Cornedbeefandcabbage
New Member
Hello, Religious Forums!
I have been doing some serious religious thinking in the past few months. I am in religious-limbo right now, and have no one to talk to. I have tried to start discussion about my problems and doubts with friends and family, but their lack of interest prevents any progress. I stumbled across this forum accidentally, and I feel that I can sort of put this all out there!
Im Ingrid. Im currently a high school senior living in the States. My father is a Lutheran-raised Swede whose parents were, it is possible to say, devout. However, he gave up the faith when he was a child. Now I guess he is an atheist. My mother was a Roman Catholic from Ireland. Her family is extremely devout; 3 of the 5 brothers now in the priesthood and 2 of the 4 sisters in the convent. In recent years she had too given up the faith possibly after coming to the States and the influence of my father. Im a baptized Catholic. I was born in Ireland, but moved to the States when I was about one and a half. My father did not care for me to be baptized. He thought when I became old enough I could decide what to do with my life, but apparently my mother won. I have attended Catholic schools, parochial and private, for my entire academic career.
I was never a particularly religious child. I never understood, and still do not, the idea of a god or that we are all part of some subliminal plan. But when I entered high school, things changed a bit. For about two and a half years, nothing was more dear to me than becoming a nun. Many of my teachers have been nuns, and I admired then tremendously. So austere! But at the same time, I never felt like I believed in any faith. I prayed constantly, but never heard any response. In February 2008, my mother lost her job. My father is an artist (both in occupation and character) so he brought in little income. With the world economy in shambles, it was a difficult two years. I prayed every day. I prayed the rosary before school started with the sisters in the school chapel and before I went to bed. I prayed with all my heart to God for my mother to find work. My mother had always suffered from depression, but with all the awfulness of the unemployment, she took her life in December 2009. It was horrible, horrible, but I prayed for her soul and for my father.
I remember one day in March I was praying in the chapel with the nuns, and I suddenly thought, Why didnt God find Mama a job? Why couldnt he let her find relief? I tried to tell myself that it was all part of that plan, but it just didnt make sense anymore. Why would a, at least as I have had pounded into my brain for the past 12 years, kind and merciful god not answer the prayers of someone and let a woman kill herself? I have been told that it was free will. Alright, so, yes, so it was. But wouldnt a god that loves us, we who are the reflection of his loving grace, allow a way out for someone like that? And I realized then that I couldnt think of one time I realized the manifestation of a prayer. I did ace that one test, but it was because I studied and worked hard. I did it because I made sure it happened. But my uncle had never recovered, nor did my friend receive a scholarship that would let her go to college. So that is one of my problems. I do not think prayers are answered, or even heard.
I have a lot of issues with the Catholic Church. It is a huge cauldron of smoldering dirt, secrecy, hypocrisy, and corruption. It is utterly incomprehensible to me how the Church is able to just push aside the horrific scandals that surround it now. How can priests accused of pedophilia just by excused by the pope? Why does Catholicism perpetuate gender inequality? (We are all created equal and loved equally by God. But in our eyes, ladies, you dont have the same opportunities as men. Yeah, yeah, Mary the Mother of God, Mary Magdalene still, you cant become our leaders.) Why are condoms and birth control forbidden? I am pro-choice, but I do understand the Churchs opposition to abortion. I do NOT understand preventing a sperm from fertilizing an egg. I do NOT understand using a condom to prevent the transmission of sexual disease and HIV/AIDs. Why are gays completely denied equality? Dont tell me, Well, God didnt create Adam and Bruce. That is not an answer. Stop evading the problem.
Lots of people believe that God is healing those suffering from, for example, cancer. Assuming that you are a faithful follower and believe of Church dogma, you would say the cancer (suffering) is a result of the evil in the world. No, thats not true. Evil does not deform cells or create tumors. Why would God allow the presence of evil if he is all-powerful? Couldnt he just answer a prayer or two and take away cancer? No. Medical advancements are able to cure cancer. By cure I mean remove the malignant cells and make the person cancer free. So, if we are going with the God works medical miracles, why has there never been a case of the healing of an amputee? We can raise people from the dead (or wait until they are out of a coma) but we cant grow back a hand? It does not make sense. The special plan excuse is ********.
Why do people starve? God can ignore the calls of dying, neglected people? Why is God such a proponent of slavery in the Bible? Why do good things happen to bad people? Why dont any miracles leave evidence? Why hasnt Jesus appeared to any of us?
Discrepancies in religion constantly force us to rationalize. For the past two years, my theology books have told me NOT to rationalize. They say that rationalization takes place when a person knows something is impossible or false, but attempts to make it true or pleasing to them. But these things have to be rationalized if you are going to believe them. I cannot do that. It just does not make sense.
I have spent much time flipping through the Bible looking at things that just blow my mind. People say to look to the Bible for moral guiding. But how can we follow these things?
[FONT="]For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death. Exodus 35:2[/FONT]
If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, 19 his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. 20 They shall say to the elders, "This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a profligate and a drunkard." 21 Then all the men of his town shall stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid. Deuteronomy 21:18-21
If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. Leviticus 20:13
The Bible is scientifically and historically inaccurate.
How did that Council (I forget its name) decide that some of the gospels should be kept in the Bible in others excluded? How could they have not made the cut? What are you talking about? Isnt it the inspired word of god?
How can a faith be based on things like this? I have done my homework. I know the Bible should be read in a figurative sense, not literally. But to kill is to kill, in my book.
I dont think I even believe in a god now. I think it was Plato who said, He was a wise man who invented God. I think its on track.
