Mommy Life: For all the evangelicals feeling compelled to pray for Catholics

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May 26, 2009 5:23 PM

For all the evangelicals feeling compelled to pray for Catholics

The other day, I received a link from a Catholic friend who said she wished she had the guts to send it to all the Baptists who think she's not really a Christian.

While I found it very engaging, I wasn't going to publish it because so often when I try to build bridges, to get people to confront their anti-Catholic prejudice, I get accused of knocking evangelicals. It's almost the same pattern as some of the political accusations that get thrown at me from the left.

So I wasn't going to publish it until I received this a few days later:

Dear Barbara, I have a confession to make. I have missed you. You see, last year (I think?) when you converted to Catholicism and were quite vocal against evangelicals, I was angered and saddened at your choice.

Frankly, I still am. I could site issues with Catholics through my experiences in my own family, but I'll spare you my sad tale of woe for my mother's family. AND I do agree with you about the lackadaisical attitude many evangelical Christians take regarding politics, abortion and the Bible. We've had it so good for so long, we take many things for granted. I am guilty of this. Yet, in spite of your choice, I truly enjoy your take on motherhood and politics. That is why I am, at 12:52 in the am reading MommyLife.net and loving every sleepy minute of it.

I still pray daily for you, Barbara. There is a place for you in the Body of Christ. Not with the priestly garments and incense and rosaries. But a life filled with grace and love that comes from Christ's work on the cross...His work alone, nothing else added. I know you are a Christian.

You accepted Christ as your savior. You are saved for all your days on the Earth. I just hate you've mixed that true, priceless grace with rituals and Mary. Anyway, I have decided to agree to disagree with you. I am back in the MommyLife fold. Thanks for fighting the good fight.

My best to you, Polly

Poor Polly probably thought this was a NICE note - completely overlooking the arrogance and condescension, the sense of spiritual superiority in her compulsion to pray for me to return to her fold.

I wrote back to Polly to list a number of very committed evangelicals who had recently been called into the Catholic Church and to share that I think God has a plan that involves the Catholic Church - something about life issues and a line in the sand. Also, that my experience was that often when I said I would NEVER do something, God saw fit to make sure I had to. (I would never send my kids to public school, never go to a Catholic Church, etc)

Polly replied "Just 'cause all the cool kids are doing something, doesn't make it right!" completely sidestepping the substance of what I'd said and marginalizing.

A lot of Catholics report being in Bible studies with evangelicals assuming they were accepted until something would happen (like a death in the family) where suddenly it would be revealed to them that they were not considered Christians at all, just potential conquests.

Folks, with all the important issues facing us today, it's really time to stop this nonsense. And so, the timing of Polly's email makes me think that perhaps you ought to see how it looks to Catholics when you judge us and feel pity for us and set out to set us straight:

Behold the Spam of God!
May 20th, 2009 by Mark Shea

Almost every other day it seems, I will (like thousands of other Catholics) open my email and get something like this specimen (culled from my "delete" file):

Dear Mark, just came from your Website and have some questions. It sounds like you were a "Protestant" before becoming a Catholic? I don't know which church you were in but I have to question whether you were ever taught the Word of God there? If you had been in a church which taught the truth concerning Baptism according to the Word of GOD and not the "traditions of men" you would have learned that not only does baptism NOT save nor "grant justification" but it is ONLY for those who ARE BORN-AGAIN by the SPIRIT of GOD by placing their faith in the LORD JESUS CHRIST! It is to be symbolic of the new birth ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED by GOD as Romans 6 clearly teaches! PLEASE READ the Gospel of John and pray asking GOD to show you HIS TRUTH - HE LOVES THE WORLD and DESIRES TO SAVE the LOST - which we all are apart from the New Birth which IS FREELY offered to ALL ! Please read and be saved! I will be praying for you in JESUS Name. Carolyn

You have to wonder what is going through the minds of people who write such stuff. What do they think they are accomplishing?

