I'm a couple weeks into the RCIA programme. I'm 21m uni student from an atheist family. Anyone else gone through this experience?Also conversion general

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Anonymous 10/04/14 (Sat) 11:21:38 No.175

I'm a couple weeks into the RCIA programme. I'm 21m uni student from an atheist family. Anyone else gone through this experience?

Also conversion general

Anonymous 10/04/14 (Sat) 17:11:26 No.180

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Not from an atheist family, but an anti-Catholic Protestant family. Specifically, Assemblies of God which I believe is an arm of the Pentecostal branch of Protestantism.

There's no shortage of hate for Catholics in that church. I decided to get married in that church since it was my own personal heritage having been raised in it and the Pastor, which is new since I've left it, made fun of Catholics right in front of my Catholic wife-to-be and her Catholic parents. It was rather uncouth.

Anyway, I'm late to beginning RCIA and since I'm coming from a Pagan (Asatru/Druidry) background I'm giving myself a year of study, reading the bible, and prayer before deciding to dedicate myself and joining the next batch of RCIA classes.

Anonymous 10/04/14 (Sat) 17:21:31 No.181

Welcome brother! Great choice. I was born Catholic but my mom was RCIA director at a few churches for about 20 years. Let me know if you have any questions.

Anonymous 10/04/14 (Sat) 17:23:09 No.182

>>180
You'll get a lot of anti-catholic hate but it usually comes from voices of ignorance. One you realize you have a more complete cosmogony, it'll roll off you back like nothing.

Anonymous 10/05/14 (Sun) 05:12:16 No.201

>>175
Best of luck anon. Was raised Catholic and went to Catholic school myself. Sadly a lot of the kids that grew up Catholic took it for granted growing up (myself included). It's not until you see the reality of today's world that you appreciate what you were given.

Anonymous 10/06/14 (Mon) 12:11:05 No.249

>>201
Well said.

Secularists every day: "abandon God! Oh god where are all these social problems coming from?!"

Anonymous 10/06/14 (Mon) 20:40:21 No.254

I'm from an irreligious family who was vaguely Christian but we never ever went to church. I've just started on my path to understanding and accepting Christ. I've got myself a Bible (KJV) and I've started going to church semi-regularly, but not as often as I should, but it's a Lutheran one.

I'm considering branching off into Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Both of those have appealed to me since I was young, even in my edgy atheist phase.

Anonymous 10/06/14 (Mon) 20:56:44 No.255

>>254
The Catholic Church, and to some extent the Apostolic Orthodox Patriarchates, are the only extant churches with any basis or authority in the words and deeds of Christ. I encourage you to investigate Catholicism and let the Spirit guide your conclusions and conversion.

See my posts here:
>>202
>>203

For good starting points on Catholic theology contra Protestantism. The book by Cardinal Newman is highly recommended, and pretty much solidified my Catholicism and erased any doubts brought up by Protestant argumentation.

Also, if you're interested, skip to 14:00 in the following video for a good explanation of the Catholic response to sola scriptura:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA0-R1jZiW8

Good luck

Anonymous 10/06/14 (Mon) 21:16:31 No.256

>>255
Well, I'd love an explanation on what sola scriptura, sola fida, and all of that exactly is. I've never understood it and I'd love a simple explanation to it.

Anonymous 10/06/14 (Mon) 21:31:29 No.257

>>256
Sola Scriptura- Scripture Alone

The Bible alone and only the Bible is the source of all Christian truth. The link I provided explains why this is untenable, even from a biblical perspective.

Sola Fide- Faith Alone

Faith in Christ is the only ingredient of salvation, living righteously in your actions is inconsequential as long as you have faith. The Catholic Church teaches that mortal sin can still separate us from God after our baptism, and we must live righteously and do penance in order to merit a hope of salvation even after we have proclaimed and confirmed our faith.

I have to go eat, but I'll be happy to answer any more questions you may have later.

Anonymous 10/06/14 (Mon) 21:44:44 No.258

>>257
I definitely think that faith alone isn't what determines our place in Heaven. Faith in Christ surely brings us as close God as anything, but to gain everything in eternal life, we should live as righteously and as piously as we humanly can.

Does this coexist with Catholicism?

Anonymous 10/06/14 (Mon) 22:11:19 No.259

>>258
This is essentially the Catholic position. The Church goes further in maintaining that part of the righteous life is participating in the sacraments, especially confession and the Eucharist, on a regular basis.