Erasing Christianity from college

[Chiltepin]

Inspiration can come through other ideas, memories, and positive thoughts as opposed to material objects, which, at the end of the day, are closed to being worthless.

No, they are not worthless. Do you have pictures of your relatives in your home, perhaps those who have died or live far away? Are those things worthless? Yes you might have memories of that person, but after a while you may have trouble remembering their face. Looking at a picture of them while you think about them might make your memory more fresh and vivid. Also having them around the house as reminders would help you think of them more often.

A quite obnoxious phrase in the education world right now is “this is the most visual and auditory generation yet.” If that is true, which I’m hesitant to believe, a young believer really would need more than ideas to keep them going.

I’m sure that on some level your advice is helpful to the OP, but I’m sure they get that kind of advice a lot. Non-religious are always asking us to bottle it up and keep it out of everyone’s sight to be fair. In the end the only people that is unfair to is us. Someone who is not trying to maintain religious beliefs would not understand the struggle and see how these little things really do help.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

Yes, my parents do know I’m Agnostic. They’re not too happy about it, but they’re smart enough to know that there’s little to nothing to do about it. And, yes, I do receive the Eucharist.

To receive the Eucharist while Agnostic is the deepest form of disrespect you can possibly show to Catholicism, for it desecrates that which to us is the most sacred thing on Earth, the Body and Blood of Jesus. Perhaps you haven’t been aware of that, and if so, you aren’t at fault. But now you are aware.

If you truly want to respect the religions that exist in the world, I beg that you stop receiving the Eucharist now. I beg this in Jesus’ Name.

If you sincerely ask God to reveal to you the truth of your sins, I assure you that He will. Then you will desire to go to Confession and be freed of what has now come to bind you, and you will have eternal life.

Today, as it happens, is Divine Mercy Sunday, the day when Christ revealed to the Church through St. Faustina that His mercy will be most lavishly poured out to all. Today, I am sure He will give you the knowledge of the truth if you ask Him to. You claim you don’t know what the state of reality is, and whether there is a God or not- that’s part of what being agnostic means. I urge you, then, to find out! Pray to Jesus to reveal to you what is true, submitting to Him that you will follow Him if He answers, and then find out for yourself the reality of God and discover His everlasting Love for you.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

My college is a secular college but has old ties to Eastern Orthodoxy in particular, and also to Catholicism. These ties have mostly dissolved and now there are just a few elderly professors who are devout Christians (I had one last year who had a great impact on me) and most of the professors, as well as students, are openly hostile to Christianity. They mock Jesus both in and out of classes all the time. One professor (in a class where we were discussing the Bible) told us we were no longer allowed to use the terms “Old/New Testament” because it was offensive to Jews. We were supposed to say “Hebrew Scriptures” and “Christian Scriptures.” As if the OT belongs solely to the Jews and the NT to Christians, rather than both being extremely important parts of Christian scripture and heritage.

Despite all of this, there was (until today) an icon corner in the bookstore, with a very beautiful wooden crucifix and some large Eastern-style icons. On days when I felt confused or rootless, I liked to go to the bookstore and look at the crucifix. So today was a very difficult day and I went to the bookstore and … the crucifix and all the icons had been removed. Completely gone, no trace. Instead there were random secular posters and some Buddhist things. It felt so wrong.

I guess that icon corner in the bookstore was one of the few things that helped me feel like my growing devotion to Christ was welcome at the college. Maybe it’s a small thing, but I feel like I’ve been slapped in the face. There’s no room for Jesus at my college anymore.

I am sorry you have to face this. Be strong; pray for strength, and follow Jesus as He leads. It’s awful that this is what college life is becoming. I too have heard Christianity mocked or attacked in classrooms, by students and professors. God have mercy on us all. Let us surrender whatever suffering this is to us to Christ through Mary, and rest in their peace, and in the prayers and unity that are found in them.

 

[Blade_and_Blood]

To receive the Eucharist while Agnostic is the deepest form of disrespect you can possibly show to Catholicism, for it desecrates that which to us is the most sacred thing on Earth, the Body and Blood of Jesus. Perhaps you haven’t been aware of that, and if so, you aren’t at fault. But now you are aware.

