Why I’m Catholic
I am asked with increasing frequency why I converted to Catholicism as opposed to one of the other Christian denominations. Though this blog is sort of one long conversion story, I’ve never put together a post summarizing that part of my journey because that subject matter can be a hot (and divisive) topic.
Also, these types of posts are often interpreted to have an implication that people who have had different experiences and have come to different conclusions about religion and God are wrong and therefore not going to be saved. I want to make it really clear that that is not what I believe (nor what the Church believes — in fact, one of the many things that resonated as true about Catholic teaching is the belief that non-Catholics and non-Christians could also go to heaven).
Anyway, I’ve decided to go ahead and write about that part of the conversion process, but I want to add a big disclaimer that I’m sharing this in the spirit of telling my story. I am far too concerned about what I see happening in the world today to have any interest in causing division among Christians. We’re in this together.
As always, please take this for what it is: the ramblings of some fool with an internet connection. 
Take it (and everything else I write) with a grain of salt.
My search for God really began in earnest when I started reading up on Christianity. For a couple years I’d been making half-hearted attempts to open my mind to the possibility of God’s existence but it never really went anywhere. And then I stumbled across some reasonable Christian writers who laid out a logical case for Jesus having actually existed, the events as described in the New Testament having actually happened, and for Jesus being who he said he was (former atheist Lee Strobel’s Case for Christ has a nice, quick summary). Not that these authors “proved” their case irrefutably or that no arguments could be made against them, but they had a much more compelling, evidence-based case than I’d thought they had. I was intrigued.
I decided to see what it meant to be a Christian. Some bad childhood experiences had left me with a bad taste in my mouth about the religion, but I decided to give it my best effort to start fresh, exploring this belief system with an open mind. I bought a copy of the Bible.
Before I even opened the cover, we had a problem.
I wanted to know if the people who did the English translation of this version were said to have been inspired by God as the writers of the original texts were. When I found out the answer was no, I was concerned. Translators have a lot of leeway and can really impact a text. If this book could potentially be the key to people knowing or not knowing God, I was uneasy about reading a 21st century English version of texts that were written in far different cultures thousands of years ago, translated by average people. Could God not have inspired all translators? Though I was concerned, I decided to set the issue aside for the time being and move on.
Somewhere around page two, we had another problem.
I found the creation story fit surprisingly well with what we know of the origin of the universe through science, albeit in symbolic form. I could definitely believe that this was true. I could not, however, believe that it was a journalistic style account of events, like something you’d read in the newspaper. So I immediately needed to know: is it required of Christians to believe that Genesis is to be taken literally? I asked people and looked around online, and quickly found that there was not unanimous agreement on this. I found people who laid out a pretty good case that, yes, it is required of Christians to believe that Genesis is a literal, blow-by-blow description of events that happened about 6,000 years ago; yet others made a good case that Christians should believe that it is truth conveyed through symbolism. I really couldn’t tell who I should believe.
I decided to move on and get to what I really wanted to know about: the Christian moral code. One of the things that had originally piqued my interest in religion in the first place was the fact that humans throughout history have all had this same sense that objective truth exists, what is “right” and “wrong” is not subjective. Also, I had begun to feel confused and lost when I looked at the world around me. This was around the time of the Terri Schiavo controversy, and when I tried to weigh issues like that, as well as the other big ethical dilemmas like human cloning, research on embryos, etc. I just felt sad and adrift. I really didn’t know what was right or wrong, yet I had this vague sense that a true “right” answer must be out there somewhere. If there was a God, surely he had opinions about these things. And surely he could guide me to find them.
So I picked the Bible back up and continued reading.
One example of the type of answers I was searching for was what Christianity had to say about abortion. At the time I considered myself staunchly “pro-choice”, yet something had started to nag at me about that position. I felt uneasy about the whole thing, and wanted to know if Christianity said that God is OK with abortion or not. I read through the New Testament (eventually reading it cover to cover), and couldn’t find much. I kept instinctively flipping to the last page for some sort of answer key. How was I supposed to find the part where God tells us what he thinks about terminating pregnancies? Someone recommended that I get a concordance. I was happy to do that, but it felt strange: in order to know how to live as a Christian you need a Bible and a concordance? And were the writers of the concordance inspired? What if they missed something big or made a mistake?
I wasn’t coming up with much so I Googled around to see what Christians had to say about it. And I found as many different opinions as I found people, everyone offering Bible verses to back up their claims. Each person stated their interpretation confidently as a fact — yet they contradicted one another. When I looked up the verses they cited in my own Bible, sometimes I felt they were right-on, other times I felt they were taken out of context, and other times I didn’t even know what the context was (e.g. some Old Testament verses where I just had no idea what was going on).
What frequently happened when I was looking for Biblical answers to my ethical dilemmas was that I’d read two contradictory opinions from two different Christians. I’d decide that Christian #1 made the best case based on Scripture, so I had my answer. But then Christian #2 would come back with a new verse that I’d never seen before that shed new light on it, and then I’d think his case must be the right one. And then Christian #1 would come up with yet another verse and I’d think he had the right answer. And then…well, you get the idea. It seemed that in order to form my own opinion about any of these issues I’d have to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the Bible to make sure I didn’t miss anything.
So I started reading. I decided to skip ahead to the New Testament since that’s where Jesus comes in. And, as with the Old Testament, we quickly had a problem. Here is a sort of sample discussion I’d have with whatever Christian I could find to pester with questions:
ME: Ack! I just read this part in the New Testament where Jesus tells some rich dude he has to give away all his stuff! If I decide this Christianity thing is true am I going to have to give away all my stuff?! [Worried glace at brand new Dell Inspiron laptop.]
FRIEND: Hah! No, don’t worry, Jesus was just talking to that one guy.
ME: Where does it say that? Does he later clarify that that instruction was only for that one guy?
FRIEND: No, but that’s clearly how he meant it.
ME: That’s not clear to me. Anyway, there’s this part where he tells this woman Martha that her sister Mary did the right thing by putting Jesus before trivial stuff. Was that only a lesson for her?
CHRISTIAN: No, that’s a lesson for all of us.
ME: [Flipping to last page to look for answer key.] Where is that clarified?
This usually ended with my Christian acquaintances telling me to let the Holy Spirit guide me (and probably making a mental note to find less annoying friends). Even though I wasn’t sure I believed in God, I had been praying through this whole process. So I prayed for guidance. I asked God to lead me to the right conclusion about all these questions, to speak to me through Scripture about everything from abortion and experimentation on human embryos to whether or not I needed to give away all my stuff.
After a while of praying, reading the Bible, and visiting some churches, I felt like I had some conclusions. I decided that a good Biblical case could be made for “a woman’s right to choose” (as I thought of it then), that I didn’t need to give away all my stuff, that it was probably OK to experiment on embryos if it was for curing diseases, etc. I’d felt led to these conclusions, presumably by God, and had found some scriptures that would seem to support them.
But something didn’t feel right.
As I continued thinking and praying about whether or not I’d come to the right conclusions about what God wants for us, I realized what the problem was, the reason I couldn’t relax: I couldn’t trust myself. You have to understand, I am a seriously sinful, selfish person. I realized that my self-serving nature severely clouded my ability to be confident in my interpretation Scripture. I had some pretty passionate opinions about all of these issues, and it was so hard to tell what was leading me to my conclusions. Was my decision that the Bible would be OK with me continuing in my comfy American lifestyle led by the “Holy Spirit” or “Jen’s seriously deep desire not to give away all her stuff”? I couldn’t tell.
