Final straw for me to leave Catholicism

[FOG]

Are you taking the easy way out?

Many disciples took the same approach (see John 6:66).

Its never been clear what became of those disciples, but it is implied that unless they converted later, they gave up their personal salvation.

The gift of Free Will can be like any gift…a blessing or a curse, depending on what we do with it.

 

[YourNameHere]

I pray that you return to the Catholic Church. Not all people in this world are good. But God’s word is good and true. That will never change.

 

[C.Ray]

That’s a dystopia?

It is a dystopia if one watches too much news or buys in to populist politics. For example, if you think Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez is credible, then you probably also think Wells Fargo is in the business of putting children in cages. That’s dystopian. But it’s also fantasy.

 

[CilladeRoma]

Gay men raping children isn’t love. Yet THOUSANDS of times it happened, and bishops and cardinals all over are complicit, half gay themselves most likely,

Wow. You do know that children are abused by all sorts of people, parents, other relatives,
coaches, teachers, etc. And it happens in all denominations, in fact the Southern Baptist Convention recently came under fire for their unwilling ness to even admit it was a problem.

It is not “the Church” that is corrupt, it is some of her people, and that has been the case since the beginning. Does the name Judas ring a bell?

I’m sorry that you think leaving the Church is your only option. I will pray for you, and we will be here when you decide to come back home.

 

[CelticWarlord]

I very much understand your feelings and am approaching Catholicism from the type of groups you have mentioned. I don’t feel that the failings of individuals need be an indictment of the Church as a whole. Every human organization is filled with the same stuff. But I do keep things at arms’ length while still enjoying the liturgy and the prayer life that Catholicism offers. I pray you will find fulfillment wherever things take you. Blessings. -CW

 

[Mintaka]

Not to mention the obvious… But if the OP is worried about gay men in leadership positions, Unitarian Universalist churches are not the place to go.

There is apparently a fair amount of lesbian ministers abusing young women and girls, also.

A 2014 article in UU World estimates that 2/3 of UU congregations have had, at some point, a minister that was abusing parishioners.

UPDATE: Heterosexual adults, homosexual adults, youths of both sexes, and little kids have suffered. Just to clarify. But the percentage of UU gay and lesbian ministers is greater than in most other denominations, and the percentage of abusive ministers is higher… So indeed, the percentage of abusive gay and lesbian ministers is higher than in most other denominations, also.

This is interesting to me, as UU problems seem to have slipped under the media radar. And it is worrisome, because I know UU folks who are pretty fragile.

 

[CilladeRoma]

What is rhis supposed to mean?

Abusive relationships happen in both same sex and opposite sex relationships. Being gay does not automatically make someone “more” abusive.

 

[on_the_hill]

GOP Catholics and stuffy old white rich men are a big reason I’m leaving also.

With all due respect, that’s a stupid reason to give it up. You either believe or you don’t. If you believe, stay. If you don’t, don’t. But don’t blame your own lack of faith on stuffy old rich white men, FOX, MAGA, Trump, whatever. I don’t like them, either.

 

[DisorientingSneeze]

If you have time, here is some recommended reading about other seasons of corruption and heresy, how the laity perservered, and how God raised up saints to renew His church. You seem very adamant, but give it a try.

The Bad Shepherds: The Dark Years in Which the Faithful Thrived While Bishops Did the Devil’s Work https://www.amazon.com/dp/1622827147/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_DpLICbVMGVQZ5

 

[Mintaka]

Not everybody with SSA has suffered abuse, but statistically it is very common.

And unfortunately, among people put in positions of power without a good amount of wisdom, a fair amount of these unsuitable people will get their jollies by being abusive.

The same UU World article noted that it is difficult for a denomination that does not believe in sin to criticize such behavior, or get people to acknowledge sexual wrongdoing as possible.

 

[angel12]

but there are Universalist and Episcopal Churches near me which I will be checking out. …

You do realize that there have been abuse cases in both of those churches, as well.

 

[misstherese]

Look to the saints and their stories first before you make such a final decision. Modern saints (last 150 years) are the best to look into as we can relate to them better.

Our Mother prophesied many times that the Church would be in apostasy from WITHIN, that doesn’t mean it won’t get better. It’s a trial. Our Lady of Good Success prophesied this. Our Lady of Akita prophesied this.

