Help me stay with the Catholic Church

[jwashu]

Mariarose,

As the father of 3 young boys, all 4 or under, I understand somewhat were you are coming from - even if I am male.

My suggestion would be to forget everything else and focus on Jesus Christ. I know LDS, Muslims, Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox, stay where you are and focus on Him. The Truth is there, even though at times it’s difficult to see.

As a lifeling Protestant in the midst of reconcilling my Christian Faith with the Church (yup, I’m crossing the Tiber ) it sounds to me like you have just gotten a little off track in your focus.

The Bible tells us that the Blessed Mother’s Soul Glorifies the Lord. The Divine Mercy message speaks loads to Christ’s mercy and acceptance of our soul. Perhaps some might disagree but after much study of Catholic Doctrines I would say once again, focus on Christ.

When I started saying my rosary it troubled me because I had to focus on the words more than the mysteries. Yet after a while the words became second nature. The focus of all our actions should bring us Closer to Christ. As one Priest I read said, “if it doesn’t, don’t do it.”

Four small boys has to take up most of your time, if they are all under 6 then you have been pregnant or nursing (if you BFed) for years now. Even 4 well behaved boys can bring the most divout person to their kness (in different ways) very often. It’s regretable that your husband isn’t more involved because the Sacrament of Marriage through faith in each other can help as well. Yet do not loose hope, faith nor love for through Him all things are possible.

I’m sure the pressure to raise your sons in the faith is beginning to show as well. Again, trust in the Lord, take them to Mass and teach them to focus on Christ as well. Through our Baptism and Faith he will help you guide them, they are not just ours but His

Finally read your Bible. start in Luke and just read through the NT when get time each night (then go back and read the OT). As I put the boys to sleep at my house it’s not often possible for me to read any and get in a full 5 decades. Yet I have found that picking 1 mystery, saying an Our Father, 10 Hail Marys and a Glory Be while focusing on the mystery before reading can really open up His Word. Let His Word speak to you, let the Holy Spirit Comfort you.

Our Catholic Faith is made up of both Scripture and Tradition. As a Cradle Catholic you know the Tradition, spend some time focusing on His Word as well and I believe that it will open up the full Beauty of your Faith for you and your sons… and hopefully your Husband as well.

In Christ,
Joe

PS - Prayers inc as well

 

[jimmy85]

And now the unthinkable has occurred. I actually started to look into the LDS church. Mormons of all things! My interest was piqued when I heard that they believe in some kind of apostasy that occurred in the early church. I started to think, I could never go to a Protestant denomonation because of the way they came into being but the LDS church is Christian yet not Protestant. It’s out there on its own. I have read the arguements about the lack of evidence for their claims but then in the back of my mind comes in the Protestant arugement for the lack of evidence for the Assumption of Mary. Why is a lack of evidence on our part not an issue but yet on others it is (I know it depends on the evidence we’re speaking of)? I give myself a headache thinking of all this. I obviously need help! I have come to this forum to seek the opinions of both Catholics and non-Catholics as I continue to pray for clarity. Thank You.

About the assumption of Mary I advice you to read this
Early Traditions of the Virgin Mary’s Dormition (Dormitio Mariae)

The LDS Church have nothign to do with the church fathers , they dont celebrated any rite that the primitive catholic church celebrated.

I believe you shouldnt look to other peoples religion just because they seem faithfull, but you must understand that the catholic church is the true church. the catholic church is arround the world and not jsut in one country, and it have lasted 20 centurys.
When you go to church, you are not parttaking in somethign that is only within you regional church, but you are parttaking in something that is celebrated worldwide with millions of people and with 20 centurys of the same tradition.

