A
angellous_evangellous
Guest
Scott1 said:
It would be very good for you to talk to your preist about this...
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No longer Roman Catholic
- Thread starter Scott1
- Start date
It would be very good for you to talk to your preist about this...
A
A. Leaf
Guest
Hia Scott, you have obviously studied the docterine and the history very closely of the Catholic Church. Don't forget a large chunk of Christianity is about forgiveness.
Now don't forget good ol' JC raised his temple in 3 days, in which i am sure you will do as well, probably less than 3 days. I think to understand the teachings, the sacrafice and the ressurection through the bible is the most important thing of all. Some people need to congregate at a church, some people can do it down their local sports club, some people can do it down the pub playing darts. Most importantly meditation and prayer are free, becomes much more personal when going to bed in the evening with your door closed, or at a time that most importantly suits you. To respect yourself and that of your neighbour, the rest we take in our stride, the rough with the smooth. Best Wishes Scott.
Now don't forget good ol' JC raised his temple in 3 days, in which i am sure you will do as well, probably less than 3 days. I think to understand the teachings, the sacrafice and the ressurection through the bible is the most important thing of all. Some people need to congregate at a church, some people can do it down their local sports club, some people can do it down the pub playing darts. Most importantly meditation and prayer are free, becomes much more personal when going to bed in the evening with your door closed, or at a time that most importantly suits you. To respect yourself and that of your neighbour, the rest we take in our stride, the rough with the smooth. Best Wishes Scott.
Halcyon
Lord of the Badgers
Hey Scott,
I'm sorry to hear this news, i realise how important the Church is to you.
But on the other hand i'm, happy that you're not living a lie and are being true to yourself.
And i'm glad you're embracing the concept of female ordination. Could i ask where this came from, you mentioned a book by the then Cardinal Ratzinger, what did he say that made you change your mind about a male-only clergy?
I wish you all the best for your spiritual future my friend, do you have any idea yet what you will do?
I'm sorry to hear this news, i realise how important the Church is to you.
But on the other hand i'm, happy that you're not living a lie and are being true to yourself.
And i'm glad you're embracing the concept of female ordination. Could i ask where this came from, you mentioned a book by the then Cardinal Ratzinger, what did he say that made you change your mind about a male-only clergy?
I wish you all the best for your spiritual future my friend, do you have any idea yet what you will do?
Scott1
Well-Known Member
Thanks Freelancer!
Peace,
S
It's more about the concept of the Holy Spirit as abiding love... a love that unifies and is enduring that led me to question every aspect of theology as I knew it. Female ordination is logical to me in this regard... how could the decision to close off 1/2 the world's population be part of the Holy Spirit which seeks to unify us in love?Halcyon said:
Thanks... I do appreciate your friendship and advice... I have no clue what I'm gonna due... but I'll just have faith and hang out at RF as much as I can... this place usually gets my brain working!
Peace,
S
Scuba Pete
Le plongeur avec attitude...
My brother in the faith...
I don't think I have known someone with such disimilar views who I would embrace as a brother without question. Why? We share the very same allegience. Not only to our Lord but to his command to love deeply and from the heart.
I left my congregation earlier this year for far different reasons. That decision is both liberating and scary at the same time. I still feel a part of the church, and yet I can not dismiss the one thing that keeps me away. Would they have me back? Just as surely as they would have you back... but this is a test of our inner morality. No one else can see our hearts or feel our devotion to honor. So few will understand that for us, honor is everything. You are a GREAT MAN for making your decision my friend.
Kudos to you, my brother. Serve the Lord, our God with all your might and you will be rewarded. Your path will be guided by the Spirit within you and you will figure out just how to serve. I offer you nothing but love... to help you cope in such a time as this.
Your brother in Christ...
I don't think I have known someone with such disimilar views who I would embrace as a brother without question. Why? We share the very same allegience. Not only to our Lord but to his command to love deeply and from the heart.
I left my congregation earlier this year for far different reasons. That decision is both liberating and scary at the same time. I still feel a part of the church, and yet I can not dismiss the one thing that keeps me away. Would they have me back? Just as surely as they would have you back... but this is a test of our inner morality. No one else can see our hearts or feel our devotion to honor. So few will understand that for us, honor is everything. You are a GREAT MAN for making your decision my friend.
