M
milde
Guest
Your argument that after finding Christ this person turned them self into a weak person? Think about that for a moment.
- Status
T
Tim_Kirchoff
Guest
Being Christian isn’t all fun and games. Look at any number of saints and martyrs as proof of this. Jesus never said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it.
G
gardenswithkids
Guest
I don’t take any anti-depressant medications, but I think that the concept of “redemptive suffering” is a sort of “anti-depressant spirituality”. Suffering without purpose is depressing. For whatever reasons, we exist in this “lousy world” as you call it, and somehow you prefer to think suffering serves no purpose whatsoever? That makes no sense to me. We suffer–its a sad fact of life. Some suffer more than others, and suffering often seems random.…He creates me, claims to love me, then he dumps me in this lousy world to serve what feels like a prison sentence of indefinate length, for a crime first perpetrated thousands of years ago by people I never met. And, to add insult to injury, he taunts me with just enough happiness to make me grieve to the point of near insanity. Oh, but it’s called “redemptive suffering.” “God’s ways are not our ways.” “God brings some good out of everything bad.” “He closes a door, but opens a window.” I can’t believe I used to believe that! What was I thinking? It had to have been the results of a brain fried by anti-depressants.
Just this evening I was grieving over a troubling situation in my family, and the thought popped into my head, “Count it all joy.” What had me in tears, transformed to joy. It’s all going to be okay, and this “lousy world” will also be transformed, and I get to play a part in that transformation. God’s given me a hint of the power of redemptive suffering, and it makes me stronger, not weaker.
B
blessedtoo
Guest
Sounds like you’ve been blessed with work after all.
Interesting theory. Still, if taking anti-depressants CAUSED folks to suddenly come to a belief in God, don’t you think we would be seeing massive conversions all over this country? After all, 3/4 of our population is medicated. Sorry. This makes absolutely no sense.
You’ve adopted the complete victim mentality so popular in our culture today. You claim you were foolish to believe in God enough to convert to Catholicism, which would lead me to believe that at one time you trusted in His love. But you fail to see how foolish it is to claim God is now your personal tormentor. As the always eloquent gardenswithkids stated, nothing could be emptier than the idea that our suffering is without merit of some kind. Even non-Christian religions understand the value of suffering. But I suppose that your more evolved theories trump ancient and traditional wisdom, right?
D
Dempsey1919
Guest
Read the original post of this thread and then read my response to this individual.
You have taken a small part of my response totally out of context and used it to put words in my mouth. You need to re-read my post in the proper context to understand my meaning.
B
Belle10
Guest
:yup: That’s was my family growing up (and it still is now).To the OP: Being Catholic doesn’t mean you should be a weakling and let everyone walk all over you. There is a difference between letting someone take advantage of you and turning the other cheek. I’m sorry your deacon pressured you, just remember, he’s a sinner too.
The most important thing right now is that you remember Jesus loves you. He misses you and wants you to come home and to be with Him in the confessional, receive Him in Holy Communion. Maybe you could just start praying again, asking God to light your path home. You said you’re feeling confused about leaving the church, and I think if you go to God with a truly open heart He’ll show you the way to Him, which is far more important than being happy in a job or anything like that. Remember, He didn’t say it would be easy, but He promised to be with us through it all.
I’ll say a prayer for you. God bless. :hug1:
S
St_Gabriel
Guest
It sounds to me like your foundation wasn’t fertile enough.
13:5. And other some fell upon stony ground, where they had not much earth: and they sprung up immediately, because they had no deepness of earth. 13:6. And when the sun was up they were scorched: and because they had not root, they withered away.
13:5. And other some fell upon stony ground, where they had not much earth: and they sprung up immediately, because they had no deepness of earth. 13:6. And when the sun was up they were scorched: and because they had not root, they withered away.
T
TOP
Guest
Thats what Milde does in all their posts. Check them and see. Don’t feed the troll. Tim
C
Chickamauga
Guest
Hey, I just now found out about Fr. Francis Mary Stone. :coffeeread: How ironic. I used to watch Life on the Rock all the time. Now even he’s gone. He connected with a real live human being and left the invisible man. Good for him. He left for love. I left because of a lack of love. It’s downright poetic.
B
blessedtoo
Guest
What is ironic is that you, wizened beyond the need for religion or God, continue to post insulting comments on a Catholic forum. You don’t have time to respond to any of the thoughtful and caring posts made by CAF members, but you do have time for comments like:
Are you seeking validation for your newfound freedom from God or are you just getting your kicks from degrading your brothers and sisters?
G
Godlovestrength
Guest
]I feel becoming a Catholic turned me into an emotionally weak person who spent too much time turning the other cheek instead of sticking up for myself and defending my turf. As a result I lost my job.