 

[bhjones84]

I can understand what MariaRose is saying. I was also a cradle Catholic but I eventually did leave the Catholic Church. The LDS Church has a lot going for it even though a lot of Christians do not agree with the teachings. I eventually ended up in a Lutheran Church. If you do not feel as close to Christ in the Catholic Church then it may be time to investigate other churches. Nowhere is the Catholic Church mentioned in the Bible. We are told to follow Christ. As Christians, that is the best that we can do. Go where Christ leads you. If He wants you to remain in the Catholic Church then you will be prompted to stay. Be quiet and listen for His promptings. I still agree with most of the Catholic teachings but since I divorced my first husband and remarried I felt that I didn’t belong so I had to find a church that welcomed me. I’ve been married to my present husband for more than 30 years so no one can tell me that this is not a valid marriage! If you are uncomfortable in church then there must be a reason. I hope you find out what it is and find a place where you can worship, feel closer to Christ and feel at home, whether it’s a different Catholic church or a different Christian church.

 

[bhjones84]

I am sure that everyone on this blog can understand where Mariarose is coming from and there is no doubt that it is Christ who will bring you through this. I would like to comment on the response given by the user named “pigtown.” Anyone who is a Catholic realizes that at some point you will ask, “Why am I a Catholic?” The hope is that we can answer that with a resounding “I know why.” Now the answers to that question are and can be many. I think that most people who end up leaving the Catholic Church leave for the same reason that the user “pigtown” has left (this is just my opinion). For the last 40 or so years, there is this dominant current running through the Catholic Church (as well as Protestant churches) that we need to be more “welcoming,” or more hospitable. Pigtown noted her feeling “unwelcomed” after her divorce. Now I do not know the situation of the user pigtown and I do not know if someone specifically in the Church made her feel as if she was on the outside. I am very sorry that you experienced this mentality that you were on the outside. This is a concern that the Church is trying to continually understand and meet with great care and prudence. If it was someone or some individuals who gave you this impression that you were an “outsider,” don’t let that keep you from the Church. If it was the Church’s teaching on divorce and remarriage (which it sounds like it might be), I would recommend that you study the Church’s teaching carefully on the entire matter of marriage.

Two more items that caught my attention in the user pigtown’s response. First, there is a word that you use with great frequency in your response: feeling. This idea goes back to the idea of welcoming. As most of us know, feelings can be fickle, and are not always correctly ordered. My feelings could tell me that Christ is not God, that He did not die on the Cross, or that He did not rise from the dead. My feelings about that could be very strong, but that does not mean that they are correct. This is the same when we talk about moral theology as well. How many people “feel” that contraception is morally licit? If a person feels this to be true subjectively, it does not mean that it is objectively true. Dr. Conrad Baars notes in his book Healing and Feeling your emotions that the majority of people confuse feelings and emotions, and usually cause great harm to themselves.

The second item has to do with this idea of “investigating other churches.” I know a couple in my own family who were married in the Catholic Church, divorced, and remarried in a protestant church. When the woman went to confession, the priest told her that he could not absolve her sacramentally because she did not have an annulment. She was very upset and decided that she was going to join a protestant church. Now my point is that I bet this is more regular than we think. If the Catholic Church won’t give me what I want, then I will just go and find a church that will. That is not what “church” is supposed to be, and people get very upset when the Catholic Church does not meet their personal agendas. I am not saying that this is the case with you, pigtown. But I noticed your comment that “I’ve been married to my present husband for more than 30 years so no one can tell me that this is not a valid marriage!” Congratulations on your marriage of 30 years. We need strong marriages and families today so desperately, but nobody was attacking your marriage in this post. You seemed to be so quick to point out that your marriage is valid and nobody can say anything about it. I would bet your marriage is valid too, but 30 years does not mean a marriage is valid, whether you are Catholic, Lutheran, etc. These days, it is hard to see institutions that stand firm for the understanding of traditional marriage between a man and a woman. It is hard to see institutions that will stand for large families and begetting children in communities of love. It has been the Catholic Church that has held her ground and will continue to do so. You may not agree with me, but it is the truth.