My confusion about all of this made me wonder how people who are severely unintelligent could use the Bible as their guide. I’m probably in the middle of the Bell curve on intelligence, and I was really struggling. For that matter, what about the illiterate? Widespread literacy is a relatively recent phenomenon, yet people who couldn’t read couldn’t use the Bible as their guide. They’d have to go through another, fallible person, which seemed dangerous.
Taking all of this as a whole, the writing was on the wall, so to speak. Christianity did not seem to be the path to God, if he even did exist. At least not for me. I just couldn’t trust myself to to get it right. I felt as adrift as ever in terms of the big ethical questions of our day. Though I thought I might have “experienced” God or the Holy Spirit or something from outside the material world a few times in my exploration, using the Christian holy book to find out how God would want me to live was just not working. I was leaning towards moving on to the next religion, seeking God through some other belief system. I prayed for guidance.
Around this time someone told me that one of the Christian denominations claimed that God did leave us this “answer key” I’d been yearning for. I found out that the Catholic Church claimed to be a sort of divinely-guided Supreme Court, that God guided this Church to be inerrant in its official proclamations about what is right and wrong, how to interpret the Bible, how to know Jesus Christ, and all other questions of God and what he wants us to do. I heard that it claims that God speaks to us through sacred Scripture and through the sacred Tradition of his living Church.
That got my attention.
Clearly there was a need for this. Surely I was not the only person to ever feel lost in the world, unable to trust myself to objectively interpret the Bible to discern what God wants from us, unable to clearly tell which of my conclusions about right and wrong were guided by the Holy Spirit and which were guided by deeply-rooted selfishness (or perhaps something worse).
Now, obviously I wasn’t going to become Catholic. I mean, the Catholic Church is weird and antiquated and sometimes the people in it do seriously bad stuff. But I was interested to at least explore this line of thinking and see what I found.
I could have never, ever imagined what I’d find. Reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church was like nothing I’d ever experienced. This was truth. I knew it. I’d finally found it. It described God, our relationship to him, the Bible, Jesus, moral truths — the entire human experience — in a way that resonated on a deep level.
When I started living my life according to Catholic teaching the proof was, as they say, in the pudding. It worked. It worked better than I could have ever guessed it would. And since I’ve been able to receive what they say is really the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, my soul, my entire life, has changed profoundly. But that is whole separate story (and, really, the main subject of this blog). To summarize my experience, I leave you with a quote from G.K. Chesterton, writing about why he converted to orthodox Catholicism:
I do it because the [Catholic Church] has not merely told this truth or that truth, but has revealed itself as a truth-telling thing. All other philosophies say the things that plainly seem to be true; only this philosophy has again and again said the thing that does not seem to be true, but is true. Alone of all creeds it is convincing where it is not attractive; it turns out to be right, like my father in the garden.
My thoughts exactly.
Again, I share this not to cause division, but for the same reason anyone talks about anything they love — that mysterious desire we all have to shout from the rooftops about the things that we find to be profound, beautiful, and true.
RELATED POSTS: On having proof; Love and conversion
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Jen,
As a fellow convert (one year anniversary coming up next month!) I loved hearing your story. I was a protestant, rather than an atheist, but that feeling of finally finding Catholic doctrine having that weight, that resonance, that no other system has is very familiar.
I almost think the protestant has a bit more baggage to get over in accepting the teachings of the Church, having been inculcated with explicitly anti-catholic propaganda from birth, but I’d be very interested to know if you had problems with things like the Marian dogmas or sacramental confession. Obviously, having been taught that these things were blasphemies it was quite a hurdle for me.
Anyway, I’m glad you did convert and I’ve really enjoyed your blog.
In Pax Christi,
Matt
Excellent post!
I came here by way of your post over at Friendly Christian.
I was born and raised in a moderately devout Roman Catholic household.
Through my adolescence I drifted away from the dogmas of catholicism and now consider myself a ‘seeking’ atheistic-agnostic.
All that said I have a very soft spot in my heart for Catholicism, the beauty of its ritual, the compassion of what it preaches.
I truly believe of all the Christian faiths, Catholicism is the one most capable of change and therefore could stand the test of time.
I wish you peace!
Robert
Wow, this story is amazing. Sometimes it’s hard for me to articulate to “Bible alone” Christians why we need the Church and the magisterium, but you’ve done it so well.
I’m wondering, how did your life change when you started really living the Catholic faith? I’m a cradle Catholic so I probably take a lot of these things for granted. Although maybe the answer to that question could take up a whole other post.
I feel the same way you do about the Church, that it resonates very deeply with me. Whenever I’ve struggled with a teaching, it turns out the Church was right all along.
I was wondering JUST this morning, on my commute, what drew you to Catholicism specifically. You mentioned visiting a few churches early on… was one of them Catholic? And I wondered about your visiting – did you go with friends, or just slip in on your own? (What an adventure it must have been exploring.)
And did you have a Catholic friend who gave you the Catechism? A little angel, maybe?
…at any rate, I’m glad you found the answers.
Thanks for sharing this, Jen! As you’ve probably realized by now, us cradle Catholics love conversion stories. It helps us to appreciate the things we take for granted.
Jennifer,
Thank you so much for your blog! Though I was never an athiest, I never had a religious upbringing, came to Christianity as an adult, and I have experienced/am experiencing many of the questions and struggles you seem to have experienced during your conversion. So much of what you write resonates with me, and you write so beautifully. Thank you for helping me see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Nice piece.
Thoughtful piece. I linked to you again. Keep writing. When I found the Church, I was theologically “literate,” if there is such a thing. I knew quite a bit about Christianity and thought I knew more than I did.
You came to the Church like a kid who visits another planet and has not even seen a science-fiction movie. I mean this as a compliment.
http://burketokirk.blogspot.com/2007/10/jennifer-f-at-et-tu-discusses-why-she.html
You discovered the Church as if Maria Montessori herself had taught you.
http://burketokirk.blogspot.com/2007/05/maria-montessori-misunderstood-genius.html
Thoughtful piece. I linked to you again. Keep writing. When I found the Church, I was theologically “literate,” if there is such a thing. I knew quite a bit about Christianity and thought I knew more than I did.
You came to the Church like a kid who visits another planet and has not even seen a science-fiction movie. I mean this as a compliment.
http://burketokirk.blogspot.com/2007/10/jennifer-f-at-et-tu-discusses-why-she.html
You discovered the Church as if Maria Montessori herself had taught you.
http://burketokirk.blogspot.com/2007/05/maria-montessori-misunderstood-genius.html
Jen,
Thank you again for sharing yourself so openly. Your posts never fail to edify me and remind me of what I believe and why.
The link you provide to the Catechism is to Amazon.com. I thought I’d also include a link that the U.S. Bishops have provided at their website.
http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/index.htm
One will notice, too, that the entire Bible is at their website, and that the two are side by side. To have one without the other is to have an incomplete resource.
Thanks again for your generosity and for your great witness in the blogosphere. I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide all of us who read your blog so that we might say with even more conviction, “Jesus Christ is Lord.”
May He continue to bless you and your family.
It’s wonderful to read how you came to the Catholic church. Growing up as a protestant (although in churches that would deny that they were anything other than the church and therefore not protestant at all) I never really questioned many of the things that you started out thinking critically about. It wasn’t until my husband and I started looking at the Catholic church and its claims from Catholic sources, that we realized many of our premises didn’t make as much sense as we had thought they did.
Jen,
What was your Husband’s experience of coming into the Church?
Thank you all for your comments! I’ll try to quickly hit some of the questions:
How did your life change when you started really living the Catholic faith?
Oh, wow. There’s really no way I could ever properly describe it. It’s a different life, so much more rich than anything I could have ever imagined. Some posts that touch the tip of the iceberg are here, here, here and here.
