Generational Curses and believing in superstition

[nocoastlayman]

First of all what is the Catholic position on Generational Curses? I have heard conflicting evidence on this site and some say they do exist and some say they don’t.So what is the actual teaching of the church?

Secondly is it possible that my family is having bad luck because of things like not going to church? Right now my family has not attended mass in years. My mom and brother and sister tried and did through high school but i’m the only one who stuck with it. Well things have seemed to have been getting worse. My sister suffers from extremely severe depression and failed out of school and basically just has not will to live other than just sitting around. My brother also struggles and it just makes me wonder if a lack of practicing faith could cause this

Lastly, could this be a curse? Right now i’m 26 and living at home. I can’t seem to get a good job or have a good life but I guess my brain tells me “no it isn’t a curse. Stuff happens and things might get better” but I wonder because it seems like things have never been that great for my family. Especially since my dad died 10 years ago from cancer. Things weren’t perfect before then but it felt better.

I just worry that my family is cursed to be losers who can’t be successful in life. Me and my siblings all suffer from anxiety (for me and my brother its mild but my sister has it bad) and my brother has autism. Also it just seems like for some reason all have a hard time making friends and all that. I want to say its not a curse but I just wonder. Also my mom is superstitious and also used a Ouija board in her youth (though at the time she was Lutheran and probably didn’t know how bad it was to use such a thing)

Thanks everyone for your answers and please don’t think i’m crazy. I just wonder how much weight to give curses because I feel that God and Jesus have more power than any curse or anything of Satan

 

[Norm_The_Robot]

I’ve wondered about that as well. In the bible GOD frequently punishes a few generations of a family for sins of the parents. The Bible clearly says that the DOES happen so I can’t imagine the church’s stance to be much different, if it does have a stance. I have never heard it one way or another.

 

[GEddie]

Although that does happen, Scripture later repudiates such a theory.

In Jeremiah’s time, there was a saying, that the fathers ate sour grapes and the children’s teeth were set on edge; (generational).

But Jeremiah is told prophetically that that saying would be used no more.

If we are going through stuff, it is because stuff happens, normally.

ICXC NIKA

 

[DaisymaeD]

I can relate, because certain issues keep coming up in my family over generations.

Also, the Old Testament says the sins of the fathers are visited on the children.

However, I don’t think it’s a punishment or curse, so much as learned behaviors. If you grow up in a family plagued by addiction, for instance, it will seem like a normal way to behave. You will react to dysfunction by adopting maladaptive behaviors, which will continue into adulthood. Your behaviors will determine the types of friends and spouses you attract, and the cycle will continue.

There may also be genetic causes for predisposition towards certain behaviors. Autism, for instance, is nobody’s “fault”.

It’s not supernatural.

Of course, if you’re living your life in rebellion against the law of God, you’re pretty much guaranteed to wreck your life.

 

[DaisymaeD]

Another thought–or example.

Say the father of the family drinks alcohol (which is a free-will choice), but does it to the point where he becomes an alcoholic. Then he loses his job and the family is plunged into poverty. His sins are definitely being visited on his children. They are definitely being “punished”. But not by God In a supernatural way. They won’t be judged by God for the actions of their father. But they are suffering through no fault of their own.

 

[Bonnie]

Stuff happens

I prefer this as an explanation. Our brains want order and reason, we search for causes. That’s normal. While there is cause and effect, i.e., actions on our part can affect others, it would be superstitious to think it was a curse of any sort.

In my family, my husband and I are the only Catholics, and the only ones who attend church regularly. My parents, now deceased, were faithful Christians. My sisters both stopped attending church years ago, but one is doing very well, the other is not doing well at all. Husband and I are in the middle, both financially & in health.

So where could one see a curse? My sister who is wealthy & very happy with her husband and children? She seems blessed to me. My other sister - maybe. Or my husband & I as we don’t have much money, off & on health problems (mostly just getting old), and our children didn’t stay Catholic.

So short answer - stuff happens.

 

[nocoastlayman]

I prefer this as an explanation. Our brains want order and reason, we search for causes. That’s normal. While there is cause and effect, i.e., actions on our part can affect others, it would be superstitious to think it was a curse of any sort.

