Ex-Catholics - Anyone evangelized these rare gems?

nickybr38 · #1 Jul 11, '12, 1:15 pm

My title is slightly sarcastic. I cannot TELL you how many times I hear stories about people who were DEVOUT, well studied Catholics who ended up being delivered from the evils of the Catholic cult and are now safely nestled in the arms of the Baptist, Pentecostal or Etc faith.

Usually they espouse that Catholics don't know Jesus, don't have the Holy Spirit and worship Mary. All while claiming they were well studied Catholics.

These types just make me so angry that I have a hard time talking to them.

Has anyone had any success dialoguing with this type of Christian? Do you try to evangelize them? Correct their misinformation? Or do you just leave them alone?

Gods_Peace · #2 Jul 11, '12, 2:13 pm

They are deceived, and they need our prayers always.

BListon · #3 Jul 11, '12, 2:17 pm

I have a friend who is Calvinist. They are absolutely THE hardest people to evangelise in the world!

Monster Simpson · #4 Jul 11, '12, 2:23 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by BListon

I have a friend who is Calvinist. They are absolutely THE hardest people to evangelise in the world!

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't Calvinists basically the same thing as Presbyterians? And if so Heavens above you've got a job on your hands!

nickybr38 · #5 Jul 11, '12, 2:29 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by BListon

I have a friend who is Calvinist. They are absolutely THE hardest people to evangelise in the world!

Bless their passion but goodness! Stubborn eh? Haha.

How about an ex-Catholic Calvinist?

ByzCathCantor · #6 Jul 11, '12, 2:30 pm

I know many more Catholics, including well educated and catechized ones. who have fallen away for reasons other than being lured away by the message of other denominations.

We should also consider that some felt as if they were driven away, in an era where there was much confusion and misinformation about the direction and mission of the Catholic Church. It is much easier to reach these people, who at some level would welcome reconciliation more readily. My father-in-law was one such individual, and he has over the course of a few years brought himself back into the fold (with a few kind and encourgaging words from many over the course).

The so-called "New Evangelization" is geared toward the fallen, and we should take note of the guidance to be given by the Church in coming months on this topic.

As for those who have been convinced of the "falsehoods" of the True Faith by others, I find it is often rather pointless at first to try to convince them otherwise, yet we should make every charitable over time to attempt to persuade them to reconsider their own understanding of the teachings of the Church they now find objectionable or outright error.

nickybr38 · #7 Jul 11, '12, 2:33 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ByzCathCantor

I know many more Catholics, including well educated and catechized ones. who have fallen away for reasons other than being lured away by the message of other denominations.

We should also consider that some felt as if they were driven away, in an era where there was much confusion and misinformation about the direction and mission of the Catholic Church. It is much easier to reach these people, who at some level would welcome reconciliation more readily. My father-in-law was one such individual, and he has over the course of a few years brought himself back into the fold (with a few kind and encourgaging words from many over the course).

The so-called "New Evangelization" is geared toward the fallen, and we should take note of the guidance to be given by the Church in coming months on this topic.

As for those who have been convinced of the "falsehoods" of the True Faith by others, I find it is often rather pointless at first to try to convince them otherwise, yet we should make every charitable over time to attempt to persuade them to reconsider their own understanding of the teachings of the Church they now find objectionable or outright error.

The ones who feel driven away are different.

But lately I've been running into SO MANY who were 'devout' Catholics in their youth and yet claim the Church teaches things it just DOESN'T. I never know how to respond to it. My knee jerk reaction is to correct their misinformation but they're pretty stubborn and convinced that what they were taught is correct and what I say is wrong.

These are the sort of people who encourage and spread the distorted view of the Catholic faith that some Protestants have (not all, of course).

I think it would be easier to deal with people who were simply hurt by someone in the Church and thus driven away... in a way their objections are entirely subjective and much easier to combat.

Jeanne S · #8 Jul 11, '12, 2:34 pm

I have run into a few former Catholics who refer to themselves as "recovering Catholics"

Allegra · #9 Jul 11, '12, 2:34 pm

A friend of mine is a Presbyterian choir director. She needed to be out of town for a weekend and she hired me to lead the choir for that weekend. She told the choir the week before that I would be there and I was Catholic so they all knew I was Catholic when I got there. They assured me that being a Catholic and a Presbyterian were practically the same thing.

nickybr38 · #10 Jul 11, '12, 2:35 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeanne S

I have run into a few former Catholics who refer to themselves as "recovering Catholics"

OH dear. I'm a recovering Protestant so I totally understand.

CopticChristian · #11 Jul 11, '12, 2:37 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickybr38

My title is slightly sarcastic. I cannot TELL you how many times I hear stories about people who were DEVOUT, well studied Catholics who ended up being delivered from the evils of the Catholic cult and are now safely nestled in the arms of the Baptist, Pentecostal or Etc faith.

Usually they espouse that Catholics don't know Jesus, don't have the Holy Spirit and worship Mary. All while claiming they were well studied Catholics.

These types just make me so angry that I have a hard time talking to them.

Has anyone had any success dialoguing with this type of Christian? Do you try to evangelize them? Correct their misinformation? Or do you just leave them alone?

Nicky,

It depends on how long they "used to be Catholic and now I am Christian"....early on difficult, later on difficult,....much later easier....

ByzCathCantor · #12 Jul 11, '12, 2:39 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickybr38

But lately I've been running into SO MANY who were 'devout' Catholics in their youth and yet claim the Church teaches things it just DOESN'T. I never know how to respond to it. My knee jerk reaction is to correct their misinformation but they're pretty stubborn and convinced that what they were taught is correct and what I say is wrong.

Well, just think of all the "positive reinforcement" of their misunderstanding received over a lifetime from society at large and the media, as well as from other communities?

When attempting to engage a "former" Catholic, it is also important to be sensitive to a possible interaction with clergy or enthrenched members of the laity who might have caused harm in the past in the eyes of these individuals. We must honestly accept that these things can and have happened. One never knows what may have prompted someone to drift, walk or run away ...

BListon · #13 Jul 11, '12, 2:51 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickybr38

Bless their passion but goodness! Stubborn eh? Haha.

How about an ex-Catholic Calvinist?

Amen and Amen

jpink1019 · #14 Jul 11, '12, 2:51 pm

I was raised in a baptist church and really... its hard to describe the way that i feel when I read these responses.
Protestants and other christians as "misinformed" "misguided"
The catholic faith being the one True Faith.
Also the idea that former catholics were "lured" away by the message of other denominations.
In reality, while growing up I have visited many different churches baptist, pentacostal, southern baptist, non-denominational and other services and the messages do not preach against catholicism. There was never a message that mentioned the catholic faith.

Hearing for myself, the message always focused my mind on the gospel, on Christ, and learning what it meant to follow Christ, God's commandments for us as christians.

What exactly was luring these catholics away from their faith?

ByzCathCantor · #15 Jul 11, '12, 2:59 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ByzCathCantor

I know many more Catholics, including well educated and catechized ones. who have fallen away for reasons other than being lured away by the message of other denominations.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpink1019

What exactly was luring these catholics away from their faith?

FWIW, kindly consider - while I did introduce that term in the discussion here, I did so specifically to suggest the opposite - that is, that most fallen Catholics I know have stepped away from the Church for other reasons.