Are emotional reasons sufficient reasons to stay Catholic?

[Jump4Joy]

I know reason and truth should always trump emotions. I feel good about going to church and I enjoy going. In real life, I’ve made wonderful Catholic friends. I’ve never found Catholics to be as unaccepting of LGBTQ people compared to other branches of Christianity I’ve visited. I know I should have well-founded reason why I stay Catholic. I grew up Catholic - baptized, confirmed and hopefully next married into the Catholic Church. I’m a sucker for protestant evangelists because my reasons for staying Catholic are more emotional. Emotionality seems to always be a wrong reason for everything.

 

[DignumEtJustum]

If the fact that the Catholic Church was founded by Christ himself isn’t enough to keep you around, nothing will be. “LGBTQABC” people are sinners like the rest of us though they have some extreme pain or experience that makes them that way. Just the same, being accepting of people’s poor choices is never a good thing.

 

[Jump4Joy]

You can be accepting of the community. I mean they don’t act like LGBTQ people are worse sinners on the face of Earth or are somehow disgusting leeches. Some people respond to LGBTQ persons with unwarranted disgust. How did this become a negative topic?

 

[Limoncello4021]

Whatever keeps you holding onto Catholicism isn’t bad, but emotions obviously come and go so they are unreliable. Have you studied the faith in depth? Read encyclicals? Taken classes? Deepened your spirituality by Adoration, a pilgrimage, daily Mass etc? You sound to me like you need to solidify the foundation of your faith both by reason and by getting closer to Jesus.

 

[Seagull]

A Protestant preacher is okay to listen to - on the radio - lol
But to go to their building of worship - no thanks !
People talking in tongues - while putting their cash in the basket -
the music keeps playing - for an hour -
People laying on the floor - slain in the spirit

I much prefer the non emotional stainglass windows -
and the July sunshine whispering through onto Catholics - it’s nicer !

 

[Jump4Joy]

I said confirmed. I visit here to have religious discussions. What purpose does emotions serve if they subservient to reason? Is there ever a good reason to make an emotional choice ever? Or are they worthless because they are unreliable altogether?

 

[anna]

When you feel good about going to church, where do you think that comes from? When I go to Church especially Mass I feel good for I know that the presence of Jesus is there at the Consecration. Did you ever think that being with our Lord is making you happy…I would continue doing what you are…your reasons for staying Catholic lie within your heart and may Jesus embrace you in His Heart…God bless you…

 

[Jump4Joy]

I’ve never thought that deeply why. I just knew. Again, that may not be a sufficient answer for skeptics. I don’t like having to prove myself or my choices to anyone. I’m no longer open to dialogue with Protestants. No offense. We can talk about our shared view of Christianity. I hate being lectured to or proselytized or evangelized to. I guess the answer is learn more about my faith and avoid such conversations.

 

[PeterT]

Your love of Christ Jesus and His church are sufficient reasons to remain Catholic. You really don’t need any other reason.

 

[sonshine]

Emotional reasons are what people tell me about their religious experience.

 

[Le_Cracquere]

I fear you might be assuming too big a dichotomy between emotion and reason. Many rigorous, rational thinkers are not coldly so. In fact, some of the Church’s greatest thinkers became so because of their love of truth … which is an emotion! To love truth, and to love the God who is truth, are “emotional choices,” and those choices are far, far, from unreliable.

Often, emotion is telling us something very valuable … but that doesn’t mean it can’t go astray. Just as reason should be tested & tempered by what be know by faith to be true, our emotions ought to be open to what reason can tell us. Don’t close off your emotions … but be willing to accept that there might be equally valid things that also point us to the Church.

 

[DeniseNY]

Yeah, I’ve been to Protestant services because of friends and I have never seen anything like this. Ever.

 

[mrsdizzyd]

Joy, what happened to that break you were going to take? I think a break of Catholic forums, etc. will really help you form a clearer understanding of your personal faith. Are there any ministries you are interested in at your parish? What about something anywhere in your diocese?

 

[meltzerboy2]

Humans are guided in most things by their mind and/or their heart. I see nothing wrong in remaining Catholic based on one’s emotions alone. Remember what Pascal said: “Le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connait point.” (The heart has its reasons that reason knows nothing of.)