Catholic Teenagers

[Ashley]

I am 25, yet I was wondering what makes you here want to be (and stay) Catholic. Catholicism has strict moral doctrines and restrictions, and here you are (if I am correct) on this board all under 20. What makes you resist peer pressure and not care what other people think about you? Or what makes you not want to be like them?

I guess what I am trying to express inacurately is : If you are a teenager, you want to have fun. Be crazy, be wild. For some reason you Catholic teenagers on this board don't get drawn in. I remember when I was in High School most Christian teenagers (yes, also Catholics) just let loose on everything. What keeps you strong?

[crusader1234]

depends what you mean by going crazy/wild. jesus partied as a teen (at the time he would be considered a man), but to what extent? we know he most likely drank from stories like the weeding (water into wine) and stuff. i think the key is knowing when to draw the line. i think as long as you are still making good catholic decisions about sex and stuff its ok. maybe i'm wrong? im not up to date on catholic rules about alcohol for teens. i do think that being wild and crazy does have its place for teens within the church... so long as while being wild and crazy we arent breaking any rules and sinning.

does anybody know what the rules on teenage drinking for catholics are?

[willguy]

[quote name='Ashley' date='Apr 15 2004, 07:28 PM'] I am 25, yet I was wondering what makes you here want to be (and stay) Catholic. Catholicism has strict moral doctrines and restrictions, and here you are (if I am correct) on this board all under 20. What makes you resist peer pressure and not care what other people think about you? Or what makes you not want to be like them?

I guess what I am trying to express inacurately is : If you are a teenager, you want to have fun. Be crazy, be wild. For some reason you Catholic teenagers on this board don't get drawn in. I remember when I was in High School most Christian teenagers (yes, also Catholics) just let loose on everything. What keeps you strong? [/quote]
There's much more worth living for than "having fun" and "being wild." I want to live for the truth. I want my life to be a sacrifice, not in the future, but NOW! That is why I'm Catholic, because I want to live for the truth. I'm 17 and entering the seminary this fall although considering joining a monastery instead.

As for what keeps me strong, three things:

1. Prayer
2. Mary
3. The Eucharist.

[NewReformation]

You can find examples of this all across the board, not just Catholic teens. I know plenty of 'protestant' teens that are taking just as strong a stand. It's exciting! All them young'uns getting geared up for Christ!

[Zoticus]

I still have fun, I just don't need sin to fulfill it.

Besides, when the Son of Man died for me, makes me thign about doing something stupid, and wasting what he did all that work for.

Besides I don't need drugs, I get high on life..its an amazing thing you know

[ilovechrist]

[quote name='Ashley' date='Apr 15 2004, 07:28 PM'] I guess what I am trying to express inacurately is : If you are a teenager, you want to have fun. Be crazy, be wild. For some reason you Catholic teenagers on this board don't get drawn in. I remember when I was in High School most Christian teenagers (yes, also Catholics) just let loose on everything. What keeps you strong? [/quote]
Catholicism can be fun--and this site shows how.
you can be crazy and wild, and still devote your life to Christ through those things...

[NewReformation]

[quote name='Zoticus' date='Apr 15 2004, 07:45 PM'] I get high on life [/quote]
I know...I said, I know you just didn't say that! *beats head against table* Oh my goodness! Please, take it back! That tired, overused expression! Aggggggggghhhh!

[Iacobus]

I don't need sin. Plus living the moral life sets me apart and as someone who hates being conformed this is good. I get happy with just prayer and Mass. I know other teens who stay out of this sins, there are many of us. Why do I remain, because I am different and I love God.

[OwNeD_byGoD]

ok to start off, i wasnt raised catholic and my life was grrr horrible hahaha , i was a meano nerd and everything and hated myself became suicidal, but then my friends introduced me to christ and man my life has never been the same, but now as we all know just because you become catholic doesnt mean it gets easier, but what i like to think about is that this is all just a LOOOONG test... we only live 60 or so years and then our soul lives forever, and i dont want to be stuck in hell haha. the good ol 7th gift of the holy spirit (fear of God) keeps me catholic and out of peer pressure

[let_go_let_God]

[quote name='Ashley' date='Apr 15 2004, 06:28 PM'] I am 25, yet I was wondering what makes you here want to be (and stay) Catholic. Catholicism has strict moral doctrines and restrictions, and here you are (if I am correct) on this board all under 20. What makes you resist peer pressure and not care what other people think about you? Or what makes you not want to be like them?