What was your Husband’s experience of coming into the Church?
You know, I should do a post about that. I get asked that a lot. The short answer is, his experience was very similar to mine. He was a nominal Christian who never went to church or talked about God or anything like that (I didn’t know that when we met — I probably wouldn’t have started dating him if I knew he considered himself “Christian”). When I started my search I shared everything I learned with him. He found it all as compelling as I did, and we converted at the same time. He is equally blown away by the beauty and truth he’s found in the Catholic Church.
And did you have a Catholic friend who gave you the Catechism? A little angel, maybe?
It was actually my regular commentor (and sometimes guest author) Steve G. He recommended that I get a copy, probably sometime after I wrote this post (note his really good response to that post as well).
http://thereluctantatheist.blogspot.com/2005/10/deal-killer.html
And Robert – I wish you well in your search. You’ll be in my prayers.
Nicely done. I’m an Easter 2007 convert, too.
Thanks for your bravery in writing this piece. Sometimes it’s hard to articulate these deep matters of the heart.
What a fantastic post. It is something I too have wondered about with respect to your conversion. It is so clear you allow your reason to rule your passions, and not vice versa. You are a beautiful person, Jen.
I’m glad you posted this. I’m not Catholic, but I’ve essentially grown up in Baptists churches and went to a Christian school; yet still I have some of the same questions you had while searching for the right answers. I get frustrated with all of the different interpretations of Scripture.
Nevertheless, I am a Christian who believes in sola scriptura. In reference to your questioning the accuracy of the Bible translators, I can say I’ve wondered the same thing, but always come back to the verse that says God will preserve His Word (I can’t remember it exactly).
Although I know several former Catholics, I don’t presently know any practicing Catholics. There are so many questions I’d love to have answered about Catholic doctrine. For example, why pray to the Virgin Mary or confess sins to a priest when we are able to pray directly to Christ? Also, I don’t understand where the concept of purgatory comes from. And there are others. I’d love to understand Catholic doctrine more whether or not I agreed with all of it just because it has been around so long.
Thanks for sharing this.
Hi, I just wanted to say that I really enjoy reading your blog. I have recently begun reading the works of C.S. Lewis (finished Mere Christianity and now reading the Screwtape Letters), and your writing is so similar for a couple reasons. Obviously, he is also a converted atheist, but his writing is also so easy and enjoyable to read. I am sure you have been told this before, if you aren’t doing it already…but you should write a book about your conversion. Your very thoughtful and interesting ideas and observations, combined with easy writing style and your obvious humorous anecdotes would be a great publication!
Terri:
There are a bunch of excellent resources with Catholic doctrine info.
Steve Ray’s web site http://www.Catholic-Convert.com would be a good place to start.
Also see Marcus Grodi’s web site http://www.chnetwork.org/marcusconv.htm
I’m catholic by way of an evangelical “non denominal” church with Baptist trained ministers.
I’m in the Catholic church because of Jesus’ prayer in the garden just before the passion. If he wants Christians to be united and prayed for that while facing torture and execution, since he was obedient even unto death on a cross, I figured that should be my model too. Unity and obedience.
Check out the Church, she’s not what you may have been told, and she is beautiful beyond compare as one would imagine Christ’s body to be.
J.M.J.
Jen,
Thanks for sharing the profound insights into the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.
As a revert of nine years, it is a great consolation to be witnessing more and more souls being drawn into the fold. I pray that you continue deepening your understanding of the gifts of Holy Mother Church.
For me, that depth was provided when I was called to the profound Marian-Trinitarian relationship that is found in the teachings of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity.
You can look SOLT up at http://www.solt3.org on the web.
Like the Catholic Church in microcosm, Our Lady’s Society has so much to offer this troubled world and yet it also manifests all the shortcomings that Chesterton writes so eloquently about in his classic, Orthodoxy.
Ecclesial teams of priests, religious and laity serving together in the vineyard after the pattern of the Blessed Trinity and the Holy Family and the early Church—that is the essence. This complementarity of vocations is like a “triple cord” that is hard to break.
Trying to get there…now that is where the struggle is. In this day and age of legalism and over-organization, it is a tough hill to climb.
We sure could use a few good communicators like you, and no doubt your husband too.
Congratulations on your third child too…
Sincerely yours in Jesus and Mary,
Mike
Jen…I am a cradle Catholic, raised by cradle Catholics, in an extended family of cradle Catholics. When I hear of a person’s pursuit of what I may be guilty of occasionally taking for granted, it fills my heart to the brim with joy! Because I cherish my Catholic Faith so deeply and have a zeal for souls, hearing a story such as yours is deeply satisfying. (I was also curious about your husband. So, hearing his journey is similar makes me simply giddy!)
Your drive to pursue Truth was/is most certainly a gift from the Holy Spirit. Since gifts can be unappreciated and ignored, a person certainly has free will to turn their back on the Holy Spirit’s grace-filled promptings. When someone like yourself enters into a full cooperation with the Holy Spirit in the Truth pursuit, the perseverance that takes is utterly amazing.
Mind boggling, actually.
I suppose grace fills you and you are then unstoppable. Many converts I know speak of an insatiable appetite for all things Catholic once they acknowledge that gentle tap-tap-tap of the Holy Spirit and begin the journey into the Church.
I think therein lies the answer why we “cradlers” love hearing conversion (and reversion) stories! (Kate, that comment made me smile!)
Jen, we have such deep admiration for your commitment. Thank you for reminding me to remain ever grateful for the most beautiful gift I’ve ever been given, that of my Catholic Christian faith.
Terri…’avemaria’ is leading you well. Marcus Grodi has a television show, The Journey Home, on EWTN, which I am sure you can likely tune-in. Also, anything written by Scott and Kimberly Hahn are great resources.
Another great resource is http://www.biblechristiansociety.com. My friend, John Martignoni, once left the Church, but later returned. He now works full-time as a Catholic evangelist and apologist and offers free CDs that are fantastic. Catholics and non-Catholics around the globe (not an exaggeration) love his stuff.
Hello:
I am certain I will be censored in this honest plea to you. If so, so be it. Jesus loves you and I do as well. I do so enough to tell you to seek Jesus Christ, who is Messieh and the Holy One of Israel, first and foremost regardless of the uncertainty and confusion you may suffer. IF WE SUFFER WITH HIM WE WILL REIGN WITH HIM. I Pray you will do all things in the name of Jesus Christ.