One is terribly tempted to reply:

The Word of God? What's that? Never heard of such a thing. Is that, like, the Bible? We used to read something called a "Bible", I think, at our old Church. But that was an awfully long time ago. Boy, thanks for setting me straight. I have never ever ever heard before that Jesus Christ loves me and desires to save the lost with his free gift of grace! I always thought that I had to perform magical rituals to make God love me. But now that you have so thoughtfully set me straight, I see clearly that when that big black book we used to read in my old church-that-never-taught-me-the-Bible says "Baptism now saves you" (1 Peter 3:21) what it means is "Baptism does not save you." And thanks also for explaining that when Romans 6 says, "All of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death" and "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life" this absolutely has nothing whatever to do with Baptism. I really appreciate you setting me straight on that as well. And finally, thanks for making me see that all that stuff in John 3 about being born again of water and the Spirit really means water and the Spirit are complete opposites. Golly. It is so good to finally --after all these years--have somebody who really teaches the Word of God clue me in. Who would have thought that all those years of studying.... what's that big black book called again? Ah! Yes! "The Bible". Anyway, who would have thought that all those years of studying the Bible could have left me so totally ignorant of what Scripture really means? Thanks ever so for enlightening me.

Do these people who write Evangelical converts to the Catholic faith honestly believe that they are the first people in the universe to ever suggest reading the Bible? If not, then what are they thinking?

I wonder this even more when I get Godspam from people who assure me they are "writing in Christian love" and then proceed to send me a farrago of raving nonsense and/or documentable lies about what the Church teaches. When you write them back and refer them to biblical and catechetical sources which show a) the fact that Catholic teaching comports with biblical teaching and b) their lies about Catholic teaching ("Mary worship!" "The Pope is sinless!" "The Mass re-sacrifices Jesus!") are bunk, they write you back with that gooey smile of condescending "Christian love" and inform you (and I quote) "I am not interested in discussing truth issues with Catholic apologists."

The sheer hermetically-sealed Pride is both astonishing and (as is the doom of Pride) hilariously funny. And the pride is very widespread in the ranks of anti-Catholic types who write in "Christian love".

Read Mark's entire blog post and some great tongue-in-cheek comments at The Catholic Exchange.

Mark Shea also blogs at

Love,

Posted in Catholicism | Permalink

Comments

Polly! What were you thinking to write such a thing to Barbara? How is it that you can seriously think that millions of holy, godly people who are wholeheartedly committed to Christ are wrong, but YOU are right? Shouldn't the very fact that Barbara, of all people, has converted, be enough to give you pause and consider carefully any arrogance and prejudice you might have? Where is your own humility? Is Barbara an elder to you? Has she faithfully led you into a more godly life? Have you ever even considered the possibility that Catholics COULD be onto something? Guess what, Polly? I'm not Catholic.

Posted by: Greta | May 26, 2009 6:24 PM

Hi Barbara,
I enjoyed this blog entry as I have enjoyed many of your blogs since finding you. I'm ashamed to say I was once in the group of "Catholics can't be Christians." Thankfully God brought into my life 2 wonderful women who are very Christian and very Catholic. It opened my eyes and my heart. The bottom line is God is the only one who truly knows a person's heart, thankfully he is the ultimate judge. Regardless of the denominational hat we may wear, we HAVE to stop judging each other and stand on the truth of Jesus Christ, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, was crucified and rose again on the 3rd day, and ascended into heaven and one day will return for his church.
Thank you for sharing your many stories and thoughts. They've challenged and enriched me.
Blessings,
Holly

Posted by: Holly | May 26, 2009 6:57 PM

I recently read a very similar post on another blog I love, written by a young Jewish woman. (http://ccostello.blogspot.com/2009/05/well-meaning-but-misguided.html) I know it's somewhat different since you actually are a Christian and she isn't, but the condescending attitude she's experienced from "caring" readers is the same.

While I understand the desire to share the Good News with unbelievers (but really, do we have to be rude about it??), I really don't get the squabbling over minor theological points. Someone close to me confessed on Sunday that he just realized he'd been holding a grudge against someone over a disagreement about transubstantiation. To me, it's simple. The bread and wine are the body and blood. How? It's a mystery! God said salvation was a free gift and that He wants us to be baptized. How does it work? It's a mystery! I mean, obviously there are some limits, but as long as you believe what God tells you (even if you don't understand) and do as He says (even if you don't know why), I think you're good.

Posted by: Michelle Potter | May 26, 2009 7:03 PM

Whether you realize it or not, Barbara, you come across as someone who thinks Protestants should all convert to Catholicism. How is that any less arrogant than Polly thinking you should convert to Protestantism?