I guess what I am trying to express inacurately is : If you are a teenager, you want to have fun. Be crazy, be wild. For some reason you Catholic teenagers on this board don't get drawn in. I remember when I was in High School most Christian teenagers (yes, also Catholics) just let loose on everything. What keeps you strong? [/quote]
There's a lot of pressure on teens to be "cool" and "popular". Now what makes you popular? It doesn't mean you have to drink alcohol, "party hardy" get doped up and have sex. For all those things, you may gain popularity, but in the process you can (and I've watched many friends do those things) loose respect from other people.

Also I've made a choice not to do any of those things. Ok, so I'm not the most popular person in my class, I don't want to be. I may not be the most well liked, I have many friends not in my school. Although, I am trusted by all my classmates (all 30 of them) and respected by them too.

Now, what keeps me strong. My faith, my morals, prayer, mass, and my friends. I have a close group of friends from a few schools in the area and we are constantly getting together chilling out, going bowling and just haveing a great time as a group. If one of us is having a rough time with something, there's always someone there to help bring them back up. Although when I'm being pressured alone I have everything I've listed above but my friends, but even with my friends there, everything still remains the same.

That's what keeps me strong. Until later--
LGLG

[littleflower+JMJ]

[quote name='Ashley' date='Apr 15 2004, 06:28 PM'] I am 25, yet I was wondering what makes you here want to be (and stay) Catholic. Catholicism has strict moral doctrines and restrictions, and here you are (if I am correct) on this board all under 20. What makes you resist peer pressure and not care what other people think about you? Or what makes you not want to be like them?

I guess what I am trying to express inacurately is : If you are a teenager, you want to have fun. Be crazy, be wild. For some reason you Catholic teenagers on this board don't get drawn in. I remember when I was in High School most Christian teenagers (yes, also Catholics) just let loose on everything. What keeps you strong? [/quote]
hi ashley great question. i would have to say we remember the words that this world shall pass away but my Word shall not. thus, we tend to keep our focus on making it to heaven, by being ever pleasing to God and by following the examples of the saints who inspire and help us.

there are many saints such as st. philomena, st. dominic, st. therese, who were all young saints, but were also soldiers for Christ by staying pure and holy. we learn from them.

us catholics know that it doesn't not matter what others think but what God thinks. we know this world is a never-ending test, where every choice, action we make, we tell how much God we love Him. we learn how to offer things up, to make sacrifice because here on earth, is not our home, heaven is.

we strive to be holy and to live a life that will not make us fall into sin, or abuse what gifts and talents God has given us. rather, we focus on giving our all to God, what we have, we must return.

we are accountalbe and will have to answer to God for all our actions. thus, we are ever constantly tryign to follow the road to Jesus, never straying or being to worldly that we forget the reason why we are here.

things such of this world, are empty, only God can fill that hole that we have in our hearts, everything else cannot do what God does by being in our lives.

God made all of us, to Love, to Know to Serve Him. as the saints before, we strive to do all to fulfill God's will. and be instruments of His, to be the salt of the earth, the light of the world, to live a christian life that ppl will knwo by our love and faith.

its hard. but anything is possible, as long as one prays and keeps their eyes focused on Heaven, its easy to turn down many things that might cause to fail.

God bLess,
flowery
+JMJ

[Crusader_4]

People talk about teenage rebellion...personally i think the best teenage rebellion is following the will of God...its counter culture. Its against everything that the general society stands for. I believe it was Chesterton that said something along these lines "There was nevery anthing so exciting or perilous as orthodoxy". Its true to. Further to that its a challenge to live this way its not the easy way out. We have Jesus who showed us the way and saves us Mary our holy mother the saints that give us advice and we can learn from their passages before us. We are essentially an army working towards the Kingdom of God doing God's Will on Earth. Fighting evil. What could be more exciting!

[willguy]

Read [i]The New Faithful[/i], its a cool book that talks about how young adults are embracing Christian Orthodoxy.

[littleflower+JMJ]

i think also we realize that this world is God-less.

it encourages to live in the moment, while you can, no consequences, your only young once themes. which is sooo wrong.