My hope is that we do not mislead Mariarose into looking at the matter in an insufficient way. I have such great respect for the Lutheran Church, and pigtown must be a person of strong faith to have a marriage that has lasted for 30 years (it is too rare today). I hope my thoughts are taken well and that we can all continue to dialogue in a spirit of “intellectual charity” (term used by Pope Benedict XVI).

 

[kage_ar]

I have to say, like I have said in a jillion other places - you have to have Catholics around for fellowship outside of Mass. We are meant to be a community, not little islands.

If the Parish you are in does not have opportunities, find another Parish! How about teaching CCD - you will meet other parents who take the time to send the kids to CCD.

There has to be a pro-life group around, RCIA, or how about the teens? I promise if you call the youth minister or DRE they will be THRILLED to have another volunteer.

Back to your doubting the Assumption of Mary - if God assumed other saints into heaven, why would he NOT do the same for his mother?? Enoch, Moses, Elijah were all assumed bodily into heaven.

 

[ERose]

Dear sister Maria,

I know that you have been getting alot of advise (some good & some bad) from fellow Christians on this forum and maybe I am writing something to you that another has already writen. I have been in the same situation as you have and I did leave the Church for a little while and am now back. I believe that I left the Church because I did not have the courage to ask the question you are asking now. If I did who knows I might have stayed.

I do believe that you are suffering from spiritual burnout. Which I went through about 10 years ago. Let me explain what I went through and maybe some of it cooresponds with what you are going through.

I was going to college and just had a son born, but I did not let that keep me from doing more and more as a Catholic. I was in it all: Catholic Charsmatic Prayer Group; Christian philosopy group at school; assistant caretaker at church; praying the divine office, rosary, novenas, etc.; read almost constantly the Sacred Scripture, writings of the Saints, ancient jewish & Christian writings; and going to school, being married, and raising a child. So as you can preceive that I believed that I was living the life to be a Saint. That was and is my motivation.

Then I went through the desert where all this became a duty and not a desire. It all became dry and quite honestly I was tired. Tired of reading, going to church, and praying.

Hindsight tells me that what I was doing was giving everything I had to God and I was also giving him what I did not have and that is where I sinned. Gluttony is one of the 7 vices for a reason and there is such a thing as gluttony in the spirit.

What I am saying is that you need to remember that God has given you a very important and wonderful ministry of being a mother and a wife. Do not forget that carrying out that ministry is God’s nunber one desire for you at this point and your path to personal sainthood. It sounds like you need to take a step back and get a breather. Still go to church and say your prayers and give your ministry to God and happily accept that God, through this “dark night of the soul”, is making you a stronger Christian and a better person.

There is a saying when I was in the military that is so true and that is “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. That is the truth of human nature and God knows that. We do not grow as humans without adversity, trials and tribulations. Remember that as well. Your “dark night” should be a beautiful sign that God is active in your life as a Christian. Changing faiths will not help the situation. All it will be is running from God’s trial that he has given you.

So be patient, rest in your ministry, and do not run away from God. You will be in my prayers dear sister. May Christ’s peace and love be with you always.

 

[rafaelcatolico]

Friend:
Living in Utah I have had more than my share of mormon doctrine shoved down my throat. I am Catholic and i can tell you this: Mormons are increadibly nice people, family oriented and dvery diciplined. However their true beliefs are no divulged until you are baptised and a “worthy member” I know this because my oen sister has joined. They are not Christians. they do not belive in the Jesus of the Bible but the Jesus of Joseph Smith’s imagination. There is no archiological, evidence of any kind of the people, events or places in the book of mormon (which by the way, the hold over the bible any day) beacuse according to their prophet Joseph Smith the Bible is incorrectly translated so he had to make a revision.
Anyway, the truth lies in the Roman Catholic Church., were we are simply sinners not gods.
watch this I hope it helps:

 

[Wildkit]

If the Parish you are in does not have opportunities, find another Parish! How about teaching CCD - you will meet other parents who take the time to send the kids to CCD.

Great suggestion! I have found vigor in my faith due in part to the old axium,…“Teaching, teacheth the teacher”.

Try it.

