My Dilema... (Jesus Christ, priests, ritual, salvation, contradiction)

[BIG gibb]

I have been baptised Catholic by my parents. I never had a my first communion nor have i made my comfirmation (obviously). I went to a catholic high school and learned a lot i didn't get to learn when i was a kid. At this exact time was the huge amount of accusations of molestation. It didn't help that at my school we had a brother who was accused of this. As you can guess i live in the northeast. Anyway i attended church throughout high school because i guess i found religion there.

So now that i am out of high school and attending college i don't attend the catholic church because i do not believe in the church part of religion anymore. I also hate the fact the religion is against homosexuality. i am straight myself but i have gay friends a i fully support gay marraige in the states.

so after all of that this is my question...

am i even catholic? i dont go to church...i dont believe when in church you have to do all of the standing up sitting down standing up shaking hands and all of that...plus on tp of that i dont believe in their stanc on homosexuality...

any feedback would be great...thanks

[Lightkeeper]

I think you will find that it is very normal for you to be questioning a lot of things at your age. I am not Catholic and was raised Presbyterian. One thing I like about the Catholic Church is the ceremony. As we mature we tend to look more inward for our answers. I think the ceremony and ritual never loses it's meaning or impact. Happy hunting. The journey is a very exciting part of life.

[Scott1]

Hiya Adam,

am i even catholic?

Yep...... by your baptism and confirmation :

1272 Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation. Given once for all, Baptism cannot be repeated.

1316 Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace; it is the sacrament which gives the Holy Spirit in order to root us more deeply in the divine filiation, incorporate us more firmly into Christ, strengthen our bond with the Church, associate us more closely with her mission, and help us bear witness to the Christian faith in words accompanied by deeds.

At this exact time was the huge amount of accusations of molestation. It didn't help that at my school we had a brother who was accused of this. As you can guess i live in the northeast.

Well, I live in Massachusetts, so I can relate..... I am a convert to the Catholic Church, having been confirmed this past Holy Saturday. Many have asked me why I would choose to join the Church in this horrible time in the Church's history. My reply to them is the same as to you: The sins of Priests etc. do not change the fact that Christ founded a Church and I want to be a member of that Church...... the CATHOLIC church.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.


Neither the gates of hell or some pervert Priest will change what Christ himself set in place.

So now that i am out of high school and attending college i don't attend the catholic church because i do not believe in the church part of religion anymore. I also hate the fact the religion is against homosexuality. i am straight myself but i have gay friends a i fully support gay marraige in the states.

Well, as far as not wanting to be part of the "church" part of religion, I can not relate. It is the Eucharist that I can not live without. Not being able to receive communion during the year that I was waiting for confirmation was agony to me. To deny yourself the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is beyond my understanding.

As far as homosexuality........ my sister is a lesbain. Has been all her life (she knew it about age 5)...... so again, I can relate to what you are going through.
You have to understand that the Church can only go by what Christ tought...... painful as it might be to your homosexual friends, it is the truth and it can not be hidden because it makes you personally upset.

I will pray for you. College is a tough time for Catholics.... sin and temptation are often mistaken for a "liberal" and "open" lifestyles and many fall from the true faith.

I welcome any other questions and I hope you continue to search for the truth.

Peace,
Scott

[BIG gibb]

thanks for the reply. so you were just confirmed last week? interesting. i also know that you arent supposed to take the eucharist(sp?) if you havent been confirmed so what if you did? i know a lot of people while in high school when we had maditory mass would take it and not even be catholic...i guess it was the ultimate disrespect.

come to think about it i dont agree with anything the catholic church does or says. i understand when you say that it doesnt matter what the priiests do because its the church that jesus built and all of that. but my question to you is yes he built the church and all but why the catholic church? they seem to contradict their message. they have all of these expensive things inside the church and then talk about helping the poor...they should help out more they have tons of money...well not now after the lawsuits...

i just think if i am going to continue to have a relationship with God it wont be within a catholic church. i may find it in another denomination of a christianity or i might just comepletely get out of christianity as i like a lot of the eastern beliefs...

oh well...very lost...glad i found this place because i might actually find what i am looking for now

[phantom]

Originally Posted by BIG gibb

oh well...very lost...glad i found this place because i might actually find what i am looking for now

i know the exact feeling. just when you think you've got your ideas under control, a blatant contradiction blows up in your face.

peace

[InHisService]

Hi, I was raised in the Catholic church too, but as i grew up, Iwas dissapointed by all the ritual that everyone was doing but then living their life just like everyone else outside of Church (saint on Sunday, devil on Monday-Saturday)..
Then I found out that Jesus doesn't like ritual and memorized prayers etc... either.
He wants a real relationship with us, personally. We don't need someone in between like a priest or a saint. Just aski Him inside your heart, and He promises to be your Savior. As for as the homosexuals, Jesus loves and died for them too.
But it is a sin that needs to be repented of just like adultery or stealing or any other sin.