But, what do you think? Can you clear some of this mud for me?
I have been doing some serious religious thinking in the past few months. I am in religious-limbo right now, and have no one to talk to. I have tried to start discussion about my problems and doubts with friends and family, but their lack of interest prevents any progress. I stumbled across this forum accidentally, and I feel that I can sort of put this all out there!
Im Ingrid. Im currently a high school senior living in the States. My father is a Lutheran-raised Swede whose parents were, it is possible to say, devout. However, he gave up the faith when he was a child. Now I guess he is an atheist. My mother was a Roman Catholic from Ireland. Her family is extremely devout; 3 of the 5 brothers now in the priesthood and 2 of the 4 sisters in the convent. In recent years she had too given up the faith possibly after coming to the States and the influence of my father. Im a baptized Catholic. I was born in Ireland, but moved to the States when I was about one and a half. My father did not care for me to be baptized. He thought when I became old enough I could decide what to do with my life, but apparently my mother won. I have attended Catholic schools, parochial and private, for my entire academic career.
I was never a particularly religious child. I never understood, and still do not, the idea of a god or that we are all part of some subliminal plan. But when I entered high school, things changed a bit. For about two and a half years, nothing was more dear to me than becoming a nun. Many of my teachers have been nuns, and I admired then tremendously. So austere! But at the same time, I never felt like I believed in any faith. I prayed constantly, but never heard any response. In February 2008, my mother lost her job. My father is an artist (both in occupation and character) so he brought in little income. With the world economy in shambles, it was a difficult two years. I prayed every day. I prayed the rosary before school started with the sisters in the school chapel and before I went to bed. I prayed with all my heart to God for my mother to find work. My mother had always suffered from depression, but with all the awfulness of the unemployment, she took her life in December 2009. It was horrible, horrible, but I prayed for her soul and for my father.
I remember one day in March I was praying in the chapel with the nuns, and I suddenly thought, Why didnt God find Mama a job? Why couldnt he let her find relief? I tried to tell myself that it was all part of that plan, but it just didnt make sense anymore. Why would a, at least as I have had pounded into my brain for the past 12 years, kind and merciful god not answer the prayers of someone and let a woman kill herself? I have been told that it was free will. Alright, so, yes, so it was. But wouldnt a god that loves us, we who are the reflection of his loving grace, allow a way out for someone like that? And I realized then that I couldnt think of one time I realized the manifestation of a prayer. I did ace that one test, but it was because I studied and worked hard. I did it because I made sure it happened. But my uncle had never recovered, nor did my friend receive a scholarship that would let her go to college. So that is one of my problems. I do not think prayers are answered, or even heard.
I have a lot of issues with the Catholic Church. It is a huge cauldron of smoldering dirt, secrecy, hypocrisy, and corruption. It is utterly incomprehensible to me how the Church is able to just push aside the horrific scandals that surround it now. How can priests accused of pedophilia just by excused by the pope? Why does Catholicism perpetuate gender inequality? (We are all created equal and loved equally by God. But in our eyes, ladies, you dont have the same opportunities as men. Yeah, yeah, Mary the Mother of God, Mary Magdalene still, you cant become our leaders.) Why are condoms and birth control forbidden? I am pro-choice, but I do understand the Churchs opposition to abortion. I do NOT understand preventing a sperm from fertilizing an egg. I do NOT understand using a condom to prevent the transmission of sexual disease and HIV/AIDs. Why are gays completely denied equality? Dont tell me, Well, God didnt create Adam and Bruce. That is not an answer. Stop evading the problem.
Lots of people believe that God is healing those suffering from, for example, cancer. Assuming that you are a faithful follower and believe of Church dogma, you would say the cancer (suffering) is a result of the evil in the world. No, thats not true. Evil does not deform cells or create tumors. Why would God allow the presence of evil if he is all-powerful? Couldnt he just answer a prayer or two and take away cancer? No. Medical advancements are able to cure cancer. By cure I mean remove the malignant cells and make the person cancer free. So, if we are going with the God works medical miracles, why has there never been a case of the healing of an amputee? We can raise people from the dead (or wait until they are out of a coma) but we cant grow back a hand? It does not make sense. The special plan excuse is ********.
Why do people starve? God can ignore the calls of dying, neglected people? Why is God such a proponent of slavery in the Bible? Why do good things happen to bad people? Why dont any miracles leave evidence? Why hasnt Jesus appeared to any of us?
Discrepancies in religion constantly force us to rationalize. For the past two years, my theology books have told me NOT to rationalize. They say that rationalization takes place when a person knows something is impossible or false, but attempts to make it true or pleasing to them. But these things have to be rationalized if you are going to believe them. I cannot do that. It just does not make sense.
I have spent much time flipping through the Bible looking at things that just blow my mind. People say to look to the Bible for moral guiding. But how can we follow these things?
[FONT="]For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death. Exodus 35:2[/FONT]
If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, 19 his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. 20 They shall say to the elders, "This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a profligate and a drunkard." 21 Then all the men of his town shall stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid. Deuteronomy 21:18-21
If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. Leviticus 20:13
The Bible is scientifically and historically inaccurate.
How did that Council (I forget its name) decide that some of the gospels should be kept in the Bible in others excluded? How could they have not made the cut? What are you talking about? Isnt it the inspired word of god?
How can a faith be based on things like this? I have done my homework. I know the Bible should be read in a figurative sense, not literally. But to kill is to kill, in my book.
I dont think I even believe in a god now. I think it was Plato who said, He was a wise man who invented God. I think its on track.
But, what do you think? Can you clear some of this mud for me?