[Zoticus]

[quote name='NewReformation' date='Apr 15 2004, 07:50 PM'] I know...I said, I know you just didn't say that! *beats head against table* Oh my goodness! Please, take it back! That tired, overused expression! Aggggggggghhhh! [/quote]
this whole thing seemed like a public service announcement so I wanted to finish it up...


glad you enjoyed

[littleflower+JMJ]

[quote name='Zoticus' date='Apr 15 2004, 09:46 PM'] this whole thing seemed like a public service announcement so I wanted to finish it up...


glad you enjoyed [/quote]
well i happen to like that saying@

its true cuz drug high is fake, lacking in truth and really is just dumb. its tryign to filled a void that only God can do....

man listen to MCJust's song, "Spiritual High" that cat tears it up.

+JMJ

*goes to spin phatmass cd in player*

[Dare the Pebble]

Man oh man... you fellas are doing swell, and it does my old heart good to hear it. Well, 18 yrs. may not be that old, but my school is 6-12, and with the wee 'uns scurrying underfoot, I feel positively ancient sometimes. Anyways, I know that having a support group, an active faith community is important for me. I lost touch with one youth group to get more involved when my own parish started one, but a busy schedule and a few frustrations have nudged me away from it. Still, my best friends are very much committed to Christ, and having people I respect and admire so close to me has helped me to keep thinking in a Christian way, helped me to keep religion an integral part of my life. They've served as role models for me, attesting to the fact that having fun and being cool are, in fact, very much linked to living your faith. For that, I'm in their debt.

[Paladin D]

I wasn't raised Catholic, however I was raised in a very high moral level Christian home. I'm a devout Catholic, yet I can still party! Thing is... what makes the party? Sex? Drugs? Booze? Well, alcohol isn't a sin... it's only a sin if it's by a minor or one becomes drunk.

One can be a devout Catholic, yet also have fun... and crazy (like me). I listen to hard music, I play voilent video games, I watch hardcore action movies, etc... But I also pray, try to remain pure, follow the teachings of the Church, and serve God.

It isn't that hard once you know what you're [b]suppost[/b] to be doing, in regards to living a moral lifestyle. But it's [b]hard[/b] at times to try and remain within the guidelines. Examples such as masturbation, pre-martial sex, using the Lord's name in vain, drunkiness, drugs, etc etc etc.

[Paladin D]

Ah, forgot to answer some of Ashley's questions.

Well, what keeps me strong? Best way to describe it is my... honorish, soldier-like mindset, and the love to serve God. I don't want to be a fallen comrade, or get my ass kicked by the devil (I'm a guy... and semi-hot headed). So when I fall into sin... I get sad yet angry at the same time. I also have gotten closer to God more than before, which also motivates me to stay strong.

Why do I remain Catholic specifically? Well that's a whole nother thing itself. Let's just say an Anti-Catholic Christian history book got me curious about it's absurd claims, that I went on the net and spent months learning about Catholicism. At first I read both sides of the fence, but then I switched to listen to Catholics. Considering..... if we're analyzing Catholic beliefs, why not ask what Catholics believe themselves? If I were to learn about Baseball, I wouldn't go to a Basketball player. Ever since then, the [b]Truth[/b] in Catholicism, the [b]power[/b] of it..... is just awesome, I can't resist it.

And about peer pressure? Well I've grown up with most people in person, thinking me as weird, stupid, goofy (in a bad way), and so forth. So I really don't give a carp what other people think really, but I'm still a tender lovin' guy. Anyone want to cuddle?

Hope that answers some of your questions.

[Fiat_Voluntas_Tua]

Ashley...If you are Confirmed, you are an adult in the Church. therefore you take the same responsabilities as Adults. Now I am not saying if you aren't confirmed it is ok to get trashed. But teens CAN NOT justify their 'partying' by saying well I am only a teen. It is funny that because we turn 16 or 18 people think it is normal for teenagers to 'party', sin, get trashed.
[b]In all reality if you think it is normal for teenagers to do this you are only provoking that twisted view of the teenager years and saying that it is normal for teens to do this. [/b] I would say the reason I don't "party and go wild" is because I receive the Body and Blood of Christ. I hold Mary's hand as I pray the Rosary. I 'party' with all the angels and saints during the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. I would say the reason Catholic teens should not 'party and get wasted/drink' is that they are Catholic teens. What more reason is there. Because you are Christian you should not party. There is no justifying it because we are teens. We are Christians...PERIOD. We are Catholic...PERIOD. Christ and underage drinking do not mix...at ALL.

pax et Agape per Maria.