I was raised fully as a catholic. By fully, I mean, I was schooled from kindergarten through High School in the catholic(universal) faith. I understood the sacraments, the rosaries, the indulgences, stations of the cross and practically everything else I could have given my age. I loved being in church. The music, the singing, the incense etc. I loved it until I walked away from it. I walked away from catholicism because no one would answer my questions. WHy did we have to have the pomp and ceremony and the men in the middle (the priests) when humility defined by scripture said otherwise. The one priest that really made me want to live that life, came and went. He would hang over the lectern and talk to us. He made us think like no one before. It was great. And he was going to be permanent until after about 2 months, he wasn’t. No one taught us to read the bible. WHat we got in church was said to be enough. When I went to read the bible for myself and had questions, I would be told by priests that I needed to pass the word of God through them first. Now where in heaven or earth is that required in scripture. Jesus died for me too and so as personal as I could get was to put a person between him and me in the form of a priest? Why was I worshipping statues and told I wasn’t? Why was I celebrating easter when it was at passover that the Lord Died and the blood was applied to the lintels? Believe me, I took the words of many to heart. I needed to learn history about the church. Over and over I saw that the church found it easy to convert pagans by taking up the pagans’ own practices. Animal sacrifices, idol worship etc and yet they believed they were immune when the Almighty said “DONT LEARN THE WAYS OF THE HEATHEN”. I suppose He said that because His people had no problem at all with the very same situations among the people about them. Look, the same traditions of men that the Lord Jesus Christ chastised the Jews for are the same traditions that “christians” refuse to eschew. Look closely. You will find it so. When man puts the words of men before the words of God and accepts “mystery” over “certainty” he has is not making thier “wilderness journey” properly. Do we cry out to God with our tears, souls hearts and minds against the sins in our lives? This is the heart that He hears. A humble and contrite heart He wil not despise. These are His words as is the rest of the bible. Seek Him first. WAIT. PRAY. PUT IT BEFORE HIM FIRST ALONE AND WAIT UNTIL HE ANSWERS. Don’t stop at catholicism. It is not enough because catholicism must diminish the word of God in pre-eminence to LESS THAN the plain word of an OMNIPOTENT, OMNISCIENT AND EVERLASTING GOD WHO CAN EXPRESS HIMSELF DIRECTLY FROM THE BIBLE. If HE does not He is neither omniscient omnipresent nor everlasting. He is absolutely all these things friend and so His word never changes and IS ALL YOU NEED. The ceremony is beautiful and inspiring yet we sit too high and decide we’re pretty nice people forgetting what miserable sinners we are. Forget Repentance Jesus will tell us it is okay to do so won’t He? You don’t neeed it you have penance. Do we earn forgiveness by penance? By our works? This is what the Jew believes. This is what the catholic believes. Live a good life and you’ve got your ticket. THERE IS NONE GOOD NO NOT ONE. Unless we understand WHY GOD SAYS THAT, WE DON’T HAVE A CHANCE. REPENTANCE MEANS GODLY SORROW FOR THE EVIL WE HAVE DONE. The problem is that we don’t fully understand evil because we forget evil is helped along by the best liar that ever was. Do you think that that is the “Devil” only? Sorry, God will allow us to be fully deceived by what we accept and believe that is contrary to HIS PURE WORD. His people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge not because He doesn’t give it liberally and upbraideth not. His people are destroyed because they reject knowledge of Him. Does it come from the “church fathers” when Jesus told us not to trust the traditions of our fathers? Or does it come from the word of God. The day will come whrn MANY WILL BE OFFENDED IN JESUS CHRIST and those that continue in Him will be sought out and killed JUST FOR LEARNING THE WORD OF GOD AND HUNGERING AND THIRSTING FOR IT. Jesus said ALL must be born again of water to see the kingdom of God and ALL must be born again of the Holy Spirit to ENTER. Catholicism says don’t worry about ALL that. Did Jesus say “WORRY ABOUT IT”? Would he have presented it if it wasn’t important. Well of course to answer that question one would have to reduce the eminence of the word of God OVER the eminence of the “church fathers”. Jesus told the Jews the same thing by chastising them about the “traditions of their fathers” and they killed Him. I suggest to you you do what Jesus commanded according ONLY to His words. Now if He doesn’t answer you right away, especially since we are raised in a convenience store church world, then persist, press wait expect and hope with all you have UNTIL HE ANSWERS WITHOUT THE HELP OF MAN. Confusion? Yes the enemy kills more with that than we can imagine. How? He does so because the confused don’t seek Him to clear up the confusion. Anger? Absolutely because those who trust the word of God ARE HATED BY THOSE WHO BY HUMAN CHURCHES are satisfied and at peace. REMEMBER THIS, when they say “PEACE PEACE” then sudden destruction will come. If you don’t think christians will be offended in Jesus Christ then then wait and see. Read John 6 and pay attention what is culminated by the time you get to the 66th verse. Of course, that is not a case study is it. If you hear nothing in this hear this. WE ARE APPOINTED TO AFFLICTION ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD. To try to make life easier by changing the word of God and thereby reducing the fact that we are appointed to affliction is to tell GOD HE IS A LIAR.
JESUS is the ONLY NAME BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED. Nothing else will do. Anyone that says anything else that doesn’t line up with the word of God is either lying or IS GOD HIMSELF. THOSE ARE THE ONLY CHOICES. You decide what is better when scripture says” LET God be true and EVERY MAN A LIAR!” Remember the man who stood in the back of the church beating his chest over his sins while the other man stood way up front thanking God he was not like other men… Who went home justified?
I suggest you read “Why I am Not a Christian” written by Bertrand Russell
in 1927 and readily available on line. It is short and compelling.
Bill Rogers
TV:
I believe you may be the unfortunate recipient of some poor post Vatican II CCD classes.
Many of the things you touch on are common twists of the truth of the Catholic faith.
If you were worshiping statues you were guilty of the grave sin of idolatry.
Do you have photos of your family in your home or wallet? Do they remind you of your loved ones? When you look at them, do you worship them or are you simply reminded of how important they are to you? Same concept with status of Jesus, Mary, Joseph and all the Saints.
Being reminded of the Saints by gazing on statues or other icons of God’s more ardent followers, especially those who love him and follow him more whole heartedly and sincerely than most of us are able to do in our weakness, simply helps the beholder to strive to emulate and ask for the intercession of those Saints. We look forward to meeting them, and think about God’s family while we are here. That is not worshiping a hunk of stone.
I could go on and on, believe me I’ve given each of the Protestant objections a GREAT deal of thought, but I’ll contain myself.
The fruits of the reformation and perhaps more importantly the fruits of the corruption that caused it are painful indeed. However, the issues at hand in the reformation revolve around HUMAN failures, NOT failures of points of the faith.
Luther and Calvin both believed in Our Lady’s perpetual virginity, her immaculate conception and her assumption for example. Most modern Protestants do not. Well which is it? Truth is truth, it does not change. Were the reformers wrong about this point? If so what else might they have been wrong about?
Jesus either is really and truly present in the Eucharist or he is not, they can’t both be true statements. He says he is and that’s good enough for me. He would not say to his people “Unless you eat my body and drink my blood you have no life in you” and then not provide the means to do so. He’s not a big meanie.
Truth exists, it is a person, his name is Jesus, he resides in every tabernacle on earth, he will come again to judge the living and the dead, etc. etc. He did not leave us orphans, he is not the author of confusion, conflict and division. That comes from the other guy, and it is one of the fruits of the reformation.
Keep seeking the truth, it will set you free.
This is so well said. Thank you.
catherine
I needed this today! I am so confused (come from an evangelical background). Why do we protestants follow the 10% tithe rule but don’t stone our children in the parking lot?
Wow, I appreciate all the thought and prayer that went into your decision.
Jen,
Congratulations on your conversion! I am a cradle catholic and always loved being a catholic. However, I so enjoy reading about people like you, who search and came into the faith. When I read your stories it strengthens what I believe.
Thank you for a great story and good luck on your faith journey!
God Bless
Marie
Terri,
Sola Scriptura? Could you please provide something out of Scripture that supports that?
I can save you the time. It is not there. You will not find it.
I am also a convert. Thanks, Jen.
Well it is interesting that you make it so you may have the last word using no-reply@blogger as an email address. Are you sure sola scritura is not in the bible? Are you absolutely sure it is not there? I assure you that it is but you will not accept it EVEN if it is shown to you. But Im sure you don’t want to see it because of your “infallibility” and a “no-reply@blogger email. What? Can’t your faith stand an honest test?
TV:
Show me the Sola. I’ve read the book, I’m not seeing it, but I’ll consider your position, site the source of your assurances. Chapter, verse, and translation please.
In the mean time check out 1 Tim 3:15. I looks like St. Paul teaches that the Church is the source of truth.
