Catholic Morals

[fence_sitter]

This is my first post. I’m sort of a Mormon and married to an active Mormon lady. I say “sort of” because I was brought up Mormon but I have since lost my faith in it. I go to church every week to keep the family together and because I am not convinced yet that I have found a better church. I have been listening to Catholic radio for many years, especially Catholic Answers and feel drawn to it a bit but I have some problems with it.

The other night my wife and I talked over this topic for some time. Her biggest problem with other faiths, especially the Catholic church, is that everyone she knows who claim to be Catholic appear to have loose morals. From her view (and mine) it seems like all the emphasis is put on birth control and very little on premarital relations. My question is (especially from former Mormons): is this just a perception from outside the Catholic church, or is there something to this? My wife is convinced that kids who are brought up outside the Mormon church have a much higher chance of getting into drugs, premarital relations, divorce, etc, etc.

 

[captainmike]

get to know some catholics who attend mass every sunday. i think you will be very impressed with their morals. God bless you in your journey.

 

[WatchingMedia]

This is my first post. I’m sort of a Mormon and married to an active Mormon lady. I say “sort of” because I was brought up Mormon but I have since lost my faith in it. I go to church every week to keep the family together and because I am not convinced yet that I have found a better church. I have been listening to Catholic radio for many years, especially Catholic Answers and feel drawn to it a bit but I have some problems with it.

The other night my wife and I talked over this topic for some time. Her biggest problem with other faiths, especially the Catholic church, is that everyone she knows who claim to be Catholic appear to have loose morals. From her view (and mine) it seems like all the emphasis is put on birth control and very little on premarital relations. My question is (especially from former Mormons): is this just a perception from outside the Catholic church, or is there something to this? My wife is convinced that kids who are brought up outside the Mormon church have a much higher chance of getting into drugs, premarital relations, divorce, etc, etc.

Some people make claims to be Catholic, but are heretics.
If you can, get a copy of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition”. This will let you know the beliefs of good Catholics. Good Catholics strive to live up to the teachings of our Church.
You can get a copy through Amazon.com. It has a dark green cover with gold letters.

 

[TikiTokiguy]

Catholics don’t actively shun singles.

 

[4Squarebaby]

To paraphrase the Eric Bibb song If Our Hearts Ain’t in It, then it doesn’t matter what the sign outside the building reads

 

[FidesSpesCarita]

11% of all American adults are divorced
25% of all American adults have had at least one divorce

27% of born-again Christians have had at least one divorce
24% of all non-born-again Christians have been divorced

21% of atheists have been divorced
21% of Catholics and Lutherans have been divorced
24% of Mormons have been divorced
25% of mainstream Protestants have been divorced
29% of Baptists have been divorced
24% of nondenominational, independent Protestants have been divorced

27% of people in the South and Midwest have been divorced
26% of people in the West have been divorced
19% of people in the Northwest and Northeast have been divorced

Stats from HERE

I make no claims to the validity of their stats, but its similar to what I have read on other sites.

Also, the religion a child is raised in (the truth of that religion aside) has less impact on the child than the FAITHFULNESS of the parents. If you truly live the Catholic faith you will be much better off than any other, IMHO.

FSC

 

[SirThomasMore]

You are going to find good and bad morals everywhere you go. Morals should come from the parents…I have been Catholic about 8 years, and all I have heard heard preached is abstinance.

I became LDS when I was 23. I lived in Texas, Idaho, and a little in Utah. In all three places, the girls did not smoke, drink, or do drugs, but many had zero problems with sex…

 

[sancte_joseph]

If you really look into the faith you will see that the Catholic Church is very strong in it’s morals and will not change because of the times.

 

[paulp1002]

There is no emphasis on birth control in the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church strongly believes in sex after marriage and is not that fond of birth control either. That is a mis-conception. As mentioned by WatchingMedia, get a copy of the *“Catechism of the Catholic Church,” * it should help address some of your and your wife’s concerns. Check with your local Parish, they may even have a copy for you.

