Why did you convert to Catholicism?

Question

I'm a Southern Baptist. I'd like perspective on this question. What factors led you to convert to Roman Catholicism?

Answer 1

--is Catholic--

I converted to Catholicism way back when I was doing my undergraduate studies. It is a long and terribly involved story but here is the jist of it. I was raised Lutheran/United Methodist (confirmed United Methodists). I want particularly religious (nor "spiritual" as the saying goes) but I was attracted to all things of historical mythology and science fiction, both things of which are ultimately concerned with the ultimate concerns and the working of the universe. So from the beginning you could say that I was interested in things of history and things of true, philosophy if you.

At my undergrad, I started to become heavily (and I mean heavily) involved in an evangelical group on campus (standard evangelical beliefs nothing fancy). A lot of the things that they were saying didn't mesh with my religious upbringing. The constant advice was to read the bible and then you will get it.

So I did, but I did the one thing that evangelicals hope you don't do. Being that I was confused between what I was brought up by, what the evangelicals were saying, and that the evangelical method of reading scripture was causing me to read the Gospels Arian, I searched out how historical the meaning of the bible. In other words, I started reading things in their historical context. This provided a forth option, because anyone reading early Christian works knows that they do not mesh with evangelicalism or Methodism.

At this time, I hooked up with a bunch of people who were interested in what we called "intellectual Christianity" as opposed to the "emotive Christianity" that tends to permeate modern Christianity. It was all about trying to flesh out a historical connected Christianity, one where we didn't have to check our intellect and reason at the door.

Secondly, when you have read enough classical mythology (all types) and science fiction (which really is mythology for moderns) you start to see a connection running through every thing and that these things were not written as BS but rather there is a hope and deep longing that connect everything and points as an arrow shot in the dark. Though I haven't read it at the time J.R.R. Tolkien’s
Mythopoeia (was instrumental in the conversion of C.S. Lewis)
http://home.ccil.org/~cowan/mythopoeia.html
pretty much sums up my feelings on the matter. The first chapter of "The Building of Christendom" is terrific at see how everything fits together.

Somewhere along the way, we started running into Catholic sources. They literally were like a breath of fresh air. If you have ever read a solid Catholic source, it is literally incredible at how clear it is philosophically and how holistic it is. This doesn't make it true however. What needs to be done is to compare them with the Protestant arguments and see which one is historically and philosophically superior; ie which sees the world as it is.

Some of my friends started to move towards becoming Catholic. So question started to revolve around the truth content of Catholicism. Anyone with 1/2 a brain can see that there is truth in Catholicism as well as truth in Protestantism, so you, or at least I, start to really look to see if first if there is something more true and more expressive about fundamental truths of human existence than Protestantism. Yes Catholicism is more expressive about what it means to be human. Ok then, is there something more expressive than Catholicism? What about something non-religious like Atheism? What about something philosophical like Confucianism? What about a different religion all together? What about another form of Christianity? How about Orthodoxy? Now that is very interesting, very much like Catholicism, but different on several points.

Somewhere along in there I read the book "DOES GOD NEED THE CHURCH?" which was very instrumental in my thinking process, even if perhaps not the world's best book. Orthodoxy fell to the side because the orthodox are not united at fundamental levels. There is a lack of communion in the Orthodox Churches, where as in the Catholic Churches (both eastern and western) there is unity in faith, even if the theologies and modes of worship differ.

There is also the important question of whether or not there could ever be anything more true than the Catholic Church in the future? You can look at the answer to that in two ways, first even if there could be something more true, Catholicism is the most true now so that is where you should be, or second that the Catholic Church will be continuous with that future true thing.

So Catholicism won out and I converted because to be Catholic is to maximize the amount of truth that you have, to maximize the human experience, and to maximize one's connectivity to God.

There are a lot of other factors in the conversion, especially some priests who I talked with about things, and a few other books. My former great friend, who is evangelical and ended the friendship because I converted, was terribly instrumental in the conversion, though one shouldn't say that to her.

In closing, I would like to return to the scriptures, even though I didn't talk much about them. The scriptures were always involved in my conversion. There was constant reading and constant trying to understand. And finally one day, the mess and the confusion became a flaming arrow that pointed in the direction of the Catholic Church.

Answer 2

I am Roman catholic from birth, and I could just say the folowing.
Reformation during middle ages had a lot of good arguments for their protestantism, but today the only what keeps you away is the tradition of protestantism.
On the other end core of the beliefs in Roman catholic Church has not changed , but a lot things that needed changes have changed.
The rock still is a stable place where you can find strength.
I am not trying to persuade anybody, you are christians as am I.
and you have the same dignity.
But why have you left 1500 years of christian tradition, to start a new, I do not comprehend. In the middle age there was a reason, but now when things are changed , why not come back.

Answer 3

My mother was born a catholic but stopped practicing. She later on was baptized into a baptist church. Even though her and my father were both religious, practicing the faith wasn't forced on me. My mother would of course tell me stories about the different saints ... (Her favorite and mine was Saint Bernadette)
I've always been searching for the right path. I've read about many different religions but they never were right. After my mother pasted away in 2012 I started looking into the Catholic faith. I find from what I've read to be amazing! So very soon I'll be taking the RCIA classes to officially become catholic ... And I feel that The Lord is calling me to be a religious!

Hopefully my word help you in some way. God bless you! 🙏

Answer 4

I have always been Catholic, but my grandmother was raised Methodist. She married a Catholic, but did not make a decision to convert until all of her children were at least teenagers. She sent them to Catechism and to Mass every Sunday. She converted because she found that the Catholic faith had substanence. There seemed to be something there that wasn't in other faiths. She decided to find out for herself what the Catholic faith was about. Her family was horrified, but she didn't listen to them. She was a woman of strong convictions. When she set out to do a thing, she did it thoroughly. The more she learned, the more she felt that she was doing the right thing. She converted and remained a Catholic all her life.

Answer 5

I was raised catholic by my mom and it's what my family has believed all our lives, now that I am older and very recently have questioned my faith in our traditional religon because I feel differently about certain things. I'm not sure that I am catholic but I do know i believe in a god or supreme being that watches pver me and listens when I pray. Funny thing to have freedom of belief...

Answer 6

There are a great number of people who are baptized a Catholic practically at birth....so no conversion was necessary. One sister-in-law who was Baptist embraced the Catholic religion because it bought her closer to God and one sister-in-law continued with her own religion which is Methodist.

Answer 7

I can't speak for myself but a friend of mine wanted to send her daughter to a private school since there were so many drugs and gangs in the public school so she converted to catholic.

Answer 8

I am a nondenominational christian, from a family of Catholics. I have asked my family members many times Why they continue Catholicism...Their answer: Tradition and the rituals.

Answer 9

You are both on the wrong path. Choose the true religion that commands you to worship the One, True God, who has no father, son, mother or daughter. He is Unique. He is above His creation. He does not beget nor is He begotten.

Answer 10

I could imagine its because the baptist Chistians are so hypocritical they can't take it anymore.
Jesus is love--peace!