Can it be an obsession?

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I have been a Catholic all my life, well since 4 years of age when I was baptised.
I kind of went wandering away from home through my 20’s, but now at 33, thanks to Mel Gibson’s movie, and Catholic Answers, I have renewed my Faith.
I have downloaded most of the Catholic Answers radio shows from the site.
I have purchased 3 of Karl’s books, and all 120 tracts.
I have been through everything on www.vatican.va
I now read the Bible in bed.
My mum is worried that I may have gone too far in my quest for greater understanding.
She said not to get too obsessed by it all.
Can someone give me their opinion on whether this could happen, and if it is bad if it does happen?
I still do all other things in life, such as my theatre group, my son, tv, movies, socialising with friends.
But whenever I can, I choose to do reading, whether it is the Bible, this forum, Catholic Answers, any other site, or radio.
Love Kellie
 
Well, I think you may have just a bit too much free time on your hands if you can go through all the encyclicals and the Catechism on the Vatican web page, but it doesn’t sound like you’re doing anything wrong at all.
 
Hi Kellie,
Yes… you can get obsessed with religion. But if you have to be obsessed about something… LOL what better choice? LOL

I would say that there is a difference between obsession and excitement/zeal. I love God and the Church… read, think, and computerize religion all the time, but at the same time, I cannot let my passion for it, get in the way of the duties that I have at home and work.

Unless you see it taking up so much time that it is affecting other areas of your life negatively, I wouldnt worry too much about it. It is fun, especially if you have fallen away and are coming back!!!

Brandon
 
Kellie:

I can relate to what you say as I left the faith for 5 years and then by grace came home. I have a real passion for the Church and all she teaches, however I found that there need to be balance in my life, and that I could not allow the Church and pursueing her to become more important than pursueing God. Seems like a funny statement because to me the only true way to pursue God is through His Church. Simply put I got caught too much on the legal side of the faith instead the faith side of the faith.

Hope that helps the balance feels great, as I can spend time with people for who they are instead of how they live.

God Bless and Great to have you back in the Church he blessed us with.
 
Catholic Cadet:
Well, I think you may have just a bit too much free time on your hands if you can go through all the encyclicals and the Catechism on the Vatican web page, but it doesn’t sound like you’re doing anything wrong at all.
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Well, it did take me a long time hahahahaha. Seriously, I have read the whole CCC from the Vatican site, but not all the encycicals.
And SDA2RC, I don’t let my passion for my religion get in the way of my duties around the home or to my son.
Thanks guys
Love Kellie
 
If you are buying my books, it is not an obsession. It is good taste.
 
Karl Keating:
If you are buying my books, it is not an obsession. It is good taste.
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We need a thread just to list Karl’s one liners with a code by them so he can do it by number.

Thanks for the humor Karl.
 
Karl Keating:
If you are buying my books, it is not an obsession. It is good taste.
Click to expand...
Hahahahaha, wow, Karl himself replied to my post.

Thank you Karl for your marvellous books.
I have had people ask me where I got them from.
I bought the triple pack, Controversies, Catholicism and Fundamentalism, and Nothing but the Truth.
And people have also been looking over my shoulder when I have been flicking through the 120 tracts.

Of course I tell them to go to catholic.com

Not sure if they do, but I can only try.
 
Hi Kellie,

I wish there were more people like you in having an intense zeal for learning about the Faith. Just a couple of words of caution however; intellectual knowledge of the Faith doesn’t necessarily translate or guarantee a life of holiness and sanctity – we have to be vigilant in making sure that we are also always practicing the Faith while we are learning about it. Also, I’ve seen a lot of people in many different areas of activities have tremedous enthusiasm in the beginning only to see their desire wane or fizzle out altogether – so hopefully, you are in this for the long haul.

God bless.
 
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srkbdk:
Kellie:

I can relate to what you say as I left the faith for 5 years and then by grace came home. I have a real passion for the Church and all she teaches, however I found that there need to be balance in my life, and that I could not allow the Church and pursueing her to become more important than pursueing God. Seems like a funny statement because to me the only true way to pursue God is through His Church. Simply put I got caught too much on the legal side of the faith instead the faith side of the faith.

Hope that helps the balance feels great, as I can spend time with people for who they are instead of how they live.

God Bless and Great to have you back in the Church he blessed us with.
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Very well put 👍

I was exactly like you, and I am thankful for it. If obsession is making you read and understand your faith, than go for it. Just be careful that you don’t make Church “rules” an idol, and forget the love that all these “rules” originate from.

God bless you as you journey!

Love,
Anne
 
Thank you everyone for your (name removed by moderator)ut.

I am following the Faith through my heart as well.

The “rules” I am studying are actually leading me back to the Bible.

For example, I may read a rule of the Church, and then I go back to the Bible to see what Jesus said about the topic.

I also have been led back to a more personal relationship with Jesus through my “obsession”

I talk to him every night in prayer when I am in bed, asking for His guidance in how to put all that I have learnt to practice.

Love Kellie
 
It is hard to find a page in the Catechism that does not have a reference to the Bible.

