Is this the call for a confused Atheist?

[Tezza]

I apologize for the length of this piece, but I feel it to be extremely important.

Hello, everyone. For awhile now I have been an Atheist, a fact which is unknown to all but my closest friends. My family consists of devoted Presbyterians on my mother’s side, and that is about as far as religion in my family goes.

From the very beginning, I have always felt hopelessly dissastisfied with my current Church, and other Presbyterian Churches I’ve attended on vacation. They seemed to be a case of lots of flash but no substance, and I never could feel any connection. Their inability to reconcile evolution with faith made me want to scream, and also pulled me away.

Yet, I have always felt strangely drawn to the Catholic Church, for reasons I cannot explain, or understand. After doing much research, I have found that I agree with the Church on many issues, like abortion, which I opposed fervently even as an Atheist.

However, I am worried about my family’s reaction. I am only 15, and my only experience in Catholic Churches are Weddings and Funerals. My sunday school teachers have always been wary of me when I expressed some Catholic ideas that I didn’t realize were Catholic(The body as a temple, for example.)

Any way, I finally gave in and decided to pray to God again, this time under the guise of a Catholic framework. After much soul-searching, I have decided I want to abandon my Atheist identity and become a Catholic…I am unsure how to do this at this time in my life, as I am supposed to respect my family. However, I cannot in good conscience participate in my Church, which seems completely devoid of the sincere worshipping experience I crave.

Has anyone ever had a similar situation? Any advice?

Hi JamesBond,

Thanks for sharing with us. It’s exciting to see God working in the heart of a young person, and I guarantee he is doing some work right now:thumbsup: Be assured, if it is of God, it will be persistent, so even if your age/parents are an obstacle, God is patient.

As a youth minsiter, I had several teens come in to the Church independent of their parents entering (they were other faiths or didn’t attend church). As a minor, you would most likely need your parent’s approval to formally enter the Church through the RCIA process. I’m not sure how your parents would feel. Could you ask them if you could start attending Mass while still attending services with them? While you may not feel “fed” at the Presbyterian church, that doesn’t mean the Holy Spirit isn’t present and working and would withhold growth and blessings in your life by attending their services if you are open to receive all God has to offer (he’s very generous )

There may be a youth group you could get involved with to start learning about the Catholic faith and fellowship with other young Catholics. And definitely study scripture; the Gospels are a good place to start, as well as the Psalms. You can also check out the Catechism to know what the Church actually teaches on many issues. It’s available on line.

I will keep you in my prayers.

Peace.

 

[josie_L]

Don’t you mean a Catholic can die in his sins and go to hell?

Alright, if it makes you feel better.

Because the Word of God (the Bible), which Christians believe, says that Jesus died for ALL our sins.

Yes, he did die for all our sins, does that mean however that we cannot committ sin anymore (after we’ve been saved)? My next question is this, if I die tomorrow with sin still attached to me, will I get to Heaven if nothing impure can enter it?

 

[phoenix3212]

Obviously, as a Christian, I do not believe evolution.

Being a Christian doesn’t “obviously” mean that you don’t believe in evolution. I’m a Christian, and I do. The OP thought it absurd that much of Presbyterian Christianity cannot reconcile evolution with faith. But those two things definitely can be reconciled.

 

[ahollars]

At 15, no matter what your faith may be calling you to, your primary duty is still obedience to your parents. I would suggest studying anything you come across for the next 3 years. You are still at the young end for conversion. Even teens who were baptized as Catholic as infants are just now getting confirmed at your age. You will not be able to simply walk into a church and sign up. Depending on your parents reaction, I would wait until I was an adult, then walk the journey on your own feet. There’s a 99% chance telling your family will cause arguments. Prepare for that now, and be ready to explain yourself. You are blessed to feel drawn to the Church, but Catholicism is not for those who run on emotion. It is about conviction, and just how much do you believe your faith when you are tested. The draw is to get you in the door, but the rest is your responsibility. God will not fault you for waiting, as you are honoring your parents. Until then, spend as much time as you can on this site, firing away with questions. Soon you’ll recognize names and know who to take seriously. Understand, that very few of us are theologians. We are regular people who speak from our own experiences, but we are here for each other. Enjoy the road trip!!!

 

[always_gr8ful]

Yes, he did die for all our sins, does that mean however that we cannot committ sin anymore (after we’ve been saved)? My next question is this, if I die tomorrow with sin still attached to me, will I get to Heaven if nothing impure can enter it?

Not without Jesus, you can’t!

All sins mean ALL sins, past, present and future. Would you re-crucify Christ every time you sin - because that’s what you’re trying to do.

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
~Col. 2:13-14

 

[humble_in_doubt]

A typical response when faced with the fallacies of evolution - change the subject. Perhaps you will enlighten us to any species that has been proven to have evolved into another species. As your religion, you should be able to defend it, right?

you want me to teach you biology, astronomy, and geology in one post? Google it yourself … I don’t care if you believe the earth is 6,000 years old, it’s your life buddy

 

[Trishie]

Hi, it does sound as if God is calling you to the Catholic Church.

As you say, while living with your parents you should be aware of their sensitivities. You could discuss your wishes and intentions with them and see if they are willing for you to go to Mass or become Catholic.

Hopefully they will be sympathetic with your honest beliefs and spiritual needs.
Even if they wish you to wait, please God you will continue to pray and to study the truths of the Catholic Church.

