Is anyone a Catholic here?

I am an adult convert who was confirmed on Friday May 31.

I look forward towards the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Communion tomorrow, and walking to my parish on a cool, cloudy morning on Tuesday, perhaps to receive Communion again if I arrive early enough, to say a sorrowful five decades, which is somewhat conflicting as cloudy days make me quite mellow and blissful.

During the last few homilies, I was mentally distracted and I could pay full attention since my mind was engrossed in thinking about ways to check and counter stuff like Hydration Vaporeon, Toxicroak, Jellicent, and Skarmory. :)
 
I'm not religious, but I do go to a catholic college. I chose to go there because it's among the best in the country and was miles better than the alternative college in my area.
R.E. is compulsory but it's not like they force catholicism on you or anything. In fact they accept people from all religions (yet if you are catholic you are pretty much guaranteed to get in) and teach us about all religions. Besides it's only one one hour lesson per week.
I suppose it's given me a bit of an insight as to how catholics work and stuff along those lines.
 
trust me when I say going to a private catholic high school makes you very less catholic
I went to a Catholic primary school where Catholicism was basically enforced upon me. I honestly believe that it turned me more against the religion than towards it, as I am now a strong Atheist. For my Year 6 production (which everybody had to do), we performed Godspell x_x
Our R.E teacher was a reverend who not only talked about Christianity and solely about Christianity, but was the director of our production too.
 
I don't know what to say about the atheism/agnosticism, but I did enjoy dismantling theistic arguments as an undergrad (and am able to do so now). Hume seems to be best philosopher of the "dark side". I enjoyed his work, particularly because he gave an astounding critique of the teleological argument in Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion through the persona Philo, before having a scientific theory to rebut any design arguments.
 
User: Deck Knight is a devout catholic; you should message him! When he's not spouting off ridiculous right-wing propaganda, he can actually be rather nice :toast:

I myself am an atheist. I used to be a devout Christian in elementary school, but the more I actually learned about religion, the less I believed in it.

I hope this isn't too intrusive, but I have to ask: what exactly prompted you to convert to Catholicism? What makes you think that Catholicism, out of all the religions in the world that exists, is the "right" one? What makes you think there even is a god? You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but I'm always curious to see how religious people answer these sorts of questions.
 

Chou Toshio

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So... question: Why is it that in a thread about meeting and talking with other Catholics, 3 out of the first 4 posts are taking digs at Catholicism? And then Lanturn goes ahead and decides to question the OP about all his fundamental beliefs-- respectfully, yes, but that's a pretty heavy discussion that the OP did not in any way invite; and I can't see it written anywhere in the OP that this was a thread intended to open discussion for posters to begin dissecting the "rights" and "wrongs" of Catholicism.

Come on guys-- you can be more adult than that. Learn to practice some religious tolerance. Or at least learn to hold your tongue.

(Sorry, I too am not Catholic)
 
I posted a stupid response at first too, but r/atheism level religion bashing is immature and a waste of everyone's time. I'll edit in a serious response when I get access to my computer.
 

Deck Knight

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I'll ignore Lanturn's digs since she did me the favor of referring me here via highlight.

I can't say I'm much of a theologian, I really focus on what you might call "Applied Catholicism." I taught the confirmation class at my parish for 5 years, and my entire emphasis was on moral agency and the notion of making adult moral decisions and understanding them in a long-term context. Catholic isn't just a set of beliefs or rules or prohibitions, it's an entire way of thinking and living undergirded by two millenia of collected wisdom.

Which is why Catholic is literally "universal." When you say the (Nicene) Creed and say you believe in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church (separated purposefully, refer to the Catechism, which I call the field guide to Catholicism), you aren't saying you are part of one of many churches, but you are part of the universal Church.

Don't worry too much about your mind wandering during Homilies. Some pastors are very good at their charter to perform the sacraments and comfort the distressed, but aren't exactly compelling public speakers. The idea is to always try and focus your mind and your will back into the right place, which is the lessons of the Scriptures and the Gospel for that day.