[Kristina, you're hearing something I've never, ever said. I have never said "I will pray for you to become Catholic." That's not even in my heart. All I have asked is for evangelicals to drop the prejudice and judgment. If you hear more than that, "whether you realize it or not . . . you come across as someone who" lacks good listening skills]

Posted by: Kristina | May 26, 2009 7:54 PM

"A lot of Catholics report being in Bible studies with evangelicals assuming they were accepted until something would happen (like a death in the family) where suddenly it would be revealed to them that they were not considered Christians at all, just potential conquests."

That's me. I wrote about my experience here:
http://battlementsofrubies.wordpress.com/2009/05/09/hello-world/

Amongst my remaining evangelical friends I have noticed the same kind of approach as Polly.
They are patiently praying for me to return to the 'simple truth of the gospel' without the trappings of 'the vain traditions of man'.

I find it very frustrating, because when they bring up objections to the catholic church, or patiently give me scriptures to show me that I can 'go straight to Jesus' with no middle man ( priest) I do my best to counter them, and to clarify what Catholics actually believe ( This past year I have really made it my business to equip myself to give a defense of what the church teaches. I'm getting there, and learning loads. It's very exciting to discover just how beautifully coherent catholic teaching is)

When I make a reasoned ( and hopefully intelligent response) using scripture and examples from church history, they usually change tack quickly, admonishing me for 'over intellectualising'.
I can't win!

Posted by: Clare | May 26, 2009 8:17 PM

I'm also saddened by the rudeness of some who write in, but in blogland, I'm sorry to say, this seems to be the norm for some folks. Why will people say things online that they'd be ashamed to say in person? I don't know.

Barbara, I enjoy your blog very much, admire your fervor on important issues, and appreciate you as a sister in the Lord. I've never held those anti-Catholic feelings that other Prostants seem adamant to have. Of course, I have theological differences with Baptists, Methodists, Pentacostals, etc, too. I look forward to us all smiling someday when we all find how we were wrong.

I will say, that your posts on this subject are very defensive, and (as you show in a whole paragraph above), sarcastic. This is neither helpful to your critics, yourself, or your readers. You would present your position much more convincingly if you could rid yourself of the feelings that seem to seep into your writing, on this issue. Just my opinion.

[mary kathryn, the sarcasm was Mark Shea's, not mine. "Defensive" is an interesting word to invalidate someone, isn't it? And thanks so much for advising me to "rid yourself of the feelings that seem to seep into your writing, on this issue." I find that very haughty and judgmental.]

Posted by: mary kathryn | May 26, 2009 8:22 PM

Mr. Shea has the best blog byline I've ever seen!

Such a tender topic this Catholic/Evangelical divide is, fueled by so much hurt on both sides. Even so, yes, for the glory and agenda of God, it really is way past time to stop the nonsense!

While there's a time and a place for directly discussing finer points of theology, it's not meant to be a Christian's primary occupation. When looking for what should be foremost, instead I see things like
--Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.
--He has shown you, man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you: To do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
-- Preach the Good News-- Jesus, through whose death and resurrection you will find salvation. Period.

Posted by: Marian | May 27, 2009 1:09 AM

I'm sorry I misread the paragraph above as yours. I read your blog everyday in my Google Reader, which does not divide things into the colored boxes that are here on your page, so it looked like your text. Again, apologies.

Your assumption that my word, "defensive" was intended to invalidate you, is totally incorrect. On the contrary, I'd just said how much I do enjoy and listen to your voice here -- I in no way invalidate what you say. I think you have a legitimate concern, you've provided ample proof that this is a real issue, and I do not dispute (rather, I agreed with) the fact that this is a terrible problem with some Protestants. How did I invalidate you?

It may be that you are person who does not receive criticism in this area very well, and I know it is an extremely sensitive issue for you, with a lot of hurt (you've been plain on that), so I'll let it go. I just thought perhaps a gently phrased word would help. No malice of any kind intended here, and certainly not judgmentalism. I'm sorry you thought that was my attitude toward you. Evaluating the "tone" of the written word is difficult; perhaps you have misinterpreted mine as much as I did yours?

Posted by: mary kathryn | May 27, 2009 5:55 AM

I clicked over and read Mark's post in its entirety, and I too, thought that it was mostly sarcastic. While it helped me understand more about what Protestants accuse Catholics of, it didn't really help me understand the answers to those accusations.

I grew up a Catholic and as an adult I'm a Baptist. I really, honestly, in good faith, don't understand how you can square lots of Catholic practices with the Bible (rosary, Mary, the Pope, purgatory, etc.).