Concerning your wife’s other concerm:

"My wife is convinced that kids who are brought up outside the Mormon church have a much higher chance of getting into drugs, premarital relations, divorce, etc, etc. "

From my personal experience with the Mormon Church and their families during my two years as a Mormon, before returning to the Catholic Church is that, that is what is “taught” to scare members instead of educate them. I would like to see the statistics.

Mormons members are less likely be involved with those things, because they are pressured to hang “around” other Mormon members. I have heard before that, LDS members who move away from their LDS family and friends tend to want to try those things that were once forbidden, because they don’t have the pressure. This could be caused by fear and not by educating.

What I believe it comes down to, is parents educating children why they are wrong and make sure that they understand why they are wrong. Not only from a faith prespective but also health and happiness. Parents need to be more involved in their childrens lives and not leave the parenting to schools.

Growing up, all my friends were into those things, but I wasn’t because my parents had an active role in what I was doing.

If you are feeling drawn, it’s the Holy Spirit. There are several members on this forum who where drawn from other faiths to Catholicism by the Holy Spirit. As was I, I was raised Catholic, converted to Mormonism, then led back to Catholicism. If you have problems, ask your local Priest or I’m sure the Catholic members of this forum will more than happy to answer any mis-conceptions or concerns you or your wife may have.

Luke 11:9-10
9 "And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

10 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

God Bless.

 

[nickybr38]

get to know some catholics who attend mass every sunday. i think you will be very impressed with their morals. God bless you in your journey.

I KNOW some Catholics who go to Mass EVERY Sunday, and even read scripture… and their morals are VERY loose (the fellow whom I saw reading scripture on Sunday likes to use J.C. as a swear word and makes extremely inappropriate jokes at work / he’s my coworker. I was shocked to see him at Mass… completely SHOCKED, there is nothing about him that is even remotely Christian).

I totally understand the OP’s concerns. If not for the truth the Catholic Church contained, if I was judging the Church ONLY based on the Catholics I’ve known in my life? I would run SCREAMING.

OP - You cannot judge ANY faith based on its believers. Study what the Church teaches, not what it’s parishioners decide to practice. That’s what I’m doing right now and I have fallen in love with this Church.

 

[SirThomasMore]

I KNOW some Catholics who go to Mass EVERY Sunday, and even read scripture… and their morals are VERY loose (the fellow whom I saw reading scripture on Sunday likes to use J.C. as a swear word and makes extremely inappropriate jokes at work / he’s my coworker. I was shocked to see him at Mass… completely SHOCKED, there is nothing about him that is even remotely Christian).

I totally understand the OP’s concerns. If not for the truth the Catholic Church contained, if I was judging the Church ONLY based on the Catholics I’ve known in my life? I would run SCREAMING.

OP - You cannot judge ANY faith based on its believers. Study what the Church teaches, not what it’s parishioners decide to practice. That’s what I’m doing right now and I have fallen in love with this Church.

That was my point. I know Baptists, Lutherans, Mormons, Catholics, etc ALL who are as you described. You will find good and bad anywhere. The idea is not choose a church because of who you like. Choose it based on truth. Don;t follow false prophets like Mormons and Muslims, follow the True God…and you will be Catholic

 

[paulp1002]

More importantly ask GOD. He will lead you.

 

[wmscott]

I KNOW some Catholics who go to Mass EVERY Sunday, and even read scripture… and their morals are VERY loose (the fellow whom I saw reading scripture on Sunday likes to use J.C. as a swear word and makes extremely inappropriate jokes at work / he’s my coworker. I was shocked to see him at Mass… completely SHOCKED, there is nothing about him that is even remotely Christian).

I totally understand the OP’s concerns. If not for the truth the Catholic Church contained, if I was judging the Church ONLY based on the Catholics I’ve known in my life? I would run SCREAMING.

OP - You cannot judge ANY faith based on its believers. Study what the Church teaches, not what it’s parishioners decide to practice. That’s what I’m doing right now and I have fallen in love with this Church.