God Bless,
Deck Knight / Brian
 
So... question: Why is it that in a thread about meeting and talking with other Catholics, 3 out of the first 4 posts are taking digs at Catholicism?
I apologize if I seemed to be coming off as attacking Catholicism, I did not mean that in any way. I was just saying in what I thought was the simplest terms that I left because I just had no reason for believing any more. If I am not mistaken CM-Latias said that this changed their outlook on life; hey I am all for that, directly feeling the effects of the Holy Spirit is easily one of the best personal proofs for God.
 

Chou Toshio

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^If you truly didn't mean anything by it, I'm sure that I (and the OP as a good Catholic) can forgive you-- but come on man. Just imagine if you said what you said to someone in real life.

Fred: Hey! I just discovered I identify with Catholicism! I want to make more Catholic friends.

Tom: I was Catholic before I realized that I didn't really believe in any of it, 18 years.

If this conversation happened in real life, how would Fred NOT get offended? How could he NOT take it as a dig?

It's all well and good to have opinions, but those opinions should only be voiced in the proper context, in the proper thread, when those opinions are asked for. I'm no mod staff-- but I'll just speak from common sense: seeing as we're back in Congregation of the Masses, I'd just like people to really think about their posts before they make them. A religion thread that was not posted to invite heat doesn't need heat.

edit:

Well if you say so Deck. I just think it wouldn't hurt for people to exercise some tact.
 
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Deck Knight

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^If you truly didn't mean anything by it, I'm sure that I (and the OP as a good Catholic) can forgive you-- but come on man. Just imagine if you said what you said to someone in real life.

Fred: Hey! I just discovered I identify with Catholicism! I want to make more Catholic friends.

Tom: I was Catholic before I realized that I didn't really believe in any of it, 18 years.

If this conversation happened in real life, how would Fred NOT get offended? How could he NOT take it as a dig?

It's all well and good to have opinions, but those opinions should only be voiced in the proper context, in the proper thread, when those opinions are asked for. I'm no mod staff-- but I'll just speak from common sense: seeing as we're back in Congregation of the Masses, I'd just like people to really think about their posts before they make them. A religion thread that was not posted to invite heat doesn't need heat.
I'm going to side with PB here and say there's nothing inherently offensive in responding to "I just converted" with "I lost my faith a while ago." If PB followed up with standard anti-religious boilerplate it'd be different, but unless I missed it due to an edit, it's perfectly within the realm of ordinary response.
 
I was not offended by any of the responses in this thread and was grateful that they were some response... I will likely reply later about my testimony. I thought and prayed often during my conversion process and I accepted (what I perceive to be) God's call. I indeed believe that the Sacrament of the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Jesus and that abortion is morally despicable because it terminate the life of a biological and spiritual being created in God's image for his glory and with the potential of responding to his grace through the Holy Spirit. However, I am not a politically conservative Catholic and I do not advocate restricting access to abortion through public policy; I am actually quite indifferent to American politics (as I was a Marxist-Leninist before but I never really renounced that political philosophy). Moreover, I believe it is impossible to argue that abortion is immoral using secular, ethical arguments; Peter Singer's utilitarian arguments permitting abortion based on the lack of "personhood" of the fetus are quite strong and most pro-lifers do not know how to address them without invoking religious concepts.

I am not interested in proselytizing or asserting the veracity of my religious beliefs here.

trust me when I say going to a private catholic high school makes you very less catholic
We all have different impressions on religion based on our experiences. Indeed, the hypocritical and self-interested conduct of the religious can discourage one from being faithful, not to mention that many apologetic arguments can be refuted quite easily.
 
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So... question: Why is it that in a thread about meeting and talking with other Catholics, 3 out of the first 4 posts are taking digs at Catholicism? And then Lanturn goes ahead and decides to question the OP about all his fundamental beliefs-- respectfully, yes, but that's a pretty heavy discussion that the OP did not in any way invite; and I can't see it written anywhere in the OP that this was a thread intended to open discussion for posters to begin dissecting the "rights" and "wrongs" of Catholicism.
I am a Latias... something quite rare among gamers.
 

Brambane

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My family kind of dragged me around to a whole bunch of different places of worships and religious practices when I was a kid, but I always found the preaching in Catholicism to be the more inspiring of the bunch. But why do they always have to use incense? I would tear up and start wheezing every time they brought it out. I am actually considering starting to go back to Catholic church, not so much because I believe (my faith was lost long ago) but because I find the service and pastors memorable and thought-provoking.
 
