I
have made some significant personal changes, and may reconstitute this blog
accordingly.
At least in order to include this new stage of my life, not
necessarily become the sole topic of this blog.
In addition to semi-retiring
from the “rat race,” in order to become a fulltime researcher and author, I am
putting my past experience in paganism to academic and literary use, as I
further study materials pertaining to Angelology, Demonology, Exorcisms,
Sacramental Rites, and the differences between the Roman Catholic Church, The
Eastern Orthodox Churches, and the Coptic Christian Church, mainly historical and fundamental doctrinal variances.
Anyway… I would just like to share. I am
not the same man I was a decade ago. Moreso even from three years ago.
I'm not
even sure anyone reads this blog, anymore. But, here goes...
[*Some current
notes have been added below, throughout]
---------------------
[posted on Gab]
My sojourn back to God
Oct 15, 2021
So, after meeting with my [new] Pastor last
night, a nice three hour talk over ale and dinner, about the world today, the
evil spreading everywhere, our insane subculture/cancel culture, etc., we also
delved into the Lutheran doctrine (LCMS).
I have completed my adult [Lutheran]
catechism and (after years of research, comparisons, soul searching) have
decided to be confirmed Lutheran (for those unfamiliar- think ‘evangelical
catholic’, or as I heard in a podcast, jokingly, ‘diet catholic.’ Lutheran is
the first protestant church: see Martin Luther – The Reformation.)
I was raised
baptist, then charismatic, brethren, presbyterian, and evangelical.
Then I left
the faith thirty years ago.
I got mad at God and walked away.
I spent years in
various pagan traditions and the occult, even practiced the medicine path for a
time.
I went to college at 30 and discovered existentialism and nihilism. For a time, I
hovered somewhere between agnostic and atheist for a long time.
Then, Trump
came and I watched the evil of this world reveal themselves openly after Billary
lost the election. I watched as society turned itself inside out [and the Left went insane].
I watched as
Revelations began to unfold.
Long story short - I couldn’t ignore what I learned
from the Bible in my youth, as prophecy came to pass.
I began a very awkward,
humble, procrastinated shuffle back to Christianity. But this time I did
research [rather than blindly following someone else - ie., a family member or
friend], found the denomination that not only felt right for me but scripturally
[seems most] right.
It’s hard, though. I sin. Every day. But I am determined to
keep going, because it’s what’s right, because it’s what we’re supposed to do,
it’s what my heart says to do, and because [I believe] I know what’s coming.
I
encourage all y’all to think on this, if you’re unsure or unwilling to kneel
before God [let alone admit to yourselves that God really exists]. Our time here
is growing shorter. Eventually, it’ll run out. Then it’ll be too late.
Talk to
God. Ask for his help, his guidance.
Think about going to church. Find one that
suits your spiritual needs and feels like a good fit. [Though I highly recommend
one of the older Churches – pre-1600. Remember… the farther back in time we go,
religiously, the closer to Christ we find ourselves. Look to the ancient
Christian doctrines first.]
And be not ashamed. [This world is wicked and
demonic. Many will scorn you for seeking the moral, righteous narrow path to
God. Stay the course.]
God bless.
---------------------
[posted on Gab]
May 6,
2023
[This is in response to a social media post by a Traditional Catholic. He
had asked why Protestants rarely refer to themselves as Protestant, noting that
Catholics and Orthodox are open and unhindered about proclaiming themselves as
such. Many of the replies seemed to be from protestants, and they were not very
nice. What follows here, is my rebuttal and comment to them.]
[*Note - this
describes, briefly, where I currently am in my Christian sojourn.]
Reading
through these responses clearly demonstrate why, after all these centuries,
we're all [Christian denominations] still split up. We can't even find common
ground on the number of Sacraments, let alone doctrine and Church history.
This
is what put folks like me off for so many years.
I was raised mainly Baptist [as
well as a few other Protestant denominations].
Then, I was pagan [black arts
witch, wiccan, wittan, stregan, enochian, egyptian, hermetic, asatru,
neomedicine path] and then [thanks to college], agnostic for decades.
God led me
back. That's a longer story [see previous post].
I had to do my own research,
for a long time, about my direction. What Church should I go to? God gave me a
few, very clear, way too coincidental hints/nudges on which way to go.
I ended
up at an LCMS Lutheran Church.
Then, more reading and podcasts, more nudges, a
year later I found myself in RCIA and attending Mass. I finally feel that my
spirit [soul] is involved [engaged] and where it belongs.
But I still have grave
reservations about a few things. Mainly, what's been going on in the Church
since 1962 [see “Vatican 2 controversy”]. And I think [Pope] Francis is
demonically misled.
So, I have also been reading about [Catholic] Traditionalism
and [Catholic] Sedevacantism [as well as studying contemporary Church history,
and portions of ancient through Medieval Church history, to gain a fuller
understanding].
The deeper I go, in all my studies, the more I find that I have
More to learn than previously thought... that I am not 100% convinced which path
(Orthodox, R. Catholic, or Protestant.) is definitively correct, but I am going
where God is leading me... And [in addition,] once I Finally sat down and took
the time to understand about Mary and the Saints, I discovered that Protestants
are wildly uninformed/misinformed on the entire subject [of Marianology and the
Intercession of Saints]... and the Triune God [equally God, Jesus, & The Holy
Spirit] is the true understanding [of the Trinity] (sorry, Orthos).
The end
result for me is that 95% of what Catholics and Orthodox do seems correct. Only
about 30-50% is true for [some] Protestants [while other Protestant denoms are
closer to 5-25% correct, like Jehovah's Witness, Mormons, or any progressive
church that condones open defiance of God's Word].
This is my personal, informed
observation as a Philosopher and an Historian, not as a Theologian [although, I
striving to become a Theologian - at least an amateur one].
So, I am trusting
Christ to continue guiding me.
But I'm pretty much in the Trad Catholic camp,
now. [I attend Mass. I pray the Rosary. I’m seeking Confirmation, hopefully by
next year. I may even take a few courses in Catholic Studies at the local
Catholic University, just to further my knowledge and aid my research.]
My
youngest son is being brought up in Catholic, in a good Catholic School. [We
pray and attend Mass together.]
Everything feels to be in the right place in our
lives, now. Religiously/Spiritually-speaking.
Also, my 75 year old Baptist mom
didn't freak out when I told her I was in Catechism.
That’s a Bonus.
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