Are you counter cultural?

[SteveG]

Most of the folks in this forum by definition are to some extent counter-cultural (being a faithful Catholic automatically qualifies you :yup

So is anyone else out there fiercely proud of that fact? I feel that the more I am doing things counter to this increasingly secular culture, the closer I am to being on the right track. That being said, it’s often difficult to find others who are like-minded (it’s why this forum is so awesome), and don’t look at you as some kind of freak.

So let’s be unabashedly proud of those things we do which break the mold of a decadent, ultra-individualistic, selfish society and thump our chests a bit. Let’s share those things that make us different from society, and maybe we can also learn from one another in the process.

What do you or your family do/believe/live that is counter-cultural and what are the blessings you’ve wrought from these things?

I’ll start.
We…

1. Are 100% Faithfully Catholic – Don’t think I need to expound on the TREMENDOUS blessings this brings. We LOVE being Catholic.
2. Practice NFP – Has strengthened our marriage, and our appreciation for life, love and babies.
3. Have Mom stay home with children – Do I really need to explain this?
4. Practice Attachment Parenting (includes family bed, extended nursing, carrying baby in a sling, etc. you know all that ‘hippie’ stuff :whacky: ) – Has given us secure, affectionate, peace filled children (not perfect mind you), who are easy to discipline because they know that we are always there for them and they trust us.
5. Have NO consumer debt and buy EVERYTHING with cash (don’t even own a credit card) – Has given us the peace of mind that if something should happen (lost job), the entire world will not crash in on us and we can survive with out having to declare bankruptcy. Remember, scripture says, the borrower is the slave to the lender (Proverbs 22:7).
   …That’s just for starters.

I hope no one will get the impression that this about being better than others because we do things a certain way (except maybe number 1 ), but rather I am looking for a place for like minded families to share, and to know that they aren’t alone.

     So, Are you Counter Cultural?



  God Bless

Steve

 

[EDB]

Absolutely!

We, unfortunately, have never been blessed with children; however, we work with CCD at the parish to help raise Catholic children in our culture.
We do not have friends outside our religion - we have made an effort to make our social lives Christ & church centered.
We will not subject ourselves to secular entertainment! We find good Catholic entertainment (can be done). We do not get the wrong message from our entertainment.
Isn’t it great to be able to talk our God, Jesus, faith and our church without feeling out of place.
Edie

 

[wisdom_3_5]

I’m counter-cultural in my own family! Aside from my husband, who is Catholic but doesn’t “see anything wrong with the media, culture etc” I feel like I’m constanly “swimming upstream” monitoring the TV, music & videos that come into our house. He says that I’m “not the norm” and I say THANK YOU GOD for that GRACE! And then there’s the rest of my family and the rest of the world. I love this forum, its giving me some much needed support.

Karen

 

[SteveG]

EDB:

Absolutely!

We, unfortunately, have never been blessed with children; however, we work with CCD at the parish to help raise Catholic children in our culture.
We do not have friends outside our religion - we have made an effort to make our social lives Christ & church centered.
We will not subject ourselves to secular entertainment! We find good Catholic entertainment (can be done). We do not get the wrong message from our entertainment.
Isn’t it great to be able to talk our God, Jesus, faith and our church without feeling out of place.
Edie

God Bless you Edie!
Good Catechesis is probably one of most import areas for us to focus on if we are ever to raise good Catholics. Thank you so much for your time and efforts.

Steve

 

[Lisamarie]

I’m glad someone brought this up! We practice NFP, attatchment parenting,etc, but I always wonder what exactly I am supposed to be avoiding? Should I not watch any cable tv? Should I only listen to christian radio? Should I not buy my children books about sesame street and Strawberry Shortcake? How do you know?

