Why I Am Not A Catholic

[OraProMe]

[quote name='KnightofChrist' date='31 October 2009 - 11:43 PM' timestamp='1257050615' post='1994698']
But words are most always necessary.
[/quote]

Yes I know but given the fact I probably know just as much about the Catholic religion as you do they're probably not going to be very effective in this situation

[Anomaly]

Ora,
I can identify with you as I no longer call myself Catholic or Christian because of extreme hipocrasy of organized religion based on love?

[OraProMe]

Thanks. I still really like the Church and think it's a beautiful religion, I just disagree with it.

[Anomaly]

[quote name='OraProMe' date='01 November 2009 - 10:04 AM' timestamp='1257084264' post='1994777']
Thanks. I still really like the Church and think it's a beautiful religion, I just disagree with it.
[/quote]Ah. You disagree with parts of it! Saddly, we are told to agree with everything, including the parts we know are bunk, or we then must reject all of it.

[OraProMe]

Well I more meant I have great respect for a lot of Catholics and find the art work, music, literature etc. incredibly beautiful. But aesthetics isn't really something one should base their faith on.

Edited November 1, 2009 by OraProMe

[Anomaly]

To be honest, along with the 'ugly' modern churches, the Catholics have great Cathedrals and Notre Dame. Along with their myopic condemnation preached by some bishops, they have enlightened tolerance.

[Nunsense]

[quote name='Anomaly' date='02 November 2009 - 01:07 AM' timestamp='1257084466' post='1994778']
Ah. You disagree with parts of it! Saddly, we are told to agree with everything, including the parts we know are bunk, or we then must reject all of it.
[/quote]

And yet if you are waiting until the Church is perfect, you will be waiting an awfully long time!

The only perfection is, well, you know where....

You need to agree with the Creed, and follow the teachings, not really too onerous a task when one considers the reward. But kinda hard to do until you actually have a personal relationship with God.... try sitting down with Him and asking Him for a little help.

Just something to think about.

[tinytherese]

I think that it's easy to forget that the Church is made up of human beings who are of course flawed at the very least. Often people are upset by what other Catholics are like or how the faith is presented by them, but not by Catholicism itself.

[OraProMe]

That's not why I fell away :s

[King's Rook's Pawn]

Out of curiosity, why did you decide to join this site?

[tinytherese]

[quote name='OraProMe' date='01 November 2009 - 09:55 PM' timestamp='1257130553' post='1995053']
That's not why I fell away :s
[/quote]

In your case no, but in many other cases I've known it's been that way for people.

[Saint Therese]

[quote name='King's Rook's Pawn' date='01 November 2009 - 10:01 PM' timestamp='1257130919' post='1995059']
Out of curiosity, why did you decide to join this site?
[/quote]

I was wondering that too...

[Vincent Vega]

He was still fighting to maintain his faith when he arrived.

[Saint Therese]

The amazing thing is not that there are Catholics who are bad, give scandal,etc, even priests and religious. The amazing thing, given our human nature, is that there is even one or two Catholics who are really Saints, like Mother Teresa. I'm not really surpised when I see people make mistakes, since I know my own weak nature. But I always make the distinction between Catholics who are usually flawed, weak, sinners and the Church which is holy and founded by Christ.

[MithLuin]

Hey, [b]OPM[/b], thanks for sharing your story. I know you could have found many other audiences who would have been happy to justify your reaction and condemn those crazy Catholics for giving you a hard time. The fact that you chose to share it here, with us, shows some strength.

Don't lose that!

18 seems so young to me, but I know it feels a lot older than 14. Just be willing to keep working through things, keep searching for truth and love and beauty. I do not think God will deny you, though it is natural to go through some times when we think, 'Is any of this for real?' Faith can wax and wane over a lifetime, and if it never waned...we wouldn't appreciate how precious it is when it returns.

So, my only advice to you is to 'harden not your heart,' to still be listening for that still, small voice. Your journey isn't over yet.

[Anomaly]

[quote name='nunsense' date='01 November 2009 - 10:45 AM' timestamp='1257086708' post='1994787']
And yet if you are waiting until the Church is perfect, you will be waiting an awfully long time!

The only perfection is, well, you know where....

You need to agree with the Creed, and follow the teachings, not really too onerous a task when one considers the reward. But kinda hard to do until you actually have a personal relationship with God.... try sitting down with Him and asking Him for a little help.

Just something to think about.
[/quote]
I won't speak for Ora, but the above is pretty much a joke. Many nonCathollic christians beleive in the creed, it just means something different. As far as following the teachings, give me a break. you can get 5 preists in the room and there would be 5 'teachings' on how to deal with his SSA. Just look at the constant bickering and discension between the faithful catholics on this website to get a clue.

[Nunsense]

[quote name='Anomaly' date='02 November 2009 - 03:36 PM' timestamp='1257136563' post='1995113']
I won't speak for Ora, but the above is pretty much a joke. Many nonCathollic christians beleive in the creed, it just means something different. As far as following the teachings, give me a break. you can get 5 preists in the room and there would be 5 'teachings' on how to deal with his SSA. Just look at the constant bickering and discension between the faithful catholics on this website to get a clue.
[/quote]


Well, you are right on the technicalities about the Creed (non-Catholics also believe in it and it does mean different things to different people) and you are right that not all Catholics agree on the "teachings", just as not all people of any faith agree on their beliefs, but that is why it is so wonderful to have the Magesterium to guide us and to keep putting us back on track.

The Church is going through a particularly tough time right now (in my opinion), and a lot of Catholics seem to think they can pick and choose what they want to believe, so you are right again about that.

What I was trying to point out is that it is never going to be a perfect institution and to expect it to be perfect is unreasonable really. That's like expecting our spouse to be perfect, when we aren't!

And imperfect as it is (and we all are), it is still a beautiful institution, set up by Jesus to do His work. I wish I could give you a view of it from my eyes, just so you could get a different perspective, but of course, I can't. So I will keep you in my prayers instead, that some day you will actually be able to see the beauty for yourself. Then it is amazing!

[OraProMe]

[quote name='USAirwaysIHS' date='01 November 2009 - 10:56 PM' timestamp='1257134165' post='1995088']
He was still fighting to maintain his faith when he arrived.
[/quote]

I flipped and flopped a lot. And like I said I never agreed with the Church, even when I considered obeying Her.

[OraProMe]

[quote name='Saint Therese' date='01 November 2009 - 10:56 PM' timestamp='1257134217' post='1995089']
The amazing thing is not that there are Catholics who are bad, give scandal,etc, even priests and religious. The amazing thing, given our human nature, is that there is even one or two Catholics who are really Saints, like Mother Teresa. I'm not really surpised when I see people make mistakes, since I know my own weak nature. But I always make the distinction between Catholics who are usually flawed, weak, sinners and the Church which is holy and founded by Christ.
[/quote]

It's really got nothing to do with individual catholics. This was just as much an intellectual journey as it was an emotional journey.

[add]

One good thing about being catholic is that true Catholicsare happier, can be trusted, and better looking than there non-catholiccounterparts (and modest too)