It would appear that you’ve had some bad experiences with the Church. I’m sorry for that. I hope you can forgive those who have hurt you.
In quotes is scripture. I’d rather you look it up. It works better that way. Please read carefully and gather the sense and the context. A cursory glance will not do.
“HE is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.” or “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge…because they reject knowledge.” Important choice.
Sola Scritura?
“Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” No qualifiers. Fully in context. Any version will do. Faith in who and what? Faith in Jesus Messieh and Christ, the only salvation we have and it comes from Holy Scripture FIRST, FOREMOST and without exception. His glory is shown everywhere (church fathers, history, creation etc.) but His WORD is the only One that can save us. A child would so receive it. No significance in that fact?
“Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.”
There is no saviour besides Him. His word says so. When we give Him short shrift are we still worshipping the true God?
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
Honestly sister, I loved going to church. I needed better feeding and I thought I could get it elsewhere than from the bread of life directly..which wasn’t emphasized nor recommended. You remember the bread of life:
“Man does not live by bread alone but by EVERY WORD that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
So that is how man lives?
Jesus said that pretty plainly to the enemy. I believe Him. Given the state of the world and the enemy’s hand in influencing man to do evil or even be “double-minded” and “lukewarm”, I believe Him.
“It is better to trust in God than to trust in men”
and
“Let EVERY man be a liar but let God be true” Even me.
Look for the chapters and verses yourself. Not trying to be smart either. I know you, a good berean, would do that.
“In the beginning was the word…..And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” The word full of grace and truth from the beginning?
And “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”
“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
I am terrified that I have done this more than even once.
If you think this last quote is only about a particular book, then please reconsider.
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”
Fulfil what? but the WORD of the law and the word of the prophets found in the Holy Scriptures which testify of Him.
“And 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.”
Why?
“And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
I can’t mess with His testimony. If we can deny it just to argue about it, may he bless abundantly
…but
“And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. “
And how did Jesus say to receive the kingdom? Not the way most churches do…Not the way most people do relying on what most churches do as the proof. Personal responsibility goes into the trash except at the final reckoning before Him.
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot SEE the kingdom of God. … Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot ENTER into the kingdom of God. “
The problem with being “born again”, unfortunately, as practiced by most is that man has determined to change the word of God and dilute the standard even here with an “easy-believism” that has destroyed many.
“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.”
How many are hungry for the word of Go to want to eat it as the bread that Jesus corrected the adversary about? Each must answer by themselves.
I love you In Jesus’ name
As for 1 Tim 13: the church is the body of Jesus Christ and if His body operates contrary to His word He is a liar or we are. I would rather you call me a liar rather than Him. All I have done is “rehearsed” His words out of Scripture back to you. If that makes me a liar so is He because they are HIS WORDS. I will not tell Jesus that. Every person has the option of doing so however and denying the word of God or accepting it. What a valley of decision.
This pretty much ends a feeble attempt to show you that Holy Scripture is the Testimony of Jesus Christ who is God. There is much much more. He is the Sola Scritura we need. There is much much more than can be contained here. Hungering and thirsting for His word is the thrust of John 6. I can’t give you that. HE CAN!
But conside, in context what some of HIS disiciples did by verse 66. Doing the math is a little scary or at the least noteworthy.
Mystery sells better however than the word of God. The enemy is quite happy with that because he knows when we accept mystery over truth (HIS WORD), GOD HIMSELF WILL GIVE US STROING DELUSION AND MAKE THE ENEMY’s LIES of FULL EFFECT.
I know that it’s years since these comments were posted, but unless someone wants to impose a meaning on the scriptures, surely how could anyone think that these verses provided by scripture support or define sola scriptura?? Does TV understand that sola scriptura means that all truth is to be found in “the Bible ALONE”? Where at all does the Bible say this anywhere? TV just assumes that when the bible says “word” it means itself alone!Where does the bible define this word of God as the written word alone? The catholic church teaches and believes this word alone! That’s why our belief as to the truth is called “sola verbum” meaning “the word alone” written and oral (sacred tradition) and rejects sola scriptura which means written word alone.
The eternal word is Christ and the bible itself tells us that not all he did and said was written- So why would anyone convince himself that these verses mean anything at all like what TV is desperately trying to read into them!!!
v
v
So if you believe in Sola Scriptura…what did people do before the Bible was put together? and where in the Bible does it say what is supposed to be included in the Bible? My email is ruthsangels@gmail.com
TV:
No scripture will refute the validity of the Catholic Church’s assertion that she is the body of Christ. The Church, guided as she is by the Holy Spirit, codified the the book. See Mark 3:25.
If you are genuinely interested in what the Catholic Church teaches, I would suggest you read The Catechism of the Catholic Church, as well as the sources the Catechism sites, read the Didache, and read modern authors like Peter Kreft and Scott Hahn.
If all you would like to do is convince your audience of the errors of the Church I would suggest a review of Mark 9:38-40.
Ask Jesus to guide you to the truth, He will and it will set you free.
Praise Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords:
The exact point of all of this is, if you remember, was to answer your question and give scripture that Sola Scriptura IS in the bible and that, in the Holy Scriptures, it is fully shown in context and on its face. This has been done. It’s up to you to believe that scripture presented is the word of God or not regardless of version. You brought up the church as the body of christ as an associated matter and have used it (though it is true of ALL BELIEVERS not just catholics), to avoid the validity of the PURELY SCRIPTURAL answer presented regarding Sola Scriptura. The Catholic Handbook tells us that this “turnabout” method is an effective way of dealing with people that disagree with the general catholic party line. I hazard to guess that the technique is especially effective unless specific points addressed about Holy Scripture are kept on point and in context to avoid “jumping around”. Sola Scriptura and the church as the body of christ are two separate matters. The focus here is on the former.
“Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Sola Scriptura. No ifs ands or buts. To say anything else is to add or take away from Holy Scripture. Add to the word of God by any means whether poetic or philosophic and the plagues are added to us. Take away from the word of God and our names are taken from the lambs book of life.
Holy Scripture proves that Sola Scriptura is in the word of God as of the highest of precepts.
Rhantized, communioned, confirmed, grade schooled highschooled religion classed day in and day out and married catholic, I am well catechismed regardless of your opinion of me. God bless you abundantly in Our Lord Jesus Messieh and Christ’s mighty name.
PS You think I am attacking the catholic church. The word of God has been in conviction doing so for as many years as people have opposed the word of God–jew gentile, protestant or catholic, by accepting something else other than “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” found in Holy Scripture. Everyone has the choice to ignore the preeminence of the word of God for a lesser’s words.
Also where does it say the Bible ONLY? Catholics believe in the word of God and we are to use the word of God to listen to what God is telling us, but nowhere does it say the word of God ONLY. The Catholic Church teaches Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.
Worth noting about the Bible. It does say:
Hold fast to the tradition I handed on to you 1 Cor 11:2
Hold fast to traditions, whether oral or by letter 2 Thess 2:15
Shun those acting not according to tradition 2 Thess 3:6
No prophecy is a matter of private interpretation 2 Pet 1:20
Paul’s letters can be difficult to grasp and interpret 2 Pet 3:15-16
The Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth 1 Timothy 3:15
Hold fast to the traditions, just as I handed them on to you 1 Cor 11:2
On this rock I will build my Church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Matt 16:18-19
If he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Matt 18: 17-18
I appreciate your sharing with us and hope you enjoy the friendly banter : ) Take care and God bless!
ruthsangels@gmail.com
TV – I’m just not finding it. I’m an evangelical investigating the Catholic faith. I’m just not finding it, that it’s there, how you say it is. I posted recently about my own struggles with evangelicalism…here’s a direct link: http://pipsylou.blogspot.com/2007/10/new-directions.html
This is all very fascinating to me.