Since I stopped going to mass my fortunes changed. (Has the devil stopped bothering me now that I’m back on his “side?”) I now have another job and I have returned to the state of secular near-agnosticism from whence I came. I have my self-confidence back and I resolve to never be such a weakling again. I feel a great weight is now off me.
But…
I am left with feelings of confusion. I am puzzled how I managed to go from one extreme to the other so abruptly. I was once a very spiritual, very devout Catholic. Now I am indifferent to relgion. Will I ever feel the same way again and come back to the Church? I don’t know. I certainly won’t go back to that parish. Has anything like this happened to anyone here?
I would appreciate your comments.
Just think of this …did you go to church because of your love for a God who is love or was it only because things were not how ou would like in life?
You have to have a relationship with God to realise the truth. You cannot get realisation of the truth that God is love unless you have accepted Jesus as Lord and accepted the Holy Spirit as your helper.
THis change comes over time remember Jesus tells us that satin was torn out of the person and the person was not ready and when satin realised that his home was not his he went and got 7 worse tham he andthe jperson was worse off. I am not sayin you are worse off but we very weary.
God bless
Since I stopped going to mass my fortunes changed. (Has the devil stopped bothering me now that I’m back on his “side?”) I now have another job and I have returned to the state of secular near-agnosticism from whence I came. I have my self-confidence back and I resolve to never be such a weakling again. I feel a great weight is now off me.
But…
I am left with feelings of confusion. I am puzzled how I managed to go from one extreme to the other so abruptly. I was once a very spiritual, very devout Catholic. Now I am indifferent to relgion. Will I ever feel the same way again and come back to the Church? I don’t know. I certainly won’t go back to that parish. Has anything like this happened to anyone here?
I would appreciate your comments.
Just think of this …did you go to church because of your love for a God who is love or was it only because things were not how ou would like in life?
You have to have a relationship with God to realise the truth. You cannot get realisation of the truth that God is love unless you have accepted Jesus as Lord and accepted the Holy Spirit as your helper.
THis change comes over time remember Jesus tells us that satin was torn out of the person and the person was not ready and when satin realised that his home was not his he went and got 7 worse tham he andthe jperson was worse off. I am not sayin you are worse off but we very weary.
God bless
K
kentuckyliz
Guest
Well, I’m sorry that you’re going through such a trial. Life isn’t easy and neither is the life of faith.
Sometimes I really enjoy the life of faith–love religious music, reading, prayer, church, service, etc. It’s a little “high” and it feels great.
But then other times there is no feeling and my prayer is as dry as dust in my mouth. I can’t go to church and I have a strong distaste for anything religious.
In either extreme, I try not to make decisions.
I think the best thing for me would to be to have some self-discipline and steadfastness…just like my dad. He is as steady as a rock and doesn’t have the ups and downs like I do. I wish I could be more like him, but I know everybody’s journey is different. So I’m not too hard on myself when I am not being steadfast.
Actually, I distrust the “up” times worse, because I know that God gives his children the “candy” only as long as they need it. To advance in the spiritual life, one must eat one’s vegetables.
Meaning, no more candy. Religion is not a drug but it can be abused like one.
I don’t get too involved at church because I don’t want to turn into Church Lady. I don’t like myself when I get too involved at church. I agree with you that there can be a lot of pressure to do a lot of things at church, I’m at a small parish and I see that. And those people who will do something get piled on more and more. You have to know your limits.
About faith making a person nonfunctional in the secular world…well, I have a hard time understanding that because I have had faith all my life and I’ve never been told to check my brains at the door. I guess my parents were good role models this way–faithful, but shrewd about the world. I can operate in the world in an honest way, with integrity, but I’m no fool. My primary loyalty is not to this passing world, but I am first and foremost a citizen of the kingdom of heaven.
I have never doubted my faith or God or His church, despite whatever difficulties I have had with any particular teachings or people in the church or being down on my luck or unemployed or broke or having three primary cancers. My faith doesn’t depend on results in this life. It is the bedrock while everything else is shifting sands.
To think that I must only love and believe in God if a. it feels good and b. everything is going well in my life…well, that’s very conditional, isn’t it? God is, with more “is-ness” than everything else, and I cling to him in spite of feelings that wax and wane and the wheel of fortune in its spinnings.
Cling to God, even in the “darkness,” and don’t be so hard on yourself. I know I’m a schlub and that’s OK, God loves me anyway. You’re a schlub and that’s OK, God loves you anyway.
I wish the best for you, out of this dilemma, and hope that you decide for faith and work it out in your life. May God bless you and may you be open to perceiving and receiving the blessings.