And the Church is a hospital for sinners, not a home for saints. We can not presume to know or judge a mans heart. That is for God alone. The good thing is that your coworker is there and just maybe the Holy Spirit is chipping away at him a little at a time. At least he is there in Church. During my 7or 8 years in a spiritual wasteland I maybe set foot in a Church once.

 

[nickybr38]

And the Church is a hospital for sinners, not a home for saints. We can not presume to know or judge a mans heart. That is for God alone. The good thing is that your coworker is there and just maybe the Holy Spirit is chipping away at him a little at a time. At least he is there in Church. During my 7or 8 years in a spiritual wasteland I maybe set foot in a Church once.

Absolutely, people outside the Church aren’t usually so forgiving however and when they see people like that as ‘members’ of the Church it tends to drive people away from and instead of into the Church.

 

[fence_sitter]

If you are feeling drawn, it’s the Holy Spirit. There are several members on this forum who where drawn from other faiths to Catholicism by the Holy Spirit. As was I, I was raised Catholic, converted to Mormonism, then led back to Catholicism.

If you don’t mind me asking, did you feel like you had a “testimony” of the Mormon church when you were converted? How was that different than when you were led back to the Catholic faith?

 

[ParkerD]

11% of all American adults are divorced
25% of all American adults have had at least one divorce

27% of born-again Christians have had at least one divorce
24% of all non-born-again Christians have been divorced

21% of atheists have been divorced
21% of Catholics and Lutherans have been divorced
24% of Mormons have been divorced
25% of mainstream Protestants have been divorced
29% of Baptists have been divorced
24% of nondenominational, independent Protestants have been divorced

27% of people in the South and Midwest have been divorced
26% of people in the West have been divorced
19% of people in the Northwest and Northeast have been divorced

Stats from HERE

I make no claims to the validity of their stats, but its similar to what I have read on other sites.

Also, the religion a child is raised in (the truth of that religion aside) has less impact on the child than the FAITHFULNESS of the parents. If you truly live the Catholic faith you will be much better off than any other, IMHO.

FSC

There are different ways to look at statistics, even from the same study as cited above:

"The March 31 Barna Update report details a study by the Ventura-based Barna Group on the rates of marriage and divorce in the United States. The study was conducted from January 2007 to January 2008 with telephone interviews of 5017 adults, 18 years and older. The study’s maximum margin of error is ±1.6 percentage points, with a “confidence level” of 95%.

The study found that, among those surveyed, 78% have been married at least once. “Born again” Christians had the highest level of marriages, at 84%. The proportion of those belonging to non-Christian faiths and agnostics who have been married at least once is 74% and 65% respectively.

But if the marriage rate is relatively high, so is the divorce rate, said the study. Over all, said the study, among adults who have been married, 33% have been divorced at least once. This means, says the Barna Group, that “among all Americans 18 years of age or older, whether they have been married or not, 25% have gone through a marital split.”

Americans who have the highest rates of divorce, according to the study, are “downscale” adults (those who have not attended college and are earning less than $20,000 a year) at 39%; Baby Boomers (38%); non-Christian religious believers (38%); African-Americans (36%); and “people who consider themselves to be liberal on social and political matters” (37%).

Those with the lowest divorce rates are Catholics (28%); evangelicals (26%); upscale adults (college graduates earning $75,000 or more a year), at 22%; Asians (20%); and those calling themselves “conservative on social and political matters” (28%). Hispanics have a divorce rate of 31%, according to the Barna study.

The combined divorce rate for what Barna calls “evangelicals and non-evangelical born again Christians” is 32% – nearly the same as the national average. Barna, however, did not determine whether the divorces for this group occurred before or after religious conversion.

The divorce rate for atheists and agnostics is 30%, according to Barna. These groups also have lower rates of marriage and higher rates of cohabitation – “behaviors,” said the Barna Update, “that distort comparisons with other segments.”"

