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lostwanderingsoul
Well-Known Member
Faith is a gift from God and He does not give it to everyone.
OceanSoul
Member
OceanSoul
Member
Interesting. I wonder why that is though like some people experience something divine, but plenty don't.
I don't know. It's weird. I converted to Catholicism when I was 16/17. I wasn't raised Catholic and my family isn't Catholic (although apparently some extended family members have converted to Catholicism on their own, but my mom's side of the family is Methodist and Lutheran and my dad's side of the family is Baptist, I guess). I was raised loosely Christian. My mom was a single mother and she always believed in God. We went to churches off and on. Tried different churches and then would give up. I went through a period of being very anti-Christian during my teens.
But then I all of a sudden had the idea of trying a Catholic parish. I had never been to one before and the art intrigued me. This was shocking to both me and my mom because I was so against Christianity and would argue with my mom about it. But she was like "okay" and let me pick a parish. Of course, I do with the neo-Gothic cathedral here. (I've always been big into aesthetics.) So we show up for a Mass one Sunday in spring of 2006. We both immediately were in awe due to it and felt right at home. We talked to the priest afterwards and he was a great guy, very jovial. He was surprised we weren't Catholic. He told us about the RCIA. So we kept going and joined the RCIA that fall. We were Baptized, Confirmed and took First Communion on Easter Vigil 2007.
I was really devout and fervent in my beliefs for a while. I went to the National Catholic Youth Conference here in 2007, went on a mission trip and was on the Diocesan Youth Counsel for a while. I really had the "zeal of the convert".
Well, due to various issues in my life, not least my mental health struggles, I lost my faith at times. I would try to leave Catholicism and explore other things, trying to find something I thought would suit me better. But I keep being drawn back to Catholicism. It won't leave me alone. I would have dreams about Jesus and everything. So I'm just "letting go and letting God". He won't leave me alone, anyway.
*shrugs*
But then I all of a sudden had the idea of trying a Catholic parish. I had never been to one before and the art intrigued me. This was shocking to both me and my mom because I was so against Christianity and would argue with my mom about it. But she was like "okay" and let me pick a parish. Of course, I do with the neo-Gothic cathedral here. (I've always been big into aesthetics.) So we show up for a Mass one Sunday in spring of 2006. We both immediately were in awe due to it and felt right at home. We talked to the priest afterwards and he was a great guy, very jovial. He was surprised we weren't Catholic. He told us about the RCIA. So we kept going and joined the RCIA that fall. We were Baptized, Confirmed and took First Communion on Easter Vigil 2007.
I was really devout and fervent in my beliefs for a while. I went to the National Catholic Youth Conference here in 2007, went on a mission trip and was on the Diocesan Youth Counsel for a while. I really had the "zeal of the convert".
Well, due to various issues in my life, not least my mental health struggles, I lost my faith at times. I would try to leave Catholicism and explore other things, trying to find something I thought would suit me better. But I keep being drawn back to Catholicism. It won't leave me alone. I would have dreams about Jesus and everything. So I'm just "letting go and letting God". He won't leave me alone, anyway.
*shrugs*
Aštra’el
Aštara, Blade of Aštoreth
My spiritual-religious system was born of the desire to gain strength, wisdom, power and beauty from any religion I wish, whenever I Will. It was born of a raging desire to explore the many sides of my own human Nature and expand my understanding of humanity's collective human Nature. It was born out of a profound love and respect for the earth and the cosmos, and an intense fascination with God(s) and Heavens and Hells. It was through my connection to YHWH and deific forces Above and Below and Within that my spiritual- religious system has granted me the abilities and opportunities it has.
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I have no idea. Stuff happens?
People die unexpectedly. There is lots of stuff that goes unexplained.
OceanSoul
Member
The old neo-Gothic Cathedrals are pretty awesome.
