Looking for Ideas

steph.gclef

steph.gclef

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Hi everyone,

Currently I'm a confirmed, practicing Catholic. I attend church every Sunday, if only for the music (I sing in the youth choir). However, I spend most of the homily/sermon disagreeing with our priests. Every. Single. Sunday.

I still carry many of my core beliefs, but now I'm looking for a place or a way to worship my God, the one I believe in, without a structured mass or service. I have looked into visiting a Hindu temple with my friend, but I haven't yet gone, and I'm not entirely sure it's a good idea.

Any suggestions?

Whatever I choose, there will be a problem, because my father comes from a very strict Catholic family and when I once talked to him about my idea he instantly became angry of my possible decisions, telling me I was being "sacrilegious" or "blasphemous" or something. And, as I'm still in high school, he has the final say on my activities and where I go.

Thank you for any help, and sorry if this post was unclear.

-Steph
 
steph.gclef said:
Currently I'm a confirmed, practicing Catholic. I attend church every Sunday, if only for the music (I sing in the youth choir). However, I spend most of the homily/sermon disagreeing with our priests. Every. Single. Sunday.

I still carry many of my core beliefs, but now I'm looking for a place or a way to worship my God, the one I believe in, without a structured mass or service. I have looked into visiting a Hindu temple with my friend, but I haven't yet gone, and I'm not entirely sure it's a good idea.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Bit of a jump there, from Catholicism to Hinduism. No wonder you don't match your socks. Off the top of my head, Quakerism???



Whatever I choose, there will be a problem, because my father comes from a very strict Catholic family and when I once talked to him about my idea he instantly became angry of my possible decisions, telling me I was being "sacrilegious" or "blasphemous" or something. And, as I'm still in high school, he has the final say on my activities and where I go.
Click to expand...

Perhaps you'll need to bide your time...use it to research broadly perhaps?

Try this for some -isms...

Belief-O-Matic- Beliefnet.com

, oh and hello :)

Snoopy.
 
... this post makes me smile... I'm smiling because... ah, you're a youngster... it's not so easy to just decide to have a new faith... I bet you hard cash that most of the Catholics you see in church every week also have issues with Catholicism... they still go to church, though and, if you ask them what they are, they'll say they're Catholic...

..I like Snoopy's suggestion; Quakers accept you for being alive, and you can be a Quaker and also be a Catholic, or a Buddhist, or a Muslim... you don't have to convert or become something else then, either...

...My sugestion? Really pee off Mom and Pop and haul your ass over to the Dark Side, buy an inverse Pentagram necklace on a leather thong, paint your nails black with felt tip, and, voila -- you're a Satanist!
 
... this post makes me smile... I'm smiling because... ah, you're a youngster... it's not so easy to just decide to have a new faith... I bet you hard cash that most of the Catholics you see in church every week also have issues with Catholicism... they still go to church, though and, if you ask them what they are, they'll say they're Catholic...
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Firstly, I know I'm young but this is something I've thought about extensively, and for at least five years. I know plenty of adults who have never given anything so much thought.

Secondly, I think you misunderstand my problem. I'm not looking for a new religion, but a better place of worship. Or way, I guess (someone told me to try meditation?)

No wonder you don't match your socks.
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I am told that quite often...

Try this for some -isms...

Belief-O-Matic- Beliefnet.com
Click to expand...

I did. The result was liberal Protestantism...not sure how I feel about it, but I'll research.


Thanks
 
Steph,

The best way to handle religious discussions with your father is -- don't. I also grew up in the Catholic church. (I went to catholic high school, the whole nine yards.) I became very disenchanted with catholicism in high school. It never occured to me to discuss religion with my parents -- that would have only created a lot of trouble. Don't do it.

I highly recommend the Unitarian Church for you. Is there one near you?

I would like to hear about the things in catholicism you do not agree with. You may find a number of people on this forum who think the way you do, and you may be able to have some fascinating religious discussions with them.

What parts of catholicism do you agree with and disagree with?
 