I actually posted this on my Facebook page on the occasion of my first Communion on May 19, 2013

"When every life meets another life, something will be born"

I remember when I, as an secular agnostic generally hostile to organized religion, initially walked to [my parish] to observe out a sense of nostalgia the Mass as a spectator not an engaged participant. I thought my political and scientific views and my autistic personality would preclude me from befriending any of the parishioners, and I want to interact minimally with them so I sat aloofly in the back pew, physically present but detached from the Celebration and the congregation. During my second visit, on New Year's Day of 2012, I met [Ericka of Celadon] as she approached me before Mass commenced and offered to sit with me during Mass, and we bantered until the 12 o' clock bell rang. I initially did not think there was anything significant to the serendipitous encounter as I walked home pondering and reflecting after our first Mass together, and I left with a pleasant mood as I appreciated her charming and pleasing personality. While she was glorifying God by singing canorous canticles during Mass, in contrast, a few weeks ago my thoughts towards the faith and its practices were that of invidious indignation, disdain, and doubt.


As we met on subsequent Masses in January, this servant of God eventually made an impression on me with her faith, kindness, and love -- indubitably fruits of the Spirit. We sat by each other at on a bench near a statue of the Virgin Mary after Mass during the Father [Blaine of Cinnabar] birthday party on the penultimate weekend of the 2012 Super Bowl, and there she gave me an emotionally moving testimony of God's love and forgiveness in her life. I felt her life was an example of God's immanence in our world and lives, as opposed to Him being an absentee creator deity, and a tantalizing prequel of the beatific vision. I remarked that she is a "superior woman" due to her admirable faith; that is an allusion to Khan Noonien Singh's complement to Marla McGivers on "Space Seed" of Star Trek: The Original Series. My mind deduced that if God loves her, then by extension God loves me. During the following weeks as my soul yearned for Him while my mind was not satisfied, I earnestly approached God in prayer to send his Spirit to give me the gift of faith and banish my doubts so I could be able to imitate her. My hostile skepticism and recalcitrant resistance faded noticeably throughout the following Lent, and my body and soul became a receptive vessel for his grace. Our encounter gave birth to faith, not merely a monotone recitation of tenets and mere bodily presence during religious services; hope in treasures in heaven and Kingdom of God, although it is currently not yet fully realized; and love for God and others. We might not be friends in the normal sense since we do not share intellectual or cultural interests, but there is definitely a connection, a bond, between us.

The quote was from two Pokemon episodes, DP 40 and 188, but I found it so profound, inspiring, reflective, and relevant to my life that it extends beyond my interest with the Pokemon media franchise. I played that scene about 30 times yesterday

(start playing at 19:00; I liked the background music and the conciliation between Paul and Ash)

I don't normally watch the Diamond and Pearl episodes as I don't care for the new Pokemon, but I am glad I found that episode after my first Communion.


I written that before I was interested in competitive battling, before I even knew what a "Ferrothorn", "Keldeo", or "Volcarona" was, and a month after an acute DKA episode.
 
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Mack the Knife

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I'm not Catholic, but I'm Christian. I dislike the fact that Christians are now segregated into different categories, but I can understand why it has happened. At my school, I asked a kid, "Are you Christian?" His reply was, "No, I'm Catholic." This surprised me, since everyone I asked before either said "No, I'm atheist/another religion that isn't Christian" or "Yes". My question is, do you identify yourself as Catholic or Christian first?
 
The bible never once mentions that you should go to Church, that you should wear some sort of symbolism or have a ceremony for a baptism or communion, its something Catholics made themselves for whatever reason. I don't agree with any exclusive Catholic beliefs, but its better than being an atheist. For me, it was made clear to me that the Catholic religion was not right, which was off the back of my father who has studied the bible for 30 years. With religion, its entirely up to you with what you believe, I mean who am I to tell you what to believe. I went to a Catholic school, and I didn't take much seriously because I didn't believe in it. Good Luck.
 