 

[nablaise]

Hi Rose.

I think an other thing you should take seriously is the advice Jesus gave to the apostles in the Garden of Gasthemani.
Pray unceasingly. Jesus’ prayer can help you get closer to him who is Truth and Life. He can reveal his mother to you and warm your heart about his truthts. Jesus prayer can allow us to pray continuously non stop, and grow slowly in him…

I think in this seemingly dark night of the soul we need to take Jesus’ advice to heart. “Watch and pray” so we don’t fall into temptations.

 

[mark_a]

I can’t believe I’m even considering leaving but I am. I am a cradle Catholic. I left the Church for a few years as a young adult but then I found out about apologetics and I came full force back to the Church. Now some years later I’m married with four children (all planned through the use of NFP). I was studying to join a Third Order and I had regular meetings with a spiritual advisor who is a Catholic priest. But about two years ago I began to feel distant from the Church. I have been lukewarm since then and have prayed so much for God to restore my faith. I found myself admiring the practices of Muslims and found them to be quite devoted to their faith. But I know the truth lies in Jesus Christ but something wasn’t settling with me with regards to the Catholic Church. I was praying the Divine Office but couldn’t keep up with the four kids. I try to pray the rosary but it is not for me in terms of devotion. I find I come away with more with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy but I don’t always remember to pray it. I have prayed novenas. I have gone to spiritual retreats. And still I am experiencing some kind of dark night of the soul. I read the writings of the saints, I read the writings of JP2. I have been vocal about the Catholic Church being the Church that Jesus founded. But I admit I do not have a close relationship/devotion to the Blessed Mother and I struggle with the doctrine of her assumption. I long for Jesus and I know she can lead me to him and I have prayed for her intersession but I still want to speak with Jesus direct. I also feel very disconnected to my parish where multiple liturgical abuses happen. This disregard for the Eucharist unintenional as it might be really bothers me. Also, my parish lacks a vibrant fellowship. I have been involved in that parish for years but I know that I can simply disapear and maybe just maybe in a few years one person might call to see where me and my family are. I know going to mass is about the Eucharist and the other sacraments but doesn’t living within fellowship of other believers matter too? As for the Eucharist, I don’t always partake because I feel unworthy due to my issues. And when I do take communion, I do not feel any closer to Jesus than if I hadn’t. Yes I know faith is not just about “feelings”. I do try to pray/meditate before the Blessed Sacarament for help but again I tend to come away just as empty.

And now the unthinkable has occurred. I actually started to look into the LDS church. Mormons of all things! My interest was piqued when I heard that they believe in some kind of apostasy that occurred in the early church. I started to think, I could never go to a Protestant denomonation because of the way they came into being but the LDS church is Christian yet not Protestant. It’s out there on its own. I have read the arguements about the lack of evidence for their claims but then in the back of my mind comes in the Protestant arugement for the lack of evidence for the Assumption of Mary. Why is a lack of evidence on our part not an issue but yet on others it is (I know it depends on the evidence we’re speaking of)? I give myself a headache thinking of all this. I obviously need help! I have come to this forum to seek the opinions of both Catholics and non-Catholics as I continue to pray for clarity. Thank You.

Did Jesus found a Church or did he not?

I’ve read that there are 150-200 Mormon denoms too. Should you choose one that still promotes polygamy or should you choose the original Mormons who were pressured by the US government into dropping polygamy?

 

[Abitreckless]

There are so many miracles in the Catholic Church - that alone should strengthen our faith. Each of our known saints needed two miracles to become a saint, and we’ve had so many other miracles, as well.

The Mormon religion has “exceptions” for abortion, and as a strong pro-lifer, that really troubles me. Since when should we punish a child for the sins of his/her father?

 

[the_phoenix]

Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee
Blessed art thou among women
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners
Now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

~~ the phoenix

 

[dsulpizio]

Think about this…the early Christians fought over relics and they would have really gone after Mary’s relics, had there been some…that there are none is a good indication that her body was assumed into Heaven…also, in Revelation, we read about the image of Mary in Heaven…so just trust the Church about this dogma.