If you truly want to respect the religions that exist in the world, I beg that you stop receiving the Eucharist now. I beg this in Jesus’ Name.

Uhh… :ehh: you don’t really have to worry about that. I’m not going to Church, today; too much homework to be done. It’s tough to talk my parents out of letting me stay home.

then find out for yourself the reality of God and discover His everlasting Love for you.

Barney loves me too, but I don’t watch his show. I appreciate the concern, but I just don’t believe in the Christian God. If there is a higher being out there, I feel confident in saying its *not *the Christian God. It my personal opinion–it doesn’t make it true, but I don’t like to pretend that I have all the answers because I don’t.

That’s pretty much my final word because we are getting way too far off topic. If you’d like to continue this discussion, just PM me and spare the OP the neglect.

Ironically Yours.

 

[Student09]

Thanks to the posters who have been supportive. I hope I never gave the impression that my entire fledgling faith rested on the icon corner in my college bookstore; I don’t think I said anything to suggest that. Mostly, I found that the removal of the last Christian items on the grounds, which had been a source of comfort, intensified my sense of loneliness and isolation. I wonder if I will feel less isolated when RCIA starts?

That said, the Mass today was so beautiful and I feel uplifted after a very difficult week. Jesus is the best company anyway … and now my fiance is going to Mass with me. Which helps.

 

[Monica4316]

Why would you even be interested in satan when you could put your time and energy into GOD??? God is the source of creation, of life, of all good, and He loves us. The devil is nothing.

 

[Monica4316]

about looking at Christianity from a secular perspective…

I spent half my life seeing Christianity from a secular perspective and for that reason couldn’t get my mind around it and was agnostic. Then I read CS Lewis’ “Mere Christianity” and finally saw it from another (the real) perspective and that made me a Christian. I don’t think it’s very useful to look at faith from a secular perspective for one simple reason: we need faith to truly understand God, and to understand faith itself, for that matter… it’s like what St Augustine said:

we believe in what we do not see, and our reward is to see and enjoy what we believe.

If we insist on seeing God as if He’s not really there, we’re not seeing Him at all.

God reveals Himself to us when we open ourselves up to Him and when we trust. Lack of faith and distrust causes a person to block themselves from God. I think that everyone who ever decided to convert to Christianity started with at least openly considering that possibility of there being a God.

Seeing Christianity from a ‘secular perspective’ is not seeing the real Christianity, rather it makes it look like something ridiculous because there’s that assumption that “it can’t be true”. Of course the truth would look ridiculous to a world that is used to hearing lies.

just my opinion.

Peace

 

[Monica4316]

My college is a secular college but has old ties to Eastern Orthodoxy in particular, and also to Catholicism. These ties have mostly dissolved and now there are just a few elderly professors who are devout Christians (I had one last year who had a great impact on me) and most of the professors, as well as students, are openly hostile to Christianity. They mock Jesus both in and out of classes all the time. One professor (in a class where we were discussing the Bible) told us we were no longer allowed to use the terms “Old/New Testament” because it was offensive to Jews. We were supposed to say “Hebrew Scriptures” and “Christian Scriptures.” As if the OT belongs solely to the Jews and the NT to Christians, rather than both being extremely important parts of Christian scripture and heritage.

Despite all of this, there was (until today) an icon corner in the bookstore, with a very beautiful wooden crucifix and some large Eastern-style icons. On days when I felt confused or rootless, I liked to go to the bookstore and look at the crucifix. So today was a very difficult day and I went to the bookstore and … the crucifix and all the icons had been removed. Completely gone, no trace. Instead there were random secular posters and some Buddhist things. It felt so wrong.

I guess that icon corner in the bookstore was one of the few things that helped me feel like my growing devotion to Christ was welcome at the college. Maybe it’s a small thing, but I feel like I’ve been slapped in the face. There’s no room for Jesus at my college anymore.

I’m sorry about that
I go to college too and it’s very …atheistic, I guess. The profs openly mock Christianity and Christians in classrooms. So does the student newspaper. It’s kind of hard sometimes. What I like to do is go to a nearby Catholic church after classes and spend a bit of time praying before the Tabernacle. I also joined a Catholic group on campus and that helped me feel less alone. I also carry around a couple holy cards and a rosary and look at them sometimes lol, sort of like what you did at the bookstore looking at the crucifix. I can see how it would be hard seeing those things suddenly gone, and how that would make your faith feel unwelcome. I guess that’s just something that we have to deal with, there would be times and places where our faith would be accepted, and other times it would be rejected.

