Am I.... Normal?

[Lasting_faith]

No, you’re not normal, but you’re in good company. Jesus was far from what we would call “normal.”

Nice one! Never thought about it that way. Well, I am happy I am not normal, knowing I am in good company.

 

[wcknight]

When the whole world around you is giving into temptations, and you know in your heart that you are obeying God’s commandments, then you should continue following the path that you know it right.

It was ‘normal’ for the folks in Sodom and Gamorrah to live in sin and debauchery, but Lot and his family stayed away from it anyway. This country condones abortion and considers it normal, but it is far better to avoid it and protect life as God would want us to.

Many folks are turning away from God. It’s not normal to attend mass every Sunday or to lead a holy and upright life. Sometimes doing God’s will is the abnormal thing to do. All the saints in Heaven were abnormally good and holy, follow their lead. It’s far better to serve in Heaven than to rule in H*LL.

 

[maryjk]

OK, devil’s advocate here. If you never feel any temptation to lust, never want to take a peek at a picture of a pretty and relatively unclad woman and never fantasize about getting married and your wedding night, then… yeah, that’s probably not normal for your age. And in that case, I’d talk to a good Christian doctor to make sure everything’s OK with you hormonally. The teen years are a hormonal avalanche for most typical kids of both sexes but particularly boys.

If, on the other hand, you have all these temptations but have just determined to stay pure, then good for you! But you are not at all typical and yes, it will make it hard for your peers to relate to you and vice versa, I’d imagine. And possibly even your mom has trouble relating to you. If not relating to other people becomes a problem, you might want to seek out your priest or a good counselor (preferably Catholic or Christian). Your priest can recommend someone. Because being able to relate to our brothers and sisters in Christ and all God’s children is an important skill.

But most likely - you are just one terrific dude who’s probably tired of hearing people tell you to lighten up! Just beware of pride - it is easy to think you are better than others your age because your are more pious and serious. And truly, those silly young teen you think less of, who only seems interested in shallow pursuits today, might be the surgeon that saves your life or a loved one’s life someday, or the world’s greatest humanitarian. Many wonderful people enjoyed less pious early years. Having fun and getting in a bit of safe and harmless mischief IS normal for young people.

I think this post bears repeating.

 

[DaveBj]

Very often the specification of what is “normal” depends on who is in the majority. There’s a long-standing story of someone who was standing outside the fence of and insane asylum (back when it was still okay to call them “insane asylums”) talking to one of the patients, who said, “The only reason why I’m in here and you’re out there is that there are more of you than there are of me.”

If what you described in your OP is the worst of your “not being normal,” then you’re fine. Rejoice in it.

 

[Cle_GDP_10]

Yes, you are normal. Truth doesn’t depend on a show of hands or a majority vote. Sexual immorality is always evil.

 

[iamcatholic100]

You are a perfectly sane and normal kid who is trying to be morally responsible. And yes, it can get isolating since you can’t relate to anyone. But just remember one thing, even if we feel that we are behaving well and are doing well in the eyes of God, deep down in our hearts, we know we could always do better.

One thing that you could improve on is praying for those who are struggling with sin in there lives, such as your peers and family members. Ask God for the grace to help them recognize the spiritual danger that they are putting themselves into, and ask Him to help them to repent, because you are concern with the state lf their eternal souls. Anyway, just keep up the good work .

 

[Midwest88]

Modernity has, more or less, streamlined the indecent and the bothering. What is seen as natural is seen as okay.

To not drink regularly at the age of 18 in certain countries is seen as not normal; you’ll be seen as anti-social. If you don’t have sex by your early 20s or late teens you’re considered a loser. If you don’t think sex is just sex then you’re probably a naive and delusional Jesus freak who needs to be broken in. If you don’t watch tv weekly you’re an oddball. If you don’t have twitter, a smartphone, instagram or other social networking tools you’re considered a Luddite. If you don’t live in LA, NYC or London - partying and socializing with the city’s elites - you’re seen as someone who couldn’t hack it.

 

[Midwest88]

The teen years are a hormonal avalanche for most typical kids of both sexes but particularly boys.

I only had a major acne breakout when I was 15, soon to be 16. Other than that my “confused” and hormonal stage was quite tame. Heck, I wasn’t even confused … I was confused about my geometry homework! I never even went through the famous rebellion stage. Non of my close friends ever went through such a stage either, or at least if they did it was completely manageable on their end.

I guess it has to do with the way you were brought up and how one prioritizes.

 

[fallow_spirit]

I only had a major acne breakout when I was 15, soon to be 16. Other than that my “confused” and hormonal stage was quite tame. Heck, I wasn’t even confused … I was confused about my geometry homework! I never even went through the famous rebellion stage. Non of my close friends ever went through such a stage either, or at least if they did it was completely manageable on their end.

I guess it has to do with the way you were brought up and how one prioritizes.

Ugh, you were so lucky. I’m one of those people who has bad acne. Mild for me would probably be severe for other people. I really need to see a dermatologist, bad acne does run in my family though. My mom and two of my uncles all had bad acne, my mom’s was extremely bad.

But carry on…

 

[piofaustina]

Do you think I’m normal?

Thank you

Hi JD,

Why be normal when you can be supernatural?

You keep up the good work, God’s happy you’re not a copycat. And when you find the right girl to settle down with, she’ll be happy you didn’t copy the other boys too.

 

[styrgwillidar]

None of us are normal. We strive to be Not of This World but of the next.

We are each a unique creation of God, each uniquely equipped with the natural talents and abilities to fulfill His mission for us on earth. Now, we all need to form our consciences so that we use our natural talents and abilities as He intended. You seem to be heading down the right road in that respect.

Don’t worry about being normal. Be concerned with being true to yourself and God. You’ll need to be able to look at yourself in the mirror when you’re 80, hard thing to do if you live by others values and not your own.

 

[57thDimension]

OK, devil’s advocate here. If you never feel any temptation to lust, never want to take a peek at a picture of a pretty and relatively unclad woman and never fantasize about getting married and your wedding night, then… yeah, that’s probably not normal for your age. And in that case, I’d talk to a good Christian doctor to make sure everything’s OK with you hormonally. The teen years are a hormonal avalanche for most typical kids of both sexes but particularly boys.

You’ve managed to summarize the dominant secular argument quite well.

But you are not at all typical and yes, it will make it hard for your peers to relate to you and vice versa, I’d imagine. And possibly even your mom has trouble relating to you. If not relating to other people becomes a problem, you might want to seek out your priest or a good counselor (preferably Catholic or Christian). Your priest can recommend someone. Because being able to relate to our brothers and sisters in Christ and all God’s children is an important skill.

This isn’t really correct. This seems written from the perspective of defeatism in the face of secularism. You’ve also included a few fallacies, as well (notably, the jump between two different kinds of “relating”).

Just beware of pride - it is easy to think you are better than others your age because your are more pious and serious.

Please check the definition of pride.

And truly, those silly young teen you think less of, who only seems interested in shallow pursuits today, might be the surgeon that saves your life or a loved one’s life someday, or the world’s greatest humanitarian. Many wonderful people enjoyed less pious early years.

How is this related to the OP?

Having fun and getting in a bit of safe and harmless mischief IS normal for young people.

Are you suggesting the activities that the OP is refraining from are “safe and harmless mischief”? Your comment is quite ambiguous.

+Sebastian