Sometimes I really enjoy the life of faith–love religious music, reading, prayer, church, service, etc. It’s a little “high” and it feels great.
But then other times there is no feeling and my prayer is as dry as dust in my mouth. I can’t go to church and I have a strong distaste for anything religious.
In either extreme, I try not to make decisions.
I think the best thing for me would to be to have some self-discipline and steadfastness…just like my dad. He is as steady as a rock and doesn’t have the ups and downs like I do. I wish I could be more like him, but I know everybody’s journey is different. So I’m not too hard on myself when I am not being steadfast.
Actually, I distrust the “up” times worse, because I know that God gives his children the “candy” only as long as they need it. To advance in the spiritual life, one must eat one’s vegetables.
Meaning, no more candy. Religion is not a drug but it can be abused like one.I don’t get too involved at church because I don’t want to turn into Church Lady. I don’t like myself when I get too involved at church. I agree with you that there can be a lot of pressure to do a lot of things at church, I’m at a small parish and I see that. And those people who will do something get piled on more and more. You have to know your limits.
About faith making a person nonfunctional in the secular world…well, I have a hard time understanding that because I have had faith all my life and I’ve never been told to check my brains at the door. I guess my parents were good role models this way–faithful, but shrewd about the world. I can operate in the world in an honest way, with integrity, but I’m no fool. My primary loyalty is not to this passing world, but I am first and foremost a citizen of the kingdom of heaven.
I have never doubted my faith or God or His church, despite whatever difficulties I have had with any particular teachings or people in the church or being down on my luck or unemployed or broke or having three primary cancers. My faith doesn’t depend on results in this life. It is the bedrock while everything else is shifting sands.
To think that I must only love and believe in God if a. it feels good and b. everything is going well in my life…well, that’s very conditional, isn’t it? God is, with more “is-ness” than everything else, and I cling to him in spite of feelings that wax and wane and the wheel of fortune in its spinnings.
Cling to God, even in the “darkness,” and don’t be so hard on yourself. I know I’m a schlub and that’s OK, God loves me anyway. You’re a schlub and that’s OK, God loves you anyway.
I wish the best for you, out of this dilemma, and hope that you decide for faith and work it out in your life. May God bless you and may you be open to perceiving and receiving the blessings.
J
jmm08
Guest
A little more than three years ago I started RCIA. My sponsor went through RCIA a year before, and I am worried that he perhaps is no longer going to Mass.
Chickamauga: What happened to you could have happened to me too. But it hasn’t yet and I hope it does not.
In my life, many things that have great value have not come easily.
For example, getting my BS degree in college. I could do some Math and some Science classes OK, but when it came to Social Sciences (psychology, sociology) it was not easy. And even some math and science classes were difficult. My MBA degree also took me more time and effort than it took many others.
And getting married – well it took me until I was almost 40 to find a good wife. And even then it took more effort, time and money for us all to become US citizens.
As far as becoming Catholic, it has not been any different. It is difficult and I face great obstacles. I am still not confirmed – but I pray it may come in God’s time.
When I got interested in becoming a Catholic, I had already been out of work for a little over a half year. I knew RCIA was not going to get me a job. Nor becoming a Catholic. However, I rediscovered a love of prayer – and was convinced in my mind to be very honest with God in prayer. During RCIA I became interested (over time) in praying the Rosary. This interest in the Rosary grew and did not diminish. I became convinced (I wanted it – not somebody else wanting me to do it) to enroll in the Confraternity of the Rosary. And the day my “Certificate of Perpetual Membership” came in the mail was the same day I got a phone call about the job I am working still. I was a little disappointed that it took awhile before the job started. But a year later, I found that my first day back to work was the same date that was on my certificate – February 2, 2005.
Some people in RCIA were in RCIA because they had relatives or fiancés who were Catholic. So they needed (or were encouraged) to become Catholic. That was not the case with me. The truths of life and my life circumstances were sufficient. I’m a sinner and Jesus came to save sinners.
But even so, I hope that my faith is stronger than my outside circumstances. If I face a trial like Job (hint: it is in the Old Testament) I hope that my faith will persist and endure. I hope I do not face that test.
In part I am glad that it is taking me awhile. I am involved somewhat in Church things but I have not overburdened myself. I pray the Rosary every day and this is my third year in the choir. Life is not a short sprint race. It is more like an endurance race. What may seem OK for a short while might have you burnt out after some time (if you are doing too much for you). We are all different and we all have different levels of abilities. The things I am involved in are things that I love. Because of that they are not burdens.