I can see the attraction to the aesthetics of Catholicism. Seems like you're where God/Jesus wants you to be. When you have a lot going on in your life, a lot of loss then it can take a toll on a person spiritually so totally understandable why you've struggled with it.
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OceanSoul
Member
So you're faith or path is empowering and is a way for you to understand yourself more?
OceanSoul
Member
Q. How Did You Find Your Faith? Or lack thereof?
Essentially through a single book.
It made too much sense to ignore.
.
Ah, I'm familiar with Bertrand Russell.
OceanSoul
Member
Oh, there are mysteries out there that are unexplainable yet this is one of those areas that can seem unfair. Is there even a point to seeking then?
I always thought that was a cruel way to look at it. I don't think God plays petty games like that, like Calvinist predestination.
OceanSoul
Member
I agree! It's like saying some people are special and others aren't so they get left behind by God. The Elect are chosen and the ones who aren't go to Hell. Blargh.
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lostwanderingsoul
Well-Known Member
You may not believe the Bible but it says in Ephesians 2:8 that people are saved by grace through faith and that faith is a gift from God. Why He gives it to some people and not others is something you will have to ask Him. Maybe some people really are special?
Yeah, I don't believe that. I think that God wills His entire creation towards Him. Now, how we respond to it or if we even sense it, depends on multiple variables. The openness of our hearts and minds, our understanding of spirituality and God, culture, our unique situation in life including our personalities and health problems, etc. There's many things to factor in.
I have noticed that many people who have lost their faith or didn't have faith in the first place usually were exposed to negative aspects of religion and/or it wasn't presented to them well enough. Literalism, especially, ruins the faith of many people and turns them away from openness to religion. That is certainly a failing on the part of religious people which we will have to answer for. All of these various things need to be factored in.
For example, in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it says in part about atheism:
2125 Since it rejects or denies the existence of God, atheism is a sin against the virtue of religion.61 The imputability of this offense can be significantly diminished in virtue of the intentions and the circumstances. "Believers can have more than a little to do with the rise of atheism. To the extent that they are careless about their instruction in the faith, or present its teaching falsely, or even fail in their religious, moral, or social life, they must be said to conceal rather than to reveal the true nature of God and of religion."62
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a1.htm
Anyway, God knows the depths of each soul and His mercy is far more than His wrath. So He would understand.
God's grace is what enables us to respond to God's call to us and His grace is available to all people.
metis
aged ecumenical anthropologist
First of all, please note my signature statement at the end of this post to see where I'm coming from.
It was a long time in coming to this "conclusion", but it pretty much got solidified about 12 or so years ago. For me, even in my teens (I'm now 71), religious faith was tough for me because of my science orientation that strongly encourages objectivity. However, I did teach theology for quite a few years, largely because it interested me, but as hard as I tried to believe, it was still tough sledding-- even here in da U.P.
But sometimes I lean in the direction that there is Something because there are too many "coincidences" that has involved my wife and an old girlfriend of mine whereas we connect in ways that is very hard to describe rationally. I have never believed in e.s.p., at least up until several years ago, but way too many things have transpired between us three that I cannot even begin to explain, including by "coincidence". It really has shook me up on many occasions, and it's not because I'm "losing it". It's just unbelievable-- except it keeps happening.
It was a long time in coming to this "conclusion", but it pretty much got solidified about 12 or so years ago. For me, even in my teens (I'm now 71), religious faith was tough for me because of my science orientation that strongly encourages objectivity. However, I did teach theology for quite a few years, largely because it interested me, but as hard as I tried to believe, it was still tough sledding-- even here in da U.P.
But sometimes I lean in the direction that there is Something because there are too many "coincidences" that has involved my wife and an old girlfriend of mine whereas we connect in ways that is very hard to describe rationally. I have never believed in e.s.p., at least up until several years ago, but way too many things have transpired between us three that I cannot even begin to explain, including by "coincidence". It really has shook me up on many occasions, and it's not because I'm "losing it". It's just unbelievable-- except it keeps happening.