I once was lost and still am lost

[Antibush5]

Hi everyone this is my first post
Okay when I was young I was always very religious everyone always thought I was very religious. Everyone in my family always thought I was going to be a priest, the first full book I read was a childrens bible.
I left for a stupid reason, because I felt akward for being so religious while everyone didn’t care. I was a athiest for a 2 years and after a while and experienceing a darker side of life I felt spiritually empty and went on a spiritual search to find something that would suit me, but with my constantly changing personality I couldn’t find one to stick to like I could with Christianity.
(I also had a experience when I first left Christianity, I felt a warmth rush out of my body, some say it might be the holy spirit, some might say it is the feeling of security in life leaving.)
After many years of searching I relooked into Hinduism and searched hard into it and decided it was right for me. But throughout my entire spiritual search, there was a part of me that still longed for my native Catholicism.
Though my belief system is completely different to Catholicism there is a part of me that still loves it. What is this feeling? It won’t go away.
Also maybe you could try and convince me that maybe Catholicism is the right faith?
I know this is really long, but try and help please

 

[Madaglan]

I’m not going to persuade you to embrace Catholicism again, but there’s a great book you might want to check into, one which I’ve just finished: The Guru, The Young Man, and Elder Paisios. It deals with the two faith traditions of Hinduism and [Eastern] Christianity.

 

[JOL]

Though I have never left Christianity, I think my response can still offer something. I think where you went in error, where I went in error, and probably everyone else is looking for the church/faith that fits YOU.

YOU and ME…we are sinners. How can we find any faith to ‘fit’ us that will be good for us? Finding faith isn’t like finding a good pair of jeans or shoes. Faith is believing. So, what is it you believe, not what you -feel- fits you?

Step back, take a deep breath and a break if you have to, and figure out what you really believe. Find a local church and meet with a priest to discuss these things. If you need help finding a local church let me know and I will help you.

Just remember, we cannot ‘fit’ God, we must change our ways to become more like Him, though we can never be like Him, we can strive to be the people He desires.

 

[Eucharisted]

I think what you feel is an attraction to love and truth.

 

[JohnMPhilomena]

I was trying to figure out what to say in response and I came up blank. So I picked up the book I’m reading and asked the Holy Spirit to open it to an appropriate page.

Anyway, the book is “The Little Catechism of The Cure of Ars”. Cure (there is supposed to be an accent mark over the e making it sound like long “a” but I don’t know how to type that) - Cure means “priest”. And Ars is a small town in France. St John Vianney was the Parish Priest in Ars in the early 1800’s and he is the patron saint of priests. If you’re interested, there are some pretty interesting stories of him (just google). Many miracles were associated with him and he is said to have converted 85,000 souls.

OK. So here’s what the book opened up to:

“There is no need to prove the existence of Hell. Our Lord Himself speaks of it, when He relates the history of the wicked rich man who cried out, ‘Lazarus! Lazarus!’ We know very well that there is a Hell, but we live our lives as if there were not; we sell our souls for a few pieces of money. We put off our conversion till the hour of death; but who can assure us that we shall have time or strength at that formidable moment, which has been feared by all the saints - when Hell will gather itself up for a last assault upon us, seeing that it is the decisive moment? There are many people who lose the faith, and never see Hell till they enter it. The Sacraments are adminstered to them; but ask them if they have committed such a sin, and they will answer you, ‘Oh! settle that as you please’. Some people offend the good God every moment; their heart is an anthill of sins; It is like a spoilt piece of meat, half-eaten by worms. No, indeed if sinners were to think of eternity - of that terrible forever - they would be converted instantly.”

So if you are interested in talking to a priest - pray to St John Vianney. He answered me in a great time of need. Hope this helps.

JMP

 

[kalt]

Hi everyone this is my first post
Okay when I was young I was always very religious everyone always thought I was very religious. Everyone in my family always thought I was going to be a priest, the first full book I read was a childrens bible.
I left for a stupid reason, because I felt akward for being so religious while everyone didn’t care. I was a athiest for a 2 years and after a while and experienceing a darker side of life I felt spiritually empty and went on a spiritual search to find something that would suit me, but with my constantly changing personality I couldn’t find one to stick to like I could with Christianity.
(I also had a experience when I first left Christianity, I felt a warmth rush out of my body, some say it might be the holy spirit, some might say it is the feeling of security in life leaving.)
After many years of searching I relooked into Hinduism and searched hard into it and decided it was right for me. But throughout my entire spiritual search, there was a part of me that still longed for my native Catholicism.
Though my belief system is completely different to Catholicism there is a part of me that still loves it. What is this feeling? It won’t go away.
Also maybe you could try and convince me that maybe Catholicism is the right faith?
I know this is really long, but try and help please

You left because you were young and thought that being Catholic wasn’t cool. What’s preventing you from returning?

My opinion, for what it’s worth, is that you won’t return to the Catholic Church as the Catholic you were before. You weren’t a perfect Catholic when you were young, though you were very active and devout. You won’t be a perfect Catholic when you return. But you will be a more mature Catholic. You will come home with more wisdom and understanding than you left with. It seems that you are longing for the old feelings you had as a youth. IMO, on your return, you will find so much more than that.