You’re faith my be a bit dry…it’s OK not to have particular devotions to certain saints or even to Mary…you’re still Catholic…just let it be and keep going to Church…you’ll be OK.

 

[Tom_C]

To Mariarose:
I am also a cradle Catholic; I’m 55 years old, married to a lutheran. My daughter has left the church, my son does not go to
mass anymore. Up until 6 months ago for the previous 3 yrs I pretended to go to mass on Sundays but instead got a cup of coffee and drove around for an hour and a half.
Then I decided that enough was enough and started to go back
to mass. No real revelation occured to me, just a lot of thought and hard prayer to Christ for faith. I think Mariarose, that a lot of times we get caught up in ritual and formalized prayer when all we need to do is take time out to just listen to the Spirit that dwells within us, and let HIM work. I’m not a perfect Catholic and probably never will be, just try to listen to Him and ask for faith.
Christ said that if we ask for something good from the Father through Him that he will give it to us. Just simply pray for faith and let it come.

God Bless you and love you forever , Amen.

 

[zerinus]

And now the unthinkable has occurred. I actually started to look into the LDS church. Mormons of all things! My interest was piqued when I heard that they believe in some kind of apostasy that occurred in the early church. I started to think, I could never go to a Protestant denomonation because of the way they came into being but the LDS church is Christian yet not Protestant. It’s out there on its own. I have read the arguements about the lack of evidence for their claims but then in the back of my mind comes in the Protestant arugement for the lack of evidence for the Assumption of Mary. Why is a lack of evidence on our part not an issue but yet on others it is (I know it depends on the evidence we’re speaking of)? I give myself a headache thinking of all this. I obviously need help! I have come to this forum to seek the opinions of both Catholics and non-Catholics as I continue to pray for clarity. Thank You.

HI, I read your post with interest. If you are intending to leave the Catholic Church, you certainly can’t find a better home to go to than the LDS Church! I am LDS, and I would be glad to answer any questions you might have about our Church.

zerinus

 

[dosdog]

HI, I read your post with interest. If you are intending to leave the Catholic Church, you certainly can’t find a better home to go to than the LDS Church! I am LDS, and I would be glad to answer any questions you might have about our Church.

zerinus

It is clear, in my view, that Joseph Smith behaved in classic philosopher king fashion, and that the Mormon “faithful history” policy discloses a group of modern philosopher kings who feel justified in telling pious lies. “Faithful history” is a form of Mormon censorship. It suppresses all information that does not encourage Mormons to be more obedient to current Mormon leaders. Hence, facts that strongly suggest Smith and other Mormon leaders are not trustworthy are airbrushed out of Mormon consciousness. mccue.cc/bob/spirituality.htm

Mormon bishop explains the collapse of his faith

McCue said, “I read Mormon history as the professional historians write it, and realized that my religious leaders had misled me as to how Mormonism started, and [recognized]&a pattern of Mormon leadership deception [that] goes back to Mormonism’s beginnings with Joseph Smith.” “The suppressed aspects of Mormon history that most troubled me indicated many instances in which Mormon leaders have deceived both their followers and the public about important matters. Joseph Smith was the worst in this regard. His tendency to exaggerate or lie when in a tight spot bears a striking resemblance to the practices of shady stock promoters I have on occasion met relative to my legal practice,” the attorney stated.

McCue says he “was particularly disgusted by Smith’s practice of using his authority as a religious leader to persuade women (including many who were already married) and teenage girls to have sex with him.” The attorney called this a “sordid chapter in Mormon history.” “Mormon leaders or scholars” don’t dispute these critical facts about Smith and McCue pointed out that there are affidavits from some of Smith’s so-called “spiritual wives,” which the LDS has within its archives. “Mormon leaders at the local level are sincere and generally unaware of the issues I had raised,” said McCue. And he says that though he is critical of LDS leaders he knows they can be “genuinely loving.” “They believe God’s will requires that they mislead their followers,” he explained.