Our Lady of Akita says,

The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres…churches and altars sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord.

“The demon will be especially implacable against souls consecrated to God. The thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of my sadness. If sins increase in number and gravity, there will be no longer pardon for them”

 

[Gorgias]

I no longer believe the Catholic teachings on its supernatural founding by Jesus, and about many other things.

I do believe a god exists, but there are Universalist and Episcopal Churches near me which I will be checking out.

If Jesus didn’t found a Church, then on what foundation do other Christian denominations stand? If you say that “Jesus didn’t found a Church”, then you’re kinda throwing out the baby with the bathwater…

Lastly, Jesus is Love. Gay men raping children isn’t love.

Well… people aren’t Jesus. We try to follow His teachings, but we all fail. All of us. To look at one example of failure (when there are many, all around us), and decide that one Church alone is sinful… well, that’s not quite reasonable, is it?

Oh and I think Scripture prophesied this event of the Catholic Church having a catastrophic collapse

I would think I would say that it prophesies all the people who turn their back on God, wouldn’t you?

 

[Gorgias]

CapitalistCatholic:

Does that make the Catholic church any less true?

De jure, no.

De facto, yes.

So… hang on a second. The fact that the “hospital for sinners” is full of sinners makes it ‘de facto true’ that it’s not trying to live up to its mission? That doesn’t hold up to scrutiny, don’t you think?

GOP Catholics and stuffy old white rich men are a big reason I’m leaving also.

Umm… I think you’ll find them in every denomination.

I mean, that’s at least a logically consistent reason to leave Catholicism, if you don’t believe the Church was founded by Christ. … I have to ask, though, why not Eastern Orthodoxy?

If Christ didn’t found a Church, then He didn’t found the Churches that we now call ‘Eastern Orthodoxy’.

It’s not a “logically consistent reason.”

I truly despise FOX/GOP/MAGA types… …

It’s not just the Church I wanna leave i wanna leave this nightmarish dystopia of Trumps America.

You realize that not everyone in the Church is a Republican… right?

 

[Genesis315]

As the Lord says, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” That the reprobate would be found within the Church was predicted by Him. Our holy faith preceded them and will last after they have been judged by it and gone to their reward.

As St. Gregory the Great commented on these words of the Lord, before there were any Episcopalians or Universalists, etc.

And it should not frighten you that in the Church the bad are many and the good few. For the Ark, which in the midst of the Flood was a figure of this Church, was wide below and narrow above, and at the summit measured but one cubit (Genesis vi, 16). And we are to believe that below were the four-footed animals and serpents, above the birds and men. It was wide where the beasts were, narrow where men lived: for the Holy Church is indeed wide in the number of those who are carnal minded, narrow in those who are spiritual. For where she suffers the morals and beastly ways of men, there she enlarges her bosom. But where she has the care of those whose lives are founded on spiritual things, these she leads to the higher place; but since they are few, this part is narrow. Wide indeed is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction; and many there are who go in thereat. How narrow is the gate that leadeth to life; and few there are that find it!

 

[DeniseNY]

I truly despise FOX/GOP/MAGA types… …

You know, some of those types gave you advice and prayed for you when you were using another name here.

 

[CilladeRoma]

And some of us gave her advice here too.

I am not a huge Trump fan, but in light of our other choices, he was the most acceptable.

I am an old, conservative, white woman though, so I am probably part of the problem too.

 

[SeekSalvation]

GOP Catholics and stuffy old white rich men are a big reason I’m leaving also.

There it is. Leaving because of your political biases, hate, and labels. What’s more important to you? Your political ideology or your spiritual belief?

 

[CilladeRoma]

I’m not sure if “The Atlantic” is the best source for statistics.

Looking at what was supplied by the CDC, and without context, it does appear that it is more prevalent in the gay community, but that is the agenda.

 

[Peebo]

Don’t follow the teachings of political parties…don’t follow what some Catholic priests have done.follow the teachings of the Catholic Church founded by Jesus Christ…and keep focused on his promise that he will never abandon his church…nor you…where else would you go to partake in his presence in the Holy Eucharist…