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Laughing Elf
Member
| Joined: | Sat Feb 16th, 2008 |
| Location: | Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 47 |
| First Name: | Rod | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Methodist, PCA, agnostic, Buddhist, Episcopalian, Methodist |
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Posted: Sun Feb 17th, 2008 03:13 pm |
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Good morning. I've very glad this forum exists and I look forward to learning from you all. My recent re-pull toward Catholicism was initiated by a Catholic friend who loaned me her only copy of Reasons to Believe, by Scott Hahn. That book provided a spark of interest, other books that have fanned the ember include Born Fundamentalist Born Again Catholic by David Currie.
Some sort of intellectual vertigo (paradigm shift perhaps ?) has been in process for the last 3 months as some new and different propositions have been dropping anchor in my life such as, "Peter was given the Keys", "the Reformation might have been a serious and unwarrented schism within the Body of Christ".
Ye Gads! These are non trivial concepts to entertain for a life long protestant.
So, here I am continuing to walk the path with ( I hope ) my eyes (and mind) open.
By the way, my initial pull toward Catholicism was back in 1981 when I first read Thomas Merton, and decided to allow my militant agnosticsm to evaporate in the sunrise while re-embracing a Christianity free of the fundamentalism of my youth.
May your Day go well! 
Rod
____________________
"Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight."
Tolkien, LOTR I
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kimdyuma
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Arizona USA |
| Posts: | 710 |
| First Name: | Kim | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | cradle Anglican, Episcopal /Catholic-04/07/07 |
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Posted: Sun Feb 17th, 2008 04:50 pm |
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Nice to meet you- hopefully you will find this site a wonderful resource
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Adopt from your local Humane Society- Please spay or neuter your pets
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Credo Catholic
Member
| Joined: | Sat May 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 1212 |
| First Name: | Marsha | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Feb 17th, 2008 05:07 pm |
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| Hi Rod, welcome to the forum! Your faith history looks interesting; we look forward to your questions and comments. God bless your journey!
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Laughing Elf
Member
| Joined: | Sat Feb 16th, 2008 |
| Location: | Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 47 |
| First Name: | Rod | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Methodist, PCA, agnostic, Buddhist, Episcopalian, Methodist |
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Posted: Sun Feb 17th, 2008 07:11 pm |
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Thanks Kim,
Our wonderful cat Arwen (being used as my avatar for now) was a rescued cat. It is a blessing to care for the four-legged creatures on this planet.
Looking forward to meeting the community.
Rod
____________________
"Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight."
Tolkien, LOTR I
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Laughing Elf
Member
| Joined: | Sat Feb 16th, 2008 |
| Location: | Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 47 |
| First Name: | Rod | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Methodist, PCA, agnostic, Buddhist, Episcopalian, Methodist |
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Posted: Sun Feb 17th, 2008 07:14 pm |
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Thanks Marsha,
I too find other's faith journeys interesting. What an interesting pattern they weave on the heart. At this point in the journey the questions are innumerable....I'm not sure where or when to start asking them
Best regards,
Rod
____________________
"Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight."
Tolkien, LOTR I
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Intercessor
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 859 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Feb 17th, 2008 08:22 pm |
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Laughing Elf wrote:
At this point in the journey the questions are innumerable....I'm not sure where or when to start asking them
Welcome, Rod. I vote for here and now. 
We love questions.
Glad to have you with us.
Becky
____________________
"If our charity is arrested by the difficulties encountered in dealing with our neighbor, . . . our relations with our brethren are not regulated by our love of God, but by our love of self." Divine Intimacy p. 781, Fr. Gabriel, O.C.D.
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 4981 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Sun Feb 17th, 2008 09:41 pm |
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Laughing Elf wrote: So, here I am continuing to walk the path with ( I hope ) my eyes (and mind) open.
Welcome, Rod. We're glad to have you here with us. You might be our first Methodist-Presbyterian-agnostic-Buddhist-Episcopalian-Methodist!  We've had all of those before, but I don't think ever in that exact combination.