McCue says, “The forces of cognitive dissonance are powerful. Once we have a particular belief and have built a life around it, we are highly resistant to any information that suggests our belief is incorrect.” And it is cognitive dissonance theory, which has helped the lawyer to better understand his own process of breaking away from the Mormon Church. “My experience with Mormonism has spawned in me a deep, and I think healthy, distrust for people who purport to speak with certainty for God. And&I believe that while all religions do good and ill, those at the metaphoric end of the spectrum tend to do more good and less ill, whereas the reverse is true at the dogmatic end,” McCue said. rickross.com/reference/mormon/mormon164.html

The Mormon Purge - Documenting the plague of Excommunications in the early 1990’s of hundreds of conservative Mormons. Reasons, ramifications, reflections. by Sterling D. Allan

MY TEMPLE EXPERIENCE By a Former Temple Worker

I found the Mormon temple not at all like I had been taught to believe it would be. The temple ceremony was one of the main reasons I left the Mormon church. I soon realized the Mormon church was not the church I had been told it was or I thought it was. It certainly was not the church of God as I had been told. Many who came to the temple never wanted to come back. It was a very depressing experience for me and my wife and very sickening, especially if one believes that it was designed by God. I was ashamed of having served there, after I found out the truth. I realized I could no longer serve a God who was so changable, violent and deceptive. home.teleport.com/~packham/temples3.htm

 

[zerinus]

It is clear, in my view, that Joseph Smith behaved in classic philosopher king fashion, and that the Mormon “faithful history” policy discloses a group of modern philosopher kings who feel justified in telling pious lies. “Faithful history” is a form of Mormon censorship. It suppresses all information that does not encourage Mormons to be more obedient to current Mormon leaders. Hence, facts that strongly suggest Smith and other Mormon leaders are not trustworthy are airbrushed out of Mormon consciousness. mccue.cc/bob/spirituality.htm

Mormon bishop explains the collapse of his faith

McCue said, “I read Mormon history as the professional historians write it, and realized that my religious leaders had misled me as to how Mormonism started, and [recognized]&a pattern of Mormon leadership deception [that] goes back to Mormonism’s beginnings with Joseph Smith.” “The suppressed aspects of Mormon history that most troubled me indicated many instances in which Mormon leaders have deceived both their followers and the public about important matters. Joseph Smith was the worst in this regard. His tendency to exaggerate or lie when in a tight spot bears a striking resemblance to the practices of shady stock promoters I have on occasion met relative to my legal practice,” the attorney stated.

McCue says he “was particularly disgusted by Smith’s practice of using his authority as a religious leader to persuade women (including many who were already married) and teenage girls to have sex with him.” The attorney called this a “sordid chapter in Mormon history.” “Mormon leaders or scholars” don’t dispute these critical facts about Smith and McCue pointed out that there are affidavits from some of Smith’s so-called “spiritual wives,” which the LDS has within its archives. “Mormon leaders at the local level are sincere and generally unaware of the issues I had raised,” said McCue. And he says that though he is critical of LDS leaders he knows they can be “genuinely loving.” “They believe God’s will requires that they mislead their followers,” he explained.

McCue says, “The forces of cognitive dissonance are powerful. Once we have a particular belief and have built a life around it, we are highly resistant to any information that suggests our belief is incorrect.” And it is cognitive dissonance theory, which has helped the lawyer to better understand his own process of breaking away from the Mormon Church. “My experience with Mormonism has spawned in me a deep, and I think healthy, distrust for people who purport to speak with certainty for God. And&I believe that while all religions do good and ill, those at the metaphoric end of the spectrum tend to do more good and less ill, whereas the reverse is true at the dogmatic end,” McCue said. rickross.com/reference/mormon/mormon164.html

The Mormon Purge - Documenting the plague of Excommunications in the early 1990’s of hundreds of conservative Mormons. Reasons, ramifications, reflections. by Sterling D. Allan

