The Day I Realized My Religion Got It Wrong
This post is the first in a series entitled: Letting God Lead: My Journey Through Protestant and Catholic Belief. Click here to find out more about this series and to find a list of all of the posts. *This post contains affiliate links.
It started out innocently enough. My mother-in-law (a devoted Catholic) gave me the book Surprised by Truth, which is a compilation of 11 very different peoples’ Catholic conversion stories. At first, I didn’t really understand why she was (albeit very politely) trying to “convert me.” Didn’t she realize we were the same religion? I mean, we were both Christian and we both believed what I thought were the “essentials” (The trinity, Jesus died for our sins, Heaven, etc). So why did it matter if I was Catholic? Did she think I wasn’t Christian?
(My mother-in-law is wonderful. I wasn’t upset. Just confused. I didn’t understand what all the “fuss” was about.)
You see, faith has always been a very important part of my life. My mother was a preacher’s daughter and a lot of that commitment to church and to the faith was passed right on down to me. Growing up, my mom and I were at church pretty much every time the doors were opened it seemed–at least three times a week. And we usually showed up early and stayed late as well.
And we weren’t just “Sunday Christians” either. My mom and I both read our Bibles, read other Christian Living books, listened to Christian radio, prayed, helped others, etc etc very regularly. We both sang in the church choir and praise band and even attended the same Bible college (though not at the same time). I was helping out at church multiple times a week, was helping out in the community, and had just started a Christian blog. Not that any of these things MAKE you a Christian–they don’t. But if she needed to worry about “converting” anyone, it wasn’t me.
But hey, I enjoy reading about Christianity and Christian beliefs and I wasn’t really that busy at the time, so I figured, “Hey, why not?”
Love Catholic conversion stories? Find it on Amazon!
As I sat down to read Surprised by Truth, honestly, I struggled to make it through the first chapter. I seriously wanted to chuck the book at the wall. I’m a very logical type thinker. I’m not going to believe something “because someone says so.” I want proof. I want facts. I want Scriptural support. Not that faith isn’t important–it is–but first the person better prove to me that they’re worth listening to. And here, the first chapter was full of “I believed because it just felt right, and I came into the Catholic church rejoicing and shouting “Hallelujah” to saint whoever!” Please. Spare me.
I mean, if you enjoy reading conversion stories (like this one you’re reading now 🙂 ), then it’s a really good book. It just wasn’t what I thought it would be or what I was looking for. But I kept reading. Because “hey, why not?”
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And as I kept reading and wading through all the fluff, it wasn’t long before certain sentences began to jump out at me (both good and bad), and I started learning new pieces of information that no one had ever told me before, although in snippets.
Sentences like: “To be deep in history is to cease to be a Protestant.” Now I’ll be the first to admit, I knew VERY little about church history. If I knew more, would that change the way I saw things?
And then, three-quarters of the way through the book, I finally found an author with a similar background as mine (Baptist), who gave an account that wasn’t fluffy, but that was actually full of facts and support and that made a lot of sense. Suddenly, things I was once so sure of… I wasn’t so sure of anymore.
The real turning point happened, though, during a conversation with my husband. I’m not sure what we were talking about specifically, but suddenly it clicked that “Protestant” was derived from Martin Luther’s protest. Now, yes, I did know this before, but I had never really thought about it much. Except, this time, I did.
How–in the 16th century–could some guy suddenly decide he didn’t like the church so he was going to make a new one of his own? Now, I’m not arguing that the Catholic church was in the right. From what I’ve read since then, there was definitely some awful, sinful behavior going on that needed to be addressed. (No one’s perfect, not even the church.) BUT, what gave Martin Luther the right to pick the beliefs he wanted to pick and to abandon the rest? Who was he to get to say what was Scriptural or not?
It was at that moment I realized I couldn’t be Protestant anymore. I couldn’t support a man who left the church, took things into his own hands and decided for himself what truth should be. It just wasn’t Biblical. We’re called to repair, not divide.
Ceasing to be a Protestant wasn’t a problem for me. We did a lot of church-hopping when I was younger, and I can count NINE churches I’ve regularly attended in my life so far. I’ve never taken a denominational label–just called myself “Christian”–and I was still a Christian, so that was fine.