I’ve noticed many times when “the world” has been against Christianity and our faith… but …Christ has overcome the world He might not be welcome at your college (or my college) or at your bookstore, but He’s with us always.

God bless!

 

[Monica4316]

It’s good to see any religion in a secular way to get a new perspective on it.

Well, I’m from an atheist family and am in the process of converting to Catholicism, so I have a very good idea what Christianity looks like to secular folks. If I want to hear my beliefs bashed, I can talk to my parents. Perhaps this is why it’s particularly hard to have such a hostile environment at school.

Like I said, my school has orthodox Christian roots and there is still enough of those roots left in the school that it has played a vital role in my conversion process so far. It saddens me deeply to see that being eroded.

I would rather learn about Islam from a well-educated Muslim than from a well-educated Agnostic.

I heard a lecture on Islam from a well-educated agnostic. It was horrifying. In my experience, secularism, rather than promoting respect for religious diversity, diminishes respect for all religious experience and belief.

hmm I agree…

btw, that’s awesome that you’re converting to Catholicism! I’m a recent convert too… are you planning to start RCIA? Blessings on your journey…

To receive the Eucharist while Agnostic is the deepest form of disrespect you can possibly show to Catholicism, for it desecrates that which to us is the most sacred thing on Earth, the Body and Blood of Jesus. Perhaps you haven’t been aware of that, and if so, you aren’t at fault. But now you are aware.

If you truly want to respect the religions that exist in the world, I beg that you stop receiving the Eucharist now. I beg this in Jesus’ Name.

If you sincerely ask God to reveal to you the truth of your sins, I assure you that He will. Then you will desire to go to Confession and be freed of what has now come to bind you, and you will have eternal life.

Today, as it happens, is Divine Mercy Sunday, the day when Christ revealed to the Church through St. Faustina that His mercy will be most lavishly poured out to all. Today, I am sure He will give you the knowledge of the truth if you ask Him to. You claim you don’t know what the state of reality is, and whether there is a God or not- that’s part of what being agnostic means. I urge you, then, to find out! Pray to Jesus to reveal to you what is true, submitting to Him that you will follow Him if He answers, and then find out for yourself the reality of God and discover His everlasting Love for you.

good post.

Thanks to the posters who have been supportive. I hope I never gave the impression that my entire fledgling faith rested on the icon corner in my college bookstore; I don’t think I said anything to suggest that. Mostly, I found that the removal of the last Christian items on the grounds, which had been a source of comfort, intensified my sense of loneliness and isolation. I wonder if I will feel less isolated when RCIA starts?

That said, the Mass today was so beautiful and I feel uplifted after a very difficult week. Jesus is the best company anyway … and now my fiance is going to Mass with me. Which helps.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

Uhh… :ehh: you don’t really have to worry about that. I’m not going to Church, today; too much homework to be done. It’s tough to talk my parents out of letting me stay home.

You can attend Mass without partaking of the Eucharist. It’s taking the Eucharist without belief in Catholicism that is an extreme form of disrespect for another religion. Attending Mass while not believing in Catholicism is fine.

Barney loves me too, but I don’t watch his show. I appreciate the concern, but I just don’t believe in the Christian God. If there is a higher being out there, I feel confident in saying its *not *the Christian God. It my personal opinion–it doesn’t make it true, but I don’t like to pretend that I have all the answers because I don’t.

That’s pretty much my final word because we are getting way too far off topic. If you’d like to continue this discussion, just PM me and spare the OP the neglect.

Ironically Yours.

May you be blessed with peace!

Can’t decide whether to follow up with a PM or not at the moment- I’ve got no time. Have to get to daily Mass .

~Lief

 

[Student09]

hmm I agree…

btw, that’s awesome that you’re converting to Catholicism! I’m a recent convert too… are you planning to start RCIA? Blessings on your journey…

I’ll start in August, if all goes as planned. Seems a long wait. I’m excited.