InHisService

[Scott1]

Hiya Adam,

so you were just confirmed last week?

Nope...... this past Holy Saturday. You DO know when that is, right?

come to think about it i dont agree with anything the catholic church does or says

but my question to you is yes he built the church and all but why the catholic church? ..

Are you sure that you are Catholic????? WOW.... Catholic HS nowadays don't seem to be doing a good job educating young Catholic...... what a shame.

they seem to contradict their message. they have all of these expensive things inside the church and then talk about helping the poor...they should help out more they have tons of money...well not now after the lawsuits...

2000 years of faith, history, and people dying to defend the Church and this is the best question you could come up with??????

They should help out MORE? Name one church on the planet that does more for the poor. Name 10 Christian groups combined that do........ go ahead, look it up.

oh well...very lost...glad i found this place because i might actually find what i am looking for now

Well, I will pray for you. Happy hunting.

Peace in Christ,
Scott

[civilcynic]

Scott,

I can appreciate the strength of your faith in the Catholic Church but don't let it blind you to the reality of the institution. Your statement that the Catholic Church has done more for the poor than any other group is without substantiation. It certainly ignores the hatred, intolerance and even the deaths of countless people throughout the centuries which has resulted from the Church's teachings and does not address the motivation behind these so-called good deeds (which is to convert people to Catholicism).

Have you forgotten the Crusades, the Inquisition, etc;? What about the more recent
scandal of child molesters in the Church? The Church hierarchy for years knew about many of these perverts being within their ranks and did nothing but protect them moving these child molesters from parish to parish where they continued their perversions on the unsuspecting and innocent faithful.

As for the 'wonderful' help the Church provides to the poor......does the Church do this with no strings attached or are they using the 'aid' they give to the poor as a means to preomote their religious beliefs and agenda. Look closely at the Catholic missions and you will find that no person in need ever gets a hand-out from the Catholic Church without having to be subjected to a religious promotion of some sort.

Please note, however, I do not hold this view point on the Catholic Church alone...I believe that most, if not all organized religions do the same.

I think it is very important that whatever religious faith one has in God should not be confused with the institution which is made up of mere mortals. The Church as an institution should guide and support not demand and threaten.

I was raised Catholic and had 12 yrs. of Catholic Schooling. After experiencng the Catholic Church for 48 yrs., I cannot in good conscience support or condone the beliefs and actions of the Catholic Church which has become increasingly hateful and intolerant of anyone who dares question their authority. The Church can condemn personal/political beliefs as well as any of my actions...I don't care....I'll let God be my judge not the Catholic Church.

[Scott1]

civilcynic,

I can appreciate the strength of your faith in the Catholic Church but don't let it blind you to the reality of the institution.

Just because you don't agree with me does not mean I am blind or that you are correct. Your reality is just that, YOURS...... it might not be the TRUTH.

Your statement that the Catholic Church has done more for the poor than any other group is without substantiation.

THIS IS NOT A DEBATE FORUM.

Feel free to post something over there if you would like.

Your entire post is filled with YOUR unsubstantiated opinions and views of history.

Start a topic over on the debate forum if you would like me to respond.

Peace in Christ,
Scott

[Lightkeeper]

Originally Posted by civilcynic

Scott,

I can appreciate the strength of your faith in the Catholic Church but don't let it blind you to the reality of the institution. Your statement that the Catholic Church has done more for the poor than any other group is without substantiation. It certainly ignores the hatred, intolerance and even the deaths of countless people throughout the centuries which has resulted from the Church's teachings and does not address the motivation behind these so-called good deeds (which is to convert people to Catholicism).

Have you forgotten the Crusades, the Inquisition, etc;? What about the more recent
scandal of child molesters in the Church? The Church hierarchy for years knew about many of these perverts being within their ranks and did nothing but protect them moving these child molesters from parish to parish where they continued their perversions on the unsuspecting and innocent faithful.

As for the 'wonderful' help the Church provides to the poor......does the Church do this with no strings attached or are they using the 'aid' they give to the poor as a means to preomote their religious beliefs and agenda. Look closely at the Catholic missions and you will find that no person in need ever gets a hand-out from the Catholic Church without having to be subjected to a religious promotion of some sort.

Please note, however, I do not hold this view point on the Catholic Church alone...I believe that most, if not all organized religions do the same.

I think it is very important that whatever religious faith one has in God should not be confused with the institution which is made up of mere mortals. The Church as an institution should guide and support not demand and threaten.

I was raised Catholic and had 12 yrs. of Catholic Schooling. After experiencng the Catholic Church for 48 yrs., I cannot in good conscience support or condone the beliefs and actions of the Catholic Church which has become increasingly hateful and intolerant of anyone who dares question their authority. The Church can condemn personal/political beliefs as well as any of my actions...I don't care....I'll let God be my judge not the Catholic Church.

***Mod Post***

Please no debating in the discussion forums. Your thoughts here should be in one of the debate forums. This forum is for learning about Catholicism.