Rachel
What’s not to get??? MARINATE on the words you read here in Romans 10:17. IT IS A DEFINITION of SOLA SCRIPTURA. Sola Scriptura is established in Holy Scriptures. We can read anything and everything else but when it comes down to it ALL WE NEED IS THE WORD OF GOD. It’s a matter of faith and faith comes…. Putting the word of God first and pre-eminent tells the Almighty that we are willing to put Him first because we believe HE IS WHO AND WHAT HE SAYS HE IS IN HOLY SCRIPTURE. What and who is that but Jesus Himself in the form of His own spoken testimony backed up by His fulfillment BUT NOT replacement of the law and the prophets all.
Look here again: consider the words you are reading marinate them in your mind see and accept it…or not. Valley of decision time.
Romans 10:17 >>
——————————————————————————–
New American Standard Bible (©1995)
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
GOD’S WORD® Translation (©1995)
So faith comes from hearing the message, and the message that is heard is what Christ spoke.
King James Bible
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
American Standard Version
So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Bible in Basic English
So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Faith then cometh by hearing; and hearing by the word of Christ.
Darby Bible Translation
So faith then is by a report, but the report by God’s word.
English Revised Version
So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Tyndale New Testament
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing cometh by the word of God.
Weymouth New Testament
And this proves that faith comes from a Message heard, and that the Message comes through its having been spoken by Christ.
Webster’s Bible Translation
So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
World English Bible
So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Young’s Literal Translation
so then the faith is by a report, and the report through a saying of God,
Sorry to state the obvious.
All your qoutes refer to “hearing” the word of God, not “reading” the word of God. (NO “sola Scriptura”) For there are many ways to “hear” God.
And Jesus gave his apostles authority to “preach” the good news. And they did so with personal authority.
And they specifically added other teachings than scriptural teachings. “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter” (2 Thess 2:15) No mention of scripture at all there (much less ONLY scripture) but there IS specific mention of truth passed on by tradition.
Perhaps you are also called to “hear” the word of God…….from those he sent. His Apostles. And these Apostles laid hands on successors right down to the Catholic (& Eastern Orthodox) Bishops of today.
And if Jesus had intended to start the Protestant Faith(S) he did so in a very odd way.
He did not use his carpentry skills to invent the printing press! (Only a miniscule elite could have access to scripture for 1500 years).
He did not write a book!!!
He did not tell his apostles to “Go & write”
Instead he founded a living community of faith, giving authority to its leaders and founded upon Peter’s particular authority (Matt 16 18….)
This was to facilitate the very visible unity he prayed for “so that they may all be one. Just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me”.
And he also promised that His church would NEVER fail (Matt 16 18…)
But the Protestant premise is that the Church founded by Christ Himself did fail!
And it failed for 1500 years!
It had to be restarted by Luther, then Calvin…..then thousands of others
Many recent theologically-educated converts from Protestantism undergo a Damascus moment on studying the early church and the early Fathers. They realised they were looking at the Catholic Church.
Further issues on Sola Scriptura.
When the epistle writers refer to “scripture” they are referring to the Torah, The Law, and The Prophets. There is no sense yet of “A Bible” and there is no sense of each writer saying (by the way) “this letter to such-and-such a church, about such-and-such an issue, is hereby included in the future bible.
The Canon of scripture is a SELECTION, from various writings, of the writings that are the family history and reference-point of God’s living Body the Church. This SELECTION was made by the Catholic Bishops finally at the third Council of Carthage nearly 400 years AD…..after 400 years of Church life. The Church gives us the “bible” selection from her Christ-given authority.
OK, Luther took out some books and called them Apocrypha. On what authority?
Where is the Trinity in the Bible. It is the work of Catholic Councils. Do you accept it?
You are awfully sure of yourself, TV. What of those who have translated that text in a different way? It is interesting to me that those, like you, who see EVERYTHING only in black and white, saying MY WAY IS RIGHT, I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU SAY sometimes do a better job of alienating searchers than helping them into the fold.
My that’s a terrible thing to say given what the bible says and what we know God to be (Omnipotent, omniscient, omnipotent and everlasting) spoke and speaks way before I ever could talk in the words of the bible. Such a Great God does preserve His word because of who he is. I guess he must not be able to be omniscient, omnipresent and onmipotent and everlasting. I guess He just can’t cut it. What the word of God says is true as written. The word of God tells me that and I believe that. If you want to cuss me out because I agree with something that predates me by millenia then go ahead. Believe what you want. I’m not stopping you. My suggestion is that somewhere words are exactly true to their meaning. Black is black and white is white not some shade that partially negates the meaning of black or white. The bible is that way belive it or not. I throw my lot in there. Do what you want. But have you ever noticed that when someone trusts that word implicitly and explicitly, even God forbid, as Jesus did, they end up despised. That’s what we get when we stand on His word: hatred, scorn, and every other term that has as it’s essence “kill the messenger” when all they are doing is reflecting the exact message. Sorry I offended you. He’s just looking for people to worship Him in spirit and in truth ON HIS TERMS. Be well.
So if you believe in Sola Scriptura…what did people do before the Bible was put together?
I am not sure of myself as much as I am sure of the truth of His word found in the bible. Only on this black and white basis can every man woman and child be allowed to see and believe or not believe. It is open to everyone. If I have alienated you. I am sorry. Jesus our Messieh and Christ is greater than us both by factors the degree of which we will never conceive.
TV:
Faith Comes by Hearing and Hearing by the Word does not refute Catholic teaching. In fact this little discussion is a classic overview of the need for the Church’s teaching authority commonly known as the Magisterium. Here’s a link to an explanation http://www.catholic-pages.com/church/authority.asp
You and I both agree that Faith Comes by Hearing and Hearing by the Word, however we have differing opinions as to the implications of this scripture. Since Jesus wants Christians united (See John Ch 17) and since he, being God and all, knew that folks would disagree he gave the authority to teach to his body on earth the Catholic church. What you bind on earth etc., etc.
Clearly Sola Scriptura does not work. If you and I disagree on this or any other item of scriptural interpretation, we can’t both be right. Yet the truth exists. How to find it? Proverbs suggests to not lean on our own understanding. The Lord established the church for our benefit, so that we don’t get lost like sheep with out a Shepard. If Sola Scriptura worked there would not be umpteen Christian divisions with umpteen denominations.
Christ wants Christians united. That can’t be more clear, he states that is how the world will know he is who he says he is. He established one church, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. In obedience to him, in imitation to his obedience even obedience unto death on a cross, we as Christians would do well have sufficient respect for him to do what he tells us to do, and not run off assuming we know more that the Almighty, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Lord and our King.
The question was is Sola Scriptura in the bible or not? The bible proved itself. I love you in Jesus Most Holy Name.
All man made.
Our Lord Jesus, who is the true Messieh and Christ, said to the devil:
Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Discuss it with Him, if you want to live of course. This is the truth that will make you free sister. Sorry you dispute it. I Won’t bother you all any more.
Oh just one more thing. The next time they hold up the bible at Mass and they proclaim with such certainty that it is the word of God, ask them if you can use it for toilet paper because apparently God can’t make His will known to all men all at the same time, all through history but only to a few who must be consulted for our salvation to stick. The only one to be consulted is Jesus The Only Saviour beside whom is no other. Toilet paper because you all don’t really believe it is the word of God for your own reasons. If they were Jesus’ reasons you all would be jumping for joy. Jesus Messieh and Christ is the only way and His words are fully revealed in the bible. He is all we need and we can learn of Him in the Holy Scriptures.