Source:
calcatholic.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?id=db7805a8-1799-4de1-ba3e-477970cdbf76

 

[paulp1002]

If you don’t mind me asking, did you feel like you had a “testimony” of the Mormon church when you were converted? How was that different than when you were led back to the Catholic faith?

To answer your question, yes I did have a testimony. Or at least I thought I did. I have now realized that my testimony of the Mormon church was personal, and that’s the difference. Before the Mormon church I “knew” of God but didn’t really know Him. It helped me learn to know God and accept Him into my heart and soul. Once I had accepted God in my heart and soul, the Holy Spirit was there to lead me back.

The Priest at my parish this past Sunday, explained to us at Mass that a lot of people know who God is, but only in their minds. A lot of people don’t know God in their heart and in their soul. They only know what was told to them and what was taught to them.

I believe that our Lord works in mysterious ways. If I didn’t have my experience with the Mormon church, I may not be where I am with God right now. I may not personally know him. Once you have God in your heart and soul, the Holy Spirit will guide you the rest of the way.

I don’t believe that our Lord has a straight defined path that he leads us down in life. We have to choose the path to take, sometimes it’s bumpy and sometimes we have to turn around. But we have to have faith in Him, and He will lead us to where we need to be. For me it was the Catholic Church.

If you would like to hear my entire conversion story, PM me.

 

[vera_dicere]

Honestly, I think you shouldn’t worry about what other people are doing or not doing. If yoru wife thinks a change of religion is what will cause your children to fall away into disrepute then the problem isn’t the religion, if you get my drift.

There’s what, 1.1 billion Catholics? Not all of them are going to be stunning examples of Christian living.

Pray and discern, the Lord will guide you, and your children.

 

[excubitor]

This is my first post. I’m sort of a Mormon and married to an active Mormon lady. I say “sort of” because I was brought up Mormon but I have since lost my faith in it. I go to church every week to keep the family together and because I am not convinced yet that I have found a better church. I have been listening to Catholic radio for many years, especially Catholic Answers and feel drawn to it a bit but I have some problems with it.

The other night my wife and I talked over this topic for some time. Her biggest problem with other faiths, especially the Catholic church, is that everyone she knows who claim to be Catholic appear to have loose morals. From her view (and mine) it seems like all the emphasis is put on birth control and very little on premarital relations. My question is (especially from former Mormons): is this just a perception from outside the Catholic church, or is there something to this? My wife is convinced that kids who are brought up outside the Mormon church have a much higher chance of getting into drugs, premarital relations, divorce, etc, etc.

Yes this is a major problem for apologists. How to reconcile the high moral standards required by the church with the obvious woeful moral standards exhibited by her people. However this is really an argument from the enemy who wants to turn us from the path of truth. In the end it comes down to doctrine. Is the Catholic church the one true apostolic catholic church spoken of in the creeds or not? Has the Catholic church been corrupted from the times of the apostles or not? Are the doctrines and dogmas of the church true or not? We must act in response to the answers to these questions and not be swayed one way or another by what other people do.

The other awkward problem is that some groups or people are moral people if their community, church or culture forces or impels them to be moral people, but really in their heart they are not moral. They do what is obligated in order to stay out of trouble, but their heart is not devoted to purity. So if you have a very overbearing or strict organisation there might be an appearance of morality but not really much in the way of righteousness in evidence.

Since Vatican 2 I believe that there has been a deliberate freeing of the people from many of the obligations which were placed on our parents in the hope that from that freedom we would move towards God of our own volition to obey him in all sincerity and purity.
Regrettably and to the great shame of Catholics the rather idealistic aims of the council were not realised and instead disobedience and even wickedness flourishes amongst us.

And yet if you were to go back 100 years you would have found Catholics to be a very moral people. Same church and same doctrines, same rules of morality, just a different administration.

So I would urge you not to make a decision for the sake of your soul based on the behaviour of people around you, even the behaviour of your family. You have to save your soul and lead them in the true path. What’s the point of all being “together” if you are all together on the way which leads to destruction?

Jesus said "Think not that I have come to bring peace, but a sword 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Matt 10.