Hi Steph,

I would like to let you know that you are not alone in this struggle you have with spirituality and fitting in with your family. I say it this way only because I attended Catholic school for 12 years, elementary and high school. I was born and raised one, and have had many identity crisis because of it. I struggled with it, mostly because of the hyprocrisy and the non-structure it offered and I gained witness to. I would never force my children to make such hasty decisions, and witness what I had to go through. Although because of my inherent faith, I did baptize them and they did complete Penance and the Eucharist. My oldest, under his own vigilance, completed his confirmation. I, on the other hand, did not, because I did not believe in a church stating how much stronger my love was to God or Jesus, and who are they to judge that? That was always my gripe with the Catholic church. So to make you feel better, I have come to understand many world religions. I especially am interested in the Theosophical Society of Esotericsm, as well as the Unitarian Universalism. I am an active Yogini and am constantly thanking the universe and all spiritual beings, great and small, for their guidance and support in every venture I partake, as well as for my children. So Steph, in short, please follow your heart, and make the decisions that matter to you. Your parents don't have to know everything, especially if you are not doing anything unhealthy to your life. As now is not the time to challenge them, but to help them see you in a better light. All you have to do is express yourself through your actions and your daily routines, and this will come much easier when you stop caring about what others, including parents, think of you. There will be struggle, but Steph, you don't live your life for your parents, you live your life for you. Follow your heart. They will come around, because you are their daughter. Don't feel bad or sad...this too shall pass, and your peace will come. Just don't give up on you. ;)

And mostly, Namaste, and God Bless!!
 
steph.gclef said:
However, I spend most of the homily/sermon disagreeing with our priests. Every. Single. Sunday.
Click to expand...

Why not just keep doing this? Why switch to another tradition just so you can start disagreeing with the priest of that tradition?
 
Hi Steph —
steph.gclef said:
Currently I'm a confirmed, practicing Catholic. I attend church every Sunday, if only for the music (I sing in the youth choir). However, I spend most of the homily/sermon disagreeing with our priests. Every. Single. Sunday.
Click to expand...
That's tough. I'm a Catholic too ... been there, in fact 'wandered off' as I call it, in my 20s. Became a Hermeticist, studied comparative religion, then found my way back.

The nearest I got to another form was Soto Zen.

I can only echo the Dalai Lama who said 'if you can't find what you're looking for in Christianity, you won't find it anywhere else. The problem is with you, not the tradition.'

The big problem, as you point out, is that you're not allowed to question. That's a shame.

steph.gclef said:
I still carry many of my core beliefs, but now I'm looking for a place or a way to worship my God, the one I believe in, without a structured mass or service.
Click to expand...
This is a great shame, and highlights a wider issue, in that the contemporary Christian has largely lost sight of the Mass as a mystical ascent, and a real engagement in 'the Mystical Body of Christ'.

God bless,

Thomas
 
Leela Samaste said:
........ and am constantly thanking the universe and all spiritual beings, great and small, for their guidance and support in every venture I partake, ....... As now is not the time to challenge them, but to help them see you in a better light. All you have to do is express yourself through your actions and your daily routines........
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Hi Leela, thank you for your insightful post. I hope you don't mind if I use some of your words.
These words seem to be the attributes of someone who is a doer of the "Word", not so much a speaker of the "Word". We are talking about Catholicism here, so the "Word" comes from the bible, but I suspect other holy books from other religions also contain the same thoughts. I could be wrong, but I see this as part of the way we are suppose to be.
So I don't see it so much as how you embrace a particular religion, but how you conduct and express yourself, inward and outwardly.

.02
Joe
 
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Hi Joedjr —

Joedjr said:
These words seem to be the attributes of someone who is a doer of the "Word", not so much a speaker of the "Word". We are talking about Catholicism here, so the "Word" comes from the bible, but I suspect other holy books from other religions also contain the same thoughts. I could be wrong, but I see this as part of the way we are suppose to be.
Click to expand...
This is quite an insightful point that Leela has made, and you have picked up on.

'Authentic' Christianity is not a 'word' religion in the sense of an intellectual message, but a word religion in the sense of the word become flesh — the spirit of God embodied in the natural world.

We exist in the natural world not by speaking, but by being. In Genesis, God said 'let there be light' which, although some take to mean intelligibility (which is true) it also means let there be things which are illuminated by the light, thus the Book of Nature is the Holy Book of the Senses.

In the Prologue of the Gospel of John, the author explicitly locates the Divine Word in the physical world, the Word become flesh, the Logos being 'the light of men' (the light of being) ... the Johannine author further emphasises this in the Letters:
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the word of life: For the life was manifested; and we have seen and do bear witness, and declare unto you the life eternal, which was with the Father, and hath appeared to us: That which we have seen and have heard, we declare unto you, that you also may have fellowship with us, and our fellowship may be with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." 1 John 1:1-4
The emphasis on sensible apprehension is emphatic.

Joedjr said:
So I don't see it so much as how you embrace a particular religion, but how you conduct and express yourself, inward and outwardly.
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I would say that is true with regard to any religion — in fact what you're saying is 'be true to what you believe' — the question then is what the particular religion says, or offers, the individual.