I was just asked to a lead a Bible Study, I asked if it would be ok if we did a Catechism study instead as then we will see the Bible as it was meant to be see through the guidance of the Church.

God Bless and Be Safe
Scott
 
Because of the Passion of the Christ I have also come back to the Church and perhaps was also feeling a little “obsessed” with reading everything I could.

But I also love attending mass (it really is heaven on earth).
I take a few minutes every day and put my work aside (I have a desk job), close my eyes and pray. Praying is so easy and no one knows you are doing it - I love these conversations with God, these times when I can praise Him.

At first I was afraid of losing this feeling I had but I know now that the feelings will never go: I just have to balance my life - the reading with the prayer and the most important thing is to pray.
It’s great to read read read because we must know our faith to keep our faith but we also have to give thanks to the Lord and this is what will ultimately bring us to Him.
Con
 
I also came to a much fuller faith about 5 yrs ago. The deeper I dig, the deeper it gets. Funny how in my pagan college days, I was searching for anything, and it was never in the direction of the church. Now my eyes have been open and can never be shut.

I am noticing a difference in the reaction to friends in family. I love them all dearly and pray for them constantly, but they think I am going TOO FAR. I feel I am not going far enough!! I want to pray more, study more, worship more. Once you find truth, you are stuck (praise God). I don’t understand how people can turn back. How is that possible once you’ve realized the infinite love?

I get really irritated by some of my friends now (but I still love them and pray for them) when we are at get togethers. One friend was telling me his philosophy of religion, how he goes through the motions “just in case”. Is this faith?

I used to love football, music, movies, hunting, etc etc etc. Now these things seem so unimportant. I just want to refelct on the Lord every hour that I can. The Love!!! I still try to do some of my old hobbies, but it just isn’t the same. When friends invite me to play Golf or something, I go, but more for fellowship and the hope that our conversation will lead towards topics which are sacred!!

My current passion is apologetics. I want to bring people Home, but I still have a lot of studying to do.
 
Hey, rubbersoul
I feel exactly the same way. All I want to do is study my Catholic faith, read the Bible, watch EWTN, go to Mass, pray, pray, pray!

Not much interest in doing anything else but I do try for my husband and daughter so they will see that I can have other interests too - even though right now it’s with very little enthusiasm. They have questioned my “going religious” as they put it.
But we have to do what we have to do and I keep telling them that if what happened to me happened to them (and I pray that it does one day and soon) they will then understand but for now they will just have to put up with me!
Con
 
Hmmmm… Let’s examine some facts here. First, there is a God, who is omniscient, omnipotent, and eternal. He is perfectly good, perfectly just, perfectly merciful. He is Love. He needs nothing outside of Himself, yet He deems it good to create the universe, our world, and – best of all – us! He creates mankind in His image, in communion with Him.

Part of being “in the image of God” is having free will. Sadly, we use our free will to sin and rebel against Him. Mankind falls – falls so far that the only way to redeem us is for God Himself to send down His Son and become Incarnate in His creation, to take on human flesh, and ultimately be tortured, crucified, take on all the sins of mankind, and – yes – even die for us.

The first thing that should shock you is that mankind had fallen so low that this is what it took to redeem us.

The second thing that should shock you is that God loves us so much that He did it.

Moreover, the Incarnate God, Jesus Christ, left on this earth a Church with the authority to teach and govern in His name, and to confer His grace upon us through the Sacraments He established, and this Church has His promise to edure until the end of days.

Wow. What do you do with all that truth, once you have found it? I think your mother’s advice to “not get too obsessed with it all” is a little weak. How can you not?

Pax,
Matt
 
I thank God that I have had a life long obsession with him.
There is no logical explaination of why… I just popped out that way because ever since I can remember I have been pre-occupied and attracted to all things religious and with God.

That does not mean I don’t have other interests, or am a poor citizen, or neglect my responsibilities. I have lots of interests, and am a good citizen.
But I have a daily preoccupation with all things God and Catholic. I think it is radical and I pray it never goes away.

I blame it all on my Patron Saint whoever he/she is… (and I have an idea), and my gaurdian angel. 😉

So, don’t confuse the working of the Holy Spirit - with obsession. Obsession can be unhealthy - but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit will envelope your life in a remarkable way.
 
As long as it’s leading you to a closer relationship with Christ then keep going!
 
Kelly, I wouldn’t worry too much. I went through a similar obsession after my reversion to the Catholic faith, reading everything I could get my hands on. It lasted for about three months, and then school got in the way. :confused:

I value those three months as some of the most productive months of my life. I encourage you to continue your “obsession”. 😉
 
This reminds me of the time after my re-conversion. I think of this seemingly obsessive behavior like this:
When we meet someone and fall in love we want to know everything about that person. We want to know about their childhood, family, and friends. We enjoy pouring through picture albums and seeing home videos. We talk with them for hours.

When we meet Jesus and fall in love we want to know everything about Him. His family, His childhood, His friends. We spend time with Mary pouring over the Mysteries of HIs life. We read and pray the Scriptures. We go to meet him at Mass every chance we can.

Since you spend time doing other things, I would say that you don’t have an obsession–you are In Love with God.
May you grow every day in that Love!
Bonnie
 
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