I don't like reading the Bible and Jesus isn't my "friend". Oh yeah, I'm Catholic

[ScapularDude]

I also don’t understand what people mean when when they say things like “God has done great things in my life”. Since when does being Christian make your life great? It doesn’t…the only thing that is great is possible salvation (if we die in grace). What about starving or persecuted Christians?

It just really bothers me when people get warm and fuzzy or feel goodie (overly so) about their Catholic faith. Sometimes things work out, sometimes life just sucks too.

I still cannot see Jesus as a friend. I’m so scared everytime I enter a church. I enter with a feeling of “there you are great and mighty God” not “oh I love you Jesus”.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

It just really bothers me when people get warm and fuzzy or feel goodie (overly so) about their Catholic faith. Sometimes things work out, sometimes life just sucks too.

I still cannot see Jesus as a friend. I’m so scared everytime I enter a church. I enter with a feeling of “there you are great and mighty God” not “oh I love you Jesus”.

Oh yeah, I can pretty much relate to that (except maybe for the part about being scared to go inside a church). Me I’m just a guy who finds all the holy-holy spirituality gig a little too alienating but still, like you, I don’t get it either. Still, that doesn’t stop me from being Catholic as far as my morals go.

 

[Monica4316]

Also, I can’t comprehend how people think Jesus is a friend. I do not see Him, God Himself, as a friend at all. I honor Him and fear His Judgement, but do not have warm friendly relationship with him at all…nor do I want one…or anything beyond what I have now.

Am I doing something wrong?

I think that love is more than an emotion, so I’m not saying that you don’t love God… but have you tried to really understand His love? Do you trust Him? Just some honest questions Do you have an understanding of how Jesus loves us? I’ve found that growing in this understanding really helps in our devotions, in Mass, Adoration, prayer, etc…

Maybe it might help to read some writings by the Saints? For example, Divine Mercy in My Soul, or Imitation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ, or Way of Divine Love…
tanbooks.com/doct/divine_mercy.htm

Maybe it might also help to meditate on Christ’s Passion? I think it is right to honour God, but it’s best when this is based on love, not fear of judgement

God bless!

 

[Monica4316]

I still cannot see Jesus as a friend. I’m so scared everytime I enter a church. I enter with a feeling of “there you are great and mighty God” not “oh I love you Jesus”.

Reverence is great… I’m all for reverence… and having an awareness of the majesty of God is also great and very important! but it’s best when that is joined to love. it says in Scripture that perfect love casts out fear. I think that maybe you just need to grow in understanding of how much Christ loves you. Then it will be easier to be closer to Him, and not be afraid.

 

[fhansen]

Is there something wrong with this. I am the way Iam.

No doubt, I AM Catholic. I’m 25 and abandoned Protestantism in high school, and even declared myself atheist for some time. I believe the Catholic Church is the Church of Jesus Christ, and do my best to defend Her with Scripture, Catechism, and history whenever I need to. I also attend Tridentine Mass almost exclusively, just because the Novus Ordo parishes around me are known for being unorthodox.

I absolutely find no enjoyment in reading the Bible. I do know about the it however: history, contents of books, relation toTradition,etc.I just don’t enjoy reading it or find any comfort from it. Listening to the readings is quite enough for me.

Also, I can’t comprehend how people think Jesus is a friend. I do not see Him, God Himself, as a friend at all. I honor Him and fear His Judgement, but do not have warm friendly relationship with him at all…nor do I want one…or anything beyond what I have now.

Am I doing something wrong?

I attend Mass 1-2 times per week, go to Confession every other week, do First Fridays and Saturdays, etc…i just have no interest in reading the Bible any more than I need to (apologetics, etc) and do not see Jesus as a friend.

I notice some other Christians fell all warm and fuzzy over the Bible. I don’t. It’s a collection of 72 books to me.
I do nothing spiritual outside contemplative prayer, rosary, Mass, and Confession.

I devote much time and energy with school (medicine) and my classical music interests (Mozart,opera,composing,piano,etc).

I think evangelical notions about having a personal relationship with Jesus and also cross-denominational efforts to focus on the human side of Jesus have managed to undermine His divinity to some extent in our minds and supplant reverence with warm fuzziness.

But while Jesus is mankind’s friend, I think many Protestants focus more intently on Him since they’re convinced that their faith in Him is their salvation. In Catholicism, God is focused on somewhat more, with Jesus showing us the Father’s face as well as bringing us to Him. There’s a subtle but important difference in our perspective.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

I also don’t understand what people mean when when they say things like “God has done great things in my life”. Since when does being Christian make your life great? It doesn’t…the only thing that is great is possible salvation (if we die in grace).

