Catholic or Baptist?

Question

I have a big dilemma.I've been interested in converting to be catholic. My mom is baptist and so is my dad. Well I'm having second thoughts about becoming Catholic because of Confession and a few other things. I believe that you should be able to talk to GOD and GOD alone when you are talking about your sins. I feel very wrong when I must confess to a preist. I told one of the sisters about this and she gave me her view. In doing so she told me that GOD isn't really there in a baptist church like in the catholic church because of the holy Sacrament. Then I felt like Santa Maria wanted me to stay when we in mass. They said that if you don't confess all your sins in confession you will not go heaven. I feel uncomfortable. I don't know what to think, now I'm leaning more towards being Baptist again but I'm scared that in doing so I won't go to heaven. I always was taught that if you tell god of your sins, and you make a vow not to do them again and baptized then you'd be free of sin. HELP

And now I just don't feel welcome or right in the catholic church.

Answer 1

i recommend pray to God first all of this thing.. :)
I'll be praying 4u!

know gal,
Ur confusions is not all bout your religion but it is the time that God touched your heart to remind what God wanted u to do. God has a plan to your life. it is right that you confess all your sins DIRECTLY to God... (it's in the bible) God is a merciful God. He will forgive all your sins (washed it awy). He'll tUrn your confusions to uNDerstanding, ur fear to security, hatred to love etc.

2nd, accept Jesus Christ in your heart as your personal Lord and Savior. (see john 3:16) it is the only the stairs to go to heaven. God wants US to go to heaven. so if u received Christ share it to your friends! :)

---having a religion (ur parents religion, i suggests) is a big help towards to know God more...
It's really great of having a God-fearing family; so obey your parents, obey God!

hope ya understand. God bless!

Answer 2

God isn't in a specific "church" he's here for you, me, and anyone who wants to reach out to him. The priest being a mediator between you and God is totally unbiblical. Jesus bridged the gap between us and your life is between you and God and none of a priest's business. No one can ever be free of sin. We'll all sin again and again until the day we die. The point is how you handle it. You must ask for forgivenss and then do everything in your power not to make the same mistakes. But you can only do this with God's help. You don't need to be physically baptized to be saved, that's just an outward sign that you aren't ashamed and want to show the world what you've done. It's also your first act of obedience. What about people who accept Christ on their death bed and never have a chance to be baptized? Do you honestly think they won't go to heaven because of that?
Don't worry about your religion, get your own heart right with God first and foremost, then just go to a church that follows the Bible and doesn't put their own twist on it. I hate to say the Catholic religion is known for this. They have so many practices that aren't found anywhere in the Bible. I've been "Baptist" all my life, but have left several Baptist churches because they contradicted the Bible. I've also been to non-denominational churches that were fine. Any time a church starts making your eternal destiny more about them than about your personal relationship with Christ, it's time to RUN!

Answer 3

The way to heaven is through faith in Jesus and recognizing He died to be the sacrifice for your sins. The concept of confessing to a priest began early in the Catholic Church because those who studied the Bible felt the common man was not informed enough to know how to pray to God. It is now part of the Catholic dogma. If it makes you uncomfortable to confess your sins to a priest then don't do it. It is not the determining factor in your entrance to heaven.

I suggest you spend some time reading the New Testament so you will understand better before making any decision.

Answer 4

People do not need religion...they need Jesus. I was raised Baptist, and in high school I dated a girl who was catholic. That was 15 years ago and I have not once been able to find one thing about confession to a priest or sacraments in the Bible that get you to heaven. I am not here to knock denominations, but if it isnt in the Bible...dont practice or preach it.

When taking communion Jesus said "This do in REMEMBRANCE of me". The wine and bread does not "magically" turn into His blood or flesh.

Throughout the New Testament it says to confess to our Lord. When Jesus was teaching his disciples to pray (Matthew 6:5-15) he was giving an example of how to.....and he said "pray to thy Father"....he didnt say pray to Mary or saints or to use vain repetitions.

1John 2:1 says that "we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous". An advocate is the same as a trial lawyer, he has and will continue to speak for us as sinning believers to restore us to fellowiship with the Father. His work is based on the sufficiency of His blood for all sin, past and present. Why would you have to confess to a priest when you have Jesus?
1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

If you are a truly saved born again believer, nothing can take that away from you.

1Peter 1:4 To an inheritance (salvation) incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved for you in heaven.

Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

You are saved by grace, not by grease....you cannot slide in and out of salvation.

If salvation was not permanent, then Christ would have died in vain.

Pray for answers about this, and talk to your parents. I have shown you just a few examples of how Jesus is all you need. Study and you will find MANY more.

I hope this helps.

Answer 5

There are different Rites in the Catholic Church. The best known is the Latin Rite. There are also Ukranian, Rusyn, and Greek Rites. Some rites allow priests to run Open Confession, where parishoners got to the church and confess directly instead of talking to the priest. You might prefer a Byzantine Catholic Church to a Roman Catholic Church; both fall under the Vatican, but have slightly different traditions.

Answer 6

What is it that originally appealed to you about the Catholic Church? Without knowing that, it's hard to give a really good answer to your question.

One thing you might consider is the Lutheran Church. It is sacramental like the Catholic Church, but has a theological framework that you might be more comfortable with. The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (we say "LCMS") would probably be most compatible with your background.

If you try one LCMS church and it's not to your liking, try three or four others. LCMS church culture varies dramatically. Avoid ones who look like they're trying to imitate Baptist or non-denominational churches, though--those kinds of churches won't have whatever it is you find appealing in the Catholic Church.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions! =)

Answer 7

Baptists are protestants. Protestants were Catholics who had the same problem as you. What about the Catholic church? Well, the Roman Catholic Church adds to the Gospel, and they add man's works. This is heresy. There is no Gospel in the Roman Catholic Church. Why would you want to be Roman anyway? When the Catholic church said everyone who believed that salvation was in Christ alone was cursed, they ceased to be a true church. Protestants hold this to be absolute. The Bible teaches that salvation is Christ's work alone apart from any work we could do. You need to accept that Christ to be saved, and He is found in Protestantism, whether Baptist, or Methodist, or Episcopalian. Christ is it, and Roman Catholicism fails the faith test. They have made salvation a matter of works. Stay with your Baptist heritage, and witness to your Catholic friends, but if you believe that God is capable of saving, you need to stay far from Rome. Jesus never made the communion service into a superstitious rite of actual blood and flesh, He took the Passover dinner and gave it new significance. Trust in Him, and don't worry about the aberration of Rome. They give you nothing, and every Catholic Priest needs Christ ALONE!

Answer 8

I was born Catholic myself and when I started reading the scripture it was clear I needed to change. As frustrating as this is, it will be a good learning experience for you to figure out why you believe what you believe. And don't be afraid... you don't go to heaven because of what you do or don't do, but because of what Christ did by paying your penalty. Forgiveness is free for the asking! The Bible says 'there is NO CONDEMNATION to those who are in Christ Jesus"!!

The Bible also teaches no graven images, praying only to God (not man-made saints or Mary), and that there is one mediator between us and God and that is Christ alone (no priest).

Get a Bible in an easy-to-read translation.... read the New Testament, especially the 'epistles'... [the letters written to the church ie., even just "Romans" to "2Peter"] and then decide for yourself based on what you've learned. And if someone tells you 'this is what I believe", ask them to show you where the Bible says that.... it is the instruction book for Christians and will not lead you astray. I pray He will give you wisdom. :)

Answer 9

is it all about confession? , i can tell u that , when u confess to a preist , u r not confessing to him , u r confessing to God , and the preist is just like a tool in God's hand , where he tell u waht u should do based on christ's teachings in the bible , i am orthodox , the first time i went to confession , i cant explain how happy i felt after it , its like that all ur sins are forgiven
about holy sacrament , its true , God said that if a man doesnt eat my flesh and drink my blood he will not go to heaven, we (orthodox) have holy sacrament 2 , its realy like a miracel because when u eat god's flesh and drink his blood u feel that God is inside of u , God said who eats my flesh and drinks my blood i be in him and he be in me
the wine changes to God's blood during the mass , and the something changes to God's flesh ( sorry i dont know from what it is made exactly).
those 2 things must be essential in ur faith , and if u choose to convert to catholic , u should be convinced of them , i mean the benifits u get from those 2 things , but not because u r afraid of going to hell

God bless u

Answer 10

Those Catholics are just lying to you to scare you into joining their church.

God is MORE present in Baptist churches than Catholic churches if you read what the Bible has to say about the subject.

And by the way, I'm not a Baptist and not a Catholic.

Their holy sacrament arguement is totally nonesense.

See the links below to learn how to make sure you sins are forgiven as taught in the Bible.

Pastor Art