But investigating the Catholic Church’s beliefs was a much longer and more tumultuous journey. A journey which involved a lot of questioning, a lot of struggling and a lot of tears. A journey which I hope to cover throughout this series.
So whether you are Protestant or Catholic or something else all together, I hope and pray you will join me with an open heart and an inquisitive mind. I’m not seeking to convert you or to say that one side is right and the other is wrong. At the time of this writing, I’m neither Catholic or Protestant, and I’m still unsure as to how this journey will end.
But what I DO know is it’s been quite an enlightening year and I’ve learned a lot. And I’d like to share some of what I’ve learned with you. Because honestly, wouldn’t you like to know if what you believe is true? I hope so. And I hope you’ll continue to join me every Wednesday throughout this series to find out more.
As we start this series, I’d like to know: Are you a Protestant or Catholic? Did you grow up that way or did you switch?
Ready to read more? Don’t miss the rest of the posts in the series!
The Day I Realized My Religion Got it Wrong
10 Common Catholic Church Myths that Critics Believe
Is the Eucharist Really Just a Symbol?
Who has the Ultimate Authority? A Biblical Look at Sola Scriptura
A Brief Look at the History of Christianity
What All Christians Should Know About Priests, the Pope and Confession
What Do Catholics Really Believe About Mary, Saints and Statues?
Infant Baptism or Believer’s Baptism? Which is Correct?
What is Purgatory? What are Indulgences?
Why Do Catholics….? Honest Answers to Your Burning Questions
born Catholic!
Ready to learn more about your faith? 🙂
Always! Your 10 myths about the Catholic faith caught my eye because by 20 year-old son’s (make up your own church) friends were questioning him about why Catholics “added books to the bible.” He tried to explain to them that Catholics have not added but others have removed books from the bible because they didn’t like what they said. I’m not sure they believed him but at least he put the idea in their head!!
That’s something. Hopefully they’ll begin researching it for themselves (or he’ll show them some sources) that will let them know the way it really happened.
Cradle Catholic here. I have enjoyed reading your post today and am looking forward to further reading about your journey. Though I never left the Faith, I was not always aware of the fullness and beauty of the Faith I grew up in until later on as a young adult. During the pregnancy of my first child, I felt myself slowing being drawn in further, all of a sudden, it meant more to me because there was someone else to think about. As the years have gone by and I have read and studied more, I am absolutely where I am meant to be. I LOVE hearing about people’s different Faith Journey’s, as we are all on our own unique path to find the Truth that God wants us to know. Over the years, I, at times, have discovered more of the beauty and richness of the Faith I grew up in through the eyes and Journeys of my convert friends. Best of luck as you follow your unique path and I look forward to reading what you are learning! Trust in God and enjoy the Journey Brittany! God Bless!!!
Thanks, Yvonne! Hope you learn something new and are inspired even more too 🙂
Like Yvonne, I was raised Catholic and slowly slipped away in my late teens/young adulthood. My father was Catholic and my mother was Methodist. We were raised Catholic with a Protestant viewpoint on many Catholic tenets when my father wasn’t around. I grew up realizing there are many people with strong faith that are not Catholic. I married a United Methodist man and he started to go to his church, so I went with him. I found that I appreciated his faith and loved the people in the small church (25-30 attendees every Sunday), but it was not my ‘home’. I also found that some of them hated Catholics with a passion. My husband slowly started to skip church and I found myself going there alone, so I decided to return to my Catholic church and my ‘home’. That brought around a new search for the differences between Protestant and Catholic since I was always looking for the common ground. Consequently I have discovered a deep, rich faith that is based on the apostles who followed Christ while he was on earth instead of those who have made the ceremonies murky. With that logical reasoning, I have come to better understand the Catholic faith and especially the mass. My mom has a deep faith in God, but hasn’t been to a Sunday service for probably 40 years. I tease her about it and she calmly asserts that her faith in God is strong and within her. I can see that by her life, but I think she is missing out on some great sermons by staying home on Sundays. Glad to see others have been interested in delving into the rich history and theology behind Catholacism. Check out Matthew Kelly – I love his simple explanations of the faith. I am also looking forward to this series Brittany, and I thank you for your research. It is always great to get to the bottom of things – the real truth – through a thorough research.