Don’t extrapolate from your experience to other people or judge them according to your experience alone. Some people, in their love of God, are overjoyed when He does things in their lives that change them for the better or show them His love for them. Not everyone has the same spiritual experience.

What about starving or persecuted Christians?

That’s not a fault in our faith. Why should it restrain people from rejoicing in the love of God? If your wife offers you a beautiful present, would you scowl and say, “don’t expect me to rejoice, for I’m sure there are plenty of Christian men out there who don’t get any presents from their wives.” That would be crazy. When God shows people His love, they will rejoice, as they should. Otherwise they are not honoring Him as they should. Of course our lives aren’t perfect, but that doesn’t mean the true faith isn’t, or that God is not Someone we should love and rejoice in.

I’m not judging you or your experience at all when I say this. I’m just urging you not to defensively judge others for responding to God with sentiment you don’t feel.

I still cannot see Jesus as a friend. I’m so scared everytime I enter a church. I enter with a feeling of “there you are great and mighty God” not “oh I love you Jesus”.

Well, Francis de Sales I believe is the saint who describes fear as a first stage of conversion. It is later followed by love, if we seek the God of Love. The Book of 1 John says, “perfect love drives out fear.” When we come to love God dearly, we no longer fear Him. We fear Him in the virtuous sense the Scripture describes, the fear of the Lord meaning the desire not to offend Him or deviate from His will, but this is like the “fear of our parents” we all share as children, the desire not to offend them that isn’t frightened but is loving. That is the fear of the Lord that is virtuous, not fear as in actual fright, according to the Modern Catholic Dictionary, by Fr. Hardon.

Growing in love of God can be a process, and it can take time, but we all must most definitely seek this and pray for this. The rewards are immeasurable, the value for our souls is immense, and it gives so much peace of mind to know Jesus as a friend and lover. We should always pray to come into deeper and more intimate and loving relationships with God and and our neighbor. Please pray for me with this intention too, if you would!

I recommend looking for a good, orthodox Catholic book on the love of God and reading it . That should actually be a really enjoyable read if you can relax and open yourself up to new things. We all need to love God and knowing Him better can greatly help us in this.

 

[tantumquantum]

First of all, thank you for sharing in this forum. I find it admirable that you are able to share your feelings, concerns and trouble to us in this board and it seems to me that you are a person who genuinely wants to deepen your faith.
Now if I may, I would like to add to this dialogue with the little knowledge I have through my experiences.

Is there something wrong with this. I am the way Iam.

No doubt, I AM Catholic. I’m 25 and abandoned Protestantism in high school, and even declared myself atheist for some time. I believe the Catholic Church is the Church of Jesus Christ, and do my best to defend Her with Scripture, Catechism, and history whenever I need to. I also attend Tridentine Mass almost exclusively, just because the Novus Ordo parishes around me are known for being unorthodox.

From what I sense upon reading your sharing I get the general feel that you are a smart person. I say this given your sharing that you are able to understand and defend the faith well through scripture and Catechism and from reading about your journey from Protestantism to Atheism to Catholicism. What I felt when I was reading your experiences is that you might seem to be focusing on head-level knowledge too much at this point of your life. I can say this from experience that it is easy to get enthralled in the vast amount of knowledge that you get from the Church and her teachings. However, too much use of the head can blind you to some other things.
St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, was also a man of intellect. Ignatius had this principle Non multa sed multum which literally means not many but much. This can be found in his Spiritual Exercises and can be also paraphrased as “not quantity but depth”. Not just what satisfies the brain but what fulfills the soul. To what purpose does a gathering of knowledge and information lead to? This might be a question worth your consideration. Maybe you need to open your heart more to some of the experiences you might be missing from attending “unorthodox” parishes. Gaining knowledge of Church history, scripture and Catechism is but one aspect of one’s Spiritual Life. In addition to that Spiriutal Life must also be balanced with your Community Life and your Apostolic Life.

I absolutely find no enjoyment in reading the Bible. I do know about the it however: history, contents of books, relation toTradition,etc.I just don’t enjoy reading it or find any comfort from it. Listening to the readings is quite enough for me.

Regarding the Bible, It is not troubling that you find no enjoyment from reading it. I reckon that what you mean by enjoyment is something like reading an interesting novel from cover to cover. What I find troubling is that you don’t find comfort in reading it. My question to you is how do you “read” the Bible? Can you describe it further to us? The process of reading it in itself is the key to unlocking it’s potential.