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
I didn’t write it but I believe He said it.
Be well in Jesus Christ.
Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. James 1:19
crtifThe only way anyone is right is by HIS WORD.
Does He want people united or does He want what He says here:
Deny it but He said it.
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Now I’m done.
TV:
This man explains the faith far better than most of us are able. Read his conversion story from begining to end. It is an eight part series.
http://burketokirk.blogspot.com/2007/08/my-journey-home-to-rome-part-i-romulus.html
I admire your zeel for the Truth who is Christ Jesus.
Admire Jesus and His word. I know what I am.
It was wonderful to read your story. It really moved me. As one who was formerly protestant and beginning the process of conversion, it’s encouraging, hearwarming and comforting to know that others have been where I am on my spiritual journey. Thank you so much for sharing!
Perhaps (?) my essay “Bible Verses that Do NOT Teach ‘The Bible Alone’” will be of help?
http://catholicity.elcore.net/BibleOnlyVersesNot.html
I am always amazed at angry people attacking members of the Body of Christ with giant ALL CAPS…and statements like, “It’s so obvious…just read and you’ll see it!!!”
By the way…my wife loves your blog. She especially likes the post about anxiety…she only lurkes though…
I must say reading Catholic blogs is discouraging. For example, several of your commenters who were protestant continue to use the word “convert” although the RCIA manuel makes it clear that those who are already babtized should never be call “converts” but “Candidates”. Also the RCIA process, though supported by the church, is twisted and distorted. I am a christian recently in full communion with Rome but the effort so often seen here to trash your previous religious upbringing is scandalous. I have only met a handful of “candidates” who are not really old line “converts.” They love catholocism for many reasons some having nothing to do with religion…pageantry, mystery,nice costumes,pretty churches love of old Bing Crosby movies (Joke). My wife and I are helping a young man come into full union with Rome. Many of your commenters do not help. As a former football player with some bad past abuse and action he, of course, does not seek out blogs.He loves the Catholic Church because is does not speak only of personal piety as your commenters seem to. Jack
Browsing Catholic blogs is most discouraging. First of all your commenters need to learn the difference between “convert” and “candidate”. With all that catholic study you think they would know.It makes a lot of difference, but I think your “candidates” are enamored with a lot more than religion. My wife and I are guiding a young 23 year old with a ‘bad’ past and a victim of abuse to full communion with Rome. He loves Catholicism because it talks a lot about others not just about your own pious piety or lack thereof. Your commenters apparently don’t pay much attention to the second commandment.
Oh my, Apparently another catholic blog that won’t allow different opinions. Jack
Okay, I have to eat crow!!!You do allow difference of opinion. I am a new catholic, a former Episcopalian and I refuse to be called a “convert” as if I had wandered in error for decades. So terminology is important.
If you or your readers ever have time to read the story of the young man we are helping, it might be found interesting. A fine boy gone wrong by growing up too soon. To see why he is changing look at his comment under Christmass (sic). right now he is emphasizing his own “bad” past; but how he is coming to Catholicism is fascinating. But what attracks him is the Church is interested in more than just ‘clean’ living. It is also interested in others besides yourself and maybe gives you a chance to make up for a ‘wild’past by helping others and helping you to see that a young boy’s errors can be forgiven. Thank you for letting me ‘on’ your blog. Jack(although Frank is doing the posts now).
It’s so good to hear about folks coming into the Church. I am a revert of 5 years, having grown up in the Church during Vat II and left at 17 somewhat due to my family’s lack of participation after my Confirmation. I spent 30 years in various Baptist congregations. Even from one Baptist group to another, there were differences in what was taught.
God led me back into the Catholic Church and am so glad to be home. I finally have the peace and joy that none can take from me that only comes from Christ and being true to Him.
For TV:
If you really want to know the truth about what the Catholic Church REALLY teaches and why, read the Catechism of the Catholic Church (http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm). It sure helped me learn the truth and I found that it showed me that the Catholic Church was the only one that was in perfect harmony with the Scriptures I had studied, loved and taught for 30 years.`
You seem very nice and suncere. I read your conversion story and all you have done is substitute an infallible church for an infallible Bible. Both ideas are very weak, but good luck anyway. Jack
Jennifer, I followed your comment on my own blog and found your conversion story. Very moving. I, too, was received into the Catholic Church with my husband at the 2007 Easter Vigil. Happy Anniversary!
Your transformation was much more dramatic than mine. I was a protestant believer before entering the Church. It took me much longer to see the holes in the “sola scriptura” argument, though.
I look forward to reading more of your posts.
I usually have an attention span of 2 seconds, but your conversion story kept me reading! I sent an excerpt from it to my sister who is 22 and being confirmed this Easter. She has recently come back to the Church after too long away. I have never seen her more joyful and more truly herself. Our parents are hostile to Catholicism (and Christianity in general) so it’s even more of a blessing that the two of us are united to the vine together
Thanks again for sharing!
God bless,
Lauren
I have a question Jen, I stumbled across your blog and find it very interesting.
Can you explain Luke 4:8 where Jesus says, “You shall do homage to the Lord your God; Him alone shall you adore.” What does this mean? Can we worship the other saints as well as Jesus?
If you could email me back at ericnovak@dls.net that would be great.
Eric
I’m thoroughly enjoying reading through your blog. As a side note related to this post, if you enjoy Christian apologetics, you will likely enjoy the site:
Apologetics Press
There’s lots of science stuff, some general religious stuff, and it’s just all really interesting. I can get lost there for hours reading articles. They are also really good about annotating their articles with sources.
Eric,
When Jesus says “You shall do homage to the Lord your God; Him alone shall you adore” he means that we should only worship God. Catholics do not worship Mary or the other saints. We do have great love and respect for them, which we term ‘veneration’, but the distinction between Our Lord and His creatures is quite clear.
Jen,
I thank you for your wonderful writing and freedom to share your thoughts and experiences. I am planning to begin RCIA courses this fall. My mother is a recent revert to the Catholic church, and I also, feel I am being led there as well. I struggle to hold back the tears at times when I attend Mass with her. My past has been very turbulent and I believe the Catholic church is the only place where I can find true healing from the sins of my past. I plan on reading more of your blogs. You are an encouragement to me. God Bless you and your family.
I’m so glad I found your blog, so much of it resonates with me! My husband and I also converted to the Catholic Church at Easter Vigil 2007. He was a hardcore atheist and I was an agnostic/weak atheist. Very interesting journey, I’ve only recently started blogging here but plan on discussing our conversion at some point.
I’ll keep reading
In Christ,
Katie
Jen,
Wonderful story! A quick word… as a “convert” from Protestantism myself, I must say that your restraint, (and other Catholics’ reasoned responses) to commentors like TV who merely want to pound their own ideas into everyone’s head and who are black/white thinkers, is one of the chief reasons I began investigating Roman Catholicism myself. There has to be a final arbiter of truth and a collection of epistles, poems, and prophetic stories cannot be an arbiter of truth. Only a living Body: the Church can be. Thank you for your story!
I also converted at the Easter Vigil in 2007.
I’m so glad I found your blog. You are a great writer…Off to put you in my Bloglines right now so I don’t miss a post!
Hi,
I haven’t read a lot of your blogs yet but want to go ahead and comment on this post. I felt a lot of the same things you did about how protestants were all interpreting things differently for ourselves (I love protestants don’t get me wrong). However I found the answer to this dilemma in the Eastern Orthodox church… which I guess makes the same claim as the Catholic church: to hold the true understanding of the Bible. I’m not very familiar with the Catholic Church, do you know what the differences are between the two? I know they were originally one church until the schism in 1054-ish.