Hi, Maureen! Thanks for sharing your story! I love how you talk about getting to the “bottom of things” and finding the similarities. That’s exactly what I’m trying to do here. Identify our beliefs, and then find out which ones are actually biblical and not. Hopefully this series will inspire others to do the same 🙂
I was born and raised Catholic. I work at a Catholic Church and attended Catholic schools my entire life (even college). I attended youth group, went on mission trips, and regularly attended Mass. Once I started working for the church, my thoughts on being Catholic for the second time (first time was college where I studied Theology) were thrown for a loop. My boyfriend is Lutheran. I have been attending services with him for the past 3(ish) months. It is my understanding that Martin Luther didn’t mean to start his own religion, only to stand up to what the Catholic Church was not doing right. He felt that certain teachings were wrong, and people agreed. I don’t know whose say it is other than God’s, so it’s important to turn to scripture. I’m currently on the same journey as you only going the other way. I just want to do what is right, but for now, I consider myself a Christian and continue having these types of conversations with my boyfriend and others about the difference between Catholics and Protestants. I look forward to the rest of the series!
I’m happy to hear you’re on a journey as well! I really hope you will join me throughout this series and that you will share the things you’ve learned as well. I’m not trying to say one denomination is right or wrong (though that inevitably will happen on several points), just to discuss Scriptures and issues to find out where the truth lies. Thanks for joining us!
Hi, Marti! Just going back through old comments and making sure I replied to everyone! Were you able to follow along with the series? Last week was the conclusion post (with giveaway!) and we have covered a LOT of ground in between! I’d love to answer any questions/concerns you may still have. You said you enjoy discussing Catholic/Protestant belief, and there’s a LOT to discuss! 🙂
I LOVED you piece on the 10 Misconceptions. I was raised nominally Catholic. I tried some other churches as a teen. As an adult, I found myself very attracted to the faith of some of my neighbors who attended Calvary Chapel and was wondering what they had that I was missing. I prayed for guidance and heard God say loud and clear that I needed to learn my Catholic faith. My first thought was that I would learn it and I would be able to wipe my hands of it after all I knew what everyone from Calvary Chapel was saying about the Catholic Church. In my search for answers I too read Surprised By Truth and then Rome Sweet Home by Dr. Scott Hahn. Not only did I fall deeply in love with Jesus in a different way than ever before, I saw the fullness of Christianity through the Church. I have learned that most Catholics don’t know why the believe in certain things, they just believe. I have also learned that a Catholic who knows their faith is someone to be reckoned with.
lol. My mother-in-law keeps telling me that Protestant converts make the best Catholics because they KNOW their stuff 🙂 If I do ultimately become Catholic, I’ll be bringing a whole boatload of knowledge with me! Hopefully this series will inspire everyone–Catholic and Protestant alike–to learn more about the what and why of whatever faith they choose.
Thank you for all you’re doing! I am a cradle catholic. Like almost catholic royalty in my neck of the woods as my great, great uncle was Abbot of the local Abbey. That’s justa joke between me and my primitive baptist preacher husband, who says the same thing about himself. He comes from a line of preachers. During college, I began to doubt my faith. I continued to go to church as always, but knew I would keep an open mind. And that is exactly how it went when husband came along. Sadly for me, I realized “too late” how much I am happy to be part of the Catholic faith. While engaged I decided to not have our children baptized catholic. It breaks my heart now, but I know God will take care of them. Anyway, I’m happy you’re finding your path and I hope more Catholics who have strayed can find their way back.
It’s not too late to have them baptized! I will be doing a post on infant baptism on March 11th. You should invite your husband to read along in this series with you. I’d actually LOVE to hear his thoughts on a lot of these things. I was raised Baptist 🙂
Oh, and also–just some food for thought–when our boys were first born, my husband was Catholic and I was not (and am still not) so I wasn’t comfortable baptizing them in the Catholic church. We went to a meeting to learn all about it and I researched, but I just didn’t agree. So, my husband baptized them himself on our living room floor (with me there, of course. I was in full agreement). Of course, now I think they both have to be re-baptized just to “make sure” but it worked for us! lol
Just a thought. It may not be too late physically to have your children baptized, but as she mentioned her husband is a Baptist preacher. I can’t speak for this particular couple as I don’t know them, but I don’t know any Baptist preacher that would allow his children to be baptized Catholic. I’m not in that same situation, but another where I just need to trust it all to God to work out.