Chickamauga, you must be completely honest with yourself. And ask yourself if this change in attitude has come about because of a moral issue. Is there something that has come into your life that is contradictory to Christ? If so, then you do not have an intellectual problem – you have a moral problem. And if you honestly pray about it then God can begin to work with you concerning the matter. I’m not saying that your desires would change right away. All I am saying is that God can begin to work on it with you.
jmm08
Chickamauga: What happened to you could have happened to me too. But it hasn’t yet and I hope it does not.
In my life, many things that have great value have not come easily.
For example, getting my BS degree in college. I could do some Math and some Science classes OK, but when it came to Social Sciences (psychology, sociology) it was not easy. And even some math and science classes were difficult. My MBA degree also took me more time and effort than it took many others.
And getting married – well it took me until I was almost 40 to find a good wife. And even then it took more effort, time and money for us all to become US citizens.
As far as becoming Catholic, it has not been any different. It is difficult and I face great obstacles. I am still not confirmed – but I pray it may come in God’s time.
When I got interested in becoming a Catholic, I had already been out of work for a little over a half year. I knew RCIA was not going to get me a job. Nor becoming a Catholic. However, I rediscovered a love of prayer – and was convinced in my mind to be very honest with God in prayer. During RCIA I became interested (over time) in praying the Rosary. This interest in the Rosary grew and did not diminish. I became convinced (I wanted it – not somebody else wanting me to do it) to enroll in the Confraternity of the Rosary. And the day my “Certificate of Perpetual Membership” came in the mail was the same day I got a phone call about the job I am working still. I was a little disappointed that it took awhile before the job started. But a year later, I found that my first day back to work was the same date that was on my certificate – February 2, 2005.
Some people in RCIA were in RCIA because they had relatives or fiancés who were Catholic. So they needed (or were encouraged) to become Catholic. That was not the case with me. The truths of life and my life circumstances were sufficient. I’m a sinner and Jesus came to save sinners.
But even so, I hope that my faith is stronger than my outside circumstances. If I face a trial like Job (hint: it is in the Old Testament) I hope that my faith will persist and endure. I hope I do not face that test.
In part I am glad that it is taking me awhile. I am involved somewhat in Church things but I have not overburdened myself. I pray the Rosary every day and this is my third year in the choir. Life is not a short sprint race. It is more like an endurance race. What may seem OK for a short while might have you burnt out after some time (if you are doing too much for you). We are all different and we all have different levels of abilities. The things I am involved in are things that I love. Because of that they are not burdens.
Chickamauga, you must be completely honest with yourself. And ask yourself if this change in attitude has come about because of a moral issue. Is there something that has come into your life that is contradictory to Christ? If so, then you do not have an intellectual problem – you have a moral problem. And if you honestly pray about it then God can begin to work with you concerning the matter. I’m not saying that your desires would change right away. All I am saying is that God can begin to work on it with you.
jmm08
J
jmm08
Guest
I am not yet a confirmed Catholic. Instead, I sometimes tell others (especially in the choir) that I am among the least of them. And being among the least, I can tell you quite honestly that daily prayer is what keeps me going as much as I am. Perhaps being among the least has its benefits. I don’t specifically pray for things too often, but when I do pray for something my prayers are quite often answered. I do try to carefully pray only for things that I think are God’s will. Maybe I don’t pray for enough things.
In this life, there are those who have opportunities who do not make use of them – for example my daughter’s friends whose parents could have sent them to college. But they chose not to go. And there are those who do not have easy opportunities who wish that they had the opportunities.
Reconsider. There are many treasures of opportunity in the Church. There are some very wonderful prayers which are great treasures – that require some effort to learn. There are wonderful opportunities to give so that others can benefit (poor box, missions, St. Vincent de Paul). There is the most wonderful music in the Church. And someday maybe some churches will rediscover some of the treasures that are generally overlooked. If you find some of these treasures, you can help others too.
It is also my experience that God is tenderly merciful towards those with mental difficulties – even if they are outside of a church (such as my sister who lives in a group home for the mentally retarded). Chickamauga, if you do not presently have mental difficulties it is wonderful that you are better. Maybe you should consider that God personally took care of you when you did have some problems. I’d rather have problems and have Mary and Jesus care for me than to not have any problem and have no need for the Great Physician.
jmm08
In this life, there are those who have opportunities who do not make use of them – for example my daughter’s friends whose parents could have sent them to college. But they chose not to go. And there are those who do not have easy opportunities who wish that they had the opportunities.
Reconsider. There are many treasures of opportunity in the Church. There are some very wonderful prayers which are great treasures – that require some effort to learn. There are wonderful opportunities to give so that others can benefit (poor box, missions, St. Vincent de Paul). There is the most wonderful music in the Church. And someday maybe some churches will rediscover some of the treasures that are generally overlooked. If you find some of these treasures, you can help others too.