Welcome home! (Whenever you get here. )

 

[TheQuestioner]

You left because you were young and thought that being Catholic wasn’t cool. What’s preventing you from returning?

My opinion, for what it’s worth, is that you won’t return to the Catholic Church as the Catholic you were before. You weren’t a perfect Catholic when you were young, though you were very active and devout. You won’t be a perfect Catholic when you return. But you will be a more mature Catholic. You will come home with more wisdom and understanding than you left with. It seems that you are longing for the old feelings you had as a youth. IMO, on your return, you will find so much more than that.

Welcome home! (Whenever you get here. )

Ditto that.

My friend, you let society pull you away from God. You chose to leave because you were not getting any of the recognition you desired (from your peers i guess). Now that its ok to be religious again, what is really stopping you from returning to the Church?

You say that you want a religion that suits you? If man searched for God and said he found the right one, he is truly doomed. How can man wrap his mind around God? However God has revealed himself to man and now man follows him. In short, it is not that you should find a god that suits you, but you should find a god you believe and and try your best to follow that god, even if it may make you at times uncomfortable. Religion isn’t easy, and shouldn’t be. If it is then you are doing something wrong. The Catholic faith is a very hard one to follow but at the end of the day it is the most rewarding.

 

[imasinner]

Hi everyone this is my first post
Okay when I was young I was always very religious everyone always thought I was very religious. Everyone in my family always thought I was going to be a priest, the first full book I read was a childrens bible.
I left for a stupid reason, because I felt akward for being so religious while everyone didn’t care. I was a athiest for a 2 years and after a while and experienceing a darker side of life I felt spiritually empty and went on a spiritual search to find something that would suit me, but with my constantly changing personality I couldn’t find one to stick to like I could with Christianity.
(I also had a experience when I first left Christianity, I felt a warmth rush out of my body, some say it might be the holy spirit, some might say it is the feeling of security in life leaving.)
After many years of searching I relooked into Hinduism and searched hard into it and decided it was right for me. But throughout my entire spiritual search, there was a part of me that still longed for my native Catholicism.
Though my belief system is completely different to Catholicism there is a part of me that still loves it. What is this feeling? It won’t go away.
Also maybe you could try and convince me that maybe Catholicism is the right faith?
I know this is really long, but try and help please

Which manifestation of God do you pray to most as a Hindu? How is that particular “god”
more fitting with your personal beliefs then Jesus. I know next to nothing about Hindu beliefs (sorry) but I would say you need to examine what you really believe. It’s no use me trying to convince you Catholicism is the right path if you are convinced there is more than one God or that Jesus is not who He claimed to be.

In Hinduism do the different manifestations of God contradict each other?

You have some serious praying to do and I think it matters a great deal which God you pray to because there is only the ONE God. You either choose to believe Jesus or believe what your Hindu beliefs dictate. Keep in mind Jesus founded the Catholic Church. I pray the Holy Spirit will lead you back home.

“Holy God, Holy Immortal One, Holy Almighty One have mercy on me and the whole world” The peace of the Lord Jesus be with you. God bless.

 

[BobCatholic]

God loves you.

Come home.

 

[Antibush5]

You left because you were young and thought that being Catholic wasn’t cool. What’s preventing you from returning?QUOTE]

My belief system changed, I no longer think Jesus is the son of God, I am very hindu in my belief (It is kind of funny being a white hindu ) but there has always been something pulling me towards Christianity ever since I became spiritually empty.
Maybe it is the rituel I don’t know.

 

[kalt]

kalt;5326409:

You left because you were young and thought that being Catholic wasn’t cool. What’s preventing you from returning?QUOTE]

My belief system changed, I no longer think Jesus is the son of God, I am very hindu in my belief (It is kind of funny being a white hindu ) but there has always been something pulling me towards Christianity ever since I became spiritually empty.
Maybe it is the rituel I don’t know.

Well, there is your answer then–You are Hindu.

Catholic rituals have specific purposes, and these rituals would feel empty to you now that you don’t believe. What good would witnessing the Eucharist do you, if you don’t believe? If you go to Mass and don’t believe, you’re not going to feel fulfilled.

Why do you feel drawn to something you don’t believe, do you think? (As I said, the rituals have meaning.)

 

[Antibush5]

Antibush5;5326828:

Well, there is your answer then–You are Hindu.

Catholic rituals have specific purposes, and these rituals would feel empty to you now that you don’t believe. What good would witnessing the Eucharist do you, if you don’t believe? If you go to Mass and don’t believe, you’re not going to feel fulfilled.

Why do you feel drawn to something you don’t believe, do you think? (As I said, the rituals have meaning.)

I see, so maybe my love of the rituels is because God is trying to get me back so that I can see the meaning behind them?