MY TEMPLE EXPERIENCE By a Former Temple Worker

I found the Mormon temple not at all like I had been taught to believe it would be. The temple ceremony was one of the main reasons I left the Mormon church. I soon realized the Mormon church was not the church I had been told it was or I thought it was. It certainly was not the church of God as I had been told. Many who came to the temple never wanted to come back. It was a very depressing experience for me and my wife and very sickening, especially if one believes that it was designed by God. I was ashamed of having served there, after I found out the truth. I realized I could no longer serve a God who was so changable, violent and deceptive. home.teleport.com/~packham/temples3.htm

I can tell by the instantaneous way in which you have given this lengthy reply to my post that you have copied and pasted it from somewhere else, without putting any thought to it yourself. That is probably a violation of board rules.

zerinus

P.S. And a simple Google search led me straight to it! This is the source of the quote:

rickross.com/reference/mormon/mormon164.html

Have you no brains of your own that you have to copy and paste from other sources?

 

[He_Man]

I can tell by the instantaneous way in which you have given this lengthy reply to my post that you have copied and pasted it from somewhere else, without putting any thought to it yourself. That is probably a violation of board rules.

zerinus

P.S. And a simple Google search led me straight to it! This is the source of the quote:

rickross.com/reference/mormon/mormon164.html

Have you no brains of your own that you have to copy and paste from other sources?

Get over yourself. People post other writings on here all the time. The reason it was a quick cut and paste is because the LDS faith has been torn up and debunked by theologians too many times to count, and the writings are readily available. Try googling “mormon” and “false” and see what you get.

And the last thing she needs is to be led astray into a false religion and potentially lose her soul by an arrogant LDS poster on a Catholic message board.

mormonanswers.com is that away------------------------------------------->

 

[dosdog]

I can tell by the instantaneous way in which you have given this lengthy reply to my post that you have copied and pasted it from somewhere else, without putting any thought to it yourself. That is probably a violation of board rules.

zerinus

P.S. And a simple Google search led me straight to it! This is the source of the quote:

rickross.com/reference/mormon/mormon164.html

Have you no brains of your own that you have to copy and paste from other sources?

Lying for the Lord refers to the practice of lying to protect the image of and belief in the Mormon religion, a practice which Mormonism itself fosters in various ways. From Joseph Smith’s denial of having more than one wife, to polygamous Mormon missionaries telling
mormonwiki.org/index.php?title=Lying_for_the_Lord&

 

[DebCWil]

The first thing I read in your post is the need for fellowship, especially somebody your age. Do check out Moms and Tots if available.
I am currently reading Dark Night of the Soul by John of the Cross as part of my Office of Readings. He, like other spiritual writers, emphasized the importance of brevity over saying a lot of “ave marias.” My almost daily prayer life consists of the rosary (do not give that up) and the Liturgy of the Hours (morning and evening prayer). My spiritual director reminded me that I am not part of a monastery. Those in religious life pray an average of 2 hours per day. Do not expect the same from yourself. Being is more important than doing.
Sometimes we need to find God in the everyday events of our lives. This reminder can be very dramatic as it was for me. When I lived in Wisconsin, I would drive 50 miles to the nearest Charismatic Prayer group. I also was going to retreats/conferences monthly. One day, after working ten hours overtime for the week, I drove 75 feet off an embankment and walked away. People at Mass that weekend knew about the accident before I had told anybody. I was needed to lecture or distribute communion (I do not remember which).
Today I draw support from the Charismatic Prayer group to which I belong. It is in the same town where I live. I was also able to make Cursillo last year. Cursillo is a 3 day course in Catholic Christianity. The fourth day is the most important since it lasts the rest of the Cursillista’s life. Each week I meet with my friends for support and fellowship. This sounds like something that would greatly help you in being able to internalize your faith. The Cross has two arms. The vertical is our relationship with God through his Son. The horizontal is our relationship with each other.
I hope this helps.