One thing that I absolutely cannot stand is when people have nothing good to say about their religious past. By that I mean, people who were raised in one Christian tradition, say for instance in the Roman Catholic Church, but then get "saved", and for the rest of their Christian life have nothing better to do than to bash Catholicism. We all know the type.
Now, I must admit that I do not come across many people like that nowadays - not in Anglican circles, anyway. But I do meet a great many people who were raised strongly Protestant (or were raised pagan, but got "saved" though an evangelical ministry like Campus Crusade for Christ) who now, having converted to Anglicanism, Catholicism, or Orthodoxy, spend all of their days pointing out all of the horrible problems associated with Protestantism. It seems to me that that is a real slap in the face to their past, and more important, to God. It almost comes across as a self loathing of sorts. They act as though they never learned anything, or grew in grace in any way during their sojurn with the people or congregation that first taught them to read the Bible, to pray, and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. Or they think all of their time with such people was a waste, when in fact it was not: God was present to them all along, and their Christian journey was as much under His sovereign guidance then as it is now. They think that there are no grace in others' sacraments, perhaps, when in fact their own lives prove otherwise. God is present to us at all stages in our lives, guiding us and watching over us that we might become all that He wants us to be.
One does not have to agree with, or affirm, every doctrine that they were taught as a youth, or in college, or wherever. But I think that if we are converts from another Christian tradition we should, when remembering our roots, try to focus on the positive things from that tradition. And we should try to keep in mind that other people do not experience God in exactly the same way we do, and that God works with different people in different ways, and on different schedules (e.g. they remain in their tradition thinking it is fine for them while you leave). When we do this, it helps us stay level-headed, and avoid "extremist" notions, and "black and white" thinking about God and the faith.
When one converts to Roman Catholicism from another traditi0n, the people leading RCIA are supposed to go affirm as much as possible and is reasonable all of the marvelous ways that God has worked in the person's past. In some places they even let people bring their cherished Bible up with them as they are received into full communion with Rome. But the "catholic extremists" of whatever stripe never tell anyone that, probably because it would interfere with their "black and white" mentality.
The really scary thing, though, is that many people with this mentality eventually end up leaving the Christian religion altogether. Yes - I have seen it happen, folks. First, Presbyterianism is no good. Then, low church Anglicanism is no good. Then, Anglo-Catholicism is no good. Then Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy is no good. A healthy respect for our religious upbringing is a healthy respect and love for God. It is good for our souls, and for the unity of the Church and all Christians.