Also, I can’t comprehend how people think Jesus is a friend. I do not see Him, God Himself, as a friend at all. I honor Him and fear His Judgement, but do not have warm friendly relationship with him at all…nor do I want one…or anything beyond what I have now.

About this issue, Jesus in all his infinite glory and wisdom unfortunately will always be a mystery for us. We are only human and we on our own cannot comprehend and appreciate God’s being fully. Much like the three blind men and the elephant we can only rely on our personal experiences and encounters with the Divine. I remember that when I was younger, I used to have this image of God that is much like my father, very strict and authoritarian. As I went through my life experiences this image shifted from being like a brother, a friend and to now being a companion. You might still be at the stage wherein you don’t find God as a friend but I can assure you that in the course of your Christian life your perspective will change.

Am I doing something wrong?

I attend Mass 1-2 times per week, go to Confession every other week, do First Fridays and Saturdays, etc…i just have no interest in reading the Bible any more than I need to (apologetics, etc) and do not see Jesus as a friend.

I notice some other Christians fell all warm and fuzzy over the Bible. I don’t. It’s a collection of 72 books to me.
I do nothing spiritual outside contemplative prayer, rosary, Mass, and Confession.

I devote much time and energy with school (medicine) and my classical music interests (Mozart,opera,composing,piano,etc).

Lastly, I would say that there is nothing “wrong” with you, in the sense that all of us Catholics are constantly in the same struggle of getting to know God more by trying to build a better relationship with Him and our community. I would like to say to you though that you have only scratched the surface of the splendor of Catholicism. I advise you to dive more and open yourself to more experiences which may deepen your faith further.

 

[Cinette]

Is there something wrong with this. I am the way Iam.

No doubt, I AM Catholic. I’m 25 and abandoned Protestantism in high school, and even declared myself atheist for some time. I believe the Catholic Church is the Church of Jesus Christ, and do my best to defend Her with Scripture, Catechism, and history whenever I need to. I also attend Tridentine Mass almost exclusively, just because the Novus Ordo parishes around me are known for being unorthodox.

I absolutely find no enjoyment in reading the Bible. I do know about the it however: history, contents of books, relation toTradition,etc.I just don’t enjoy reading it or find any comfort from it. Listening to the readings is quite enough for me.

Also, I can’t comprehend how people think Jesus is a friend. I do not see Him, God Himself, as a friend at all. I honor Him and fear His Judgement, but do not have warm friendly relationship with him at all…nor do I want one…or anything beyond what I have now.

Am I doing something wrong?

I attend Mass 1-2 times per week, go to Confession every other week, do First Fridays and Saturdays, etc…i just have no interest in reading the Bible any more than I need to (apologetics, etc) and do not see Jesus as a friend.

I notice some other Christians fell all warm and fuzzy over the Bible. I don’t. It’s a collection of 72 books to me.
I do nothing spiritual outside contemplative prayer, rosary, Mass, and Confession.

I devote much time and energy with school (medicine) and my classical music interests (Mozart,opera,composing,piano,etc).

*If this is not a JOKE then you must have a screw loose!!!

:whacky::bigyikes:*

 

[LilyM]

I also don’t understand what people mean when when they say things like “God has done great things in my life”. Since when does being Christian make your life great? It doesn’t…the only thing that is great is possible salvation (if we die in grace). What about starving or persecuted Christians?

It just really bothers me when people get warm and fuzzy or feel goodie (overly so) about their Catholic faith. Sometimes things work out, sometimes life just sucks too.

I still cannot see Jesus as a friend. I’m so scared everytime I enter a church. I enter with a feeling of “there you are great and mighty God” not “oh I love you Jesus”.

That last sentence is something I find a bit sad, like you’re missing an essential part of who Jesus was and why He became man. A constant refrain of Jesus’ throughout the Gospels is ‘be NOT afraid’. And He uses the most tender imagery at least as often as the harsher sterner stuff. Think of the Good Shepherd searching high and low for the one sheep that was lost, the Prodigal Father generously forgiving his son, the rich man inviting all the poor and lame and lowly of the town to his wedding banquet, and then calling them to high places of honour at his table when they want to take the lower seats.

I feel like that’s why you need to read the Gospels more, to get a more complete picture. And you make the scriptures sound like a novel, where once you know the character and plot the interest wanes and you don’t feel like rereading it. They’re so many things - lawbook, philosophy text, history of the relationship between God and His people, ethics and morals guidebook, work of literary genius, love letter from God.