Deck Knight

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"Keep Holy the Sabbath Day" @ jcpdragonx

As far as the biblical backing of the sacraments, like I said I'm no theologian but here's the short version:

To start with, Catholicism is a very physical religion. By this I mean Catholics practice physical signs (e.g. the sign of the cross), have sacraments using physical items (annointing with oil, baptism by water, the Eucharist itself, physical presence at Reconciliation, etc.) Each Sacrament therefore has a physical element to its practice and completion.

1. Baptism:

Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. As Jesus is who Christians aspire to follow in all ways, and as Jesus was God himself, he did not need to be baptized.

2. Reconciliation

Various examples of people repenting from their sins to Jesus and his subsequent forgiveness, stated as "go and sin no more."

3. Eucharist

"Do this in remembrance of me."

4. Confirmation

This stems from after Jesus' death when the apostles were all gathered in the sealed room, and he breathed the Holy Spirit on them. Generally known as Pentecost. Confirmation is the personal, willful renewal of the vows your parents make for you at your Baptism.

5. Marriage
Jesus was well known for attending weddings, including the one where he turned water into wine.

6. Holy Orders
Apostolic Succession (one of the central tenets of Catholicism) is based on this concept. The entire Priesthood and particularly the Pope exist because of this concept that one must devote their lives entirely to God, give up all they own, and follow him.

7. Annointing of the Sick
Otherwise known as the Last Rites. Like Marriage this was a very common custom in Jewish culture, and serves often as a form of reconciliation for people who may not be able to speak for themselves who are in great bodily peril.

- - - - -

As far as secular arguments against abortion, I find the entire notion of legal personhood abhorrent. In all of history there has been only one reason to separate legal personhood from humanity as such, and that reason is to make discrimination against, enslavement of, or killing other human beings legally permissible. Utilitarianism is a pragmatic military philosophy, but a disgusting legal one. Individual rights are inherently disposed of in a system that always favors the greatest good for the greatest number.
 

Stratos

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The bible never once mentions that you should go to Church
hebrews 10 said:
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
have a ceremony for a baptism
Acts 2 said:
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
or communion
1 Corinthians said:
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
It's worth noting that I don't identify with Catholicism, because I do find many places in which Catholicism is frankly, as I see it, unbiblical (Apostolic Succession and Indulgences being two big ones [i heard they stopped indulgences recently though? no idea if true]), but even the protestants (such as what I identify with, Baptists) follow the three things you listed, because they actually do have a basis in the Bible.
 

Jukain

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i agree with what deck knight said in that it's about following the example of jesus. just because something isn't explicitly stated doesn't make it bad. (background: i'm a fairly devout catholic)
 
Uh, can we keep abortion out of this thread, not even a majority of Catholics are against it and the Pope himself has tried to shift the Church's focus away from such things.

As for if everything Catholics do is shown in the Bible, the answer is no, its not, a lot of it comes from interpretation. Honestly though, who cares? A lot of it comes from tradition and they have been doing many of these things for over 1,000 years now, many of the things Protestants do aren't fully supported by the bible either and come through interpretation of it.

Also I have been meaning to ask this to Catholics for a while, and Deck Knight noted it in his post about how Catholicism is based on the he physical world. More specifically it is the Catholic interpretation of the bible that God did not create non-physical philosophical concepts, but the concrete world. If this is the case, how exactly does the existance of numbers fit into the Catholic perspective? Are all Catholics then Nominalists, believing that numbers are based from countable physical objects? I am just wondering is Platonic numbers are in contradiction with Catholic thought.
 
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Yeti

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"Keep Holy the Sabbath Day" @ jcpdragonx
Is this supposed to be a justification for "the Bible says go to church" because the Sabbath isn't a day to go to church, it's in honor of the day God rested after His creation, but it isn't really a part of the Christian belief system, honoring the Sabbath as a day of not doing any work is pretty much limited to Jews as it's an OT concept. There are some Christians/denominations who will follow various forms of it though - first day, seventh day, monthly, etc.

Personally, I don't believe Catholicism and other denominations of Christianity to be similar enough you could call them the same. The Catholic system of saints and confessions and physical acts doesn't really settle well with me, I prefer the Protestant belief system. But that's just me, we're all brothers/sisters in Christ, and whatever denomination connects with you specifically is fine. That's why there are so many with individual interpretations of scripture.
 

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