Non-Catholics: Why do you post here?

[Bill_Pick]

I feel like somebody should be here to point out all the lies that people are spreading about Islam. And it keeps me on my toes to stay fresh on the regular kinds of attacks on Islam. And posting here is a constant reminder to me that the way I speak is so often more important than what I actually say.

If I wanted to learn about Catholicism, I wouldn’t look in this forum, where Catholicism is as poorly represented and maligned (by the character of the most aggressive posters) as any other religion.

May be the Cathloic are are still upset about 9/11=== if catholicism is so poorly represendted here then why are you still here.

 

[phantasm]

To challenge Catholics and Christians in general, to think for themselves and to see that thinking rationally is not a scary prospect.

Maybe they’ll learn to think for themselves, instead of blindly looking to an ancient text or to a 2000 year old Church for answers, which is a male dominated rule based political and religious bureaucracy.

 

[ICA04]

No, I can’t. I really don’t know why, that’s why I posed the question. I don’t post on Protestant forums so I don’t know what would motivate that. So, why do you post here?

Because I was a Catholic for most of my life being born into a Catholic family and eventually learning more of a grasp onto the truth which led me away and eventually out of the Catholic church. I like to share what I know now and what I know from being Catholic for many years and see how it contrasts with others.

 

[Bill_Pick]

Because I was a Catholic for most of my life being born into a Catholic family and eventually learning more of a grasp onto the truth which led me away and eventually out of the Catholic church. I like to share what I know now and what I know from being Catholic for many years and see how it contrasts with others.

If not Cathloic what are you now

 

[ICA04]

If not Cathloic what are you now

Anglican

 

[Bill_Pick]

Anglican

Thank You

 

[hmm]

I am here to lurk… that’s right. I’m a lurker I don’t post often but I’m on here all the time. I’m mostly interested in how my fellow Catholics defend the faith against LDS theology.

 

[SSTeacher]

First, I welcome everyone to post here, this is not a complaint. Rather, I’m curious why non-Catholics visit this forum. I’m sure it’s for different reasons.

Are you here to learn about the RCC?

Yes.

Are you here to “save” Catholics?

No.

Are you here because you enjoy discussing religion?

Yes.

What are your reasons?

Thanks and God bless!

I converted to Evangelical Protestantism (or perhaps I ought to say Biblical Christianity as some Evangelicals have objections to being called Protestants) in the year 2000. At that time my worldview hovered somewhere between agnosticism and deism. I was extremely enthusiastic about this new way of living that I’d discovered because I felt that God had drawn me to it and so I rejected my previous (and depressing) idea that He didn’t care about me (if He even existed) as wayward. I found myself nudged into the fast lane by the discipleship pastor at the Wesleyan church I’d joined and within three years I was equipped to take over one of the adult Sunday school classes. I taught it for over two years never missing a single Sunday (except when church was called off because of bad weather) and enjoyed it greatly. As I had gotten to know quite a few people (the church had a membership of about1500 people with something like 800–1000 people in attendance every Sunday) I was able on occasion to get one of the elementary children to open the lesson by reading a passage from the Bible.

Then one day I visited the children’s ministry. I went merely out of curiosity just to see who was there and what they were doing. However, the Director of Children’s Ministry spotted me and (I think now that) she later “arranged” to be in the parking lot so as to “bump into me” in order to invite me to come help out teaching the children. I tried it for a few Sundays and found that because of the way things were timed I was able to teach my adult Sunday school class and help in children’s ministry too.

Well, the Director of Children’s Ministry soon found she had a spot that needed filling and that I was apparently a perfect fit so she asked me to come work for her and devote all my volunteer time to the children. I decided to do that so I gave up my adult Sunday school class and then moved into children’s ministry. I had thought that teaching adult Sunday school was very fulfilling but I soon found that teaching elementary children was that, too, but much more fun. I guess I’d have still been there but sadly the church allowed the worship service to turn into a theater performance and I felt very uncomfortable being present. My wife felt the same. So we left. I was very sad about it and cried on the first Sunday morning that we visited another church. Anyway, after looking around for six months or so we joined a Methodist church where an equally determined Director of Children’s Ministry sought me out and got me involved teaching children again.

But it was during that period that I first began to doubt the validity of the Protestant position and started to look into Holy Orthodoxy. After a year being Methodists the senior pastor suddenly stepped down and went off to take a Sabbatical for a year. The church tried to cover up the real reason, which was eventually and begrudgingly announced as “financial irregularities.” At that point I decided to focus all my attention on Orthodoxy and although my wife came with me she soon found it wasn’t her cup of tea and has now joined a Baptist church. I’m very welcome there and have even accepted an invitation be a guest teacher in one of the adult Sunday school classes when a gap needed to be filled. But I’m no longer comfortable in Protestantism so I’ve been seriously looking into Orthodox Christianity.

I’m also interested in the truth claims of the Catholic Church. During the late 1970s, I lived very near Michael Davies (in south London) and we became friends. I used to drive him and his family to Mass at the Great Western Hotel adjacent to Paddington Station (remember Paddington Bear?) where the Society of Saint Pius X rented a room. I lost touch with Michael during the 1980s and so was sad to learn of his death several years ago. He was a very nice man.

I think I’m probably headed toward Holy Orthodoxy but I’m by no means anti–Catholic and I intend to remain favorably disposed toward the Catholic Church and to Catholics. I chanced upon this forum, lurked for a while and then decided to join. I hope to learn about about the Catholic Church and also to get sense of how Catholics conduct themselves in their dealings with non–Catholics.

Grace and peace,
Mick

 

[Iwesshome]

Are you here to learn about the RCC?

I did at first several years ago but not anymore.

Are you here to “save” Catholics?

Nope. I believe in freedom of religion and religious choice.

Are you here because you enjoy discussing religion?

Nope.

What are your reasons?

I came here at first to learn and understand Catholicism but I mostly return to these forums to read about Catholic viewpoints on current issues, read about other Religions in the Non-Catholic section (educational/non-biased threads) and sometimes try to correct close minded opinions concerning topics. I just wish I could see less attack and more positive threads from all members no matter the religion you represent. It just seems so many are angry or want to purposely start confrontations lately.

May be the Cathloic are are still upset about 9/11=== if catholicism is so poorly represendted here then why are you still here.

You make it sound like Catholics were the only religion or group of people effected by 9/11. You shouldn’t look down upon Islam or Muslims because of 9/11 but that of the terrorists that conducted the attacks who choose to hide behind misguided extremist forms of their religion instead of embracing it’s true word. Their are extremists in every form of religion but we cannot judge the hundreds of millions in a religion because of the acts of thousands who choose to live as extremists.