As for the warm fuzzies you talk about - put it this way. It’s not that the concrete events of your life change, but your attitude to them changes. Knowing that all you have is given by God makes you appreciate the good bits all the more - like a lovely rose, which is beautiful in itself, becomes more precious in your eyes when given to you by a loved one.

Even the really sucky bits become meaningful and purposeful. Suffering becomes something not merely to be avoided at all costs or shrunk away from, but something that can be embraced and used to your own benefit or that of others.

YOU, as a member of Christ’s body, can play a part in Christ’s redemptive suffering - in salvation itself - by consciously uniting your sufferings with His. It’s an inspirational and humbling thing, and it can be amazing to see how much good God can bring out of our pain.

Doesn’t mean you suffer less, of course. But it turns all the suffering into the suffering of a woman in labour who knows that holding that child in her arms will make it all worthwhile. Or the suffering of someone undergoing a painful operation, but knowing that afterwards, and because of the surgery, they will be in better health than ever.

 

[Cinette]

I also don’t understand what people mean when when they say things like “God has done great things in my life”. Since when does being Christian make your life great? It doesn’t…the only thing that is great is possible salvation (if we die in grace). What about starving or persecuted Christians?

It just really bothers me when people get warm and fuzzy or feel goodie (overly so) about their Catholic faith. Sometimes things work out, sometimes life just sucks too.

I still cannot see Jesus as a friend. I’m so scared everytime I enter a church. I enter with a feeling of “there you are great and mighty God” not “oh I love you Jesus”.

*You must be very, very, very…young!

*

 

[Advocatus_Fidei]

Ok so your like Jacob. thats fine.

“And when Jacob awaked out of sleep, he said: Indeed the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. And trembling he said: How terrible is this place! this is no other but the house of God, and the gate of heaven.” Genesis 28:16-17

To be honest I wish more people thought like that then I wouldn’t have to put up with people hanging out in the aisle at church taking about the ball game or what such a person did yesterday when I am trying to pray treating Gods House like any common public building, I see more respect shown in public library’s than some people show in God’s House.

And its true that some people take the idea of God as friend to far and end up not treating Him with the respect He deserves, others expect Him to solve all of their problems and they are in for a bitter disappointment as the way of the Christian is the way of the cross in this earth.

 

[Cinette]

you’re = you are

your = your hat

*

 

[Advocatus_Fidei]

you’re = you are

your = your hat

*

Thanks for the correction.

When I re-read it it I can see other mistakes are there as well.

If you don’t home-school you should! lol

 

[LegoGE1947]

If you are not at this point in your spiritual life seeing and knowing Christ in scripture and in your prayer, look for him where he is to be found, in the face of the poor. The materially poor, the spiritually poor, the poor in health, the psychologically poor and so forth. Find someone to serve and serve as if that person is Christ. Service is the answer.

But suppose I myself am materially poor, spiritually poor, psychologically poor etc? How can I give something I do not have myself?

 

[LilyM]

But suppose I myself am materially poor, spiritually poor, psychologically poor etc? How can I give something I do not have myself?

You’ve always got something you can give. Some time, for one. Some skills that you can volunteer, for another. A sympathetic ear (at least for those who suffer the same problems as you) for a third.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

You’ve always got something you can give. Some time, for one. Some skills that you can volunteer, for another. A sympathetic ear (at least for those who suffer the same problems as you) for a third.

Or a prayer! I don’t know why people don’t think of that!

 

[magdelaine1173]

Is there something wrong with this. I am the way Iam.

No doubt, I AM Catholic. I’m 25 and abandoned Protestantism in high school, and even declared myself atheist for some time. I believe the Catholic Church is the Church of Jesus Christ, and do my best to defend Her with Scripture, Catechism, and history whenever I need to. I also attend Tridentine Mass almost exclusively, just because the Novus Ordo parishes around me are known for being unorthodox.

I absolutely find no enjoyment in reading the Bible. I do know about the it however: history, contents of books, relation toTradition,etc.I just don’t enjoy reading it or find any comfort from it. Listening to the readings is quite enough for me.

Also, I can’t comprehend how people think Jesus is a friend. I do not see Him, God Himself, as a friend at all. I honor Him and fear His Judgement, but do not have warm friendly relationship with him at all…nor do I want one…or anything beyond what I have now.

Am I doing something wrong?

I attend Mass 1-2 times per week, go to Confession every other week, do First Fridays and Saturdays, etc…i just have no interest in reading the Bible any more than I need to (apologetics, etc) and do not see Jesus as a friend.

I notice some other Christians fell all warm and fuzzy over the Bible. I don’t. It’s a collection of 72 books to me.
I do nothing spiritual outside contemplative prayer, rosary, Mass, and Confession.

