question about converting?

Question

why do more catholics convert to christianity rather than christians to catholicism?
i am a christian and i personally think catholicism is wrong. any reason why it isnt?

Answer 1

When did you become a Christian or are you really a heritic ?

Evodius was the first Bishop of Antioch, and he is credited with being the first person to call the followers of Christ, "Christians", as shown in Acts 11:26. See Eusebius, book 3, chapter 22.

There were no protestants around then were their.

Saint Ignatius (35-107), the second Bishop of Antioch wrote a letter to the Smyrneans in 107 A.D..
In this letter is recorded the first known use of the words "Catholic Church"...
Paragraph #8
"You must all follow the lead of the bishop, as Jesus Christ followed that of the Father; follow the presbytery as you would the Apostles; reverence the deacons as you would God's commandment. Let no one do anything touching the Church, apart from the bishop. Let that celebration of the Eucharist be considered valid which is held under the bishop or anyone to whom he has committed it. Where the bishop appears, there let the people be, just as where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not permitted without authorization from the bishop either to baptize or to hold an agape; but whatever he approves is also pleasing to God. Thus everything you do will be proof against danger and valid."

In case you did not Know they were both Catholic

I also ponder where did you get your bible from. And when was your sect formed

Was it one of these a a newer version

Who started your church

1521, Martin Luther started the Lutherans when he broke away from the one true Church that had already existed for 15 centuries. Prior to this time, the false doctrine of "Sola Scriptura", or "Bible only", had not existed, and neither had the false man made doctrine of "Individual Interpretation" of Holy Scripture.
1521, Thomas Munzer started Anabaptists by breaking from Lutheranism in the same year.
1534, King Henry VIII started the Church of England. (Anglican)
1536, John Calvin, teaching predestination, formed the Calvinists.
1560, John Knox, who studied under Luther, started Presbyterians.
1582, Congregationalists started by Rob Brown, as a branch from Puritanism.
1609, John Smyth formed the Baptists. They have severely splintered since then.
1739, John Wesley started the Methodists, in a split from Anglicanism.
1774, Theophilus Lindley started Unitarians.
1789, Samuel Seabury started Episcopalians.
1793-1809, Churches of Christ had four separate founders.
1830, Joseph Smith founded the Mormons in Palmyra New York.
1860, William Miller, a farmer, started the Adventists.
1863, Ellen Gould White started the Seventh-Day Adventists.
1865, William Booth started the Salvation Army.
1875, New Age was started by Helena Blavatsky. *COL 2:8
1879, Mary Baker Eddy started Christian Scientists.
1879, Charles Russell started the Jehovah's Witnesses.
1895, French Abbe, Alfred Loisy and English Jesuit, George Tyrrell started Modernism.
1900-1920, conservative Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Methodists,
formed a consortium, and started Fundamentalism.
1901, Pentecostalism was started in the United States. It has since split into many independents.
1914, Felix Manalo started Iglesia ni Cristo.
1930, Independent Churches of America (IFCA), was formed by a consortium of churches
1952, L. Ron Hubbard started the Church of Scientology.
1965, Chuck Smith began Calvary Chapel.
1968, Disciples of Christ, started as a splinter of Churches of Christ.
1974, Ken Gullickson started the Vineyard Christian Fellowship.
20th century. Assemblies of GOD, and other splinter Pentecostal groups, are some of hundreds of new sects founded by mere men.

The very founder of the "Reformation", Martin Luther, was the "regrettable" one, as he surveyed the damage that his rebellion against authority had caused. His writings show that he lamented his deed when he penned the following remarks...
"This one will not hear of Baptism, and that one denies the sacrament, another puts a world between this and the last day: some teach that Christ is not God, some say this, some say that: there are as many sects and creeds as there are heads. No yokel is so rude but when he has dreams and fancies, he thinks himself inspired by the Holy Ghost and must be a prophet."
De Wette III, 61. quoted in O'Hare, THE FACTS ABOUT LUTHER, 208.

"Noblemen, townsmen, peasants, all classes understand the Evangelium better than I or St. Paul; they are now wise and think themselves more learned than all the ministers."

Answer 2

*rolls eyes* You should have found someone in your parish who actually knew what he was talking about and gotten some answers, before throwing away such a rich Christian heritage and joining an extremist group who doesn't even think Catholics are Christians.

I converted from evangelical Christianity to Lutheranism because, of all the churches that hold the Protestant view of justification, Lutherans are the *only* ones who could justify their existence to my satisfaction. Before that I very nearly became Catholic, and still would if for some reason the Lutheran Church were not an option.

Yes, the Catholic Church is wrong on some important points, but God's Church is far bigger than the mainly American phenomenon of fundamentalism. How many other denominations are they telling you aren't Christian? Am I not a Christian either, according to them? How about Presbyterians? Pentecostals? You know, after a point you have to ask yourself how some little sect of American churches could possibly be the only ones who have it right; some of the more extreme ones seem a bit cultic to me.

Answer 3

Catholicism is Christianity. You can't convert from Catholicism to Christianity any more than you can convert from a trout to a fish.

If you think Catholicism is wrong, do tell. What practices or teachings do they have that go against scripture? I'm willing to bet that if you investigate any objections that you have, fully and objectively, you'll find that it is you who is lacking in understanding, rather than the Catholic Church in some way going against scripture.

Answer 4

I converted to Catholicism after 50 years as a Protestant, 25 of those years as a minister. I hold two degrees from top Protestant seminaries. I have always been a conservative, traditional Christian who saw my Protestant denomination slipping into apostasy and becoming more worldly all the time.

