Doubts

[Amy_1610]

Hi Everyone
I now consider myself catholic and want to start RCIA , but I have a few problems with some beliefs . These are:
a) abortion.
I would never condone someone using abortions as a contraceptive, but if someone was raped I would totally understand them having an abortion and wouldn’t judge them for doing it at all
b)contraception
I would rather that people could use contraception if they wanted to because they’re are so many diseases out there, AIDS comes to mind the most, and so many people die from these diseases, and children are born with them, and I think if contraception can help, it should be used. Also, even in a marriage people may not be ready for children, either emotionally or financially, and it feel it is better for contraception to be used than for children to be born unwanted into a situation where they can not be cared for adequately
c)homosexuality
Although I don’t want to know about my gay friends love live, I don’t judge him for being gay either. Basically. it something I find hard to understand, as a straight person, but that I don’t have a problem with.

These things have made me wonder - am I going to fit into a catholic church or am I going to be the only one who feels this way. I like to think of myself as a modern catholic (no offence to anyone who does feel the above things are wrong), but … it’s just a bit of a confusing feeling at the moment with these questions . I have no catholic friends or family to ask so all thoughts are welcome and I am grateful.
Thanks

p.s. If this is in the wrong place I’m sorry in advance - I never seen to put them in the right place

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Well I don’t know if this is the right spot, but you are going to get lots of responses. You may consider yourself to be Catholic but it seems you are a little lacking in understanding of the Church’s principles on life itself. These are important points and cannot be brushed off.

Life is given to us by God. The union between a husband and a wife is sacred, and God is always involved, which is why we cannot support the use of artificial birth control. We Catholics are called to be open to God’s gift of children without artificial impediment. There is natural family planning which has gotten more scientific over the years and has been said to be as effective as artificial birth control, if used properly. You can’t just take or leave what you don’t accept about the faith. That’s a “cafeteria Catholic” and this attitude has diminished our communities over the last few decades.

Now, about the abortion after rape, this one is easy. You do not undo a rape by killing the baby that was created. Even if this is difficult for the woman, what she needs is support, not the murder of her child. We have records of women who have been raped and then had an abortion, and without exception, they say that the abortion was the worse experience. They felt as if they were being raped all over again. Why not carry the baby to term and then, if you must, give it up for adoption? Some other family would love that child and give him or her a great life. This is not just theory, these things have been happening - there are people who were the product of rape and were adopted. They are glad their moms didn’t abort. My heartfelt belief is that these records should remain forever sealed so that the person, once grown up, could not inadvertently discover how he or she was conceived.

Homosexuality - the practice - is against God’s plan for us. We don’t judge the people themselves, but the acts are always going to be considered sinful. God says so, many times throughout His Word. We aren’t hateful toward homosexuals, but neither do we approve of the activism that says gay “marriage” is perfectly acceptable.

I would suggest talking to your priest and starting a more thorough exploration of the Church. You may want to enroll in RCIA after that, or you may not. But the three points above are non-negotiables for Catholics.

 

[Julian0404]

You are a person of the world, as are most Catholics today. Your positions reflect what you have learned and heard and “feel” that they are correct. I would suggest you do attend the RCIA and begin the process, with a mind that is open to “what” you are doing in RCIA, which is not attempting to justify the worlds postion against the churchs postion, but instead RCIA is to learn the teachings and beliefs of the Catholic Church and determine if you can accept and live them.
Many Catholics today are “catholic” only in name, but live as though they are atheists, and openly support abortion - which is murder, and then justifying turning their souls against many other beliefs, because they chose the world over the Christ.

JESUS said, “MY burden is light and MY yoke is easy…” paraphrase. HE was providing the image of a dual oxen yoke, which fits across the shoulder of a pair of oxen. Typically, the farmer would have one of the ox be an experience animal that has worked with the yoke for a long time, and then he would add a young ox that he was training. The experienced ox would lead, and due to the yoke, the young ox would follow and thus be trained.