 

[Monica4316]

Hi, may I recommend you a book?
I don’t know if you’ve ever read it, but it’s called “Mere Christianity” by CS Lewis. It’s available online and also in many libraries/bookstores. It’s a great book and back when I was an agnostic, it helped to convince me that Christianity is true. But I have to say that probably prayer does more than anything!

philosophyforlife.com/mctoc.htm

I think that maybe God is calling you back to Catholicism?

Try not to search for a religion that suits you, but ask, what religion is true.

I personally believe in Christianity because it is all based on revelation from God, and not just what people have discovered over time. It’s based on a historical event: the Resurrection. There’s a lot of historical evidence for the Bible… there’s a good book called “The Case for Christ” by Lee Strobel, and he outlines this evidence.

God is love, and He loves us, and is always drawing us to Himself.

God bless

 

[Monica4316]

there’s one thing that CS Lewis once said that made me think…

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic-on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg–or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

 

[hamba2han]

I would suggest to those who are sincerely seeking divine guidance that they should try praying in the manner that the Lord Himself wants His servants to worship Him i.e. the way how the Biblical Prophets (peace be upon them all) themselves prayed to their Lord.

Genesis 17:3 "And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,"

Genesis 17:17 "Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?"

Exodus 34:8 "And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped."

Numbers 16:20-22 "And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?"

Joshua 5:14 "And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?"

Ezekiel 9:8 "And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?"

2 Chronicles 20:18 "And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD."

Ezekiel 11:13 "And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?"

Matthew 17:6 "And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid."

Matthew 26:39 "And he (Jesus) went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."

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I would suggest that they try praying to seek guidance from their Lord in this manner for a spell in the privacy of their homes, preferably in the direction of Jerusalem if they like and I would also suggest that they do this shortly after they have taken their bath.

 

[Monica4316]

praying is good, especially with humility, and being open to God’s will. The interior disposition matters a lot.

Jesus said,

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

(Matthew 7)

 

[Antibush5]

Now you guys are talking about praying and stuff, well I got something I think may be a miricale, my (protestant) friend says it wasnt.
I went to my local church and prayed for a sign, then a week later I was talking to my friend and I made a joke about being a priest, then I looked down and saw a bible on the floor? I said it was a sign and everyone called me mad. What do you think?
I can’t remember why I didn’t convert.

 

[yellowbicycle]

Now you guys are talking about praying and stuff, well I got something I think may be a miricale, my (protestant) friend says it wasnt.
I went to my local church and prayed for a sign, then a week later I was talking to my friend and I made a joke about being a priest, then I looked down and saw a bible on the floor? I said it was a sign and everyone called me mad. What do you think?
I can’t remember why I didn’t convert.

Would your friend have believed you that it was a sign if the Bible had instead hit you on the head? I’m not trying to sound flip here, but, let’s remember that God’s work is subtle. If you don’t pursue this avenue of thinking, will you always wonder?

 

[FAB]

Now you guys are talking about praying and stuff, well I got something I think may be a miricale, my (protestant) friend says it wasnt.
I went to my local church and prayed for a sign, then a week later I was talking to my friend and I made a joke about being a priest, then I looked down and saw a bible on the floor? I said it was a sign and everyone called me mad. What do you think?
I can’t remember why I didn’t convert.

Signs are not the burning bush. Often they are are word form a friend a suggestion that is planted for your to dicern.

It sounds as though you have been a long spiritual journey. Open your heart to Jesus and he will lead you. Often we put to many of our our preconceptions in the way, they block what Jesus is calling us to do. It also sounds as though you do have a home in the Catholic Church. I suggest seeking out a priest or deacon to consult with and to express your differences. They can guide you to a better understanding of the faith and help you with your dicernment.
Prayer is the key to understanding Christ’s will for you, but you must have patience. Many of us are on this spiriutal journey to better know God, and there are times that it seems that we are alone and there is only darkness, but rest assued God is always there and in his time you will have a fuller understanding of His way for you.

Peace,
FAB

 

[Monica4316]

Now you guys are talking about praying and stuff, well I got something I think may be a miricale, my (protestant) friend says it wasnt.
I went to my local church and prayed for a sign, then a week later I was talking to my friend and I made a joke about being a priest, then I looked down and saw a bible on the floor? I said it was a sign and everyone called me mad. What do you think?
I can’t remember why I didn’t convert.

I think it might be a sign… cause it made you think right? God doesn’t always give us obvious signs but just things to help us and signal graces.

at the same time, try to pray for truth and faith, and for God to change your heart in whatever way He wants you to go.

Signs are not the burning bush. Often they are are word form a friend a suggestion that is planted for your to dicern.

It sounds as though you have been a long spiritual journey. Open your heart to Jesus and he will lead you. Often we put to many of our our preconceptions in the way, they block what Jesus is calling us to do. It also sounds as though you do have a home in the Catholic Church. I suggest seeking out a priest or deacon to consult with and to express your differences. They can guide you to a better understanding of the faith and help you with your dicernment.
Prayer is the key to understanding Christ’s will for you, but you must have patience. Many of us are on this spiriutal journey to better know God, and there are times that it seems that we are alone and there is only darkness, but rest assued God is always there and in his time you will have a fuller understanding of His way for you.

Peace,
FAB