What do you make of this? (conversions to Evangelicalism)

[Victrixa]

I have a Protestant Evangelical aquaintance who gave me the 'testimony' of a man - who is deceased and so is his wife just a few months ago; I knew the wife - who, as many other French Canadians, was born and raised Catholic and who later practiced the Catholic faith. This man would have, at one point in his life, started reading the Gospels. Upon reading the Gospel according to St.Matthew, he would have 'discovered' that Catholicism is wrong and that the Catholic Church is not the true Church... At this point, he and his wife left the Catholic Church to join an Evangelical church...

What do you make of this, dear Catholic friends?

Could this 'revelation from the Lord' really be just emotions? You know, Quebeckers over here really have ill feelings or animosity or even hatred towards the Catholic Church. I don't know if this man has had bad experiences with the CC or not or if he was just tired of the fact that being Catholic, is not easy. If Evangelicalism was appealing to him because it's easier... what do you make of this 'testimony'?

There is this other 'testimony' of an ex-Catholic woman (and, like the man above who was an elderly man, she is elderly and still alive.) who goes to an Evangelical church in my town. She's had bad experiences with the CC and is terribly angry with the Church. As a matter of fact, I find that she hates the Catholic Church and is full of bitterness. What do you make of the fact that she believes the Lord lead her to Evangelicalism?

Have you heard of 'testimonies' like that? Do you know ex-Catholics who said they received 'revelations' from God telling them, through Scripture reading or whatever, that Catholicism is wrong? If yes, what do you think?

I just find that most ex-Catholics I know are ex-Catholic because they're either angry with and bitter against the Church and/or because they are ignorant of what Catholicism really is all about because they were so badly catechesized.

Do you think a lot of rebellion is involved there?

Any comments? (Catholics only please)

 

[Victrixa]

Oh also, my observation is that as much as when Catholics leave the Church to become Protestant that many emotions are involved as well as resentment against the Catholic Church, Protestants who convert to and join the Catholic Church do so with an intellectual approach because they have facts to back up their conversion process. That's a totally different approach...

Any comments here also?

I really need to understand what's going on here...

 

[Ave Maria]

Well, I can guarantee you one thing. His so called "revelation from the Lord" was anything but a revelation from the Lord! The Lord would never tell someone to leave the Catholic Church which is the Church that He founded.

 

[Rhamiel]

well i think religion is a very personal thing so whenever anybody leaves one religion for another emotions will play a big part

 

[Michie]

I know coming from a protestant background that a lot of things are based on feelings & emotion.

Thats one thing I've had a hard time adjusting to since becoming Catholic. It's more than that.

About your friend's testimony... I certainly would not take it seriously.

Those things are a dime a dozen.

God works with people on their level at that point in their life. But how truly open are we to step out of our comfort zone?

When people harbor anger & resentment theres your first clue there is a problem on the emotional level. It never produces much of anything rational.

There are Christians in & out of the Catholic Church but that does not mean we all understand the same things in the same way.

Our uniting factor is Jesus.

If thats not enough to put the backstabbing aside well... *shrug*

 

[benedictaoo]

I think it's a spirit and not the Holy one that is "leading..." If it's the human one or the evil one, I can't say.

 

[Anygma]

when anger and hate is in one's heart, there is not love, and where there is not love, there is not God either. Without God in their heart, they can find all sort of excuses to leave the Catholic Church. but only God know for sure what's in their heart. all we can do is pray for them and do our best to be good model of the love of God for them.

 

[Gwendolyn]

God does not cause bitterness, resentment, and division. And He does not lead people away from His Church, but toward it. Unfortunately, people who seek God elsewhere, even if they find it "fulfilling", might not actually be following God's will for them. He may work with their decision in order to turn it into something good and lead them home - God often makes a positive out of a negative- but He would not will that they stay mired in bitterness, resentment, and misinformation for life.

God can use anything for good, even our misguided decisions. All it takes is an open heart on our part.

 

[InTheCloud]

Oh also, my observation is that as much as when Catholics leave the Church to become Protestant that many emotions are involved as well as resentment against the Catholic Church, Protestants who convert to and join the Catholic Church do so with an intellectual approach because they have facts to back up their conversion process. That's a totally different approach...

It seems so. I agree that seems to be the case.

 

[WarriorAngel]

When people harbor anger & resentment theres your first clue there is a problem on the emotional level. It never produces much of anything rational.

Something else came to my mind when i read this... if they have anger - its all that much harder for grace to take them fully to their path the Lord calls them to.