Would you consider doing a post addressing some of these questions? Or maybe you could recommend a book on the subject for me. I'm aware of the many evangelicals who have converted to Catholicism, and I would really love to have a better understanding of this.

Thank you so much.

Posted by: Mrs. Sprinkles | May 27, 2009 6:55 AM

Mrs. Sprinkles, I am impressed by your willingness to delve further into the issues (rosary, Mary, the Pope, purgatory, etc.) that you find difficult to square with the Scripture. For books, I would highly recommend anything written by Scott Hahn to help better understand Catholic doctrine and hermeneutics. He has a number of books on the very topics with which you find difficulty. Rome Sweet Home is good general introduction into his own journey of faith . Hahn, himself is a convert from Evangelicalism to Catholicism and he was quite anti-Catholic for a time such that his perspective is very probing and his explanations tend to be exhaustive. Also, with Barbara's permission, I am sure there a several Catholic readers of this blog who would be very happy to try to address any specific questions you may have about Catholicism.

And, on the topic of "defensiveness"--it's hard for me to qualify defensiveness as altogether a bad thing. I don't know if I would categorize Barbara's Evangelical to Catholic posts as defensive, necessarily, but even if they are, why is that a fault? Defense is a natural reaction to an offensive gesture. If a person perceives she is being attacked or her position is being misrepresented, defense is a perfectly appropriate response. Would that we all would heed St. Peter’s admonition to be prepared to offer a defense for the hope that is in us!

Posted by: Franchelle | May 27, 2009 8:43 AM

Mark's post is sarcastic yes but that's kind of the point. I don't think people realize how often others try to "save" us Catholics and act as though if only we heard certain things surely we would leave the Church. It can be very wearing because the fact is that almost everyone who has a problem with Catholics simply does not really know or understand what we believe.

One of the hardest things is that although we Catholics view non-Catholic Christians as our separated brethren this is so often not reciprocated. We see you as Christian (lacking the fullness of understanding yes but still part of the body of Christ) and yet so often we are not even considered Christian. You can imagine our frustration with that since we believe the Catholic Church to be the Church that Christ Himself founded. :-)

Yes, I know there are Catholics who have been bad examples who don't know their faith and perpetuate the stereotype but when those outside Catholicism take the time to learn and understand they tend to be amazed at what's there and in fact a lot of them convert. They can't help it. What they thought was so wrong, they find is in fact the fullness of faith.

I work specifically with converts and I am one myself. It's a beautiful thing to be brought into the fullness of faith but it doesn't come without a price. Many of those who convert lose friends and family members and it hurts. But they have found the pearl of great price and there's no turning back. Barbara knows this well.

Let me say though that if anyone is curious about Catholics practices or beliefs let me assure you we are happy to explain them to you. We have an answer for all of it and you may find yourself very surprised indeed.

Mrs. Sprinkles --there are a lot of good books out there but I usually recommend people start with "Catholic and Christan" by Alan Schrek. I also want to say that I am sorry you aren't still a Catholic. Somewhere along the line someone let you down and didn't teach you the Faith and that makes me very sad. It's not (unfortunately) uncommon but it's still wrong.

Peace,
Michele Q.

Posted by: Michele Q. | May 27, 2009 8:51 AM

Barbara, I think all of us who are Catholic have had the same thoughts as Mr. Shea. However, I don't generally read his blog because of his heavy sarcasm and mocking of those who disagree with him.

Personally, I find e-mails such as those keep me humble. After all, who of us really deserves to be called Christian, and we can all use the prayers.

Mrs. Sprinkles, you certainly are not alone in being someone who was raised Catholic but was not taught the Biblical basis of the faith. I suggest reading Dave Armstrong's A Biblical Defense of Catholicism. For an easy to read website, I like http://www.scripturecatholic.com/.

I hope this helps!

Posted by: Kelly | May 27, 2009 9:33 AM

Mrs. Sprinkles - one person I recommend as a resource for friends looking for an understanding of Catholicism is Rosalind Moss. She was raised as a conservative Jew, became a born again Christian for 20+ years, and then reluctantly starting looking into the Catholic Church after her brother converted. I believe her search took upwards of 4 years, but, in the end, she became convinced of the truth of Catholic teaching. She has a very humble and humorous way of describing her journey and of explaining doctrinal issues. Here is something she said in an interview with Envoy magazine,

“Here I knew that the Church was the work of Satan, and yet listening to that tape a ‘holy shock’ went through me. I knew, before God, that I had to look into the claims of the Catholic Church or I would be turning from God. Thus began my four-year agonizing journey toward the Church.”
The journey, Moss admits, was a difficult one. Right from the start, she decided to put the issue of Mary on a shelf and deal with her later, if she ever got that far. Instead, she first dealt with the sacramental nature of the Church."

