Luther changed the Bible.

)

3. Knowledgable grasp of Church authority and doctrine, including the office of the Pope and Church hierarchy (When I read about Luther's "improvements" of scripture, I immediately asked, "Who gave him that authority?"

Guess where that went.)

I think for me, the historical argument is strongest. If we accept the Catholic Church came first, then why do Protestants even depart from it? History tells us early Christians celebrated the Eucharist, made the sign of the cross, etc. Don't tell me there was apostasy. After dying on the cross, Jesus is just going to leave us hangin' for 1000+ years? And when Peter dies were SOL and on our own?

Okay. Protestants (at least the ones I know) seem to think that if they cover their eyes history will either go away or suddenly agree with them.

Hopefully I will be able to get to RCIA and mass soon! I can't drive, so it's a hassle.

God bless you.

andrewstx · #18 Oct 19, '12, 9:12 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by pnewton

I found this from an old post I made several years ago.

One of the last attempts I made to reject Catholicism and cling to my Bible only postition came through John MacArthur. If you are familiar with him you will agree he is very good at exegisis of language. He defended the position of sola scriptura on one verse in the Bible. (the only one that comes close, 2 Timothy 3:16)

I was educated in a Baptist University and seminary and worked as a pastor, youth worker and music minister. So, yes, it was hard. Interesting you should as this now. The readings lately have been working through John 6. That was probably on of the first real Scriptures, after the one mention above, I realized only could be understood properly from a Catholic understanding. Otherwise, there must be a logical disconnect somewhere.

I was in BSU in college, and my whole Family was Southern Baptist. It is hard to escape baptists and their dogma in Texas where basically Baptist is the official state religion.

In high school we had illegal baptist prayers over the PA system, "dear hevealy father just this just that in Jaysus nayum aymin".

The city closed a street and paved
it over at city exspense to provide a larger parking lot for 1st Baptist church.

Entire counties are voted "dry" by Baptists who vote dry and drink wet.

andrewstx · #19 Oct 19, '12, 9:24 pm

Basically Baptists claim to follow sola scriptura, but in fact they do not. They arrive at a pre-determend theology and seek out "proof texts" to back them up.

They ignore or deny scripture verses that say baptism forgives sin, that the Holy Eucharist is the body blood soul and divinity of Jesus and try and say it is an unimportant symbol only.

I think that basically their theology come down to "getting saved" only and all else must be secondary.

classica87 · #20 Oct 20, '12, 1:43 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewstx

Basically Baptists claim to follow sola scriptura, but in fact they do not. They arrive at a pre-determend theology and seek out "proof texts" to back them up.

They ignore or deny scripture verses that say baptism forgives sin, that the Holy Eucharist is the body blood soul and divinity of Jesus and try and say it is an unimportant symbol only.

I think that basically their theology come down to "getting saved" only and all else must be secondary.

Yep. The Bible was really a major reason for me, too. When I finally began to study some of those "Catholic" verses, I realized that Protestants either ignored them or outright misinterpreted them to fit their theology.

Every time we took Bible study in my church, we were told that every word in the Bible was to be taken literally, but when we got to the Last Supper (Eucharist) my teacher did "taksies backsies." Literal interpretation is all great and wonderful until it suddenly validates Catholic teaching. And Catholics must be wrong, because they're a cult that doesn't believe in Jesus.

When you twist or "cherry pick" scripture to fit what you believe, and then ignore everything else that doesn't, you're not following the Holy Spirit, but your own pride.

That's the other thing that baffles me. I always wondered, "How do I know the Holy Spirit is speaking to me? How can I be sure I'm right?" I'm not a theologian. I haven't studied scripture all my life or been to seminary. I don't have any type of authority that gives me a right to declare if something is correct or not. Everywhere I go on campus, I see groups of people with their Bibles (not pastors or priests) talking about what they think this or that means. With Sola Scriptura Protestantism, everyone is their own theologian. How do we know we're following God and not our own heart? The heart is deceitful, and "feel good" theology is the devil's playground. This is why we need the Magesterium and Church authority. With the Church guiding us, we can know we're right. We don't have to doubt because God has given us a way to be sure that is outside of our lying hearts.

Praise God that we are not boats adrift on a stormy sea, but a mighty warship sure of its cause and course!