He wouldnt call His sheep to a variety of doctrines when He Himself only set up one set.
But He will allow them to 'find' Him even if it is short of the truth...so long as they believe with their whole heart in Him.
He will judge them by what they were able to accept [and lack thereof]. It's His call.
But I dont think carrying a grudge against His Church will produce the desired effects. But purgation [if i read it right] is shortened depending on knowledge...or lengthened if its determined they could have learned but refused.

But those who have been given grace to find His Church - should be leary of running away.

Imagine if they kept seeking - what a jewel they would find in Catholicism.
When grace knocked on my door - it was only the very beginning of a long process of learning. AND I was a cradle Catholic.

 

[Joachim]

I would have to think that Quebec being French, to go to Evangelicalism would be a way of betrayal towards Quebec itself. I have to wonder if these people you described support the Bloc or not.


I honestly have no respect for an ex-Catholic that goes to one of the churches that is openly antagonistic and I think that those who do leave the true church for an evangelical church have personal issues that have led them to do so.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

I have a Protestant Evangelical aquaintance who gave me the 'testimony' of a man - who is deceased and so is his wife just a few months ago; I knew the wife - who, as many other French Canadians, was born and raised Catholic and who later practiced the Catholic faith. This man would have, at one point in his life, started reading the Gospels. Upon reading the Gospel according to St.Matthew, he would have 'discovered' that Catholicism is wrong and that the Catholic Church is not the true Church... At this point, he and his wife left the Catholic Church to join an Evangelical church...

What do you make of this, dear Catholic friends?

Hi, I think that probably he either never had a solid understanding of Catholicism, OR, he interpreted Matthew in his own way.. which corresponded more to Protestantism.. but that doesn't mean it's the right way to interpret

just to counter that, - I began to doubt Catholicism once I seriously thought about James, and John 6. I saw that the Bible was being read selectively at my church. So in my case, the Bible actually helped me be Catholic.

I think that it really depends how you interpret it. Just because people say "the Bible lead me to Protestantism!!" doesn't mean Protestantism is true, it can also mean that their understanding of the Bible was incorrect. This happens all the time.. people even within Protestantism use Scripture to support all kinds of strange doctrines, like..God will make you rich, or suffering is a punishment, or whatever..

Could this 'revelation from the Lord' really be just emotions? You know, Quebeckers over here really have ill feelings or animosity or even hatred towards the Catholic Church. I don't know if this man has had bad experiences with the CC or not or if he was just tired of the fact that being Catholic, is not easy. If Evangelicalism was appealing to him because it's easier... what do you make of this 'testimony'?

I think that much of the evangelical world is based on emotion. Have you ever been to a revival... maybe you have.. they try to get people to convert by appealing to their emotions. In the Catholic Church, it's slower..its' God working in your heart, maybe over many years.

There is this other 'testimony' of an ex-Catholic woman (and, like the man above who was an elderly man, she is elderly and still alive.) who goes to an Evangelical church in my town. She's had bad experiences with the CC and is terribly angry with the Church. As a matter of fact, I find that she hates the Catholic Church and is full of bitterness. What do you make of the fact that she believes the Lord lead her to Evangelicalism?

I noticed something.. that when God leads people to the Catholic Church... even if they felt angry at their old churches to begin with, that anger and bitterness goes away over time. Most Catholics talk with love about their old churches and where they were raised. But I noticed that many ex-Catholics talk with hatred about Catholicism - of course, not all do! - but the ones I know in real life, yes. I think that when God leads us, He tries to get us to get rid of any hatred in our hearts... if becoming Protestant encourages someone to hate the Church, that's a really bad sign.

Have you heard of 'testimonies' like that? Do you know ex-Catholics who said they received 'revelations' from God telling them, through Scripture reading or whatever, that Catholicism is wrong? If yes, what do you think?

yes, I know people like that... but they all believe different things. There's a lot of variety in Protestantism. And some are Mormons. that's even how cults get started... through "revelations".

I just find that most ex-Catholics I know are ex-Catholic because they're either angry with and bitter against the Church and/or because they are ignorant of what Catholicism really is all about because they were so badly catechesized.

that's my experience too.

Oh also, my observation is that as much as when Catholics leave the Church to become Protestant that many emotions are involved as well as resentment against the Catholic Church, Protestants who convert to and join the Catholic Church do so with an intellectual approach because they have facts to back up their conversion process. That's a totally different approach...

Any comments here also?

I really need to understand what's going on here...

I agree with you

God bless.