I am Baptist & I am thinking about converting to Catholicism, how should I make my decision?

Question

How can I make my choice in between these two? I'm confused on which I want to stick with.

Answer 1

May I ask what made you want to make this decision?

As a Baptist, myself, I don't think I would be able to "convert" to Catholicism. I simply don't think I would be able to pray to Mary and other Saints.

Answer 2

Jesus doesn't want you to be either.

Answer 3

Obviously you should think on it and pray on it.  I'd tell you to talk to a priest, but then I'd have to suggest you talk to your preacher too just to be fair, and frankly, in my experience, they're quite willing to spit bull**** to keep you from converting.  So I would suggest you pick up a good pro-Baptist book and a good pro-Catholic book (might I suggest "Rome sweet home" by Scott Hahn) and read them.

Also, read your bible and compare the bible to the beliefs of each.  If the belief of one appears to be in contrast to the bible, ASK a pastor or priest about it.  Often what first looks like a contradiction is actually perfectly explainable.

Oh, and if you're having reservations about some Catholic practices (like praying to saints and praying the rosary), remember that a lot of them aren't mandatory.

Answer 4

pray on it. but i know i am happy with my Catholic faith.

Answer 5

Forget them both and visit an Apostolic church...the worship is awesome!  I was raised a baptist, converted to catholicism when I married...went to a catholic church for 23 years and for 23 years I felt my spiritual life stagnate.  

Answer 6

Your decision should be based off of your study of the Bible.

After you have read John and Romans through, then pray and ask God for guidance.

Answer 7

I was raised and educated as a Catholic, but found the truth when I worked in a Muslim country.  Please learn about Islam before you make any decision.  This will be better for you.  Good Luck!

Answer 8

You know what the Baptist Church is about. I think you need to explore what the Catholic Church is about.

If you are interested in joining or just learning more about the Catholic Church, contact your local parish and ask for information about their RCIA Inquiry group.

You can go and ask any questions you want.

This is the first step in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) but you can stop at any time.

There is no obligation to become a Catholic.

Some resources: http://www.archdiocese.la/evangelization...

With love and prayers in Christ.

Answer 9

Before you do anything, may I ask you to read just one book? These are Free Christian Books available to anyone in this world. Just pick out anyone and then after you have read all of it from cover to cover then you can make a decision.

Answer 10

If you're interested, this is a popular forum for Baptist Christians, you may find more answers here...

http://christianforums.com/forumdisplay....

Here is one for Catholic Christians...

http://christianforums.com/forumdisplay....

Answer 11

You may wish to pray the Rosary, and ask Mary for guidance:

http://www.medjugorje.org/rosary.htm

The fifteen promises of Mary to Christians who recite the rosary:

1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces.

2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.

3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against h**l, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.

4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.

5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.

6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries, shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just, he shall remain in the grace of God and become worthy of eternal life.

7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.

8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces; at the moment of death, they shall participate in the merits of the saints in Paradise.

9. I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.

10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit high degree of glory in Heaven.

11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.

12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.

13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire Celestial Court during their life and at the hour of death.

14. All who recite the Rosary are my sons, and brothers of my only Son, Jesus Christ.

15. Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

Our Lady has 117 titles. She selected this title at Fatima: "I am the Lady of the Rosary."

St. Francis de Sales said the greatest method of praying IS- Pray the Rosary.

St. Thomas Aquinas preached 40 straight days in Rome, Italy on just the Hail Mary.

St. John Vianney, patron of priests, was seldom seen without a rosary in his hand.

"The rosary is the scourge of the devil" -- Pope Adrian VI

"The rosary is a treasure of graces" -- Pope Paul V

Padre Pio, the stigmatic priest, said: "The Rosary is THE WEAPON"

Pope Leo XIII wrote 9 encyclicals on the rosary.

Pope John XXIII spoke 38 times about Our Lady and the Rosary. He prayed 15 decades daily.

St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort wrote: "The rosary is the most powerful weapon to touch the Heart of Jesus, Our Redeemer, who so loves His Mother."