At my conversion I was teaching biblical languages, early Church history and OT studies to graduate students in seminary. In my studies I found that the Catholic Church was everything that the Church claims to be and is the self same Church spoken about in the book of Acts with its genesis in the founding by Jesus and the twelve disciples. I found that the Church has stayed true to the teaching of its founders without exception. I found that the Catholic church is the only Church with the promises of Christ of being the Church free from apostasy where Christ is present both spiritually and corporeally in all His glory, his Body, Blood, soul and divinity. It is the only Church with the promise that it is the "bulwark and ground of the truth" according to Scriptures. Protestants in order to practice their religion deny the veracity of Christ's promises to His Church and in fact many even go so far as to claim that He is a liar and that His promises have not been true. As a Christian I reject such premises and believe that Christ is neither a liar nor an incompetent of which His Church stands in testimony of His truth.

The Catholic Church cannot be wrong because Christ promised that His Church would for all time would be the ark for humanity against the world. When one looks upon the Church one sees the truth in Christ's promises which has been maintained for 2000 years despite the attacks from outside and within and has endured every attack Satan has put against the Church and yet remains that shining beacon upon a hill drawing the faithful home.

(Mat 5:14 DRB) You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid.

(Mat 5:15 DRB) Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house.

(Mat 5:16 DRB) So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

Answer 5

I was born into a Catholic family. By the time I had finished second grade in a Catholic school I begged my mother to let me go to public school. The only thing I can think of that I didn't like was the rigidity. From then on I had no interest in Catholicism. When I was 19 I briefly lived with an older sister who was a born again fundie. To keep peace until I moved out I gave in to her relentless demand that I become one myself. That took me about 4 months. Most of my adult life my back has been turned away from organized religion. I've known far too many hypocrites. In my late 30's I began having some interest in both Christian Gnostic beliefs and Buddhism. For about 5 years I was very interested in Buddhism mainly, but I wouldn't say I was Buddhist. I saw the Dalai Lama at Rutger's University in 2005. At this point I find myself trying to follow the teachings of Christ. This by no means is to say I subscribe to Mainstream Christianity. But there are many similarities between what Buddha taught and what Christ taught. Ultimately my beliefs are that we can attain great spiritual growth by very simple and basic rules that require no specific religion: Be good to others, and usually good will come back to you. Forgive others and they will likely forgive you. Do not cling to the world's view of life and materialism and you will find that you will suffer less. Yes, I believe in a higher power. For simplistic purposes I call that power "God". I do not believe people who think/believe differently than I do go to hell. Including atheists. The idea that people believe are "saved" even though they do horrible things against others is patently absurd. Same thing goes for people who believe even the most moral, kind and generous atheist will burn forever. edit- crap. I guess I didn't really answer what you asked. Umm.. this forum only reinterates my current beliefs. How's that?!

Answer 6

Funny, I converted from fundamentalism to the Catholic Church because of the Bible ... and the inconsistencies between what I was being told about salvation, baptism, communion, etc., and what I read in Scripture. Something was clearly missing from the fundamentalist take on things. When I was in the process of conversion, the pieces finally fell into place.

Do you happen to have a source for some figures to back up your statement about more conversions going the other way? I ask because in the US, according to the USCCB, adult conversions to Catholicism have been steadily rising for several years.

Answer 7

Siiiigh. Catholicism IS Christianity. We worship Jesus, same as you.

I converted from Protestant Christianity to Catholic Christianity. Every year, in my town, we have 100 or more adults who convert to Catholicism. How many Catholics do you have converting to your church each year? More than 100? Somehow I doubt it. And usually the Catholics who do convert to Protestant Christianity are the ones who aren't practicing the Catholic faith and know very little about it.

I'm not sure why you think Catholicism is wrong, but here is our core statement of belief. Please read it. I have a feeling you agree with all or most of it. Then you can come up with specific reasons as to why you think Catholicism is wrong based on FACT instead of whatever you are doing now.

= = = = =

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and born of the Father before all ages. God of God, light of light, true God of true God. Begotten not made, one in being with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven. And was incarnate of the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary and was made man; was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried; and the third day rose again according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of the Father, and shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, of whose Kingdom there shall be no end.

And we believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father (and the Son), who together with the Father and the Son is to be adored and glorified, who spoke by the Prophets. And one holy, catholic (*meaning "universal"*) and apostolic Church. We confess one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

= = = = = = =

Please note that there is nothing in there about worshiping Mary or requiring works to get into heaven or thinking the pope is God or outlawing people from reading the Bible. Because we don't believe those things.

Are you sure you think Catholicism is wrong?

Answer 8

I don't think you know what your quoting.

I converted to Catholicism 17 years ago. I was brought up Protestant and learned a lot.....my grandmother and great-aunt were Sunday school teachers.
I just found the Catholic Church was all what I needed in my spiritual path.

So should you.

Seek knowledge.

Catholicism 101:
A Brief Primer


http://www.fisheaters.com/101.html

Answer 9

on what do you base your statement? Why do you say more catholics convert to non-catholics than vice versa? You have presented no back up for your statement therefore how am I to know if it is not the other way around?
And on what do you base your implication that catholics are not christian?
Your whole question is without merit and therefore invalid....I may as well ask why the sky is made of ice cream. That would have as much substance as the question you ask.

Answer 10

Some people like to think they are a "baptist" before they are a Christian, or a "methodist", or a "catholic". Now I may Worship in a "pentecostal", or "lutheran", or "catholic" service and fellowship with others that have those same type of views, but most, now I did say MOST, of our "denominations" and "religions" hold to the basic tenants of the Christian Way and belief system.

don't dog 'em out. Just luv 'em, too.

God Bless!