A very exciting journey as it can only lead you home! I am a cradle Catholic, We went to Church every Sunday and had to dressed in our Sunday best! I went through a number of years during my teens that I hated the parental mandate of going to Church “while you live under my roof.” After I moved out, I had an unfortunate incident with the parish priest. It took a long time before I stepped foot in any church! Later, I was tired of the emptiness inside. Something was wrong with me, I just knew it. I needed something. Without a lot of searching for answers, two things brought me back to the Catholic Church. One was the realization that my parents really believed what they taught us. Despite all the fighting and tears and anger that I caused, they continued to go to Church, even though they no longer “had to” for the kids. They really believed it, and they would come out of Church happy and still holding hands almost 60 years later. That meant a lot to me. The other thing that brought me back was that the Catholic stood firm. What it taught at the beginning is what it teaches now. I came back. There are teachings that I don’t always understand, don’t know how to explain, but I take it on faith. I believe in the Catholic Church and what it teaches. In the past 25 years, I have learned more and more. I don’t know everything and some things will always be taken on faith. That is what faith in God really is: trusting in Him, even when you don’t feel Him or understand Him.
God bless you on your journey and thank you for your inspiration to others!
Thanks for sharing, Lisa. Hopefully learning more about what and why Catholics believe will only strengthen your faith!
Hey- I just wanted to say Inshare a similar journey, in that I married a Catholic girl and converted from Protestantism. Just one minor quibble, in discussing Luther, you say “No one’s perfect, even the Church.” The best explanation I have heard is that. “The Chirch is a perfect and godly institution run by imperfect humans.”
I should clarify. By “not even the church” I mean the church body–the people. I was not referring to official church doctrine. Two very separate things!
one way to ask the question is…. “would you leave Peter over what Judas did?”
Wow that’s really good. Thanks for sharing that.
Thanks, Jenn!
Brittany,
In your research, you will want to explore baptism (including who can baptize) and how “re-baptism” is understood in the Catholic church. You might find some interesting truth there as well.
I look forward to what you will bring to this conversation. I am a cradle Catholic married to a non-Catholic.
Mary
Baptism is scheduled for March 11th! 🙂
Are you sharing this series with your husband? Could provide for some good discussion!
This is great Brittany! It’s is 1:09 am here and I should have been in bed a while ago. However, I just had to start at the beginning of this series and read all the comments.
I am excited for you and your journey; and thrilled that you are sharing it with all of us. It takes tremendous courage – and a huge leap of faith – to put yourself ‘out there’ for all to see and examine.
I’m not sure what else I can add to the conversation, other than to suggest reading Jeff Cavins, and listening to his Scripture studies. It was his Great Adventure, Bible Timeline, that taught me a lot of the Church history that I now know. Oh, and if feasible, go to Rome and Assisi. Amazing, beautiful, historical, and faith-filled!
I actually had chills when reading two of the comments: the one lady who was able to work out getting to RCIA; and your last comment about the Baptism scheduled for March 11th. My question is, is that baptism for your children or yourself?
I look forward to reading this entire series! I am a cradle Catholic who has probably learned more about her faith in the last 10 years than in my entire life before that. It took going to Rome and then teaching the faith to my children that got me here. And my journey is far from over…
Hi, Heather! Up so late! To clarify–March 11th is the day I am posting about Baptism. I was already baptized when I was in elementary school. It wasn’t in the Catholic church, but the church still considers it valid. Both of my children were baptized by my husband, but I think they have to be re-baptized “just in case.” I’m confident he did it right, but the church just wants to make sure. And it’s not like it will hurt anything… Not sure when this will happen. They said there’s no rush. They just need the paperwork eventually.
Good luck on your journey as well! Hope you enjoy the rest of the series 🙂