She became a Catholic apologist, and is now in the process of founding an order of nuns and becoming a consecrated religious. You can find her tapes and writings at the Catholic Answers website. God bless you.

Posted by: Anne | May 27, 2009 9:45 AM

Just a quick response to Mrs. Sprinkles,

For those with questions about the Pope, the Rosary, etc, www.catholic.com is a good website to look into. They have articles about these various topics that are full of references in the Bible and also reference some early Church fathers as well. They do their best to present information in a clear and accessable manner.

Just a side note on the Rosary- my favorite form of prayer!- it is very Biblically based. At the first we say the Apostles Creed with its basic tenets of faith about the Trinity, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, as well as the Resurrection among other things (it's a creed many Protestants share in common with the Church). Then we proceed to pray Our Fathers (from the synoptic Gospels in the Bible) and Hail Mary's.

For Protestants unfamiliar with the Hail Mary, I can see how it would be troubling to you, it can seem like we make too big a deal of her. But, if you look at it more closely, it's just us trying to honor her as God did (first at the Annunciation) and later Jesus would have as her Son (remember the commandment- Honor thy Father and Mother?- Christ would have honored Mary as His earthly mother).

The first line: "Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee" comes from Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation. The Lord told Gabriel to greet Mary as "full of Grace". In the Greek, we are told Gabriel says, literally, "Hail full of Grace". So, full of Grace is Mary's name in Heaven, as she has been filled to the brim with Grace by God for her mission as Christ's earthly mother.

The second line: "Blessed are thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus" reminds us that only Mary has ever given birth to our Saviour. It highlights the uniqueness of her Child and God's work in her life. As mothers, women around the world are all blessed by the Lord, but Mary was especially blessed to be chosen (from all women on earth) to carry Christ in her womb. God did the blessing here, God chose her specifically from all women for this special task: to carry, raise and care for His beloved Son. Again, all emphasis we place on Mary magnifies the work the Lord did in her. It's all about the Lord and His mission, carried out by Mary's "let it be done".

The third line: "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death, Amen" is probably the one that gives Protestants the most trouble. I hope we can all agree Mary was a holy woman. In order to carry a child without a valid marriage (she was only engaged at the time) would have taken courage in her time, as women found pregnant without a husband would have been stoned. She risked her life to carry Jesus, and she did it out of love for God. The Mother of God title though... could that mean that Mary conceived Christ on her own without much help from God? How can that be?? What the title really refers to is the Person she gave birth to. Christ Jesus is fully human, yet fully divine. He was conceived fully human and fully divine and born that way. Mary had a child, Jesus, and He was God. Since you can't separate the human and the divine in Christ, Mary's Child was not only a child, but was also God. The Child she raised and mothered was also God. Therefore, Mary is mother of God. She didn't provide Christ's divine nature, rather she was entrusted by God the Father to nurture it. So really, her Mother of God-ness is not to do with her per say, but more to do with the wonderful work that God was able to do for us through her.

So, while Mary is honored for the sacrifices she made when she said yes to God's plan in her life, it is truly God we honor for choosing her. Just remember, without Christ Jesus, Mary would just be another forgotten Judean woman from her time. Mary finds here meaning, her source of being and her source of honor in Christ, just like we all do. Only she got to be his mom here on earth!

Sorry for the long post, but I couldn't resist!

Posted by: Sarah | May 27, 2009 10:08 AM

Wow, Barbara,

It makes me feel sad that you receive these types of emails. I recall when I converted to the Episcopal church from Assembly of God, my own family threw a fit. My mother and grandmother had very bad experiences in the past with Catholics and followed the stereotypical Protestant view that Catholics were idol worshipers and heathens. Turns out that my paternal grandfather is an Anglican and his family has been for generations so maybe my preference for liturgical worship is hereditary ;)

I have since convinced them that Anglicanism is Christianity, but when I mentioned that I am considering a conversion to Catholicism they had a fit. I think I'd rather put up with judgmental and condescending anonymous comments on the interwebs instead of it coming from my own mother and grandmother.