In my family, my husband and I are the only Catholics, and the only ones who attend church regularly. My parents, now deceased, were faithful Christians. My sisters both stopped attending church years ago, but one is doing very well, the other is not doing well at all. Husband and I are in the middle, both financially & in health.

So where could one see a curse? My sister who is wealthy & very happy with her husband and children? She seems blessed to me. My other sister - maybe. Or my husband & I as we don’t have much money, off & on health problems (mostly just getting old), and our children didn’t stay Catholic.

So short answer - stuff happens.

I like your whole thing about order and searching for causes and it makes me feel more normal, but sadly it makes me feel like God doesn’t care and its all random. I guess I’d like to believe that being a faithful Christian andCatholic makes your life better but all the time I see people who don’t give a damn about God live happy lives, and I don’t mean happy as in they appear happy but have deep down problems. They truly are happy and have no issues whatsoever.

Sorry for the rant but I guess my whole thing with order makes me wish there was more order from God.

 

[Bonnie]

Sorry for the rant but I guess my whole thing with order makes me wish there was more order from God.

You & me both. But our world is disordered and because of that, both bad & good stuff happens. It might help you to read some of the responses in the “What is the point in prayer” thread. forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=962042

Some of the things mentioned in it overlap with this topic. Mainly, the point of prayer and trying to do God’s will has little to do with us, and a lot to do with our relationship with God.

 

[DaisymaeD]

No, I believe that walking with God definitely makes your life better–but that doesn’t mean easier, or having more material stuff.

I wish I could tell you why good things happen to unfaithful people. I actually find this harder to accept than bad things happening to good people. I simply trust that there is purpose behind it all. And really, I should rejoice when good things happen to my loved ones, whether or not they are faithful Catholics.

The spiritual walk is NOT an easy one, LOL!

 

[CB_Catholic]

I like your whole thing about order and searching for causes and it makes me feel more normal, but sadly it makes me feel like God doesn’t care and its all random. I guess I’d like to believe that being a faithful Christian andCatholic makes your life better but all the time I see people who don’t give a damn about God live happy lives, and I don’t mean happy as in they appear happy but have deep down problems. They truly are happy and have no issues whatsoever.

Sorry for the rant but I guess my whole thing with order makes me wish there was more order from God.

Being a faithful Christian and Catholic is not a guarantee your life will be better. In a lot of places it will get you killed or imprisoned, or persecuted. Many Saints suffered terribly. Jesus never promised us worldly happiness. Some of us do have more worldly happiness than others, that is true, but that sure is not a guarantee that they will be saved or are good Christians.

I, for one have never believed in “generational curses” except in the sense that our actions and behavior and mental health can be a result of genetics or poor family example or child rearing, such as alcoholism or drug addiction, or abuse, etc. Also, in my 66 years, I have never heard any Church teaching on this. I don’t believe there is one. I know some Catholics do believe this, but I don’t at all. Read John 9:3 and 11:4, where Jesus states that neither the man’s blindness (9:3), or the man’s sickness (11:4) are the result of the sins of the parents.

 

[7_Sorrows]

I have wondered about this also. I came across Catholic prayers once about this type of thing. Like sometimes I don’t know if I am a victim of a curse or if I just have bad luck.

 

[Rosebud77]

No, I believe that walking with God definitely makes your life better–but that doesn’t mean easier, or having more material stuff.

I wish I could tell you why good things happen to unfaithful people. I actually find this harder to accept than bad things happening to good people. I simply trust that there is purpose behind it all. And really, I should rejoice when good things happen to my loved ones, whether or not they are faithful Catholics.

The spiritual walk is NOT an easy one, LOL!

who wants material stuff! I dumped all mine years ago and just have what I absolutely need. Give any spare money away… Who asked for easy!

 

[Rosebud77]

Here is a superstition I had never heard before last Christmas, that seeing a robin is a sign of impending death and doom. Heard it many times and then when I was at market when I feed a host of small birds one came in and the look on the woman’s face was of sheer terror and they will not listen when I tell them of the legend of how it got its red breast

 

[nocoastlayman]

who wants material stuff! I dumped all mine years ago and just have what I absolutely need. Give any spare money away… Who asked for easy!