What is contained within the Book of Revelation.

I am Catholic because I find it the most optimistic, the most holistic, the most reasoned and rational, and of course the most mystical, of religions. Certainly no other speaks of 'Divine Union' with such immediacy and intimacy as orthodox (that is pre-Reformation) Christianity.

God bless,

Thomas
 
I highly recommend the Unitarian Church for you. Is there one near you?

I would like to hear about the things in catholicism you do not agree with. You may find a number of people on this forum who think the way you do, and you may be able to have some fascinating religious discussions with them.

What parts of catholicism do you agree with and disagree with?
Click to expand...


I have considered the Unitarian Church... there is one near me but I have never gone. I'll give it some thought.

The parts I disagree with? Well, often it's the constant segregation, the placing of one set of people above the others. I think that's my main problem. Who are we to decide that women can't be as good as men, or that gays are sinners, or that the rich are terrible people? (I won't say I'm rich, but my family is fairly well-off and I don't think the constant assertion that the poor will be exalted and the rich cast down to be a very comforting notion...)

I also think the church is a little bit insensitive of the needs of its people, as they are today and not as they were 2011 years ago.

... but I'm not going to get preachy just yet because I don't think I stand strong enough yet in my beliefs to debate anything... I prefer to listen.

I have come to understand many world religions. I especially am interested in the Theosophical Society of Esotericsm, as well as the Unitarian Universalism.
Click to expand...

Those seem so far to be the most relevant options... I'll definitely take a look at them.

Why not just keep doing this? Why switch to another tradition just so you can start disagreeing with the priest of that tradition?
Click to expand...

a good point...

These words seem to be the attributes of someone who is a doer of the "Word", not so much a speaker of the "Word". We are talking about Catholicism here, so the "Word" comes from the bible, but I suspect other holy books from other religions also contain the same thoughts. I could be wrong, but I see this as part of the way we are suppose to be.
Click to expand...

This is quite an insightful point that Leela has made, and you have picked up on.

'Authentic' Christianity is not a 'word' religion in the sense of an intellectual message, but a word religion in the sense of the word become flesh — the spirit of God embodied in the natural world.

We exist in the natural world not by speaking, but by being. In Genesis, God said 'let there be light' which, although some take to mean intelligibility (which is true) it also means let there be things which are illuminated by the light, thus the Book of Nature is the Holy Book of the Senses.
Click to expand...


wow. that's really insightful. I'm awed.


Thanks to everyone for the helpful replies,

steph
 
Thomas said:
Hi Joedjr —

I am Catholic because I find it the most optimistic, the most holistic, the most reasoned and rational, and of course the most mystical, of religions. Certainly no other speaks of 'Divine Union' with such immediacy and intimacy as orthodox (that is pre-Reformation) Christianity.
Click to expand...

Were you baptized later in life as a catholic or born and raised one?
 
You may be at a stage where you are not sure about many things. Think it all over. I am a catholic and I was raised by Catholic parents but I grew up in a Baptist school, so now I have beliefs that contradict my Catholic upbringing. I go to mass with my folks but I choose not to have confessions, communions and those other rituals. Take it slow, you will be old enough and wise enough to make that big decision when the time comes.
 
tychomorpheus said:
Were you baptized later in life as a catholic or born and raised one?
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A cradle-Catholic of Irish stock ... I walked away around 18-19, got into Hermeticism for a decade, then the Sophia Perennis for another, through their writings discovered Patristics (the early Church Fathers up to about 7th century), at which point I found someone who 'spoke my language' and my footsteps took me back to the Church ... now into Christian metaphysics, cosmology, anthropology and my latest 'bright cup', neuroscience ...

God bless,

Thomas
 
Thomas said:
I am Catholic because I find it the most optimistic, the most holistic, the most reasoned and rational, and of course the most mystical, of religions.
Click to expand...

I thought it might be the huge amount of intellectualism it naturally developed through its history, not least through the cross-pollination of ideas within Greek philosophy. :)
 
Thomas said:
A cradle-Catholic of Irish stock ... I walked away around 18-19, got into Hermeticism for a decade, then the Sophia Perennis for another, through their writings discovered Patristics (the early Church Fathers up to about 7th century), at which point I found someone who 'spoke my language' and my footsteps took me back to the Church ... now into Christian metaphysics, cosmology, anthropology and my latest 'bright cup', neuroscience ...

God bless,

Thomas
Click to expand...
Man, does that sound familiar...lol but I went into engineering (building bridges). :)
 
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