I Do Not Understand Why JWs Leave & Become Catholics!

by minimus 239 Replies latest jw friends

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  AK - Jeff

  This thread is interesting to me from a non-biased perspective.

  I am no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses. I left due to falsehood, lies, duplicity, and hypocrisy, to name a few.

  One of the things we did as Jw's was constant attack on other religions. I am happy to see so many xjws here willing to defend a religion other than Jw's against attack. The arguments/counters are less significant to me than is the fact that we have become more willing to reason on matters like this.

  I will say this - I have become fairly well acquainted with a few Catholics who were formerly Jw's. I have had some contact with Mr Cabeen. I have had more extensive contact with several other practicing Catholics. I don't know of a single one of them whom I would not invite to my home. They seem to be good people. I like that about them. Good fruitage is good fruitage no matter the religion the person practices.

  I have come to respect all the Catholics I know - both former Jw's and not. I doubt I will ever become one. But it has little to do with doctrine. I don't believe we can find a 'doctrinally pure' Christian group anywhere. I don't think such an animal exists. To debate the merits of a particular Christian community based on doctrine seems almost silly to me these days. There are flaws in all of them. Yet - I think individual Catholics are at least as devoted to being good Christians as any other individual in any denomination I have seen.

  So if one wants to continue down the 'Christian path' after leaving Jw's, I have to make a different statement:

  I Do Not Understand Why Jw's Leave & Don't Become Catholic if They Seek to Remain Christian! The Catholics Seem As Good As Any Other To Me!

  Just my opinion

  Jeff
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  FlyingHighNow

  http://www.westminster-abbey.org/ Do you realize that Westminster Abbey dates to before 1066 and was

  the Roman church in London? The Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066 and is the final resting place of seventeen monarchs.

  The present church, begun by Henry III in 1245, is one of the most important Gothic buildings in the country, with the medieval shrine of an Anglo-Saxon saint still at its heart.
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  Fisherman

  I agree with you min. There is nothing in that religion for me. I have to admit however that there are many, many wonderful people that are catholics. I dare to say that some catholics are better and even more Christ-like than some jws. One also must credit some of their clergy for their humanitarianism, self sacrifice and the help and comfort and guidance that they have provided. JWS do not dare to open schools for JWS, yet the Catholics continue to take up this challenge and for what it is worth with all its pagan teachings they offer something better than the public schools in my opinion. Given the opportunity, I would rather send my child to the babylonian catholic school than to a public school.

  Anyway, aside from their teachings and beliefs, again many catholics are wonderful people.
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  yesidid

  I have to agree with Fisherman:

  Anyway, aside from their teachings and beliefs, again many catholics are wonderful people.

  Nevertheless I must ask:

  Is it this:

  Tom Cabeen

  Surely you do not consider that the Catholic church's decision to select priests from among men who had already chosen to follow Jesus' and Paul's teaching of the superiority of the single state from the perspective of pursuing a career in ministry to be the same as "forbidding men to marry", do you?

  Or is it this:

  FlyingHighNow

  But being Catholic is much easier unless of course you are priest who wishes to marry. Then is when many of them leave and become Anglican Catholic, or Episcopalian priests, here in the USA.

  .
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  ESTEE

  After jw, any religion is a cake walk! Some people can't leave the "structure"...?

  ESTEE
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  FlyingHighNow

  YesIDid, Andy's family are devout Catholics. I attended a mass one Saturday night and Father George gave a sermon about why priests do not marry. This is the jist of what he said. He said that the rule has nothing to do with scripture. He said that at the time the rule was instilled, the church owned lands belonged to the Bishops and Priests whose sons became Bishops and Priests so that the land could be passed on to the sons. There was corruption that developed so Rome decided that the priests would not marry any longer. And the celibacy rule came into play to stop priests from passing on the land to illegitimate sons. He said the rule was strictly for economical reasons and to prevent people with poor characters from becoming priests just to inherit the church lands.

  Andy's mother has taught cathecism for years. She pointed out to me that she was taught that the church today continues to ban the marrying of priests because they church does not wish to support spouses and children.
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  Tom Cabeen

  YID,
  
  Catholics do not put things into black and white nearly as often as JWs, and not even as often as Evangelicals. Rather than things being "either this or that", much more often, their view is "both...and..." In this particular case, there is no rule that Catholic priests may not be married. In fact, any number of married Anglican/Episcopal or Orthodox priests who have become Catholics have subsequently been ordained as Catholic priests.
  
  For the Catholic Church as a whole, the norm is to get married and have offspring. Catholics are not forbidden to marry in general; in fact, marriage is a sacrament just as holy orders is. Catholics are encouraged to marry. But some Catholics want to be priests, or "religious" (monks or nuns). The desire to enter these "holy orders" is viewed as out of the norm, a special gift from God, which includes the desire to serve God in the single state, as taught by Jesus and Paul. It is never a decision into which anyone is rushed. The process of becoming a priest or monk or nun takes years, and genuine deep commitment. Only after a long period of trial and examination is one finally accepted for holy orders.
  
  Sometimes, however, in spite of the fact that someone has taken a vow of chastity and been ordained as a priest, a priest or monk later decides that he wants to marry. In that case, he must break his vow. He can no longer serve as a Catholic priest or monk. But it may be that the same person still wants to be a priest. He may decide to try to be ordained as an Episcopal or Anglican priest. In that case, if he meets the requirements for priests set up by the Episcopal bishops, he can become an Episcopal priests. Presumably, they might be accepted for the Orthodox priesthood as well, I do not know about that.
  
  Tom
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  FlyingHighNow

  Anglican/Episcopal or Orthodox priests who have become Catholics have subsequently been ordained as Catholic priests.

  This is true. Adding to this though, the married priests have to vow that should there be a death of spouse or divorce, they will not marry again. They will at that become celibate.
• 

  FlyingHighNow

  I should add that there would be many happy priests if the celibacy rule were ever to be lifted.
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  mouthy

  John Ankerberg has in the past, had tv programs suggesting they are a cult. I concur.

  Mim you should read the Book he wrote on the Catholic Church( cant remembr the name) I gave it away but it was excellent in my opinion. I dont think the Catholic Church is a cult.Because I believe a cult stiffles how you want to behave & every Catholic I have ever met does all the things I feel is not in harmony with scripture.And they do as they like & MOST never get excommunicated for it. Now remembering I dont either do every thing I should if I follow scripture. .but I believe Jesus the ONLY WAY<TRUTH<LIFE forgave me when I asked & still does when I goof ....but I am not belonging to ANY religion that thinks they have the TRUTH>>

  2cents that will quash the post ( as my post usually do