See I love this. Part of me just wants to give up everything and follow God. Just give it all up and go chill out and be with God and not worry about anything else. I’d love this.

 

[Bonnie]

Here is a superstition I had never heard before last Christmas, that seeing a robin is a sign of impending death and doom.

Never heard of this either. I’ve lived all my life in places where robins are very common. I’ve always thought of them as signs of spring - not death! In the early days of greeting cards, images of robins were used on Christmas cards as bearers of good news.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Never heard of this either. I’ve lived all my life in places where robins are very common. I’ve always thought of them as signs of spring - not death! In the early days of greeting cards, images of robins were used on Christmas cards as bearers of good news.

Robins or cardinals were used in greeting cards?

I also never heard that about robins and impending death. Robins signified spring to me.

 

[Norm_The_Robot]

I guess I’d like to believe that being a faithful Christian andCatholic makes your life better but all the time I see people who don’t give a damn about God live happy lives, and I don’t mean happy as in they appear happy but have deep down problems. They truly are happy and have no issues whatsoever.

My wife and I were thinking about this because many totaly godless people we know of seem to be doing very very well in life and while we are sinners we are trying to follow christ, go to church, etc and our life if hard…like barely making it paycheck to paycheck, debt and all the stress and marital strife that such a condition entails.

God really seems to be into testing believers by putting them in difficult situations to see if they will still love even when times are bad. Like he did to Job and many others.

Maybe those who totally reject god have no faith to test. They get their chance at true happiness in this life because that is going to be their only chance at happiness. Maybe it is a consolation prize from God since in ther next life they will find themselves tossed in the lake of fire!

 

[7_Sorrows]

My wife and I were thinking about this because many totaly godless people we know of seem to be doing very very well in life and while we are sinners we are trying to follow christ, go to church, etc and our life if hard…like barely making it paycheck to paycheck, debt and all the stress and marital strife that such a condition entails.

God really seems to be into testing believers by putting them in difficult situations to see if they will still love even when times are bad. Like he did to Job and many others.

Maybe those who totally reject god have no faith to test. They get their chance at true happiness in this life because that is going to be their only chance at happiness. Maybe it is a consolation prize from God since in ther next life they will find themselves tossed in the lake of fire!

It makes you wonder doesn’t it? I worked so hard from the time I was 30 after my divorce as a single mom of one. I had lost both of my parents already 3 months apart. The divorce was another blow. I lodt practically everything in the stock market and real estate recession in 2007-2008. Then in 2011 I broke my ankle in 3 places narrowing the types of jobs I can do in an already bad job market. The broken ankle was almost the straw that broke the camel’s back for me as far as my relationship with God. The past 4 years have added to the financial hardship I was already facing. I just keep going on what faith I have left. I feel like I have been exiled to the desert for 13 years and still don’t see the way out! Lord, have mercy on me!
Then there are those who have no faith, but everything in their life seems to fall into place.
I feel like I never get to grow because my life keeps getting derailed. I sometimes feel God must not care that much about me.

 

[Rosebud77]

See I love this. Part of me just wants to give up everything and follow God. Just give it all up and go chill out and be with God and not worry about anything else. I’d love this.

Oh I worry about many things. In a constructive way ie trading at markets to feed the hungry for Jesus. But about my simple needs not at all. I have all I need and with no immediate family can live as I choose. it is not about downsizing but about giving. Downsizing is grand though. If I start to accumulate eg books off they go market or to a charity shop.

 

[Rosebud77]

Never heard of this either. I’ve lived all my life in places where robins are very common. I’ve always thought of them as signs of spring - not death! In the early days of greeting cards, images of robins were used on Christmas cards as bearers of good news.

Oh sorry; I mean our English robin not the US variety! Dear Lord I just googled “robin redbreast sign of death” and there is a whole weight of folk lore begind this idea1 eg mygardenandme.blogspot.ie/2010/01/robin-redbreast.html