"Catholic" stars confusing my generation?

  • Thread starter Thread starter scapularkid8
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
S

scapularkid8

Guest
What’s your opinion? There are PLENTY of well known people from film to sport who claim to be Catholic and wear Rosaries, but don’t practice. Could this possibly be a reason for some spiritual confusion among the youth of my generation? For example: take Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s a Portugese (“Roman Catholic”) 22 year old soccer player who claims Catholicism as his religion (i.e. makes prayers of thanksgiving after every goal he scores, wears Rosaries, makes prayer hands after a win for his team, ect.) but he frequents the tabloids for having escapades with multiple prostitutes…

May God give me humility and never let me judge, but isn’t that sending the wrong message to my generation if in one instance they’re praising God for successes, but not struggling through the tough times and temptations? Granted I can’t generalize about one example, but I’m sure there are more out there.

Just a thought.🤷
 
Our political leaders that claim to be Catholic and support abortion are also sending the wrong message. Catholic parents that support abortion, view pornography, steal, use profanity, or do other unacceptable things also send a wrong message to their children.

These problems are rampant and they even find their way into our clergy. We reform ourselves first, then we set an example. Catholics have a huge task set before them. Prayer and sacrifice will be required. Things are going to get worse before they get better.
 
scapularkid8 said:
What’s your opinion? There are PLENTY of well known people from film to sport who claim to be Catholic and wear Rosaries, but don’t practice. Could this possibly be a reason for some spiritual confusion among the youth of my generation? For example: take Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s a Portugese (“Roman Catholic”) 22 year old soccer player who claims Catholicism as his religion (i.e. makes prayers of thanksgiving after every goal he scores, wears Rosaries, makes prayer hands after a win for his team, ect.) but he frequents the tabloids for having escapades with multiple prostitutes…

May God give me humility and never let me judge, but isn’t that sending the wrong message to my generation if in one instance they’re praising God for successes, but not struggling through the tough times and temptations? Granted I can’t generalize about one example, but I’m sure there are more out there.

Just a thought.🤷
Click to expand...
Do you have a more respectable sourse for this new about Ronaldo? I don’t believe anything I see in tabloids, their just a bunch of trash.
 
scapularkid8 said:
What’s your opinion? There are PLENTY of well known people from film to sport who claim to be Catholic and wear Rosaries, but don’t practice. Could this possibly be a reason for some spiritual confusion among the youth of my generation? For example: take Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s a Portugese (“Roman Catholic”) 22 year old soccer player who claims Catholicism as his religion (i.e. makes prayers of thanksgiving after every goal he scores, wears Rosaries, makes prayer hands after a win for his team, ect.) but he frequents the tabloids for having escapades with multiple prostitutes…

May God give me humility and never let me judge, but isn’t that sending the wrong message to my generation if in one instance they’re praising God for successes, but not struggling through the tough times and temptations? Granted I can’t generalize about one example, but I’m sure there are more out there.

Just a thought.🤷
Click to expand...
I think that young people are bombarded with the message that you should do what ever makes you happy and that leading an upright, moral life is uncool or boring. So, it takes a strong young person to stand up to that. Yet, this doesn’t mean that the individual doesn’t have a strong, spiritual hunger for God. It does mean that the person is confused and needs lots of prayers.

Lately, I’ve heard some sports stars rebel at the fact that they are considered role models. I guess that they want all the glory that comes with fame but none of the responsibility.🤷

.
 
child_of_God85 said:
Do you have a more respectable sourse for this new about Ronaldo? I don’t believe anything I see in tabloids, their just a bunch of trash.
Click to expand...
Sadly, the news media isn’t far above tabloid journalism now. I’ve heard some drs on a news channel speculating that Heath Ledger was manic depressive, drug addicted etc. This was before the police had even removed the poor guys’ body from the apartment.😦
 
deb1 said:
I think that young people are bombarded with the message that you should do what ever makes you happy and that leading an upright, moral life is uncool or boring. So, it takes a strong young person to stand up to that. Yet, this doesn’t mean that the individual doesn’t have a strong, spiritual hunger for God. It does mean that the person is confused and needs lots of prayers.

Lately, I’ve heard some sports stars rebel at the fact that they are considered role models. I guess that they want all the glory that comes with fame but none of the responsibility.🤷

.
Click to expand...
Here’s the logical fallacy in that abominable message: gobbling drugs, boozing and rolling in the gutter with prostitutes will NEVER make you happy.

All it will do is enslave you, dull your senses, cut you off from God, and quite possibly kill you.

Whoever sold us the license-equals-happiness equation was working for Satan. I pray for young people in this frightening age.
 