 

[DaveBj]

I don’t know if I’m “counter-cultural” or not. As far as the culture is concerned, I’m so far out in right field, I’m not even in the ball park

DaveBj

 

[Father_of_5]

You bet we’re counter-cultural! First off, having five children age seven and under makes us “out there”, especially since we say “no” when asked if we’re “done yet”. We also do “crazy” things like homeschool our children, “deprive” our children of the popular television shows, and even go to mass more than once a week! (don’t we know you only need to go once a week???)

 

[Mummybee]

Steve, your thread is such a shot in the arm!

We, too, practice attachment parenting and NFP. So many of my dearest friends and family members who are also raising their families have left the church. Reading about other young Catholic families with these things in common is a source of solace and support. I do, however, work outside the home, as a necessity of survival. I pray unceasingly that our Lord will allow me, and other mothers who want to stay at home with their children, to be able to do so. However, I’ve learned that accepting our Lord’s decision for your state in life can be the hardest thing, especially when it appears to be contrary to what’s best.

Wouldn’t it be great to connect and network with other ‘counter cultural’ Catholic families?! Thanks for starting this thread!

 

[NancyA]

How about becoming so countercultural that you stop wanting to practice NFP… that you pull out of the pretty decent parish school… that you do pull the cable plug…

I think we’re pretty countercultural, and yep: PROUD of it. (oops, off to confession for self~righteous pride; gets me every time! lol)

 

[SteveG]

Lisamarie:

I’m glad someone brought this up! We practice NFP, attatchment parenting,etc, but I always wonder what exactly I am supposed to be avoiding? Should I not watch any cable tv? Should I only listen to christian radio? Should I not buy my children books about sesame street and Strawberry Shortcake? How do you know?

Ahh, this is were it get’s difficult doesn’t it? My personal opinion on the entertainment type stuff (TV, radio, books, etc.) is that one need not throw the baby out with the bath water. We just VERY closely monitor what our kids watch, read, and listen too, and they simply can’t partake of anything that even moderately conflicts with our Catholic values. If the lessons or concepts in the secular material don’t contradict, or even in some cases support Christian values, I can’t see how they’d be objectionable. For example, the little engine that could isn’t ‘Catholic’, but it’s theme is a story about fortitude. What could be wrong with that. Has anybody ever seen the Kipper video series from Great Britain? I can’t imagine more ‘Christian’ characters in a cartoon. Does anybody realize that even stories like sleeping beauty have there roots in teaching Christian values (I’ll explain if anyones interested)? We have to be careful , but there is some good stuff out there that we can let in. Just my humble opinion.

OK, that being said, overall, I can’t see any harm with pulling the plug on cable altogether since TV for the most part is just rotten (except EWTN )

 

[SteveG]

Mummybee:

I do, however, work outside the home, as a necessity of survival. I pray unceasingly that our Lord will allow me, and other mothers who want to stay at home with their children, to be able to do so.

As I mentioned at the outset, this isn’t at all a superiority thing whatsoever, but rather to encourage each other. And it sounds as if your doing a wonderful job overall. I’ll keep your intentions in my prayers.

Mummybee:

Wouldn’t it be great to connect and network with other ‘counter cultural’ Catholic families?!

I agree, it’s the reason I tried kicking this off. I’ve have been searching for that kinda of network for a while now.

 

[SteveG]

NancyA:

How about becoming so countercultural that you stop wanting to practice NFP… that you pull out of the pretty decent parish school… that you do pull the cable plug…

Now THAT’s counter cultural.

You made me feel…well…normal. Blech! Now I feel like I need a shower.

 

[mom26sofar]

We said yes to each one. Plus we can add a few. It is so nice to see that others are living like we do. Too bad y’all didn’t live closer, we could have a BBQ, play some family baseball and say the rosary together!! How cool would that be?

 

[Joane]

To be in this world…but not of it! Is it possible?

 

[Ham1]

I can’t tell if I am counter-cultural or not…

We are Catholic.

We go to Sunday Mass as a family.

Our kids are well behaved in Church.