Kudos to you, my brother. Serve the Lord, our God with all your might and you will be rewarded. Your path will be guided by the Spirit within you and you will figure out just how to serve. I offer you nothing but love... to help you cope in such a time as this.
Your brother in Christ...
kimber1
Member
scott, i'm new here adn you don't know me from adam but i just wanted to say as a Catholic who is questioning herself i can sympathize what seems to have been a gut wrenching decision. i'd love to talk to you about some things i'm quesitoning myself if you feel up to it. it doesn't seem we're quesitoning the same things so maybe you could help with my problem. i've got a thread in the RC room if you feel up to it 
peace be with you
peace be with you 
robtex
Veteran Member
For the newer posters, Scott is one of the original members of RF. He joined 7/9/2004 and the forum was started 3/17/2004. He has been, especially in the first 12 months he was on RF a very generous poster in terms of knowledge he has on the catholic church its practices and history.
To illustrate this for you, when the new pope was elected Scott was posting what was happening, in lay terms, how the process worked and why it works the way it does. He did good job a number of us non-catholics, self included, were able to articulate in words, to co-workers and friends how the selection process worked. This is just one of a dozen examples of the knowledge he has shared with us over the years.
So when you see so much action in this thread what you are seeing is people who have known Scott for sometime and who are acutely aware of how much thought likely went into this decision given his intimate knowledge of catholicism.
To illustrate this for you, when the new pope was elected Scott was posting what was happening, in lay terms, how the process worked and why it works the way it does. He did good job a number of us non-catholics, self included, were able to articulate in words, to co-workers and friends how the selection process worked. This is just one of a dozen examples of the knowledge he has shared with us over the years.
So when you see so much action in this thread what you are seeing is people who have known Scott for sometime and who are acutely aware of how much thought likely went into this decision given his intimate knowledge of catholicism.
blackout
Violet.
wow Scott.
I am partly suprised,
but then, not really.
I am an all or nothing kind of person.
"It's true"...
"or it's not."
When the big things go,
it's like taking the knot out of a ball of twine.
The whole thing just naturally unwravels from there.
If something claims to have the truth...
to be unfallably true...
and yet I clearly see untruth there...
well? 2+2=4.
I remained employed as pianist in the RC
for more than a year after my heart had totally left the institution.
It was both a major enlightenment & a major trial.
Nobody wanted to know.
Nobody wanted to hear about my experience...
my change... my new understanding of life.
Not ONE person there was actually interested in me.
I know I sometimes I must
come off badly with catholics on the forum.
Certainly I don't mean to.
I mostly try to just stay out of those conversations.
but I am a real person also,
and my ordeal was real,
and I was not by any means some "nominal" catholic.
I was the only one in the WHOLE church kneeling at the "consecration"
before the church had pews. This went on for years.
I was the only woman in a veil. I went to daily mass...
adoration. I defended the catholic teachings from the catechism,
when everyone else around me (in the church choir)
were spouting out "incorrect" teachings of the church.
Can you believe only ONE person ever talked to me at all about it?!
Only one devout Catholic husband of a woman I knew.
And he just wanted to prostelatize me back in.
We lost ALL of our friends and acquaintences when we left.
We left, and no one even knows why.
There are a few who literally cannot even talk to me anymore.
(like I am a virus to be avoided- instead of the sweet person I am.)
I just laugh now at the silliness of it all,
but it has been a long time now. .. and old wounds have had time to heal.
I just want to tell you that I'm here if you want to talk.
I am a real person. a loving person.
not just some ex catholic heathen.
I have a story that may (or may not) dovetail your own.
I also have no agendas.
May the peace of God be your own,
as your ball of twine unwravels.
(or ties itself back up).
Stacey
I am partly suprised,
but then, not really.
I am an all or nothing kind of person.
"It's true"...
"or it's not."
When the big things go,
it's like taking the knot out of a ball of twine.
The whole thing just naturally unwravels from there.
If something claims to have the truth...
to be unfallably true...
and yet I clearly see untruth there...
well? 2+2=4.
I remained employed as pianist in the RC
for more than a year after my heart had totally left the institution.
It was both a major enlightenment & a major trial.
Nobody wanted to know.