At this stage it may not be wise to say much to non-Catholic Christians for as you already see, they may get upset and do what they can to stand in your way. If God is calling you, trust in His leading, as you already seem to do.

God bless you,
Trishie.

I will keep you in my prayers. Please let us know how things go for you.

 

[BRIT72]

A Christian can die in his sins as well. and go to hell, it’s that simple.

Yeah, a Christian by name alone.

 

[BRIT72]

yeah yeah yeah … I heard it all before. None of the scare tactics that ancient mythology can drum up will gain any reception with me. It’s all nonsense, IT’S THAT SIMPLE!

Your choice!

 

[BRIT72]

Don’t you mean a Catholic can die in his sins and go to hell?

Because the Word of God (the Bible), which Christians believe, says that Jesus died for ALL our sins.

Exactly, ALL our sins.

All my sins were laid upon him,
Jesus bore them on the tree,
God who knew them, laid them on him,
And believeing, we go free.

 

[BRIT72]

Yes, he did die for all our sins, does that mean however that we cannot committ sin anymore (after we’ve been saved)? My next question is this, if I die tomorrow with sin still attached to me, will I get to Heaven if nothing impure can enter it?

If you die in your sins tomorrow, you will wake up in hell.
If you repent and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your own and personal Saviour, you will be washed in the blood and the Lamb and God will not see your sins, but the precious blood of Christ. Without him, none of us are or can ever be pure.

 

[BRIT72]

Being a Christian doesn’t “obviously” mean that you don’t believe in evolution. I’m a Christian, and I do. The OP thought it absurd that much of Presbyterian Christianity cannot reconcile evolution with faith. But those two things definitely can be reconciled.

How, so what were Adam and Eve, did they crawl out of the sea, please think about it.

 

[StAnastasia]

a young earth creationist huh? Well, evolution is more than mere theory. While there are some gaps in our understanding of how life evolved, we do know it evolved. Moreover, we know (we don’t just think) the earth is roughly 4 billions years old, and the universe around 14 billion years old.

!

Humble_in_doubt, actually the earth is about 4.5 billion years old, and the universe 13.7 (to be more precise). Interestingly, Pope Benedict assents that it is virtually certain that all life on earth shares descent from a common origin (See Communion and Stewardship)

StAnastasia

 

[happilycatholic]

I became an atheist because I concluded that god (at least as framed by religion) just doesn’t exist. However, that’s not a decision anyone should make before they gain some notches on their belt and intellectual fortitude, which requires time, experience, and study.

Respectfully,

God is not bound by our ability to interpret reality.

 

[josie_L]

If you die in your sins tomorrow, you will wake up in hell.
If you repent and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your own and personal Saviour, you will be washed in the blood and the Lamb and God will not see your sins, but the precious blood of Christ. Without him, none of us are or can ever be pure.

You didn’t answer my questions. But thanks for trying.

 

[phoenix3212]

How, so what were Adam and Eve, did they crawl out of the sea, please think about it.

Perhaps their bodies evolved from sea creatures, yes. But what made them definitively human was the presence of a human soul, which God had never bestowed on anything before. We are souls that have bodies, not the other way around.

The Church holds that Adam and Eve were real people and our first parents. It is open to the idea of evolution because how their bodies came about is much different than how their souls came about. God gave them human souls, which were directly created by him and were not products of evolution at all.

 

[BRIT72]

Perhaps their bodies evolved from sea creatures, yes. But what made them definitively human was the presence of a human soul, which God had never bestowed on anything before. We are souls that have bodies, not the other way around.

The Church holds that Adam and Eve were real people and our first parents. It is open to the idea of evolution because how their bodies came about is much different than how their souls came about. God gave them human souls, which were directly created by him and were not products of evolution at all.

God Created Adam from dust, and Eve from a rib of Adam.
Their bodies were made by God, not evolution. Do you not believe the Bible?

 

[StAnastasia]

Perhaps their bodies evolved from sea creatures, yes. But what made them definitively human was the presence of a human soul, which God had never bestowed on anything before. We are souls that have bodies, not the other way around. The Church holds that Adam and Eve were real people and our first parents. It is open to the idea of evolution because how their bodies came about is much different than how their souls came about. God gave them human souls, which were directly created by him and were not products of evolution at all.

All terrestrial life evolved from a common ancestor – even our last two popes acknowledge that! But we know that genetically “Adam” and “Eve” cannot refer to two individuals. The minimum size of the population of hominids that evolved into Homo sapiens was between three and ten thousand breeding pairs. Otherwise the species would have slipped into a genetic decline, and there is no evidence in our genome that that has ever happened.

StAnastasia

 

[BRIT72]

All terrestrial life evolved from a common ancestor – even our last two popes acknowledge that! But we know that genetically “Adam” and “Eve” cannot refer to two individuals. The minimum size of the population of hominids that evolved into Homo sapiens was between three and ten thousand breeding pairs. Otherwise the species would have slipped into a genetic decline, and there is no evidence in our genome that that has ever happened.

StAnastasia

How can you say such thing’s and claim to be a Christian at the same time?
Choose, evolution, or God.

 

[StAnastasia]

How can you say such thing’s and claim to be a Christian at the same time? Choose, evolution, or God.

Easily. You pose a false dilemma. which even the popes can see through.