Therefore fear of trouble and strife and rejection can cause us to “invent” excuses to not obey and so as to persist in the habitual comfortable life that you are used to. That is what “He that findeth his life shall lose it” means. But those who lay their lives down as a sacrifice to God, not knowing what the future holds, trusting entirely in God are the ones who “lose their lives in order to find them”

I am a recent convert and I did not know how my wife would react to my conversion. I feared that there would be such a terrible storm that our marriage would disintegrate. But I was prepared to face whatever might come rather than be separated from the body of Christ which is the Church. As it turned out “God be praised” my wife adjusted to the new situation and our life has continued on with not too much impact. But I still had to face the unknown and pass through it.

 

[WetCatechumen]

This is my first post. I’m sort of a Mormon and married to an active Mormon lady. I say “sort of” because I was brought up Mormon but I have since lost my faith in it. I go to church every week to keep the family together and because I am not convinced yet that I have found a better church. I have been listening to Catholic radio for many years, especially Catholic Answers and feel drawn to it a bit but I have some problems with it.

The other night my wife and I talked over this topic for some time. Her biggest problem with other faiths, especially the Catholic church, is that everyone she knows who claim to be Catholic appear to have loose morals. From her view (and mine) it seems like all the emphasis is put on birth control and very little on premarital relations. My question is (especially from former Mormons): is this just a perception from outside the Catholic church, or is there something to this? My wife is convinced that kids who are brought up outside the Mormon church have a much higher chance of getting into drugs, premarital relations, divorce, etc, etc.

fencesitter,

The behavior of the adherents of a particular religious doctrine in no way affects the veracity of the aforementioned doctrine.

If I tell you that Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States of America, and then I go shoplift a shirt from J.C. Penny’s, it doesn’t change the fact that President Obama is the President.

Religious issues are different - the Christ said, “By their fruits ye shall know them.” However, even apostles misbehaved - look at Peter’s behavior on the night of the Passion and at Jerusalem when he refused to dine with the Gentile Christians. It didn’t change the fact that he is an apostle of God. Hence, there are many, many Catholics who don’t adhere to the moral teachings of the church. It’s a good reason to be concerned. Who would want to be united to an organization that does not foster appropriate living among its members?

Indeed, it’s one of the most tempting things about Mormonism. The Mormon kids I knew in high school were considerably more moral and devout than the Evangelical or Catholic kids I knew. Admittedly, of the few orthodox Catholics I knew - I would place them above the Mormons, and this would be one of the reasons I chose Catholicism over Mormonism. your wife is right to be concerned.

Hypocrisy in orthodox religion goes back to Abraham and further. The Pharisees of the time of the Christ were well-versed in scripture, and the Christ affirmed the authority of the religious teachers by asserting that they sat on the Seat of Moses. However, he expected people to behave as they taught, even though the teachers were hypocrites. The fact that Caiaphas was instrumental in the murder of the Christ did not make him less the High Priest (in fact, I think it is quite ironic that the leader of the “offering up” of the Christ to the Romans was the High Priest of Israel).

Heretics need not be impious men. There will be lots of times where, sadly, the local non-Christians or heretics will act more Catholic than the local Catholic Christians. As for the spiritual welfare of your family, it leaves an interesting choice. If you throw your lot in with the Mormons, your children stand well to grow up moral and loving God. If you throw your lot in with the local Catholic Christians, well, you might be risking a lot.

Ultimately, I’d say the decision must be made upon truth. If you believe that Joseph Smith is not a prophet, you should not be Mormon. If you believe that Jesus Christ established a visible institution headed by his apostles, who gave their authority to bishops, and that they have not departed from the Deposit of Faith which was handed to them, then you should be Catholic.

Truth, sadly, is irrespective of the behavior of the messenger. While it would be nice if the Christ’s saying “By their fruits” applied here, it sadly does not. Many Mormons also comment on how well-behaved and pious the children of Jehovah’s Witnesses are, but they have their testimony and follow what they perceive to be truth instead.