We practice NFP, ecological breastfeeding and natural (attachment) parenting.

We have huge amounts of debt.

I have read many encyclicals and Church documents for leisure (cough loser cough).

I like to drink.

I like to eat rich, fatty, expensive, well-made foods.

We own firearms.

I have been hunting.

I have voted for Democrats.

I eat meat on non-lenten Fridays.

I love baseball.

I have a strong tendency to be uncharitable toward those who criticize my Faith or the size of my family.

I go to confession.

I spend far too much time on forums like this.

 

[SteveG]

Ham1:

I can’t tell if I am counter-cultural or not…
We are Catholic.

Automatically puts you in the club. All other issues are subsidiary.

Ham1:

We go to Sunday Mass as a family.

another point. that’s 2 for 2

Ham1:

Our kids are well behaved in Church.

3 down

Ham1:

We practice NFP, ecological breastfeeding and natural (attachment) parenting.

4, 5, 6 (scores climbing)

Ham1:

We have huge amounts of debt.

0 points. No judgement here, just saying that’s the norm.

Ham1:

I have read many encyclicals and Church documents for leisure (cough loser cough).

1 + 3 bonus points. That should be listed under you know your a catholic if…

Ham1:

I like to drink.

yaya. sweet liquour eases the pain (homer simpson voice implied). but no points here.

Ham1:

I like to eat rich, fatty, expensive, well-made foods.

Yes. Now 40 years ago you’d get no points for this, but since we are all supposed to be Vegan and eat organic fruit now, you get …
2 points

Ham1:

We own firearms.

Again, times they are a changin.
1 point

Ham1:

I have been hunting.

poor bambi
1 point

Ham1:

I have voted for Democrats.

oooh, tough one, but so have I if the Dem is pro-life and the Repub is not.
1 point

Ham1:

I love baseball.

Go Pirates
no points

Ham1:

I have a strong tendency to be uncharitable toward those who criticize my Faith or the size of my family.

no no. You are passionate about defending the truth.
3 points

Ham1:

I go to confession.

2 points

Ham1:

I spend far too much time on forums like this.

20 points.

Since the threshold is 15, your off the scale brother. Welcome to the ‘new hippie’ movement.

 

[Ham1]

LOL

That was great…Thanks for the vote of confidence! I am so pleased to hear that I am NOT a member of regular society.

Go White Sox!

And just so I don’t lose what little credibility that I have…

The only democrat I voted for was totally pro-life. The republican was pro-choice.

 

[ecp007]

We don’t allow video games in the house, my kids actually read books.

We only have one TV in the entire house, which means we all watch TV together (only Disney, Discovery, National Geographics) and only on 1-2 hours a day if that much.

We don’t allow “BRATZ”, Cartoon Network, Nicholodean, Sponge Bob, or Shrek.

My kids don’ t like Harry Potter.

Kids are NOT in organized team sports. My son is a Boy Scout.

We spend weekends together as a family.

Neither my husband nor I ever tried drugs or cigarettes, not even one time.

We never swear or use foul language.

We vote Republican, and are proud of it

We do have debt.

We both work outside the home.

We both drink a glass of wine on occasion - or 2.

And we love to dance Salsa, listen to music, and throw large parties.

 

[chevalier]

Hey, I finished highschool classical education with Latin and Greek and went to study law at the best university in the country (well, tied with another, but our law is better). I got an A and now I’m in a Ph.D. course. I’ve also taught Latin and English privately for a while. As far as tech goes, I’ve been an IT geek since I was a kid and I can code very well or put computers together. I feel anything but counter-cultural or backwards. It’s the modern mass culture which is counter-cultural. I definitely don’t feel like a caveman next to a diversity activist!

 

[Thinks4Himself]

Since I am labeled a Cafeteria Catholic, am slightly left of center, I guess I am also cafeteria counter cultural as well.

As a man - I dont like sports at all, much prefer movies, guess that makes me counter cultural as well.