Posted by: Courageous Grace | May 27, 2009 12:39 PM

I've been reading all of the above posts and many are very articulate. I am not so articulate but I just wanted to add one thing as a convert.

I have been Christian my whole life. Studied the bible as a child and youth. Participated in all (and I mean all) functions that our very large church provided. Went wayward as a young adult but then came back.

Never ever in my life did I think that I would fall in love again after I married my husband. I fell headlong and deeply in love with God 8 years ago in my journey into the Catholic Church.

I have tears in my eyes now. I am so in love with God because of the teachings of my church. Everything is so deep and nothing contradicts scripture. Nothing. It took me ten years to come in. I had obstacles to overcome. I had to pray for God's grace to see the truth. Is he not beautiful? Is he not the most wonderful, gracious, heavenly, divine Father that could ever be? My heart is so full.

I wish all Christians all the love in the world. May God bless each and every one of you.

Posted by: Sue from Buffalo | May 27, 2009 12:39 PM

You had a reader (Mrs. Sprinkles) who asked some questions about our faith....this is
an excellent link. She can find answers straight from the source
concerning her questions about purgatory, baptism, etc. Good place to
start is to click on "cathechism."

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/?recnum=681

--
Nil Sine Numini......Nothing without Providence.....

Which is the path of wisdom between conflicting counsels? The answer
is the same as it has been since Job’s time: “And unto man he said,
Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil,
that is understanding.

Posted by: Tripp | May 27, 2009 1:16 PM

I like that, "You would present your position much more convincingly if you could rid yourself of the feelings that seem to seep into your writing, on this issue."

Yes, I suppose that might be true. But life is to be lived with emotion. And it's your blog. So keep writing with emotion, please!

My two cents? There is but one truth, so all evangelical pastors cannot be preaching the one true gospel as their doctrine varies. I'm sure the "Biblically-based teachings" argument can be thrown at any Christian sect, because of the nature of translations (and changes) through the ages. Some consider one passage of scripture to be true but not another (when the passages appear contradictory).

Is there any answer to the arguing? Difficult, as the subject is so emotionally charged. Often we fail to consider other possibilities because we are convinced of the truthfulness of our own. Is that wrong in the realm of religion?

I'll simply say this; Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and there is but one truth. I believe that the fullness of truth is found in the Mormon church. I will never force religion on a friend, but it is such an integral part of my daily life that it is easy to share my faith with those around me and I am happy to share what brings me such happiness.

That's the root of it, isn't it? One has found happiness in one's religion and wants everyone else to find the same happiness. If only we realized how sometimes our words are hurtful instead of truth filled.

Posted by: Emily C | May 27, 2009 3:47 PM

I find that people who have the most violent reactions to Catholicism in particular, have little to no real knowledge about it. And they don't read anything by orthodox Catholic teachers. When I was young, I was involved in a home education program that wouldn't allow Catholics in because it was believed they were not really Christians. Even then, I knew that was ridiculous.

I think it's frustrating when someone who is clearly a believer and not easily deceived becomes a Catholic (or Orthodox, or Episcopalian, or any other liturgical, sacramental church). It seems that some people assume that person has completely lost his or her marbles, instead of assuming that much research, prayer and thought has gone into the decision, especially for people who have a lot to lose. It's particularly frustrating when the people doing the reacting don't do any research, but rely on hearsay. I'm not a Catholic, but I am an Orthodox convert. One nice thing about becoming Orthodox is there aren't nearly so many misconceptions because no one's ever heard of it. :)

Posted by: Lucy | May 27, 2009 4:32 PM

I have been praying about my response because I do not want to cause strife.

I am a born & raised Southern Baptist. I continue to attend a Southern Baptist church because their statement of beliefs line up with what I understand of the Bible.

That being said, I believe that it is not the major issues that separate the different denominations, but the minor ones. I also know that in every denomination there are many who have a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. And many who do not.

I know very little about the Catholic Church, but I have friends who are Catholic and have very evident relationships with Jesus. I also have Baptist (and non-Baptist) friends who I wonder if they truly know the God I believe in. But I am not the one to judge. I pray that each person, Catholic & non-Catholic alike, will come to know and to grow in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Posted by: j dan | May 28, 2009 6:43 PM

Uh... no.

Posted by: Reader | July 20, 2009 2:58 PM