non-Catholics: why are you here?

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I originally came here to find out more about the Catholic faith and how to encourage the cafeteria Catholics around me. I haven’t been very good about accomplishing that original intent though.
Crusin, a good way to really learn about our faith is go to the traditional site, the liturgy and sacraments. You will learn alot there.
 
I don’t remember:shrug:
Now its just part of the day…checking in on my different forums. I have two religion ones, one for education, and one for my favorite show LOST 😃
 
I was Catholic when I joined the board years ago, since then I de-converted to Unitarian Universalism but just stuck around.
 
To those who don’t mind answering, I’m curious as to why you choose to be part of a Catholic forum. I would have zero interest in participating in the equivalent forum of another faith, so, again, just curious as to what you seek here.

em
My then girlfriend is Catholic a .specific question in google brought me here. My primary religious message board, crosswalk.com changed their board software so it is not compatible with my phone and I spend most of my message board time by phone during downtime. The Religious Education forum boards are not active in topics which interest me other boards are too academic for my ideal of fun.

As to why not a Foursquare of Pentecostal board, well I never sought one out. Besides I look at it like this. My mother was Baptist, my father Methodist, my brother turned into a Minister Muhammad for the Nation of Islam. Meanwhile the only thing Methodist about me for 20 years were my army dog tags because when I enlisted I thought it far more likely I would be fighting Iranians then Soviets and if captured by the Revolutionary Guard I thought it better to be thought of as a person of the Book.

My cousin followed my brother into Islam, Sunni in his case but does not practice. His wife is Japanese and they take little interest in all of our religious fights in the world outside of Japan. My wife is Catholic but her oldest brother joined a church similar to mine about 15 years before I did. Her little brother married a Muslim. I could go on, but besides one Jehovah’s Witness sister we all get along without all the drama often predicted about mixed families. We all, those like my NoI brother who is a big minority in his land to my Catholic wife who is part of the overwhelming majority in her native land mix easily with members of other faiths

Besides, I know you don’t think so but I consider us to share the same faith
 
My then girlfriend is Catholic a .specific question in google brought me here. My primary religious message board, crosswalk.com changed their board software so it is not compatible with my phone and I spend most of my message board time by phone during downtime. The Religious Education forum boards are not active in topics which interest me other boards are too academic for my ideal of fun.

As to why not a Foursquare of Pentecostal board, well I never sought one out. Besides I look at it like this. My mother was Baptist, my father Methodist, my brother turned into a Minister Muhammad for the Nation of Islam. Meanwhile the only thing Methodist about me for 20 years were my army dog tags because when I enlisted I thought it far more likely I would be fighting Iranians then Soviets and if captured by the Revolutionary Guard I thought it better to be thought of as a person of the Book.

My cousin followed my brother into Islam, Sunni in his case but does not practice. His wife is Japanese and they take little interest in all of our religious fights in the world outside of Japan. My wife is Catholic but her oldest brother joined a church similar to mine about 15 years before I did. Her little brother married a Muslim. I could go on, but besides one Jehovah’s Witness sister we all get along without all the drama often predicted about mixed families. We all, those like my NoI brother who is a big minority in his land to my Catholic wife who is part of the overwhelming majority in her native land mix easily with members of other faiths

Besides, I know you don’t think so but I consider us to share the same faith
May God, Allah, or by whatever name each of your family members call Him by, bless you all. Each of us can learn something from your post. Continued peace.
 