Nobody wanted to hear about my experience...
my change... my new understanding of life.
Not ONE person there was actually interested in me.
I know I sometimes I must
come off badly with catholics on the forum.
Certainly I don't mean to.
I mostly try to just stay out of those conversations.
but I am a real person also,
and my ordeal was real,
and I was not by any means some "nominal" catholic.
I was the only one in the WHOLE church kneeling at the "consecration"
before the church had pews. This went on for years.
I was the only woman in a veil. I went to daily mass...
adoration. I defended the catholic teachings from the catechism,
when everyone else around me (in the church choir)
were spouting out "incorrect" teachings of the church.
Can you believe only ONE person ever talked to me at all about it?!
Only one devout Catholic husband of a woman I knew.
And he just wanted to prostelatize me back in.
We lost ALL of our friends and acquaintences when we left.
We left, and no one even knows why.
There are a few who literally cannot even talk to me anymore.
(like I am a virus to be avoided- instead of the sweet person I am.)
I just laugh now at the silliness of it all,
but it has been a long time now. .. and old wounds have had time to heal.
I just want to tell you that I'm here if you want to talk.
I am a real person. a loving person.
not just some ex catholic heathen.
I have a story that may (or may not) dovetail your own.
I also have no agendas.
May the peace of God be your own,
as your ball of twine unwravels.
(or ties itself back up).
Stacey
Scott,
If you don't mind sharing, could you say what made you change your mind?
If you don't mind sharing, could you say what made you change your mind?
I was thinking of the latest time, specifically.
You mentioned before that you disagreed with the Church on whether women should be priests and on the infallibility of the Pope. Did you change your mind on these points, or did you keep these beliefs while satisfying yourself that you could hold them and be in communion with the Church?
Don't worry - I'm not looking to challenge you on anything or start an argument. Both of these are points where I don't agree with the Church's official position, so I was hoping to see a new rationale that I could mull over and hopefully gain a better understanding of Catholicism.
Scott1
Well-Known Member
Study and prayer led me to understand that these teachings were compatible with my personal faith.... and any confusion I continue to have I'm comfortable working it out in an open and loyal fashion.
Sorry I couldn't help with a new rationale.... I never stopped being Catholic... I just removed myself from taking Communion until I worked things out... the public pronouncement was intended to not cause scandal to my fellow Roman Catholics who were following my story and I wanted to make sure they were not affected in a negative way by my problems.
I have issues like this all the time.... I don't just blindly follow the teachings of the Church.... I tear them apart, tear them down, build them up, destroy them, and love them..... I've gotta believe because I understand it, not just because the Church says so... some Catholics don't appreciate that and doubt my "loyalty", but Pope John Paul II tought me to never doubt that faith and reason will work things out.... so even in my most difficult times with a particular teaching, I never give up hope that I'll eventually understand and agree with the Church.... or at the very least accept the fact that I'm wrong and just can't figure out why the Church is right.
Hope that helps you understand.... thanks for the questions,
S
Scuba Pete
Le plongeur avec attitude...
Scott is in the house... again! Blessed be, my friend!
Master Vigil
Well-Known Member
When I came back to the church I never lost my problems with the church. There's always going to be things that I don't like about it. If there wasn't, then I wouldn't be human. I have to come to grips with the fact that my opinions, and what I think, don't matter. Because in the intellectual battle between me and god, I really don't have a chance do I?
No worries. I think I understand why you posted what you did at the start of the thread.
In quite a bit of my exposure to Catholicism, I've seen believers who seemed content to not look for deeper explanations for a lot of things*; I find the tendency to chalk things up to "Divine Mystery" (a term which I can see properly applied to one point of Church doctrine, but, IMO, tends to be overused as a way of saying "I don't want to think about it") and not ask questions is something that doesn't sit well with me personally, so someone like you who demonstrates that critical thinking can be compatible with the Church is motivating for me. Thanks.
Mr Spinkles
Mr
I didn't realize you had stopped taking Communion until I saw this post, in which you indicated that you are taking Communion again.
Anyway, good luck to you in your ever-constant study and pursuit of your beliefs. I have a lot of respect for you, Scott.
Anyway, good luck to you in your ever-constant study and pursuit of your beliefs. I have a lot of respect for you, Scott.