Have you ever felt like leaving the Church?

[distracted]

Could you please discuss any time in your life when you felt like leaving the Church and the primary reason(s) you felt that way?
Thank you.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Could you please discuss any time in your life when you felt like leaving the Church and the primary reason(s) you felt that way?
Thank you.

Well, I was raised Catholic. However, I left the Church, because I had no faith in Jesus. I didn’t return until age 26.

Jim

 

[DL82]

I felt like leaving the Church. It just dawned on me one day that it was ridiculous to think that this was the Church that Jesus founded, that I could see no connection, and that nobody even knew exactly what being ‘in’ the Church meant anyway. It was clear to me that the Church wasn’t providing me with sound moral teaching or a sense of direction in my life, so I left.

Of course, I’m talking about the Anglican Church

 

[cockatoo]

Last year, was my first you using online school more specifically Keystone National High School. The students communicated through message boards and they had a religion message board and i got into a heated debate with the JW, SDA and a baptist student and i didn’t know much about my faith or other faiths and i beleived some of what they said. Luckily, I am the most stubborn person in the world and didn’t feel like converting so I searched and found catholic answers and also have been lurking this forum for a while.

I am from a relatively Catholic friendly area so I had no clue that it was possible to be Anti-Catholic. I did not recognize what they said as Anti-Catholic until i started looking things up. I am much happier with where I am now .

 

[PhilotheaZ]

I grew up in an extremely liberal diocese where, when I was a teen and young adult, a bunch of religious sisters were pushing for the ordination of women (some of them are still at it, I think). I was sucked into their erroneous way of thinking, and when I gave birth to my daughters, I thought about leaving the Catholic Church for one where they would have “equal rights”!

I never went through with it, and later on in my life my thinking was straightened out when, under the teaching of some very good priests (I will always be grateful for the Fathers of Mercy!), I came to understand the beauty of the Church’s teaching and the reasons behind it. I also learned much about the treasures in the Catholic Church and why it would have been terrible to throw it all away. Somehow, with twelve years of Catholic schooling behind me, I never knew how the Catholic Church differed from Protestant denominations.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

Luckily, I am the most stubborn person in the world and didn’t feel like converting so I searched and found catholic answers and also have been lurking this forum for a while.

Welcome to the forum, and enjoy “lurking”!

 

[Nechasin]

I can answer your question and take it one step farther. I did leave the church for a few years.

When I went away to college, I continued going to church, but wasn’t all that into it. Then it happened. At the beginning of my sophomore year of college, I became a Type I Diabetic and in the process almost died. Now you would think that this would have brought me closer to the church, but it had the exact opposite effect. I couldn’t understand why this happened to me. I stopped going to church, was reckless, and was not very God oriented.

This went on for a few years. At a low point in my life when I was on a Co-op assignment in a small town that did not have much of a nightlife or young group, I broke up with my gf and was probably depressed, I realized that there has to be something more.

I started to investigate different churches, many of my co-workers were baptist, so I went to church with them. And I felt it was missing something.

When I went back to my college town, I went to the Catholic Church there and it was the most beautiful site that my eyes had ever seen. I knew that I belonged. I got really involved in the church and activities and really loved everything that I did with the church. It was at this church that I met my future wife and I know in my heart that the Catholic Church is where I belong.

Everyone has a cross to carry, and when it gets too heavy, Jesus is there to help us. When I believed that I had to carry the cross by myself, is when I fell away from the Church. Letting Jesus carry my cross, is when I came back. I really believe that without the wake-up call that God gave me, I would still be just a luke-warm Catholic.

You always hear that if God is so great, why does He let people struggle with disease or other problems. He could easily fix our problems, but would we appreciate all of the Gifts that He has given us. I believe that because God gave us Free Will that He wants us to accept Him with that Free Will and not out of a sense of gratitude or obligation.

 

[Greg27]

I had some difficulties in relation to the Papal Encyclical ‘Dominus Iesus’ about the matter of inter-religious dialogue. Most of my difficulties usually come from logical problems or inconsistencies I feel I sometimes see in the Church’s positions, though the real difficult one for me is not so much the social teaching but the relationship between the Catholic conception of the Absolute in relation to that of other religions. As a philosopher in training I find the viewpoints which are alternative to my own very fascinating, and probably always will, though they don’t necessarily warrant leaving the church.

 

[bquinnan]

I was away from the Church for a long time, after having grown up in Catholic schools and been active in the Catholic Student Community at my college. To make a long story short, I think I left because I didn’t want to do the things I felt obligated to do as a Catholic, and because the cafeteria approach to the faith I’d been taught in school and from some priests and youth leaders really offered very little substance, so that I didn’t feel like I was walking away from much.

Who wouldn’t walk away from the finest wine in the world if it was dilluted with water?

 

[contramundum7]

i got into a heated debate with the JW, SDA and a baptist student and i didn’t know much about my faith or other faiths and i beleived some of what they said.

It is easy to succum to some of the non-Catholics’ arguments because they manipulate scripture so well, take it out of context, etc… and yet, they neglect some scripture passages entirely.

i started looking things up. I am much happier with where I am now .

I think a lot of Catholics (cradle Catholics) have a resistance to leaving the Church, even those who end up doing so… I believe there is something in every human being that tells them there is something right about the Catholic religion… and i believe that is why some people hate it and fight against it so much…
One example comes to mind. Some non-Cathlics say the Church is the anti-Christ. How stupid can you get? why would the Anti-Christ be against homosexuality, adultery, abortion, stem-cell research, war (for the most part), capital punishment (for the most part), etc? Of course, it could be that the anti-Christ will APPEAR to be Christian, but whatever… If anything Protestantism is the Anti-Christ (or the system from which he will arise) because any “Christian” religion that just appears to be Christian and really isn’t is anti-Christ, whether intentionally or otherwise…

 

[contramundum7]

I
You always hear that if God is so great, why does He let people struggle with disease or other problems. He could easily fix our problems, but would we appreciate all of the Gifts that He has given us. I believe that because God gave us Free Will that He wants us to accept Him with that Free Will and not out of a sense of gratitude or obligation.