Sailor_Kenshin said:
Here’s the logical fallacy in that abominable message: gobbling drugs, boozing and rolling in the gutter with prostitutes will NEVER make you happy.
Click to expand...
And it’s just that kind of hedonism that really pervades my peers (and even myself at times). We think we have to just do what feels best…and our supposed “role models” aren’t doing to hot either…I just feel blessed that I’ve been given the gift of being able to remove myself from the perspective of my generation and see the overall picture.
 
scapularkid8 said:
And it’s just that kind of hedonism that really pervades my peers (and even myself at times). We think we have to just do what feels best…and our supposed “role models” aren’t doing to hot either…I just feel blessed that I’ve been given the gift of being able to remove myself from the perspective of my generation and see the overall picture.
Click to expand...
Hey, I started a thread on this subject-sort of. It is the one entitled. “I hate this popular saying.” I was discussing the saying, “follow your heart.” I’ve seen a lot of selfish actions justified by people saying, 'But I was just following my heart."😦
 
scapularkid8 said:
And it’s just that kind of hedonism that really pervades my peers (and even myself at times). We think we have to just do what feels best…and our supposed “role models” aren’t doing to hot either…I just feel blessed that I’ve been given the gift of being able to remove myself from the perspective of my generation and see the overall picture.
Click to expand...
Sad, really. A lot (most certainly not ALL) of parents have failed their kids, big-time, by trying to be pals rather than parents.
 
I don’t think the self-professed Catholicity of any of them is that relevant. I just think people with lifestyles contrary to the Gospel being exalted, praised, and being made the standard of how you should live is the problem–regardless of what religion they claim.
 
Genesis315 said:
I don’t think the self-professed Catholicity of any of them is that relevant. I just think people with lifestyles contrary to the Gospel being exalted, praised, and being made the standard of how you should live is the problem–regardless of what religion they claim.
Click to expand...
What about people like Bono that use their position to advocate the Gospel? Couldn’t that be seen as one’s vocation? If they’re called to that position and blessed with it, shouldn’t they be a light to the nations. After all Christ said that you don’t light a lamp and put it under a bush, you put it on a stand for all to see.
 
I think any of us Catholics would have a hard time if our lives were under public scrutiny. Yes, I know and agree that a certain loss of privacy comes with fame, but who among us, if followed to the degree that these “stars” are, wouldn’t also do something, at some point, sinful?

Even the saints had their bad moments. It was their perseverance to the end that made them saints. I say, wait until the show’s over to see what happens. A foul addiction to prostitution might set the stage for an Augustinian-esque conversion.

Instead of focusing on the sin and nothing else, try to focus on using the sin to teach about God’s graces, and the value of the Sacraments, particularly Confession.

FMS
 
But is it too much to ask that celebrities not behave like Romans at an all-out orgy?
 
Feedmysheep said:
I think any of us Catholics would have a hard time if our lives were under public scrutiny. Yes, I know and agree that a certain loss of privacy comes with fame, but who among us, if followed to the degree that these “stars” are, wouldn’t also do something, at some point, sinful?
Click to expand...
That’s a really good point. I myself will admit that I would have an EXTREMELY hard time being the person I am were I rich and famous. And I would probably fall into some bad stuff.

It’s just so sad that they think by abandoning the Faith they look ‘cooler’ or something. Just a sort of disclaimer: I say this because I pity them and want to share with them the Good News prodigal son style, not because I think I’m better or anything like that. I know I am NOT better 😃 (trust me!)
 
Sailor_Kenshin said:
But is it too much to ask that celebrities not behave like Romans at an all-out orgy?
Click to expand...
No, but it is naive to think that such behavior is limited only to celebrities. Like I said, we’re more aware of their behavior because their lives are under such scrutiny, but if all of us had that spotlight shoneon us, there would be debauchery revealed in every social class.

Celebrities are not the only ones doing drugs. They are not the only ones engaging in dangerous, immoral sexual activities. They are not the only ones having children out of wedlock, treating marriage and divorce like fast-food fare, or getting arrested for DUIs.

It’s just that we see their sins splashed all over the pages of tabloids for our entertainment.
 
Feedmysheep said:
No, but it is naive to think that such behavior is limited only to celebrities. Like I said, we’re more aware of their behavior because their lives are under such scrutiny, but if all of us had that spotlight shoneon us, there would be debauchery revealed in every social class.

Celebrities are not the only ones doing drugs. They are not the only ones engaging in dangerous, immoral sexual activities. They are not the only ones having children out of wedlock, treating marriage and divorce like fast-food fare, or getting arrested for DUIs.

It’s just that we see their sins splashed all over the pages of tabloids for our entertainment.
Click to expand...
Exactly. I can’t condone that sort of behavior in anyone, but these people are virtually worshipped in some circles.
 
Feedmysheep said:
Well, that’s a product of our cult of celebrity, and not a factor of being Catholic.
Click to expand...
The sad part of that is that the “Catholic” stars become victim to their own image just like those who follow them.
 
deb1 said:
Hey, I started a thread on this subject-sort of. It is the one entitled. “I hate this popular saying.” I was discussing the saying, “follow your heart.” I’ve seen a lot of selfish actions justified by people saying, 'But I was just following my heart."😦
Click to expand...
Most of the time when modernists and post-modernists “follow their heart” they’re really just following their genitalia.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top