I devote much time and energy with school (medicine) and my classical music interests (Mozart,opera,composing,piano,etc).

Not every person relates to the Bible in the same way. God aparently chose for you the field of medicine to do His Will. And by taking care of the ill and healing the bodies of the sick, you are already doing what God wants of you. Listening to the scriptures in church is fine. Not too many people I know sit and read their Bibles. The lives of men and women today do not always lend themselves to the time it takes to read scripture and verse. Work and the hours needed to perform one’s job is ever more pressing. If you are a doctor and are doing medical book learning, it may be that you cannot focus on the words in the Bible because you have patients on your mind. This is perfectly fine. Not all people feel emotional attachment to Christ. It is not a sin to look at the Bible as a collection of books either. Just remember you are living your Bible when you are doing your job. This is how Christ is connecting with you. You aren’t doing anything wrong. Keep up the good work by the way. We need doctors who can help heal those who will pray and preach God’s good words to others.

God Bless
magdelaine1173

 

[LegoGE1947]

I also don’t understand what people mean when when they say things like “God has done great things in my life”. Since when does being Christian make your life great? It doesn’t…the only thing that is great is possible salvation (if we die in grace). What about starving or persecuted Christians?

It just really bothers me when people get warm and fuzzy or feel goodie (overly so) about their Catholic faith. Sometimes things work out, sometimes life just sucks too.

I still cannot see Jesus as a friend. I’m so scared everytime I enter a church. I enter with a feeling of “there you are great and mighty God” not “oh I love you Jesus”.

As a Protestant I was expected to be all warm and fuzzy about the “faith” I was then supposed to have. It was one of those churches that preaches the same junk as many of the TV evangelists (health, wealth, name it, claim it, scream and yell at the devil, etc) It is so different now as a Catholic. Even when they have a service of anointing the sick it is all done quietly and respectfully. No loud noise or shouting or jumping pews or anything like that!

 

[Cinette]

Not every person relates to the Bible in the same way. God aparently chose for you the field of medicine to do His Will. And by taking care of the ill and healing the bodies of the sick, you are already doing what God wants of you. Listening to the scriptures in church is fine. Not too many people I know sit and read their Bibles. The lives of men and women today do not always lend themselves to the time it takes to read scripture and verse. Work and the hours needed to perform one’s job is ever more pressing. If you are a doctor and are doing medical book learning, it may be that you cannot focus on the words in the Bible because you have patients on your mind. This is perfectly fine. Not all people feel emotional attachment to Christ. It is not a sin to look at the Bible as a collection of books either. Just remember you are living your Bible when you are doing your job. This is how Christ is connecting with you. You aren’t doing anything wrong. Keep up the good work by the way. We need doctors who can help heal those who will pray and preach God’s good words to others.

God Bless
magdelaine1173

*When I read the OP’s post I was convinced that Scapular was crazy. What! He goes to church 1-2 a week, Confession every other week, prays the Rosary etc and then he doesn’t think Jesus is his friend and doesn’t like reading the Bible etc. No - he has got to have a screw loose!

I still do not understand it but I thought your response was so sweet Madelaine - with patience and generosity. It made me feel bad. Some of the other posters were equally nice too.

I am no spring chicken and I have definitely experienced God’s love and Jesus in my life. I have experienced many little miracles in my life and Jesus has blessed me beyond belief. So I cannot understand that anyone should say that Jesus “isn’t his friend” - Jesus died for save us after all!!. More recently I began to feel* love for Jesus in a way I never felt before. We go to daily Mass and as we enter the Chapel my heart just glows and sometimes that feeling persists into the day. I really feel the love for Jesus in my heart. It’s not always like that of course. I know that many times it is a decision.

So our OP has really surprised me and somehow I still think he might have written that posting to tickle.

Blessings
Cinette

 

[Mariusioannesp]

I have a real problem finding the Bible entertaining or even believable. Less so now that I have become Catholic. When I was a “born-again” evangelical it was all about “feelings” and calling God “Papa” and Jesus was"Big Brother" and that kind of Schtuff. Thanks be to God I was delivered from “deliverance.” I’m still not “entertained” by Scripture but at least I find it more believable than when I was forced to believe it! And anyone who thinks Acts Chapter 2 about speaking in tongues is for everyone, they are welcome to my share!

Cracked.com has a list of the 9 most bas***** Bible quotes (pardon my French) here cracked.com/article_15699_9-most-badass-bible-verses.html. Are you going to tell me that none of these are remotely entertaining?