Jennnifer,
I just stumbled across your blog this afternoon. This post is one of the most powerful things I’ve read. I am Catholic from birth, and I’ve felt like I’ve spent my whole life trying to explain what you’ve written here. Wow.
I am sharing your post with my many Catholic (and non-Catholic friends).
Keep up the good work.
I am a cradle Catholic but my husband went through RCIA the year that we got married and I consider myself to be not converted but reformed in my spirit. I feel so lucky that God brought my husband to me and me to my husband because I feel like now we are both fully Catholic and so, so happy in the Church. We are not without problems but I cannot imagine living our lives now without both being Catholic and following the rule of the Church. I wish you luck on your continuing journey and Welcome Home to all starting RCIA this fall.
Somehow, though this was the obvious first post of yours for me to read if I’m interested in your blog as a Protestant praying about Catholicism, I only just read it this morning. Right after writing a similar observation in my blog after thinking through my summer in Ireland. Frightening. One might think the Holy Spirit is working on me or something.
Thank you for your story and being so willing to share your faith. I promise I’m not trying to be obnoxious, but your story sounded very much like Joseph Smith’s story (he was the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, aka the Mormons). If you are interested, here is a link to the story:
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1
Here is another link if you’re interested in learning more:
http://www.mormon.org
Jen,
I was led to your site because of your excellent post comparing abortion to Nazi Germany.
I can understand your plight which led you to the Catholic church. It was too hard to sort things out and compare Scripture with Scripture; you wanted the easy way out—someone to tell you what to believe and to be the final authority. Fellow believers in the body of Christ can certainly give us guidance in interpreting the Scriptures, but the Catholic church gives priests (what about those pedophiles? Were they to be trusted?) too much responsibility and elevates their decrees above God’s Word. Throughout the Word, we see that God rewards those that diligently seek Him. We need to ask Him for wisdom. We need to seek it as a precious treasure. Don’t take the “easy way out,” which may not be correct. Test everything against the Scriptures. You seem like a seeker, and if you continue to seek Him rather than man, I know He’ll guide you into all truth. I hope I don’t sound like a know-it-all here, but I just firmly in the individual priest-hood of all believers. There is no mediator between you and God except the Son Jesus Christ. Please read some good evangelical arguments against Catholicism. Though I am against Catholicism, I do believe you are a sincere follower of Jesus Christ.
God be with you!
jen,
i feel that your blog could use some non-denominational participation. i was raised with no religion and have never attended church of any kind. as a reasonably intelligent person who thinks and wonders about life, I am perpetually searching for my truth. your writing is excellent and i value your opinion more than most due to your religious history. it is more valid to me.
i am not seeking wisdom nor am i writing to impress a religious opinion. i simply wish to represent the non-christian, non-atheist, non-agnostic, non-label readership.
with an open mind,
s.
Hi Jen
Just wanted to say I loved this post – I searched in some of the ways you did, but found my home in the via media. I love Anglicanism and its three-legged stool of Scripture, Tradition and Reason, but I have a soft spot for Catholicism and feel most akin to Catholics than to other Protestants.
Hey Jen!
I am also a Catholic living all the way here in Asia.
I’d like to say this was a great read! I’m glad I stumbled into your site. I’m very happy that you’ve found exactly where you are supposed to be. I’m inspired by you and by how God works in you. I’m inspired by your courage in writing this.
I’m just so amazed at how God works in each of our lives and how I have sisters and brothers all over this world.
I am a cradle catholic … raised in a devoutly catholic family. I grew up never question any of it … any more than i questioned the existence of gravity. God just …. was.
As I grew older, and began to search for the answers to those questions no one could answer … I began to wonder. The RC Church seems quite arrogant and self-aggrandizing … and quite hypocritical, when one considers the vatican’s involvement in history.
I, personally, can no longer consider a church a vehicle to God, knowing what I know of the horrific slaughter of the Cathars, for example. I also wonder … is putting my faith in the works of the council of hippo et al is necessarily putting my faith in god?
I can’t get into the notion that god lives in that fancy brassy-looking box. I believe that god lives in that wretched-looking, smelly homeless person we turn our noses at on our way to work.
as for these questions ~
(1) why pray to the Virgin Mary
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is God Incarnate … as such, she is a perfect vessel, flawless ~ she is not divine, but an instrument of worship … personally i consider her special because the life she lived and the suffering she endured.
Put simply, remember being a kid and asking your mum for something coz you were too afraid to ask your dad? its like that …
(2) why confess sins to a priest when we are able to pray directly to Christ?
It is largely symbolic … a gesture of humility that we all must make in order to grow closer to god. Confessing something in silent secrecy is quite different than confessing something in speech to another human.
(3) I don’t understand where the concept of purgatory comes from.
where does it come from? from the fertile imaginations of some narrow-minded, educated men that formed some council or other …
seriously … i always thought of purgatory as a state of being … rather than a place …
if you want to really understand catholic doctrine, The Divine Comedy is a great place to start. Honestly.
Frankly the Catholic Church is far from the “one true church” as it claims to be. I write my articles to show people how distorted it is. If you have a question, I’d be glad to answer it. Drop me a line if you want to talk about it.
Ron
Gospel Light Ministries
It’s great to read your story. Coming myself into a full life in the Body of Christ after investigating the biased claims of folks like Ron, who have read a distorted and misrepresented history, I sought to understand the teachings of the Church from the source. I’ve seen Ron’s information all over the net, and some of his temper tantrums, and keep him in my daily prayers. I’m sure our Lady will return him to our Lord one day.
As to seeing Christ not in the tabernacle but in the smelly homeless man, the error is not having to choose one, but seeing Him in both. The Catholic Church has the oldest and largest for lack of a better word, “Network” of charities that go out to the sick, poor and homeless. The great cathedrals and artwork that the Church preserves draws Catholic and Non-Catholics both and the admissions to museums at the Vatican and elsewhere go in part to those charities, and the service of the poor and homeless.
Silly comments like Our Lady not being Divine, show a frank ignorance of what the Church teaches. Anyone who believes that Mary is Divine does not hold the same faith as Catholics.
As to atrocities, we don’t have to look far outside of the membership of the Catholic Church to see the same thing, from Baptist, to Evangelical Protestant, Buddhists, Hindus etc, Even among the Athiests, Humans after the Fall are flawed, but the path Christ Jesus gave us to perfect ourselves is clearly laid out in the Bible. We see if we read the Bible as a whole and not just a group of laws that we can choose and ignore that the Church is the pillar, and built upon the Apostles, we Read that a special authority was given to Peter. Not to each of us to decide on our own what we can and will accept, but to the Apostles and their successors so we can believe and hold what Jesus really preached.
Wulfine,
As a cradle Catholic ho grew up knowing about many of the atrocities committed by Catholics and supported or sometimes endorsed by the hierarchy, I have to wonder what’s so hard to understand about the concept that if we, as a species, are so damaged by original sin that God had to become one of us and let us murder him, to get our attention and show us how far we are from our potential – that even in the course of learning to understand the gift he gave us by his life, death and resurrection, we would still manage to stumble pretty horribly along the way. There never was a guarantee that bishops would cease to sin, any more than anybody else.
“I can’t get into the notion that god lives in that fancy brassy-looking box. I believe that god lives in that wretched-looking, smelly homeless person we turn our noses at on our way to work.”
The Church’s answer to that is, “Dude, both.” Christ on the altar and in the tabernacle is there to give us grace to see Him in the guy who lives in the cardboard box.
-Sue