I am confused here. You say that you are pagan. Who do you pray to? I think that any Christian might be uncomfortable going to a pagan wedding or praying with a pagan.
In my own nutshell
, I do not believe that there is a singular omnipotent, omniscient God, (that is why I am not a monotheist) much less that Jesus is that God (that is why I am not a Christian). I do not believe that the Pope or any other individual is infallible in religious matters (or any other matters as far as that goes), even only when speaking ex cathedra; that people who are LGBT are automatically damned for trying to responsibly express their inherent sexuality in a monogamous consenting adult relationship; that practicing responsible birth control is bad in a monogamous consenting adult heterosexual relationship; that religious leaders should be required to be celibate; that women are less fit than men to be religious leaders; etc (that is why I am not Catholic) .You are right, there are many wonderful things, beauty and spiritual rewards available withing Catholicism. The reason I left is that according to the Catholic Church all members MUST believe certain things, and I did not. Because I did not, and could not believe everything required by the church, I left.
I could ask questions or address perhaps, some of your issues, but what really struck me here was the irony of polytheism existing in a sect that originally was about God being one (as in no trinity, no multitude of gods…).
Oh, I’m fully aware of the irony, believe me
. I also fully realize that as a polytheist I am definitely a minority, even among UUs. Want some more irony? I am also part of Ar nDraiocht Fein (ADF), a US-based Neopagan organization that focuses on all Indo-European pre-Christian religions, but calls itself Druidic. I get looks when I say that I am a member of ADF, but do not follow a Celtic pantheon. What can I say? I didn’t pick the names for either organization, but find the organizations best fit my needs .I imagine he picked it up from your public profile.
Don’t know if the above is original/from your heart or if you got it from somewhere else… nonetheless, it is beautifully worded… Thank you for sharing it with us
Just because there are many interpretations of the truth does not mean many sides after all there is one truth many erroneous interpretations.
** Quite a mouthful basically Catholicisim does not interest you and you a are happily and freely a polytheistic . Neopagan. That begs the question why are you here on Catholic Answers ?In my own nutshell
** Let me see if I understand this a monotheistic loving God that is regarded as so real that for centuries matyrs have gone to their death with a smile and a song in the soul is not believed however a polytheistic outlook is preferrered. With respect this is nonsensical. The testimony of the early church is clearly indicative of more than a mere ill founded and vague belief in God and I would postulate clearly shows the hand of God working and leading as it does today in his Catholic Church.******
I do not believe that the Pope or any other individual is infallible in religious matters (or any other matters as far as that goes), even only when speaking ex cathedra; that people
** Then how do you know what is true ? Besides all ex cathedra pronouncements of the Holy Father are in line with and backed by more than 2000 years of Christian writing.******
who are LGBT are automatically damned for trying to responsibly express their inherent sexuality in a monogamous consenting adult relationship; that practicing responsible birth control is bad in a monogamous consenting adult heterosexual relationship; that religious leaders should be required to be celibate; that women are less fit than men to be religious leaders; etc (that is why I am not Catholic) .
**Succintly put marriage is a convenent between a man and a woman and procreation is part of the plan. It is only in the Latin rite that the priest need be celibate and that is a discipline not a dogma of the church. It’s a choice if God calls you remain celibate if not get married both are sacraments and a vocation. Woman are not unfit to be leaders,however our God has given different gifts and duties to each off us in accordance with his divine plan and woman are not to become priests.**Besides our greatest help and consolation is a woman ,the blessed Mother of God .
True the Catholic Church has given the world some gorgeous liturgy, music, art, architecture, etc. It has been a force for literacy, education, and social welfare. I am glad of all these things. However, all of those things together do not compel me to belief in it as the One True Religion ™ because the theology of the Catholic Church does not match my experience of spiritual reality.
If I could have stayed Christian, I would have stayed within the Episcopalian Church for the reasons stated above (see why I am not Catholic). If I could have honestly stayed monotheistic (and could have dealt with the cultural issues related to Judaism), it would likely have been within Reform Judaism (see why I am not Christian). I was not able to do either of those things and be honest with myself about my own religious experience. That is why I am a polytheistic Hellenic Neopagan Unitarian Universalist.
I certainly don’t go to SDA sites and post messages think about it.**Its original thanks for the complimentDon’t know if the above is original/from your heart or if you got it from somewhere else… nonetheless, it is beautifully worded… Thank you for sharing it with us
**This very thought has run through my mind upon reading several people’s posts in recent past… and I’m still scratching my head here & there… It’s not as if the site name title/name/url or anything in it is ambiguous…** Quite a mouthful basically Catholicisim does not interest you and you a are happily and freely a polytheistic . Neopagan. That begs the question why are you here on Catholic Answers ?
**
God Bless
Arthur
Ad Jesu Per Mariam