We'll do our best to help you on your path, wherever it might lead.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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tedjenczewski
Member
| Joined: | Thu May 10th, 2007 |
| Location: | Richmond, Virginia USA |
| Posts: | 162 |
| First Name: | Ted | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, Presbyterian, Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 12:13 am |
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| Welcome Rod, and may God bless you on your journey.
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"...the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth." 1Tim 3, 15
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Connie
User on Probation
| Joined: | Fri Jun 1st, 2007 |
| Location: | California USA |
| Posts: | 99 |
| First Name: | Connie | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Catholic Convert from Presbyterian, then Episcopalian |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 01:21 am |
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Welcome!!! I love the picture of your kitty!!
I hope you'll "come home" to the Catholic Church soon. It's the best decision of my life!!! You'll rest finally--it really does feel like HOME, because it is.
God Bless You
Jer. 29:11
Last edited on Mon Feb 18th, 2008 01:38 am by Connie
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~Connie~
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Laughing Elf
Member
| Joined: | Sat Feb 16th, 2008 |
| Location: | Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 47 |
| First Name: | Rod | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Methodist, PCA, agnostic, Buddhist, Episcopalian, Methodist |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 02:38 am |
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Hi Becky,
Thanks for the greetings.....I've been a lurker in the forum for several days before joining and hope to post a question in the appropriate forum soon. Just taking the steps to being here has been something. I'm still breathing it all in.
I noticed you were in Kentucky, I graduated from Western Kentucky University and have many warm feelings about KY.
Best regards,
Rod
____________________
"Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight."
Tolkien, LOTR I
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Laughing Elf
Member
| Joined: | Sat Feb 16th, 2008 |
| Location: | Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 47 |
| First Name: | Rod | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Methodist, PCA, agnostic, Buddhist, Episcopalian, Methodist |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 02:44 am |
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Thanks Rick,
I used to live in Lafayette, LA ( south of I-10 ) so understand your comment about "yankees" you made in another forum .
Lafayette is my only experience with a Catholic culture. It permeated life in so many ways. I still recall riding a bus down a road in Lafayette and as we drove in front of the Cathedral, everyone on the bus, including the bus driver crossed them selves.
I still miss the local crawfish. 
Best regards,
Rod
____________________
"Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight."
Tolkien, LOTR I
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Laughing Elf
Member
| Joined: | Sat Feb 16th, 2008 |
| Location: | Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 47 |
| First Name: | Rod | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Methodist, PCA, agnostic, Buddhist, Episcopalian, Methodist |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 02:47 am |
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Hi Ted,
Thanks for those thoughts. I suppose many of us pray for that......God's warm blessing of our endeavors. May it be so for you as well.
Peace,
Rod
____________________
"Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight."
Tolkien, LOTR I
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Laughing Elf
Member
| Joined: | Sat Feb 16th, 2008 |
| Location: | Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 47 |
| First Name: | Rod | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Methodist, PCA, agnostic, Buddhist, Episcopalian, Methodist |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 02:55 am |
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Hi Connie,
Thanks for your welcome. That is the most interesting thing about this segment of the journey. It seems that for much of my Christian journey it has been an experience like staying in one hotel after another. For the first time in a very long time, it appears as if home is just over the next mountain.
While pouring a lot of intellectual energy into this sojourn, there is still the matter of the heart. A professor I once had said, " the matter of the heart, is the heart of the matter." My heart feels the amazing pull toward what I recently called "the Church established by Jesus Christ" ( a phrase surely borrowed from someone ). Just uttering those words alone, was a minor transformative experience, for it was my first verbal acknowledgement that the protestant paragidm was on very shaky ground ( "sinking sand", perhaps?)
Blessings,
Rod
____________________
"Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight."
Tolkien, LOTR I
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Intercessor
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 859 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 07:07 am |
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Laughing Elf wrote:
I've been a lurker in the forum for several days before joining and hope to post a question in the appropriate forum soon. Just taking the steps to being here has been something. I'm still breathing it all in.
