Former Catholics, Please Post Your Story Here

[Latoque]

"Are virtues like honor, putting others first, unselfishness etc. considered by you to be “Christian virtues” or can an atheist, say, be totally or self-giving or give his life for someone else, and still be consistant with his belief system? "

The “virtues” you describe are in no way peculiar to Christianity. They have existed in all cultures, and all belief systems, some of which pre-date Christianity by a very long time. They are common human attributes, and no religion has ever managed to get the patent or the copywright on them. Yes atheists are capable of all of these. We just accept that there is nothing supernatural about it.

Oh, and atheism is not a belief system, it is simply the lack of belief in one or more “gods”. It implies nothing else about the individual atheist.

 

[ichabod]

dredgtone:

Interesting topic. I was raised in a Catholic house, went to a Catholic school, went to Church every Sunday, said my prayers every night and was an altar boy.

When i was roughly in 6th grade, i was sitting in Church at the right hand of the priest feeling kind of disturbed about the whole altar serving thing. I was mainly just tired of having to wake up so early to serve masses, while i was getting nothing out of it. All of the sudden it occured to me, there is no God, so why am i serving mass?

It’s funny because everybody says belief is a choice. Not for me. It was a realization, but that’s neither here nor there. That’s why I am a former Catholic. It was just a realization that I could no longer have faith because that’s just not the type of person I am. It’s not how my mind works.

I think you sell yourself short. Things “occur” to me all of the time, but I don’t change my lifestyle to conform to a notion with no basis in fact. From my own experience, I can empathize with what you might have thought at that age; you were going through the motions and (subconciously) expecting something to come from it, and when it didn’t pan out, you left. This is not uncommon, especially surrounded in the US by a lot of “christianity-lite” entertainment-churches.

You must believe in something, even if it’s just yourself. I’m curous: how is it you think your mind “works”?

 

[jjanderson]

The “virtues” you describe are in no way peculiar to Christianity. They have existed in all cultures, and all belief systems, some of which pre-date Christianity by a very long time. They are common human attributes,.

Yes, that’s so very true! But if love is not supernatural, it must be natural. How can that possibly be? Thanks Peace

 

[Akiliana]

SPOKENWORD:

I LEFT THE RCC BECAUSE OF THE ANGER AND BITERNESS OF THOSE INVOLVED IN THE HIARCHY OF THE RCC. I FELT BETRAYED BY THE ACTIONS OF BISHOPS AND CARDINALS, WHO REPRESENTED THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST. I LOST TRUST AND NOW HAVE DECIDED TO KEEP MY EYES ON THE LORD. I KNOW HE WILL NOT DISAPPOINT ME. I WILL SERVE HIM ALONE FOREVER.

Do not be hardened by the failings of man. For even though priests are called to live a pious life by thier vows, we as Christians are all called to the same life by our Lord. If you allow faith to be shaken by the sins of man then what faith can you claim? Man is sinful, God forgives. Priests are men. Please understand that all of this ugliness is not the religion but the people. The fact that they had status in our beloved Church is merely one of those things that tests our faith. God will not dissappoint you. Just remember that you, more than faceless priests, were the representation of the Catholic church to your peers. If they know you left what say you of our Church?

 

[Steel_Arrow]

I know that this is an old post, but I would like to participate.

I was also a cradle catholic. I’ve been through both catholic and public schools. I was the typical boy of my era; an altar boy, a sacristan in high school, and even a pre-seminarian. After being turned down by the diocese for admission ito the seminary because of a medical condition at the time, I began to stray and become a part of the world.

A marriage, divorce, my refuge was the military, my comfort was a whiskey bottle. I worked hard to prepare for nuclear war. I was a Titan II missile crew chief. Its awsome power could kill perhaps mllions of innocent souls. Yet, I trudged along. Impersonal slaughter didn’t appeal to me. My catholic upbringing taught me to love life. My commitment to my country was overriding my commitment to God.

war was suppose to beupfront and personal. I needed to look my enemy in the eye, see his fear, before I either took his life or he took mine. I became a soldier of sorts. I worked with the Army and collaborated on ways to utterly destroy our enemies with massive firepower from our aircraft. Bullets, rockets, bombs and napalm were just some of my options for my comrades.

Church was a long ago after thought. Chaplains were no help. Why was I here?, What was my role?, Why didn’t God answer me? My brief career in the military afforded me the peace of mind that I never did have to take another human life. So, if this was not my lot in life, just what is?

I came back t the catholic church after the military. For me, it was the same old stuff. Parishoners showing off their fine clothes and jewelry by making sure they were sitting up front so all could see them. The priest, instead of talking on spiritual subjects, would get off into politics or things about the grade school. y appetite for truth and spiritual life was not being filled! I found myself surrounded by hypocrites and I felt like the odd man out. So now, back to the bottle and the bars I went. Until 1991, when I met my wife. She helped me through my troubled times. She helped me find peace with God and myself. I no longer use alcohol or smoke. I consulted a non-catholic minister and he helped me find the answers I needed that were contained in the Bible. The catholic church was too heavy on its traditions and real light on biblical truth. I left and have never looked back. It took a lifetime, but what I couldn’t find in the RCC, I have found now away from it.

I have no ill ill toward any individual catholic, and I hope no one takes it as such. Thanks for the opportunity to tell my story.

Mark