Friday, February 13, 2009

What I'm Thinking...

I know some of you, well, okay, most of you are wondering... how could Rodney, someone who has grown up in a protestant dominated area of the bible belt, in what seems to be one of the most judgmental areas in the world, how could he convert to Catholicism? Well, I'm going to attempt to explain the process that I have gone through and my line of thinking and hopefully this will help you guys understand exactly why I am doing what I am.

It's no secret. I wasn't raised in church. I didn't live the church life. I was the guy in school that was just as quick to go off on my teachers before I would raise my hand to answer a question. That was my life. I was happy with that life. I loved living that life. At 18 years old, I was planning my wedding. We were looking for someone to marry us. We tried the Presbyterian church that my wife's grandmother went to. We scheduled a meeting with the pastor so that he could council us. Keep in mind, I hate church and this was the first time that I had entered a church in YEARS. We start our meeting and I already don't like this guy. He starts talking about something that I can't even remember now, but we ended up on the discussion of pictures. My wife is a picture freak. So, anyway, we're talking about pictures and we're wanting a lot of them. My wife throws a number out and he says that it was a stupid idea. That was enough for me. We got up and left.

A few days later, a friend of ours mentioned that she knew someone who who would probably do our wedding. We went to meet him one night after one of his mid-week services. We talked for a while about the wedding. We were satisfied, he was satisfied... we were getting married. After the wedding discussions died down, we started on religion. Yeah, what preacher would let you slip away without bringing up church somehow. Anyway, this wasn't to long after Passion of the Christ came out. I asked him what he thought about this movie. He smiled, and I'll never forget what he said. "I loved the movie. The only thing that bothers me is that it took the Roman Catholic Church to show US how much OUR God loves us." Yeah, he went there. As if somehow HIS God wasn't the same God of the Catholic Church. Either way, at the time, I wasn't religious, so I didn't understand the difference, nor did I care what he meant. I figured that out of respect, we'd visit the church. So we did... and it began. A few weeks later, this all but atheist kid and his raised-pentacostal fiancee, became independent feundamental baptist... God help us. ;-)

So here we are, learning the faith, half-way practicing the faith, and fully condemning everyone walking anyway but in-line with our thinking. This was the real deal. We were being told that baptist was the way to be. Catholics were going to hell, the Pope was the anti-Christ, the great whore, the whole nine yards. We were drowning in baptist doctrine within the first year. Now listen, the pastor of this church is a good guy. I still count him as one of my best friends and probably the best friend that I have ever and will ever have. Irregardless, I was being taught a lie. Assurance of salvation, scripture alone, faith alone, etc. This worked well for a few years. I couldn't swallow the pill anymore... we needed something different.

A paragraph later, we're joining the Wesleyan church. At first sight, it was better. Refreshing. Different. Yeah, different. It is what brought me in. Bigger church, more people, however, other than salvation assurance, it's the same thing. After a year of this, all I could say is that, except for a few, at least the backwards baptist actually lived their twisted theology. We started taking martial arts at this Wesleyan church. The class was open to all and in it... you guessed it - a young independent fundamentalist. I can't explain it now, but something happened and like a vaccuum... we were sucked back in. We left our Wesleyan church for this little baptist church filled with hate. Luckily, it didn't take but 3 months to realize that this was no good.

We hung around church, in and out, off and on for a another year or so. One night, I was at a local restaurant watching a UFC fight. They were passing mixed drinks around and I over-heard the comment that the owner was Catholic and could just ask for forgiveness for anything and all was well. The comment was made as a light hearted jab, nothing meant by it, just a joke. Either way, the comment stuck with me through the night. When I got home, at about 1 in the morning, I immediately sat down at the computer and started researching. I believe I went to sleep about 4 or 5 that morning. No, not near enough time to discover the truth of Christ's Church, but enough time to plant the seed.

A year later... we're here. I'm typing this. I've spent the last year still somewhat trying to convince myself that organized religion was not a good thing. To no prevail, I'm accepting the truth of the Catholic Church more than ever and I am sharing it with everyone that I come across. This next year, I will be entering the RCIA classes at Immaculate Heart of Mary and I've never been so excited. Now, I would like to take a few minutes to explain what a few parts of the difference in doctrines that really caught me by surprise and made me open my eyes to the lies and deception that I had been taught for 5 years or so.

SOLA SCRIPTURA...

1 Timothy 3:15 plainly states, "so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth."

The CHURCH is the foundation and pillar of TRUTH. The Sacred Scriptures are important. Don't misunderstand me, they are. But to say that the church plays no role is ridiculous. I have this example to give from fisheaters.com.

Imagine you are a soldier. Now read this:

"All Army teaching guides are given by inspiration of the experts, and are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in the life of a soldier: That the soldier may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all a soldier needs to do."

Would you take it to mean that the soldier, then, no longer needs a Drill Sergeant for training him, weaponry, ammunition, armor, communications equipment, etc.? Saying that X is profitable or necessary and that X helps one become thoroughly furnished for something doesn't say at all that Y is also not profitable or necessary and that Y helps one become thoroughly furnished for something.

Most Protestants use 2 Timothy 3:16-17 as their "proof" that scripture alone is right. I suppose they fail to read Ephesians 4:11-12. Those 2 verses tell us what is needed to perfect the saints. How could we possibly need apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers if all we need is the Bible alone? Pretty odd. Thanks to fisheasters.com for the great example.

THE POPE...

Honestly, I can't believe that I even have to go here. To me, it is so blantantly obvious that Peter was the first Pope and that Pope Benedict XVI is the current successor.

Matthew 16:18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

Duh. Are you guys serious? God plainly says that Peter will be the head of Christ's earthly church. There is no need to debate this, but if you have questions, by all means, hit me up.

COMMUNION OF SAINTS...

Yes, I talk to the dead. I've always done that. Maybe it's weird... I don't know, but since my grandpa died, I don't know that there has been a day go by that I haven't told him I loved him or something. I guess that is why it's not so hard for me to really grasp this talking to the saints. Oh, and the fact that Hebrews 12:1 says that we're surrounded by a cloud of witnesses and that Revelations 5:8 tells us that the saints are offering our prayers up to God. If they're offering them up, they must know our prayers. Sounds only right they they are also praying for us.

TO END...

Tiffany, my wife, is reading a book called "Surprised By Truth" by Patrick Madrid. In the introduction of the book, it talks about seeing the Catholic Church as a stained-glass window. From the outside, you see a dull image. From the inside, from every angle, you see the light shine through and reflect the true beauty of the colors and the image and you really capture the true essence behind the glass. That's what needs to happen. You really need to look at it from a different angle. I pray that everyone can have their eyes opened like mine. I pray that God will never let you heart settle for less than the truth and that the hatred that a lot of churches preach will never take hold in your heart. I love you all and just want you to know where I am coming from.

Ahem... PEACE BE WITH YOU. ;-)