It is also my experience that God is tenderly merciful towards those with mental difficulties – even if they are outside of a church (such as my sister who lives in a group home for the mentally retarded). Chickamauga, if you do not presently have mental difficulties it is wonderful that you are better. Maybe you should consider that God personally took care of you when you did have some problems. I’d rather have problems and have Mary and Jesus care for me than to not have any problem and have no need for the Great Physician.
jmm08
J
jmm08
Guest
Chickamauga, I just took a break to watch a TV program. And I was thinking all the while about your situation.
In my life, I have had a very big exposure to things related to mental health. My mom has been a patient in at least a few different mental places over the years. And sometimes I went along with her to an out-patient place.
The out-patient place was nice and you can’t really couldn’t tell patients from volunteers. Because the patients were on their medicine and were cooperating with doctors to meet their medical needs. So often we’d play volleyball, or just have refreshments together with non-therapeutic unorganized people talking with people.
My mom told me that when people are on their medication they do OK. And when they get off their medication they can have problems. My mom is far from perfect. She is now almost 80 and has Parkinson’s pretty bad. She can only walk at home with a walker. And she has pretty much refused psychiatric medication for the last 20 years.
If I have a point it is this – you are off medication. Maybe you need some help and maybe your biggest problem isn’t really spiritual at all. You may have a medical problem. You mention having some difficulty at work (but now have a new job). Maybe you need to go back to your doctor. And ask some questions. Tell the doctor what has been going on and be open to the possibility that you may need some medication. If that is true, then when you are better you may feel a lot better.
When depression comes, it is easy to want to push away friends and situations that are actually helpful. This is one of the ironic sad things about depression. Things can get quite worse because of it. Yet such a time can be when we really need support from the friends we push away.
jmm08
In my life, I have had a very big exposure to things related to mental health. My mom has been a patient in at least a few different mental places over the years. And sometimes I went along with her to an out-patient place.
The out-patient place was nice and you can’t really couldn’t tell patients from volunteers. Because the patients were on their medicine and were cooperating with doctors to meet their medical needs. So often we’d play volleyball, or just have refreshments together with non-therapeutic unorganized people talking with people.
My mom told me that when people are on their medication they do OK. And when they get off their medication they can have problems. My mom is far from perfect. She is now almost 80 and has Parkinson’s pretty bad. She can only walk at home with a walker. And she has pretty much refused psychiatric medication for the last 20 years.
If I have a point it is this – you are off medication. Maybe you need some help and maybe your biggest problem isn’t really spiritual at all. You may have a medical problem. You mention having some difficulty at work (but now have a new job). Maybe you need to go back to your doctor. And ask some questions. Tell the doctor what has been going on and be open to the possibility that you may need some medication. If that is true, then when you are better you may feel a lot better.
When depression comes, it is easy to want to push away friends and situations that are actually helpful. This is one of the ironic sad things about depression. Things can get quite worse because of it. Yet such a time can be when we really need support from the friends we push away.
jmm08
C
Chickamauga
Guest
jmm08,
Thanks for the posts. I do appreciate the time you’ve taken to respond. Yours are the first posts that I’ve read that I haven’t resented.
You wrote:
And, to be honest I think religion only heightened this drug-induced mildness of behavior. By saying that I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but that’s how I feel. Now, this doesn’t mean I’ve turned into a nasty person at work… (although I admit I’ve been rather nasty here). At work, I’m very nice, polite, helpful, humorous… and most importantly, I’m not uncomfortable when someone makes an off-color remark.
When I was deep in the throws of Catholicism everything bothered me. If someone made a ribald remark I’d get uncomfortable because I’d almost automatically stop and think, “that was a sin.” Not that I was condeming them or judging them… it wasn’t like that. It was as if the religion was intruding at a moment when I needed to stay focused on the job at hand. If someone used the Lord’s name in vain I’d cringe… it really hurt my feelings to hear that and in my mind everything got disrupted.
Now that I’m no long in the church such things like that don’t bother me anymore and I can immediately dismiss it. It’s water off a duck’s back. Since I’m not longer “religious” I’m indifference to much of what I see and hear because I’m not getting these constant “that was wrong” reminders disrupting my train of thought.
And that’s not a condemnation of religion in general or Catholicism in particular. That’s simply an honest observation of how I now think and feel.
Thanks for the posts. I do appreciate the time you’ve taken to respond. Yours are the first posts that I’ve read that I haven’t resented.