To those who don’t mind answering, I’m curious as to why you choose to be part of a Catholic forum. I would have zero interest in participating in the equivalent forum of another faith, so, again, just curious as to what you seek here.

em
I’m here because I was invited. I’m stay because I have so many questions. I try to wrap my brain around some of the threads on here,but some times I walk away with more questions than answers.I come back to CAF from time to time and read through the post to try to understand some things that I don’t seem to be getting a grasp on. I’ll give an example:
“Tradition” I understand that there are two forms in RCC Tradition with “T” which is Sacred and "t’ which has changed over the years and is not Sacred, but I still have trouble with this. I understand Jesus said to hold fast to the Traditions that were taught by letter or word of mouth.No problem there, but the first century Church had the communion with the meal in their home. Then for centuries the Catholic Church had the Secret of the Mass, then alter railings, and then removed alter railings in new churches built in the U.S.This is all confusing to me and hard for me to wrap my brain around.The Eucharist being the focal point in the Catholic faith being the Real Presence of Christ, why then remove alter railings?Or change from what Jesus did in the beginning at the Passover Supper? This is just one example of what I have a hard time grasping and that is why I come here.
Peace
 
He said, ‘I was also very impressed with the obsessive worship of Mary. I was not totally prepared for that, Mary seemed to enjoy a higher position in the scheme of things than does our Savior.’

This seems to be something he judged because of something he viewed with his eye. Would it do any good for us to explain Mary is honored and venerated, but not worshipped? If his opinion, based on what he saw, overrides explanations from Catholics, I fail to see the ‘respect’ of the entire post.
…I missed that line. I didn’t mean to condone that opinion, I’m sorry.
 
“Tradition” I understand that there are two forms in RCC Tradition with “T” which is Sacred and "t’ which has changed over the years and is not Sacred, but I still have trouble with this. I understand Jesus said to hold fast to the Traditions that were taught by letter or word of mouth.No problem there, but the first century Church had the communion with the meal in their home. Then for centuries the Catholic Church had the Secret of the Mass, then alter railings, and then removed alter railings in new churches built in the U.S.This is all confusing to me and hard for me to wrap my brain around.The Eucharist being the focal point in the Catholic faith being the Real Presence of Christ, why then remove alter railings?Or change from what Jesus did in the beginning at the Passover Supper? This is just one example of what I have a hard time grasping and that is why I come here.
Peace
The first century Church had no public buildings. Remember, Christianity was just beginning and being persecuted with the penalty of death. Christ did not physically built a Church. He appointed/ordained men and sent them out.

I’m not sure what you’re talking about when you say ‘secret of the Mass’?

What does railings have to do with the real presence?

The Lord’s Supper was taught to the Apostles, men He placed in authority, by Christ. What changed? The fact that they taught it to the layperson? He told the Apostles go out and teach the people to observe all things He had commanded them.
 
My then girlfriend is Catholic a .specific question in google brought me here. My primary religious message board, crosswalk.com changed their board software so it is not compatible with my phone and I spend most of my message board time by phone during downtime. The Religious Education forum boards are not active in topics which interest me other boards are too academic for my ideal of fun.

As to why not a Foursquare of Pentecostal board, well I never sought one out. Besides I look at it like this. My mother was Baptist, my father Methodist, my brother turned into a Minister Muhammad for the Nation of Islam. Meanwhile the only thing Methodist about me for 20 years were my army dog tags because when I enlisted I thought it far more likely I would be fighting Iranians then Soviets and if captured by the Revolutionary Guard I thought it better to be thought of as a person of the Book.

My cousin followed my brother into Islam, Sunni in his case but does not practice. His wife is Japanese and they take little interest in all of our religious fights in the world outside of Japan. My wife is Catholic but her oldest brother joined a church similar to mine about 15 years before I did. Her little brother married a Muslim. I could go on, but besides one Jehovah’s Witness sister we all get along without all the drama often predicted about mixed families. We all, those like my NoI brother who is a big minority in his land to my Catholic wife who is part of the overwhelming majority in her native land mix easily with members of other faiths

Besides, I know you don’t think so but I consider us to share the same faith
:hypno: Oh my!

I think you win the award for most eclectic family, LOL!
 
Why? Because I enjoy the fellowship of Catholics (in general) more than Fundamentalists or the Evangelicals. Over on the CARM board, we Lutherans are attacked for our viewpoints just about as frequently and with as much ire as you Catholics—and by the Fundamentalist/Evangelicals. It gets old, after a while, and it’s much nicer to hang out here. Here, yes there are disagreements, but there is also much that we are in agreement on and the folks on this board seem to be much more civil about things.
 