Thanks for your story. There probably isn’t anyone on this board who can’t relate some way or another… I believe the same thing, about how God gave us free will and he wants us to love him freely… but sometimes i think there is more to suffering than just that… I was going to elaborate, but… well, what does it matter? Whatever the various reasons for suffering, one thing is for sure: no one can avoid it… and only God knows all the reasons for this or that suffering. Anyway, i feel strongly that ONE reason is to draw us closer to Him, which means being drawn further away from all that takes us away from Him, no matter what that may be… (we humans idolize so many “things”)… God bless…

 

[contramundum7]

I Somehow, with twelve years of Catholic schooling behind me, I never knew how the Catholic Church differed from Protestant denominations.

Now i don’t feel so alone about not being taught the faith.(And not so bad either. I used to wonder if i had been taught correctly but handn’t been paying attention ??)
It’s weird because you went to Catholic schools, whereas i didn’t… There is something very evil going on in the church these days… The worst evil of all is the Church not properly catechizing its young people… (or any of its people)…

 

[contramundum7]

I. To make a long story short, I think I left because I didn’t want to do the things I felt obligated to do as a Catholic,

bingo! I think that’s the exact reason why most, if not all, people leave the Church.

Thanks for the honesty…

 

[BayernAnhaenger]

I almost didn’t get confirmed 3 years ago (I’m 19 now… 16 then).

I didn’t see the use of it, no one that was older than me and recently confirmed ever went to Mass, and I really didn’t see a need for it all. But I went through with it,and I went on the Kairos retreat at my Jesuit HS, and then Pope John Paul II died, and ever since then I’ve fallen hard and deeply in love with the Catholic faith!

Funny how Holy Spirit works, eh?

 

[Atlanta_Jen]

I am in a very frustrated place right now. It isn’t the Catholic Church’s beliefs that I have an issue with-it’s those running it. Without elaborating too much, I am involved in a project with 10 others that we feel we were called by the Holy Spirit to accomplish. Sadly, we are meeting resistance from those who should support and bless our efforts. I’m not leaving my church, but I think I may need a new parish soon.

 

[distracted]

I almost didn’t get confirmed 3 years ago (I’m 19 now… 16 then).

I didn’t see the use of it, no one that was older than me and recently confirmed ever went to Mass, and I really didn’t see a need for it all. But I went through with it,and I went on the Kairos retreat at my Jesuit HS, and then Pope John Paul II died, and ever since then I’ve fallen hard and deeply in love with the Catholic faith!

Funny how Holy Spirit works, eh?

Thanks for the inspiring story.

 

[distracted]

. As a philosopher in training I find the viewpoints which are alternative to my own very fascinating, and probably always will, though they don’t necessarily warrant leaving the church.

i could say the same thing…

 

[distracted]

I am in a very frustrated place right now. It isn’t the Catholic Church’s beliefs that I have an issue with-it’s those running it. Without elaborating too much, I am involved in a project with 10 others that we feel we were called by the Holy Spirit to accomplish. Sadly, we are meeting resistance from those who should support and bless our efforts. I’m not leaving my church, but I think I may need a new parish soon.

Hmm… i hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you are probably going to get about the same reaction at most other parishes…

I know exactly what you are going through. But have you ever tried the Charismatic Catholics? There aren’t too many of those kinds of Churches, but they are around…

 

[CB_Catholic]

Could you please discuss any time in your life when you felt like leaving the Church and the primary reason(s) you felt that way?
Thank you.

 Yes, and I did church-hop for a while. I was a nominal Catholic who got "evangelized" by some Protestant Fundalmentalists and went around to various churches. Now I have nothing against Protestants, (half of my family is Protestant), but most of the ones who convinced me to leave were ex-Catholics and they sure weren't very well-informed about the Church, but neither was I, and I had gone to Catholic schools, in the 50's, no less.
 I did not find what I was looking for, and I was also very upset by the Catholic bashing, etc. I was encountering. But here is the Big thing--NO EUCHARIST! I needed the Eucharist to fill the hole in my soul.
 I began to educate myself in my Catholic faith and discovered a depth of spirituality that was entirely missing in the other churches. There is nothing like the Catholic Church. I am absolutely in love with Jesus Christ in His Church. I love being Catholic. There is something for everyone in the Catholic Church. There are so many different types of spirituality--yet we are all united in Christ. And most of all we have the Eucharist--how  much closer to Jesus can you get? 
 So if anyone is thinking of leaving the Church, think long and hard about what you will be leaving.  And get busy and start to educate yourself.  Pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance and wisdom.

 

[Mimi]

It is easy to succum to some of the non-Catholics’ arguments because they manipulate scripture so well, take it out of context, etc… and yet, they neglect some scripture passages entirely.
I think a lot of Catholics (cradle Catholics) have a resistance to leaving the Church, even those who end up doing so… I believe there is something in every human being that tells them there is something right about the Catholic religion… and i believe that is why some people hate it and fight against it (snip)…

This is exactly what started Marcus Grodi questioning his place as pastor of a Presbyterian church. I could not find it on the Coming Home Network web site, but he used to have posted “Ten Scripture Verses I Never Saw”. I saw him present this on his show and I often wonder how my Prot. friends would react to it. I think I may have a print copy of this on file. You may be able to get a copy of the show at the web site.

Also good is “The Catholic Verses: 95 Bible Passages That Confound Protestants” by Dave Armstrong.

Mimi