Catholic sanity

[fhansen]

There’re a whole host of opinions and voices in the world vying for our attention-and even our obedience. I thought it’d be interesting to talk about how Catholicism has touched us or settled confusion or conflict within us in practical ways.

Examples could involve the Church’s teachings on suffering, the dignity and sanctity of human life and of marriage, the reality of love in an often loveless world, or her unique teachings on original sin or salvation

How have Catholic teachings specifically brought sanity into confusion, resolved issues, gave meaning to life, made sense out of things-maybe saved your life. How has the Church brought you home?

 

[coolduude]

Well, it’s really sharpened my morals.

Ex:

I was in a bookstore looking at a book called Teens:The Owners Manual . It was pretty good except for the sex chapter.

It suggested “talking to your teens about being ready for sex” or some load of **** like that. I looked at it in disgust and put it back right away. Then I realized we aren’t all Catholics and don’t have Mama Church guiding us in morals. It really is depressing to see how messed up and immoral society really is.

But the point here is that without the Church I probably would have believed that book and taken it’s advice- a sad thing indeed.

 

[fhansen]

Well, it’s really sharpened my morals.

Ex:

I was in a bookstore looking at a book called Teens:The Owners Manual . It was pretty good except for the sex chapter.

It suggested “talking to your teens about being ready for sex” or some load of **** like that. I looked at it in disgust and put it back right away. Then I realized we aren’t all Catholics and don’t have Mama Church guiding us in morals. It really is depressing to see how messed up and immoral society really is.

But the point here is that without the Church I probably would have believed that book and taken it’s advice- a sad thing indeed.

Yeah, I think it’s easy to take the Church for granted –maybe especially if we’re raised in it- but the imprint it’s made on the world down through history as a voice for good and for sound thinking is huge. And without it I doubt there’d be much of an alternative way to look at things besides whatever the world wants to feed us at the time.

 

[Monica4316]

the Church has helped me understand the ultimate purpose of my life… it’s interesting how philosophers and others have been wondering this for millennia…“what is the meaning of life”. But the Christians always knew, it’s to love and follow God and this is the only way we can find real peace, and real love, and in the end, eternal life.

 

[fhansen]

the Church has helped me understand the ultimate purpose of my life… it’s interesting how philosophers and others have been wondering this for millennia…“what is the meaning of life”. But the Christians always knew, it’s to love and follow God and this is the only way we can find real peace, and real love, and in the end, eternal life.

Thank you, Monica, I love that. When I think of the ways that individual Church teachings have grounded me, there’re so many and they’ve come to make so much sense-and combine to form a consistent whole.

One example is the way the Church turns the experience of suffering around and gives it value -over and against such teachings as the “Prosperity Movement” that seeks to avoid suffering at all costs. These teachings, especially in light of Christ’s passion, means that suffering-which his inevitable-is not futile-it does not have to be cause for seeing oneself as a loser-but rather an opportunity for triumphing over whatever this world can dish out-turning our weaknesses into strengths.

If I think in general terms the resurrection would have to be the heart and soul of it for me. This affirms the ultimate goodness and Love that lies at the foundation of the universe.

 

[poetryforjesus]

the Church has helped me understand the ultimate purpose of my life… it’s interesting how philosophers and others have been wondering this for millennia…“what is the meaning of life”. But the Christians always knew, it’s to love and follow God and this is the only way we can find real peace, and real love, and in the end, eternal life.

this is so true for me, too. Catholicism is like a floodlight that shows me everything I needed to know. Protestantism is rather different. Nobody really knew I had terrible spiritual problems (even though judging from my life they would guess so) or how to help me. Not so with Catholicism. Everything is bloody clear. Do you love God? Do you know God loves you so much that He died a terrible death just for you? Do you want to love God? If you do, then do what He wants, no matter how hard, no matter how small a thing is. Go to the Blessed Mother, ask her to help, ask her for grace, it’s ok if you don’t understand, just do it, she’ll help you.

I would have collapsed long ago if not for God’s mercy and Catholicism. But now, I have hope and joy everyday. Mary has shown me how to handle my worst problems. Everything is going to be just fine, if not great. Haha, it makes me want to laugh and jump.

 

[fhansen]

Another teaching that helped me understand human nature and the world I live in is the doctrine of Original Sin. Some religions either ignore evil or call it an illusion. The secular world isn’t sure how to deal with it. The doctrine of Original Sin faces evil head on, maintaining that it *is *a part of our reality and one that wasn’t meant to be but that was brought on by the abuse of freedom given to intellectual beings who decided they possessed the wisdom to determine right and wrong for themselves. This jives with what I witness in the world every time I see someone harm another for no good reason other than the reason they determined to be good at the time.