I noticed you were in Kentucky, I graduated from Western Kentucky University and have many warm feelings about KY.
Rod, you are very brave indeed to register and post after only days of lurking. Off and on I lurked for around two years and had become a daily lurker for months before deciding to join the forum. The past threads were a great resource, but finally I wanted to ask my own questions. The moderators here are hard to beat.
I well understand your state of mind. Feeling a bit stunned that you are consorting with Catholics, are you? Wondering what force has taken hold of your will? At least, that's how I felt in the beginning. It does indeed take a while to absorb it.
Land of the Hilltoppers—I know it well. The statue of Mr. Cherry still stands; however, there are so many new buildings now that one misses the old views of grass and trees.
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"If our charity is arrested by the difficulties encountered in dealing with our neighbor, . . . our relations with our brethren are not regulated by our love of God, but by our love of self." Divine Intimacy p. 781, Fr. Gabriel, O.C.D.
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 4981 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 11:51 am |
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Intercessor wrote: [size=The moderators here are hard to beat.
] That's only because we run fast and you guys keep missing!
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Dave Armstrong
Network Apologist
| Joined: | Fri Nov 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | Melvindale, Michigan USA |
| Posts: | 1227 |
| First Name: | Dave | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Nominal Methodist / evangelical non-denom / "Bapticostal" / Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 07:57 pm |
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| A warm welcome to Rod. This forum is growing all the time, and interesting folks like yourself keep joining (almost daily, so it seems). I think what we have here is very special and unique on the Internet today. I'm proud to be a part of it, and delighted to be a moderator with such a classy, friendly group of people.
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I'm happy to offer whatever theological & personal assistance I can. My blog, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, contains 1900+ papers & web pages (absolutely free) & 16 apologetic books (for sale):
http://www.biblicalcatholic.com/
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Free
Member
| Joined: | Wed Nov 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | Michigan USA |
| Posts: | 109 |
| First Name: | Jane | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Presbyterian, Gnostic, non-demoninational, Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 08:20 pm |
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Rod, your statement about being startled that the Reformation may have been a schism resonated with me. Long before I had any inclination that I would come into the Catholic Church, I was searching the internet for information on the non-denominational sect I was in, worrying that it did not line up with the orthodox teachings of Christianity, and I came across an essay called The Protestant Heresy by Hillaire Belloc. To see the words "protestant" and "heresy" linked like that knocked my socks off. I printed out the essay, but I didn't read it until about a year later when I seemed to suddenly find myself looking at a very narrow gate that was labeled "Catholic Church." At that point I read the essay with very little defensiveness, and it helped me see that, yes, not only had God called me out of a heresy years before called Gnosticism, but also he was callling me out of the Protestant heresy, also. And the happy ending is this: yes, the gate is very narrow, yet once through it, a tremendous vista opens up with green pastures, still waters, and a beautiful table prepared for us. Thank you, Jesus!
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Laughing Elf
Member
| Joined: | Sat Feb 16th, 2008 |
| Location: | Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 47 |
| First Name: | Rod | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Methodist, PCA, agnostic, Buddhist, Episcopalian, Methodist |
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Posted: Tue Feb 19th, 2008 01:04 am |
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Becky,
>>>I well understand your state of mind. Feeling a bit stunned that you are >>>consorting with Catholics, are you?
Ha ha, but not for the first time, I assure you. Living in the Bible Belt for much of my life I learned to look for friends who were Catholic. We've had such good fellowship over the years. Perhaps a bit of "Catholic mindset" [saw this in another forum post] has rubbed off on me over the years.
For 10 years I worked under a boss who was a very active member of his Catholic church. He was a prime mover in the church's youth group, got his kids to see the Pope in Colorado. Great stuff. We had many talks over the years about what it was like to be Catholic in Alabama when they are in such a tiny minority. What he did with and for the youth in his Church was really transformational. Those kids were really blessed.
