My girlfriend is Pagan, but its not so simple

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Its been a wile, hoping to get some good answers from the faithful here.

I am a traditional catholic. I recently started dating a pagan. The reason: I have known her for an extreely long time, she has been the only woman that has praised my devotion to my faith. She was even raised catholic, but because of internal family strife she left the church.

We were just casually talking, and she stated she hates the idea of that a baby needs to be baptized because they’re sinful. Her reasoning is that a baby is humanity’s purist form, that they haven’t experienced anything for cause to sin. I understand the concept of original sin, but I’m not sure how to explain it to her in such a way that appeals to the emotions she has.

Any advice would be great.

PS, we are long distance, she agreed to go to a high mass with me when I am back in town. 🙂
 
Orginal sin is not something we do. Because Adam and Eve sinned, we are all born with it
 
The first thing you need to do is explain to her that Original Sin isn’t the same as personal sin. Infants have yet to commit any sin of their own, but they still need to be cleansed of the Original Sin which our first parents have caused us to inherit. Original Sin is what predisposes us to committing personal sins, and we need to have that sin removed from us.
 
I would explain to her that it is a good thing to do for the child, an initiation in grace. Just as parents give life and nurture that life in their newborn in physical ways, so must they do so with regards to the supernatural life the child receives on the day upon which he is reborn into the family of God.
 
She understands inherited traits, right?

Well, some people might inherit the gene for red hair or for heart disease. We also inherit Original Sin.
 
Original sin is primarily the absence of sanctifying grace…that is, participation in the divine life of the Trinity. Adam and Eve lost sanctifying grace through their rebellion. Baptism gifts a child (or adult) with sanctifying grace.
 
Jewish babies are brought to the temple to be circumcised on the eighth day because they are in a covenant with God. The blood of Christ is the new covenant and we bring babies as well to baptism. Perhaps the idea of entering into a covenant with the Living God would appeal to her sensibilities.

In the New Testament, it speaks of whole families being baptized, which would include infants of course.
 
I understand what your girlfriend means. From a non Christian perspective it is wired to think a baby needs baptism. Even if you use original sin as the excuse… They didn’t commit it and surely a good God wouldn’t send an innocent child to hell for not being baptized.

Maybe instead of focusing on baptism as a way to take away original sin focus on how baptism gives the child the supernatural virtues or Faith, Hope, and Charity. And how you believe these virtues are really important for your child to be able to understand and believe in the Faith as he gets older and that baptism marks his/her entry into the Church.

Also try to understand where she is coming from. She is being somewhat open to what you believe so try to listen and understand what she believes and why. Don’t try to convert her or anything
 
I struggled w original sin for a while

I had “Catholics For Dummies” book where priest compared Original Sin with being genetically predisposed to getting a family illness and baptism to getting a vaccination.
 
Still doesn’t make sense. Because you still are affected by it(original sin). Sometimes I wonder if original sin is just a made up thing used to make sin and evil in the world make more sense. The story of why humans are imperfect and do bad things… It’s not like God had to create us with original sin just because Adam and Eve sinned… He chose to
 
rosejmj said:
Still doesn’t make sense. Because you still are affected by it(original sin).
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It does make sense because baptism provides initial protection against it and like a vaccination you have to get follow up vaccinations, get checked up, etc (subsequent action) to remain protected, as with Catholic must maintain their sacraments (get Holy Communion, regularly go Confession, etc) to remain protected from onset of sin
 
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Tread carefully, but God may have put you in this situation to lead her back to Himself.
Be kind and gentle and lead by example. I ask everyone on the Forum to keep you both in their prayers.
Also seek some guidance from your priest
 
rosejmj said:
Still doesn’t make sense. Because you still are affected by it(original sin). Sometimes I wonder if original sin is just a made up thing used to make sin and evil in the world make more sense. The story of why humans are imperfect and do bad things… It’s not like God had to create us with original sin just because Adam and Eve sinned… He chose to
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Temptation is something different than original sin. We must pass the free will test to be confirmed in charity, in order to experience the Beatific Vision. *

Base human nature has to contend with concupiscence and temptation.
Human nature with preternatural gift of Integrity, which Adam and Eve had, is free from concupiscence yet still has temptation.
Human nature with the supernatural gift of grace, as with Adam and Eve, and those baptized remaining in the state of grace, still has temptation.

*
Catechism
311 Angels and men, as intelligent and free creatures, have to journey toward their ultimate destinies by their free choice and preferential love. …
1033 We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him. …
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1 Cor 9
24 Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win.
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2 Tim 2
5 Similarly, an athlete cannot receive the winner’s crown except by competing according to the rules.
Click to expand...
 
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Well the fact that she was raised Catholic gives some hope. Otherwise honestly I’d say steer clear of something as serious as marriage, friendship fine, but marriage is very serious, even so step carefully and make sure that God is with you all the way as you dont want to pulled from your faith by her. Pray for her conversion by asking God at least daily to convert her and good on you for getting her to go to mass.
That aside, as to what to say about a baby. You could say it’s much like washing a baby when it is born, it comes out covered in blood and all sorts and is often whisked away and washed but that doesnt detract from the miracle of birth. We still want to cuddle the baby and love it. It is still beautiful. I can see how she says a baby is humanity’s purist form though I wouldn’t put it that way. Baptism is a baby being cleansed of all the impurities (original sin) that we cant see but God can and it also raises the baby to status of adopted son/daughter of God.
 
Yeah, pagans marrying Christians is such an awful thing. Your kids might turn out like St. Augustine! Or St. Brigid of Ireland! The horror!

Seriously, I suspect this girl will revert if you show her that Catholicism is a bit of all right after all. I presume by “pagan” you mean she practices some earth religion. Those are actually more in tune with Catholicism, especially the traditional Catholicism that followed the seasons, much more than some Protestant or other non-Catholic faiths IMHO.
 
The pagan in this case was raised Catholic and left because of family issues.
She might very well revert.
She’s already committed to going to Mass with the OP.

I knew girls in my high school who were raised Catholic and went pagan. Like I said, it’s usually coming from a desire to be more spiritual and more in tune with the earth and not have people throwing a rule book of sin at you every minute. Also, they often find a community of like-minded women. They usually aren’t thinking in terms of pagan doctrine vs Catholic doctrine.
 
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Interesting. So they don’t believe in original sin? I thought it was a doctrine of the Catholic Church, therefore infallible. Why do they believe we are inclined to sin
 
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