The first century Church had no public buildings. Remember, Christianity was just beginning and being persecuted with the penalty of death. Christ did not physically built a Church. He appointed/ordained men and sent them out.

I’m not sure what you’re talking about when you say ‘secret of the Mass’?

What does railings have to do with the real presence?

The Lord’s Supper was taught to the Apostles, men He placed in authority, by Christ. What changed? The fact that they taught it to the layperson? He told the Apostles go out and teach the people to observe all things He had commanded them.
Hi Prodigal, like I said in my post I have a hard time grasping this concept. It would seem to me the Church would have kept tables like the 1st century Church. It is the changes in tradition (little “t”") that bother me even though the are not considered Sacred Tradition. They were a part of Jesus and the Apostles in the 1st century. I guess this is just my hang up.The Secret of the Mass was unless you were Baptized in the Catholic Church for Centuries you were not aloud to participate in the Eucharistic Liturgy.From what I understand you were not even aloud in. This tradition came in for many centuries than left.
In the Lutheran Churches I have been to alter railings are still present in their churches. To me, this is a matter of respect to Jesus presence in the Eucharist. If he is Present in the Eucharist,body, blood, soul, divinity, should we not be on our knees when receiving? John in Revelation saw Jesus for the first time since he went to Heaven and fell as though he were dead.Alter railings may seem like a little thing, but it is hard for me to grasp the logic in RCC taking them out of new churches. To me it contradicts what is being taught about the Eucharist. I hope this all makes sense, I’m not a very good writer of my thoughts.
Peace
 
. To me, this is a matter of respect to Jesus presence in the Eucharist. If he is Present in the Eucharist,body, blood, soul, divinity, should we not be on our knees when receiving? John in Revelation saw Jesus for the first time since he went to Heaven and fell as though he were dead.Alter railings may seem like a little thing, but it is hard for me to grasp the logic in RCC taking them out of new churches. To me it contradicts what is being taught about the Eucharist. I hope this all makes sense, I’m not a very good writer of my thoughts.
Peace
I have heard that American churches started standing because President Lincoln noted that his staff stood we he entered the room, thus standing became the sign of respect shown. I remember on a West Wing episode a Dr. Laura or Ann Coulter stand in was dressed down by the fictional President because she didn’t stand to show respect to him.
 
This is in response to an older post by 4square baby-
You said that although there are many in your family from many different faiths that except for one Jehovah’s Witness sister you all get along-
Thanks for my laugh of the day! As a former JW I can only agree-they don’t agree with anyone!👍

As for why I am here-to learn, and to divest myself of my prejudices.🙂
 
I have heard that American churches started standing because President Lincoln noted that his staff stood we he entered the room, thus standing became the sign of respect shown. I remember on a West Wing episode a Dr. Laura or Ann Coulter stand in was dressed down by the fictional President because she didn’t stand to show respect to him.
Hi 4squarebabby, I understand what you are trying to say, but I was hoping a member of RCC could explain the change.The Eastern Churches didn’t make this change nor from what I’ve seen have the Lutheran Churches.
 
To those who don’t mind answering, I’m curious as to why you choose to be part of a Catholic forum. I would have zero interest in participating in the equivalent forum of another faith, so, again, just curious as to what you seek here.

em
I was invited.
 
Hi Prodigal, like I said in my post I have a hard time grasping this concept. It would seem to me the Church would have kept tables like the 1st century Church. It is the changes in tradition (little “t”") that bother me even though the are not considered Sacred Tradition. They were a part of Jesus and the Apostles in the 1st century. I guess this is just my hang up.The Secret of the Mass was unless you were Baptized in the Catholic Church for Centuries you were not aloud to participate in the Eucharistic Liturgy.From what I understand you were not even aloud in. This tradition came in for many centuries than left.
In the Lutheran Churches I have been to alter railings are still present in their churches. To me, this is a matter of respect to Jesus presence in the Eucharist. If he is Present in the Eucharist,body, blood, soul, divinity, should we not be on our knees when receiving? John in Revelation saw Jesus for the first time since he went to Heaven and fell as though he were dead.Alter railings may seem like a little thing, but it is hard for me to grasp the logic in RCC taking them out of new churches. To me it contradicts what is being taught about the Eucharist. I hope this all makes sense, I’m not a very good writer of my thoughts.
Peace
Kept what tables?

