Why Be Religious When Your Young?

[TotusTuusMaria]

[quote name='Oliver' post='1874534' date='May 24 2009, 08:39 PM']This is a question my sister asked me. Why be religious when your young? Why cant I enjoy myself now and then be religious when im much older?[/quote]

Because they have encountered Christ.

Because true happiness and enjoyment comes from Christ. Partying and drinking and having sex (which is what young people consider "enjoying themselves and having fun") is not fun and after the literal [i]moment [/i]of pleasure one is left unhappy and dissatisfied, searching after some type of living water only to come up with more "broken cisterns."

The living water is Christ and a relationship with Him leaves you fulfilled and at peace. He is true joy. And the wise person, young or old, upon realizing this does not wait for years to start drinking. He starts asap. That is why the young ones, who realize this, become "religious" ... to drink of the living water, Christ, which brings true enjoyment and "fun".

"To live without faith, without a patrimony to defend, without a steady struggle for truth, that is not living but existing......Because true happiness, dear friends, does not consist in the pleasures of the world or in earthly things, but in peace of conscience, which we have only if we are pure in heart and mind." - Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati

[quote]I really think this is what the majority of my generation think. What if they sin now and forgive in later life while others have prayed there whole lives. I will be honest I didnt have an answer for her.[/quote]

1) No one should ever take their life for granted. Life is short, and I have seen too many relatives and friends die before or closely after they have reached their twentith year to go throughout my youth chasing after the next "fix" which, in reality, never fixes anything but leaves me lonely, unhappy, and miserable with myself. In the great span of things there really is no time to waste, and it is no good to put so much weight on the idea that you will be offered the chance to "become religious later." Reality is: very, very few are.

2) Is not about death. We don't become religious because we fear death. We become "religious" because we fall in love with Christ. After encountering Him... how can one wait to do that?

Edited May 25, 2009 by TotusTuusMaria

[TotusTuusMaria]

[quote name='Era Might' post='1874578' date='May 24 2009, 09:52 PM']The question assumes that a person can "enjoy" life apart from God. As St. Augustine said, our hearts are restless until they rest in God. Serving God has nothing to do with age. We were created to love and serve God. If we are not living a life of holiness, then we are dead.[/quote]

[TotusTuusMaria]

[quote name='KnightofChrist' post='1874639' date='May 24 2009, 11:22 PM']Remember the Parable of the Ten Virgins? Five where wise and where prepared from the beginning. The other five where foolish, and only at the end began to prepare for Christ. While they where buying their oil, Christ came and took the five wise virgins, and the five foolish virgins where left in utter darkness.[/quote]

This came to my mind too.

[quote]Youth always believes it is immortal. It always at sometime or another has its rude awakening.[/quote]

So true. I have seen this so much. Just last year four of my male cousins all died before the age of 19. I honestly think only two of them were perhaps prepared...

[mortify]

First love God then do what you want

[Socrates]

[quote name='Hassan' post='1874866' date='May 25 2009, 12:51 PM']Anti Semite


[/quote]
That's my line, Donny.

[Hassan]

[quote name='Socrates' post='1875321' date='May 25 2009, 09:00 PM']That's my line, Donny.[/quote]


I've been making baseless accusiations since before you were born

[Socrates]

To quote the immortal Lynyrd Skynyrd:
"You say you'll be alright come tomorrow
But tomorrow might not be here for you! (Yeah, you!)"

[LouisvilleFan]

[quote name='Callidius' post='1874908' date='May 25 2009, 03:28 PM']Careful with wiki, That is edited constantly by normal people to mega corporations changing everything and what is said about the church[/quote]

Ironically, the controversial subjects are often more reliable on wikipedia because they are read so frequently and regularly monitored. In some ways, it's far preferable to a typical encyclopedia with only one person's perspective.

[loveletslive]

it's a beautiful thing to give your youth to Jesus!

also, who says you can't be religious AND have fun? i definitely have more fun with my Catholic friends than any of my other friends.

Edited May 26, 2009 by loveletslive

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='loveletslive' post='1875576' date='May 26 2009, 10:45 AM']also, who says you can't be religious AND have fun? i definitely have more fun with my Catholic friends than any of my other friends.[/quote]

There are many kinds of "fun" that are mortally sinful... think 6th and 9th Commandments...