In RCIA - JESUS will be the experienced OX and you will have to decide if the yoke of the Church that was formed, organized and protected by JESUS and the HOLY SPIRIT is indeed “easy” for you. Can you learn from JESUS and follow HIM as HE leads you through life with the yoke of HIS religion or would you rather push HIM away, embrace the world, and hope to explain it all to HIM later on your day of judgement.

 

[Barbkw]

Married couples who are against conception are saying “absolutely no” to children. ABC’s carry out that mental decision. When contraception fails, 50% of these “inconvenient children” are aborted.

Condom use reinforces the spread of HIV/AIDS because condoms bolster a false sense of security. A married person with HIV/AIDS should remain celibate to protect their partner.

Single persons can protect themselves from HIV/AIDS by being chaste.

Single people with HIV/AIDS who don’t remain sexually abstinent place their noncelibate partners’ life at risk.

 

[Rascalking]

Amy,

Just because you have doubts doesn’t mean you can’t be a Cathoilc. In fact, having doubts is normal part of being a Catholic. Many people just won’t admit it to having them.

I also think that thoughts are different than actions. If your pro-choice, but never get an abortion or support one (IE-giving money to a friend who you know will use it for an abortion) I’m not sure how it’s sinful. Could it be? I don’t know, ask your priest .

Welcome to the family .

 

[Julian0404]

Amy,

Just because you have doubts doesn’t mean you can’t be a Cathoilc. In fact, having doubts is normal part of being a Catholic. Many people just won’t admit it to having them.

I also think that thoughts are different than actions. If your pro-choice, but never get an abortion or support one (IE-giving money to a friend who you know will use it for an abortion) I’m not sure how it’s sinful. Could it be? I don’t know, ask your priest .

Welcome to the family .

In the OT one had to perform the act for the sin to occur. In the NT JESUS teaches us that once we have conceived of or desired the act within or minds/conscience we have sinned, “I tell you if you look upon a woman with lust, you have committed adultery” - paraphrase.
Therefore, by being pro-choice, you have already approved of the act of abortion in your consciencenous/will and are in a state of sin.

 

[challam2010]

In the OT one had to perform the act for the sin to occur. In the NT JESUS teaches us that once we have conceived of or desired the act within or minds/conscience we have sinned, “I tell you if you look upon a woman with lust, you have committed adultery” - paraphrase.
Therefore, by being pro-choice, you have already approved of the act of abortion in your consciencenous/will and are in a state of sin.

If a person “considers herself catholic” but has not yet even started RCIA, it is unlikely that she knows the reasons behind the ethical problems she has outlined. Having doubts without having an informed conscience does NOT constitute a state of sin. This person is asking the right questions and appears open to receive the Catholic answers. It is true, by Catholic theology, that we can sin in our thoughts, but certainly not without knowing all the components of the issue in question and without consent to sin.

 

[Rascalking]

In the OT one had to perform the act for the sin to occur. In the NT JESUS teaches us that once we have conceived of or desired the act within or minds/conscience we have sinned, “I tell you if you look upon a woman with lust, you have committed adultery” - paraphrase.
Therefore, by being pro-choice, you have already approved of the act of abortion in your consciencenous/will and are in a state of sin.

With all due respect, I’ll ask a priest before I take someones advice on the internet. Thoughts and actuons are different.

Thanks though.

 

[2cats]

Amy,

I’m a fairly new Catholic, and I started out pretty much where you are. After study, thought, and RCIA, it wasn’t hard to come around to the Church’s position on abortion. Contraception and homosexuality were more of a struggle for me. I wholeheartedly agree with whoever said above that you shouldn’t take the word of internet posters - talk to a priest instead - but I would recommend reading Humanae Vitae. It’s available online, free, on the Vatican website. I expected it to read very judgmentally, like a bunch of “thou shalt nots,” but it was written thoughtfully and lovingly, and it’s pretty amazing how prophetic it turned out to be. On homosexuality, I still struggle to understand the Church’s position and I still have my moments of doubt but I’m trying. Eventually I just had to conclude that I would just have to try to accept the Church’s teaching even if I don’t really understand it, or wouldn’t have chosen that position myself. Good luck to you.