But still, I feel stunned to be sitting here now and contemplating making a move toward the Catholic Church. Family resistance exists, and I had to promise to make no formal moves during 2008, just to keep the peace.
Hopefully too much has not changed in BG. Is the Newman Center still on College street? I used to stop by there after night classes and sit on the back row and just meditate on the Santuary Lamp.
Rod
____________________
"Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight."
Tolkien, LOTR I
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Laughing Elf
Member
| Joined: | Sat Feb 16th, 2008 |
| Location: | Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 47 |
| First Name: | Rod | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Methodist, PCA, agnostic, Buddhist, Episcopalian, Methodist |
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Posted: Tue Feb 19th, 2008 01:13 am |
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Hi Dave,
Thanks for the welcome. I want to thank you for doing and making available so much good research. Your 150 Reasons Why I am a Catholic is on my current reading list . You've saved me a lot of digging in the Bible, now I've got to do more reading.
You'll laugh when you hear me say this, but 25 years ago, if someone had used the two words "Catholic" & "Apologetics" in the same sentence, the thought "oxymoron" would have appeared.
Don't worry my friend.....I've been disabused of that notion for some time now.
Best regards,
Rod
____________________
"Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight."
Tolkien, LOTR I
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Laughing Elf
Member
| Joined: | Sat Feb 16th, 2008 |
| Location: | Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 47 |
| First Name: | Rod | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Methodist, PCA, agnostic, Buddhist, Episcopalian, Methodist |
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Posted: Tue Feb 19th, 2008 01:19 am |
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Free wrote: And the happy ending is this: yes, the gate is very narrow, yet once through it, a tremendous vista opens up with green pastures, still waters, and a beautiful table prepared for us. Thank you, Jesus!
What a great picture.....it reminds me of the statement Gandalf made in the third book of Lord of the Rings..... and that is not surprising considering J.R.R.Tolkien was Catholic and had a similiar perspective on what lies at the end of the journey.
Peace,
Rod
____________________
"Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight."
Tolkien, LOTR I
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Intercessor
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 859 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Feb 19th, 2008 01:40 am |
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Laughing Elf wrote:
But still, I feel stunned to be sitting here now and contemplating making a move toward the Catholic Church. Family resistance exists, and I had to promise to make no formal moves during 2008, just to keep the peace. . .
Hopefully too much has not changed in BG. Is the Newman Center still on College street? I used to stop by there after night classes and sit on the back row and just meditate on the Santuary Lamp.
Rod, family resistance is tough. You will find plenty of folks here who have faced the same battles. The wisest will encourage you to be humble, loving, forbearing, and patient. They will urge you to pray that the Holy Spirit's work in your own heart (making you a better man) wins the respect and admiration of loved ones.
Click for Newman Center. It's still on College Street.
God bless,
BeckyLast edited on Tue Feb 19th, 2008 01:41 am by Intercessor
____________________
"If our charity is arrested by the difficulties encountered in dealing with our neighbor, . . . our relations with our brethren are not regulated by our love of God, but by our love of self." Divine Intimacy p. 781, Fr. Gabriel, O.C.D.
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heardclarke
Member
| Joined: | Mon Apr 9th, 2007 |
| Location: | Dallas Area, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 197 |
| First Name: | Lisa | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | cradle Episcopalian; confirmed RC Easter 2005 |
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Posted: Tue Feb 19th, 2008 02:01 am |
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Hi Rod and welcome. I see you are a fellow Tolkien fan and feline aficionado.
After seeing the Newman Center mentioned, I wanted to share that I have recently been reading the Apologia by Cardinal Newman for the first time. I originally thought it would be scarcely relevant to a 21st century comvert. I was wrong. It is perfectly relevant.
Another book I found very helpful when I was just starting out on this road in 2004, and one that is easier to read than Newman, is What Catholics Really Believe. I have also been able to share this with family/friends who had a hard time understanding my attraction to the Church.
Lisa
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Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
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