You wrote:
That’s the problem. I really don’t want to feel better. Feeling better means feeling content and being content leads to stagnation and that’s where things started to go downhill at my old job. I went off the anti-depressants with my doctor’s OK. As soon as I did, the aggressive, success-oriented old me came roaring back and I almost immediate found my self-confidence come back, found a new job and have excelled at it despire the fact the first three months were a nightmare. I recieved no training and had to learn everything on the fly and under a great deal of pressure. Had I still been on anti-depressents I’m sure I would have folded up. The anti-depressants took an agressive, get-the-job-done edge off of me that I had before I went on them. I need that edge to perform at work.
And, to be honest I think religion only heightened this drug-induced mildness of behavior. By saying that I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but that’s how I feel. Now, this doesn’t mean I’ve turned into a nasty person at work… (although I admit I’ve been rather nasty here). At work, I’m very nice, polite, helpful, humorous… and most importantly, I’m not uncomfortable when someone makes an off-color remark.
When I was deep in the throws of Catholicism everything bothered me. If someone made a ribald remark I’d get uncomfortable because I’d almost automatically stop and think, “that was a sin.” Not that I was condeming them or judging them… it wasn’t like that. It was as if the religion was intruding at a moment when I needed to stay focused on the job at hand. If someone used the Lord’s name in vain I’d cringe… it really hurt my feelings to hear that and in my mind everything got disrupted.
Now that I’m no long in the church such things like that don’t bother me anymore and I can immediately dismiss it. It’s water off a duck’s back. Since I’m not longer “religious” I’m indifference to much of what I see and hear because I’m not getting these constant “that was wrong” reminders disrupting my train of thought.
And that’s not a condemnation of religion in general or Catholicism in particular. That’s simply an honest observation of how I now think and feel.
J
jmm08
Guest
Chickamauga, may God have mercy on those of us who may not have a normal brain function, either due to brain damage or due to an imbalance of necessary biological things – much of which may still be beyond man’s understanding.
Even a very slight imbalance of hormones or other neuro-things can have quite an impact on how we feel, how we perceive and how we think and behave. Your own experience is proof of that. With an anti-depressant you willingly became a Catholic and without it that seemed to dissipate.
If somebody breaks their arm, they know they need help and generally seek it with great speed. And they would be likely to follow most of the doctors instructions related to their recovery. However, with a mental condition or illness (whether mild or severe) this is not the case. I cannot even diagnose myself and I may be afraid to seek a psychiatrist’s opinion because I know my mother has been sometimes involuntarily detained in various mental health places simply because two doctors agreed to put into writing that she might be a danger to herself or others (and she never had physically harmed anyone). I will refrain from mentioning anything really unpleasant, but it seems to me that some psychiatrists or places of treatment really seem quite dismal and belong instead in cheap a horror film. In fact, one place my mother was a patient closed years ago and it actually become the set of a cheap horror film – and nothing needed to be done to make it look scary. It is frequently the case that those of us who may need help do not get it, or that we may not get proper help. And without proper help, we are frequently not able to really help ourselves.
I know something (perhaps slight) is likely wrong with me because I sometimes have something happen that I thought might be mild epilepsy. But it turns out that I think I am wrong and do not have epilepsy. Instead it is something that autistic people can have – stimming. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stimming
Years ago, a psychologist that I met only informally told me I had autistic tendencies.
Prescribed medicine for those with mental health issues frequently have side effects. And yet sometimes having no medicine or psychiatrist at all can be quite disastrous. Just before the Atlanta Olympics, I lost my best friend Larry. He had been a mental health patient many years ago and had found Jesus Christ at a Billy Graham crusade. I met him 23 years ago at Christmastime. Larry was getting depressed and he killed himself – I got a phone call about 12 years ago that he died. And I felt guilty for years because he had talked about suicide on the phone with me several times before he did it.
I really don’t know what to suggest about resolving mental health issues and I’m not a doctor. I’ve just known a lot of patients (relatives and their friends and some of my friends).
If anyone else is reading this I hope they will be open to making friends with people who may have problems. And please pray for all who are suffering from a mental-health related condition (mild or severe).
I heard once that Jesus wore the Crown of Thorns in part to provide salvation to those who are mentally ill. I sure hope so, because I know so many who need His help.
In my case, I can say without any doubt that Mary, the Mother of Jesus Our Lord has become a willing mother to me also – and I’m not hearing voices or anything. Mary cares. She is kind, considerate and she has never suggested to me that I’m crazy. The Catholics have Mary and the Rosary (two very precious things) and a majority of Catholics I meet don’t even seem to care a lot about either one.
jmm08
Even a very slight imbalance of hormones or other neuro-things can have quite an impact on how we feel, how we perceive and how we think and behave. Your own experience is proof of that. With an anti-depressant you willingly became a Catholic and without it that seemed to dissipate.