God bless!

Fred

Answer 12

I read and hear things like this so often and it makes me sad. Why? Because Christ wants one church that is unified and not a fragmented body that is concerned with labels.

Paul even addressed this very idea of labels resulting from people who have chosen to emphasis different aspects of the whole truth of Christ and the freedom of Christianity in his letter to the Corinthians:

"I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?"

1 Corinthians 1:10-13

"For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task."

1 Corinthians 3:4-5

Truly, there are differences between the ceremonies of the Baptists and the ceremonies of the Catholic church but they are all ceremonies. If two Christians can differ on the way a ceremony is performed then perhaps that is because of preference and nothing else. Cathollics and Baptists alike believe in One God who is Three, The Atonement for Sin, Baptism as a sign, The Holy Communion and other such things. There are certainly differences in the way they express their faith and the ceremonies they perform but their hope is the same and the one that they trust in is the same.

To suggest that one can 'convert' from Catholicism to Baptist faith is to suggest that the faiths are different when they are not. Certainly you may find that the expressions of worship in one church are more suited to your character than the expressions in another. You may enjoy the reverence and repetition of the Catholic service more than the joy and freedom of the Baptists but that is mere personal preference.

So if your question is regarding whether you are unsure about changing churches and going from a Baptist church to a Catholic church then I would say that you should try them both and see which fits more closely with your character and the way you desire to express your worship for God and for Christ. But if you perceive the religions are different and the hopes are different then you are focussing on something that is not the truth. They both profess Christ as Lord and Saviour and the Atoning Sacrifice for Sin who reconciles you with God and through whom and for whom the world was created. It is the hope of Christianity and the work of the Holy Spirit in your heart that will transform you into the likeness of Christ.

So let us unite as brothers and sisters of Christ. Whether you worship in a Catholic church, Baptist church or even Pentecostal church matters not providing you worship the Living God. Even though you attend a different church to me, by faith you are still my sister in Christ and one day we shall share eternity together in paradise! If the expression of worship in a Catholic church appeals to you more then move churches but never for one moment think that you are worshipping a different God or a different Saviour. They are the same and we should seek to once more unite all churches under Christ for this very reason.

Answer 13

If your thinking of it, I take it you know about Catholic Faith!

It is a beautiful faith,In it you will receive Christ in the Eucharist and Have life.

This alone should decide the choice,I know how Baptised disagree with this, But no one did until the reformers rewrote the Meaning in a way that was not Biblical, They did it saying Jesus could not be in two places at once!!! Poor excuse to take millions away from the Bread of Life.

Google these They will help you see what Catholics see.

Lanciano Eucharistic Miracles.

Apparitions of the Virgin Mary, Fatima is proof, as Mary gave a sign to the world to show she came from God, the time and day, It happened.

She comes with an urgent call to repent and turn back to God.

Catholic Saints..... and Church fathers.

These will show how the Church has stayed true to the teaching, and give insight into the Catholic understanding.

I hope you find the Truth. God Bless.

Answer 14

Catholic means "to accept all "  ,

Find a local Catholic church. It's not too hard - just look under the yellow pages of the phone book under "Churches." Alternatively, the website Mass Times allows you to search for churches based on parameters such city, zip code, phone number, or country.

Mass Times : http://www.masstimes.org/dotnet/Default....

Once you find a church you like, contact the Parish Office and inform them of your desire to convert.

You will be asked to talk to a priest or deacon, or perhaps to a layperson who is experienced in the conversion process. He will ask you why you wish to become Catholic and in general, talk to you to be sure you are sincere in your desire and are aware of the conditions of being Catholic.

If you continue on in the process, you'll start taking Catholic education classes,  You will learn the history of the Church, the beliefs and values of the Catholic Church, and the proper order of celebration of Mass. During this stage, many classes have you attending Mass for only part of the time, leaving before communion, as you may not receive Eucharist until you have entered the Church.

If you're lucky enough to become Catholic around Easter, you'll get to be baptized (if you haven't been baptized before), receive your first communion.