I still don’t know of a ‘secret’ Mass. If you’re not Catholic, you are asked not to present yourself for the reception of the Eucharist, even to the present day.

I don’t believe the first Church had railings and now you seem to be suggesting we should use railings, as a matter of respect. Wouldn’t that be another change in the ‘traditions’ you are having trouble understanding?
 
Hm, this thread is a lot more popular than the one I made! Then again, there is somewhat a difference between non-Catholics and ex-Catholics! 😃 😛

God Bless 🙂
 
As a pagan I’m here because it’s important to get outside of one’s own circles of comfort if you want to learn anything or gain any perspective on the wider world. With paganism becoming the fastest-growing religions in this country, and Catholicism still the largest, we both have a special interest in learning to deal with each other, and hopefully on an intelligent and informed level. So I also see my role as something of an ambassador. Much opinion of us in the Christian world is shaped by ludicrous and uniformed assumptions about us, often out of ignorance, sometimes out of spite.

For those who have any sort of open mind, I try to offer them some real perspective on what we’re about. I expect disagreement and welcome it, when it is based on rational theological grounds and not the Jack Chick type hysteria people sometimes like to stir up. I also have a decent grounding in Catholicism, with 12 years of Catholic school under my belt, and so I can usually tell when someone is arguing from real theology vs pulling something out of thier…well, you know what I mean. Finally, I learned from a career in journalism that you should never assume something about people based on a label, social cast, etc. They’ll always surprise you. There are interesting people in all quarters…
 
I like to visit here from time to time to write on philosophy and other matters. I used to be a Catholic (now I am Anglican) but the reactionary conservatism I saw on the part of leadership and laity (well exemplified by the views of many here unfortunately) made me decide there was no place in the church for someone like myself with progressive and liberal views on social and moral issues. It was made quite clear to me by other Catholics ‘heretics’ and ‘dissenters’ and the flawed and impure have no place in their perfect and holy church, and if they stayed, it would be as a persona non grata who should not take any active role in any ministry and should exclude himself from the sacraments. I certainly could not remain in such a repressive atmosphere.

There are many Catholics who live lives of goodwill, justice and charity and do their best to reach out to the needy and poor. But there are also many who adopt a ‘us/them’ approach to non-Christians, non-Catholics and dissenters from the party line in their own ranks. This dark side of Catholicism put me off enough to leave. But I still spent three years in the church and it interests me how the church is developing and it still exerts an important influence in society, particularly in its political activities trying to make society conform more with Catholic moral and social teaching. I can’t say I feel comfortable with the Church’s agenda on abortion and sexual morality and euthanasia, but the social justice work of the church I think has a positive contribution to make.
 
My daughter (25 years old) was shacked up with a Catholic who took her across the country and had her and our granddaughter. living in a very bad neighborhood where they were afraid to go out at night. We loned them $ to move back and they were to stay with us until they got on their feet and paid us back. He drinks,smokes, curses, and cant hold a job. He does nothing around the house that he doesnt enjoy doing unless hes asked to do it. to top it all off he knocked up my daughter while living with us. This guy swears the Catholic church is the one true church, Yet he never attends mass he said, because it wasnt in Latin. Yet he couldnt tell me why that was important. I know that Jesus transformed my blife so I tried to get him to take his faith seriously and joined this forum to learn about his faith so I might encourage him to change. The only change that happened was that I developed a much better opinion of the Catholic Church and they moved out, THANK YOU JESUS!. Oh when I learned the gist of the debate about the latin Mass, he changed his objection to the local Catholic priest, he said he is known for going on diatribes that are against Catholic teaching.:rolleyes:
 
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