If somebody breaks their arm, they know they need help and generally seek it with great speed. And they would be likely to follow most of the doctors instructions related to their recovery. However, with a mental condition or illness (whether mild or severe) this is not the case. I cannot even diagnose myself and I may be afraid to seek a psychiatrist’s opinion because I know my mother has been sometimes involuntarily detained in various mental health places simply because two doctors agreed to put into writing that she might be a danger to herself or others (and she never had physically harmed anyone). I will refrain from mentioning anything really unpleasant, but it seems to me that some psychiatrists or places of treatment really seem quite dismal and belong instead in cheap a horror film. In fact, one place my mother was a patient closed years ago and it actually become the set of a cheap horror film – and nothing needed to be done to make it look scary. It is frequently the case that those of us who may need help do not get it, or that we may not get proper help. And without proper help, we are frequently not able to really help ourselves.
I know something (perhaps slight) is likely wrong with me because I sometimes have something happen that I thought might be mild epilepsy. But it turns out that I think I am wrong and do not have epilepsy. Instead it is something that autistic people can have – stimming. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stimming
Years ago, a psychologist that I met only informally told me I had autistic tendencies.
Prescribed medicine for those with mental health issues frequently have side effects. And yet sometimes having no medicine or psychiatrist at all can be quite disastrous. Just before the Atlanta Olympics, I lost my best friend Larry. He had been a mental health patient many years ago and had found Jesus Christ at a Billy Graham crusade. I met him 23 years ago at Christmastime. Larry was getting depressed and he killed himself – I got a phone call about 12 years ago that he died. And I felt guilty for years because he had talked about suicide on the phone with me several times before he did it.
I really don’t know what to suggest about resolving mental health issues and I’m not a doctor. I’ve just known a lot of patients (relatives and their friends and some of my friends).
If anyone else is reading this I hope they will be open to making friends with people who may have problems. And please pray for all who are suffering from a mental-health related condition (mild or severe).
I heard once that Jesus wore the Crown of Thorns in part to provide salvation to those who are mentally ill. I sure hope so, because I know so many who need His help.
In my case, I can say without any doubt that Mary, the Mother of Jesus Our Lord has become a willing mother to me also – and I’m not hearing voices or anything. Mary cares. She is kind, considerate and she has never suggested to me that I’m crazy. The Catholics have Mary and the Rosary (two very precious things) and a majority of Catholics I meet don’t even seem to care a lot about either one.
jmm08
J
jmm08
Guest
Specific answers to my prayers prove to me that God exists and through answered prayer He guided me to the Catholic Church.
Recently I prayed that my choir rehearsal on a specific date might be cancelled so we could hear Sister Angela de Fatima speak (I knew she was going to speak about praying the Rosary and about Mary). Yet to my choir director and to most others in the choir – hearing a talk about the Rosary and Mary just isn’t important enough to cancel or move the choir practice. But another member of the choir agreed with me in prayer. The date of the schedule conflict, it snowed. And just the right amount. Our choir practice was cancelled and yet the evening’s Advent Mass and Sister Angela’s talk afterwards was not cancelled.
Last February I began what should have been a nine-month novena prayer for the life of an unborn child. What I didn’t know was that within a few months a co-worker who worked next to me (unmarried and living with her boyfriend) had become pregnant. I found out a few months later. She wanted the baby thank God. And fairly soon they are going to get married. What she doesn’t know is that I had spiritually adopted the baby for the duration of her pregnancy.
So you see by the above two prayers that I can sometimes cause some trouble with my prayers and it may be best to be a little more careful.
Earlier this year I got fairly sick – too sick to get up and see a doctor. Then on a Saturday I went to the ER and got a prescription which started to help me get better. I felt like maybe eating something. And I told my wife when I was a little boy and was sick my mom made me a meal with some small lamb chops. And I later prayed to Mary and told Mary what else would really be nice to have in terms of potatoes and vegetables. When my wife had fixed the meal, it was exactly as I described it to Mary. However the vegetables were quite a bit saltier than I expected and who knows maybe I needed some salt.
And then prayers answered by Saint Anthony. Nearly too many to get started. My choir director (who sometimes seems like a real doubter in praying to Saints) had lost her cell phone. I told her I’d pray to St. Anthony. And on the way home from practice I prayed to St. Anthony. And about exactly the same time my choir director found her new cell phone in her purse – even though she had searched for it in her purse five times before.
Sister Angela taught us a story about a rich mother and two daughters (which I will inaccurately retell).
There was a rich mother who had two daughters. The first daughter comes home often with a request for money. For a new car, for clothes, for needed or wanted items, etc. And the loving mother helps. The second daughter comes home often and has a more giving heart. One day she washes the dirty dishes in the kitchen. Another day she drives her mother to someplace the mother wanted to go. Another day the second daughter brings her mother stamps and stationary. You get the idea. Which daughter is comforting the mother more? The second daughter. So in relationship with Mary, be more like the second daughter than the first. And Mary will care for us just as well if not better.
So Chickamauga, try prayer. And in your prayer just try to indicate a desire to be closer to God, closer to Jesus and to Mary. The most important part of prayer is to be real, to be honest and not be false. At first, I could not pray some written Catholic prayers exactly as written because it wasn’t me. So I changed a few words. For example, instead of promising to Our Lady of Lourdes that I would imitate her virtues I promised to learn about her virtues. And I honored that promise because Our Lady had kept her end of the bargain – my colonoscopy a few years ago went OK.
jmm08
J
jmm08
Guest
– continued –
I know that God exists and I know that Mary cares so much for me because of specific answers to prayer (much of which I have not shared in this thread). And yet at the same time, if it is possible that I have mental illness how do I really know anything at all? I find that I just go ahead and have trust and faith. And part of what seems to be working for me is to pray the Rosary every day. I sing in the choir because I like the music so much. Instead of singing loudly in the congregation (which I do if I’m not in the choir) – perhaps I seem less crazy to others when I fit in pretty good in the choir. I think a lot of Catholics just don’t sing much, or sing very loudly.
And I’m hardly an authoritative source. A Priest told me recently that until I’m confirmed I’m not even a Catholic. That was a bit of a shock because I went through RCIA and this is my third year in the choir. I know I’m not confirmed, I cannot receive absolution nor Holy Communion, but I really thought I was received into the Church. My name was in the church bulletin. I was told if I died I could be buried in a Catholic cemetery (although it is probably more likely that I’ll be buried in a non-Catholic, predominantly-Black cemetery). It may seem to some that I’ve fallen through the cracks, but I’ve got news for you. The Catholic Church may let some fall through the cracks, but like Ruth (in the OT book of Ruth) Mary is allowed to glean the fields. And Mary can gather in what was missed. It almost seems to me that not knowing such things as whether I’m Catholic even draws Mary to me closer still. So really I don’t mind. But again, I could really be wrong.
Chickamauga, if Mary is convinced that you converted and became a Catholic, and that now as a result of mental illness you are withdrawn, I think Mary will be watching over you with much love and care. Even if you don’t think so.
Brothers in Christ, please pray for such as Chickamauga and for such as myself. When Jesus said on the cross “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” – isn’t this true?
jmm08
I know that God exists and I know that Mary cares so much for me because of specific answers to prayer (much of which I have not shared in this thread). And yet at the same time, if it is possible that I have mental illness how do I really know anything at all? I find that I just go ahead and have trust and faith. And part of what seems to be working for me is to pray the Rosary every day. I sing in the choir because I like the music so much. Instead of singing loudly in the congregation (which I do if I’m not in the choir) – perhaps I seem less crazy to others when I fit in pretty good in the choir. I think a lot of Catholics just don’t sing much, or sing very loudly.
And I’m hardly an authoritative source. A Priest told me recently that until I’m confirmed I’m not even a Catholic. That was a bit of a shock because I went through RCIA and this is my third year in the choir. I know I’m not confirmed, I cannot receive absolution nor Holy Communion, but I really thought I was received into the Church. My name was in the church bulletin. I was told if I died I could be buried in a Catholic cemetery (although it is probably more likely that I’ll be buried in a non-Catholic, predominantly-Black cemetery). It may seem to some that I’ve fallen through the cracks, but I’ve got news for you. The Catholic Church may let some fall through the cracks, but like Ruth (in the OT book of Ruth) Mary is allowed to glean the fields. And Mary can gather in what was missed. It almost seems to me that not knowing such things as whether I’m Catholic even draws Mary to me closer still. So really I don’t mind. But again, I could really be wrong.
Chickamauga, if Mary is convinced that you converted and became a Catholic, and that now as a result of mental illness you are withdrawn, I think Mary will be watching over you with much love and care. Even if you don’t think so.
Brothers in Christ, please pray for such as Chickamauga and for such as myself. When Jesus said on the cross “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” – isn’t this true?
jmm08
J
jmm08
Guest
I saw my sponsor last night. He was back again singing in the other choir (which sounded very good last night). Perhaps he only quit singing in that choir for a little while. We now have a new organist who is very, very talented (and who directs and plays for that choir). That alone would be enough to draw people back into that choir.
I should send him a Christmas Card. He stopped being a friend when RCIA was over, perhaps because I was a little bit too much. Or perhaps because he was too busy. Here in Northern Virginia (if too close in to DC) life is not really normal and people are generally quite busy. In part because driving commutes take so much time
jmm08
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