On being a non-Catholic on CAF -- a few questions for CAF non-Catholic veterans

[Tommy999]

Hello to fellow non-Catholics. For some of you who have been on CAF for years, I have a few questions for you that I am curious about, if they are not too personal. If not, just answer the ones that you are comfortable with.

1. What brought you to CAF?
   For example, to learn more about Catholicism, to answer questions about your faith tradition, to debate doctrine, discuss the Bible, socialize, engage in ecumenism, or a little of each? Perhaps none of the above?
2. What keeps you logging on after all these years?
3. Name an aspect of Catholicism that you respect or admire.
4. Name a Catholic figure (past or present) that you respect or admire.
5. Is there something about your faith tradition that you think that Catholics misunderstand? If so, feel free to elaborate and clarify.
6. How do you deal with what you perceive as unfair criticism of your faith tradition or non-Catholic Christianity as a whole?

I will answer these questions for myself and hope other non-Catholics do likewise.

 

[Tommy999]

1. What brought you to CAF?

• To learn more about Catholicism after stumbling onto a Catholic radio station one day on the way
  home from work and being intrigued by it. I also wanted to hear real-life examples of Catholicism applied in the lives of real-life Catholics and to see if Catholicism would enhance my spiritual journey.

1. What keeps you logging on after all these years?

• I took a break of close to 2 years after getting burned out previously, but I kept listening to EWTN radio, which I enjoy (at least most of the programs). I even support my local Catholic radio station because I feel that if I listen frequently, I should help “pay the freight”, so to speak. I came back to see how things were now. I was sad that some of my main friends are no longer here.

1. Name an aspect of Catholicism that you respect, admire, or have benefited from.

• I admire the self-discipline aspects, among others. For example, I have applied the “examination of conscience” in my life and have seen positive results. I am more self-disciplined now and sin less. I have also benefited from the concept of “redemptive suffering” and have applied it in my life.

1. Name a Catholic figure (past or present) that you respect or admire.

• St Patrick, St Francis, Pope John Paul II, whom I saw once in person at Christmas Eve Mass in Rome while I was a college student who happened to be in Rome with a few other students on Christmas Eve. I also like Fr John Riccardo, Fr Mitch Pacwa, Fr Larry Richards, among others.

1. Is there something about your faith tradition that you think that Catholics misunderstand? If so, feel free to elaborate and clarify.

• That a person can encounter the risen Christ in a personal and spiritually significant and beneficial way as a Protestant and can live a fulfilled life in Christ. Many people do every day.

1. How do you deal with what you perceive as unfair criticism of your faith tradition or non-Catholic Christianity as a whole?

• I am reminded that non-Catholics are in the minority on this forum, and that to a certain extent I am experiencing what Catholics in real life USA have experienced for centuries as a religious minority, so it’s good to experience how it feels to have the shoe on the other foot, so to speak. It helps remind me to treat all people with dignity and respect, even if they don’t reciprocate. .

 

[Lenten_ashes]

I admire the self-discipline aspects, among others. For example, I have applied the “examination of conscience” in my life and have seen positive results. I am more self-disciplined now and sin less. I have also benefited from the concept of “redemptive suffering” and have applied it in my life.

• I admire the self-discipline aspects, among others. For example, I have applied the “examination of conscience” in my life and have seen positive results. I am more self-disciplined now and sin less. I have also benefited from the concept of “redemptive suffering” and have applied it in my life.

That is awesome that you have seen the rewards from these concepts. Redemptive suffering is a very interesting and mysterious topic. One that I also adopted years before becoming Catholic. It honestly has not changed my view of God at all, as I thought it may. I thought maybe I’d start to see him as lacking compassion, etc. But it hasn’t been the case. I feel as though he is much smarter than me and knows how hard headed my stubborn soul is. And He will use any means necessary to try and keep me in a state of Grace because he loves me. I know that is starting to sound Calvinisitic, but i also believe we can choose to walk away from Him if that’s what we want to do. And on the day of judgment, we will have nobody to blame for our downfall but ourselves.

 

[Calliope]

you

I first came here years ago after a Catholic family member asked me t revisit Catholicism. I had left the faith and they asked me to give it another look. To clear up any questions or misconceptions I had. However I did receive a good Catholic education growing up and I didn’t have a lot of misconceptions. However I met some good people and enjoyed many interesting conversations so I stuck around for awhile. Then life got busy and I was away for a long time. I came back because I was bored and looking for discussion.

I admire Catholicism’s teaching of a prayer life, and their moral system.

There are many Catholics I have known and admired and many writers and artists, scientists etc that were Catholic whose work I admire.

I don’t think most Catholics know or care much about my faith, Pantheism. The most common misconception I’ve run into is them assuming there’s a one to one equivalent from faith to faith. Like people asking what the Pantheist version of confession is, or things like that. Also people assuming that non Christians, or at least pagans don’t practice their faith seriously, they just play at it.

I mostly don’t deal with it because mostly they don’t care to listen or learn and it’s not a big deal to me whether they understand or not. If someone asks, I’ll share, otherwise… sometimes I get tired of them telling me what I believe and arguing that I don’t know what I’m talking about when I correct them. I think it’s bizarre to assume you know more about a faith than the people who actually practice it.

 

[JonNC]

What brought you to CAF?
For example, to learn more about Catholicism, to answer questions about your faith tradition, to debate doctrine, discuss the Bible, socialize, engage in ecumenism, or a little of each?

Almost of the above, and include correct misunderstandings of my faith tradition

What keeps you logging on after all these years?

Pretty much the same things. I really enjoy it, though less now than before the change.

Name an aspect of Catholicism that you respect or admire.

It’s consistency in maintaining doctrine and teaching.

Name a Catholic figure (past or present) that you respect or admire.

In order: Pipe Benedict XVI, Pope John Paul II, Mother Theresa,

Is there something about your faith tradition that you think that Catholics misunderstand? If so, feel free to elaborate and clarify.

Numerous, but that goes both ways.

How do you deal with what you perceive as unfair criticism of your faith tradition or non-Catholic Christianity as a whole?

I respond with facts.

 

[gazelam]

1. What brought you to CAF?
   For example, to learn more about Catholicism, to answer questions about your faith tradition, to debate doctrine, discuss the Bible, socialize, engage in ecumenism, or a little of each? Perhaps none of the above?

Great questions!!

Actually, I first came to CAF when my former wife chose to divorce me and took my son without me knowing to the local Catholic Church to have him baptized.

2) What keeps you logging on after all these years?

I believe I benefit from comparing my beliefs to others and looking at scripture from another point of view. I also hope others benefit when I explain my faith to them. It also helps me better understand what my son is being taught. Occasionally, I’ll come across a truly insightful (to me anyway) post about Catholic belief, like this one.

3) Name an aspect of Catholicism that you respect or admire.

I admire Catholics for their unbending morals, and their belief that in the Mass they are physically in the presence of Christ.

4) Name a Catholic figure (past or present) that you respect or admire.

John Paul II, Laurence Hemming, Stephen Webb

5) Is there something about your faith tradition that you think that Catholics misunderstand? If so, feel free to elaborate and clarify.

For one, some Catholics believe that Latter-day Saints are not Christians. Others claim that Latter-day Saints believe we are saved by works. And this tract is full of errors.

6) How do you deal with what you perceive as unfair criticism of your faith tradition or non-Catholic Christianity as a whole?

I attempt to correct misunderstandings where appropriate. I also try to remind myself that we’re all imperfect.

 

[HerCrazierHalf]

What brought you to CAF?

I was considering marriage and this was part of my research into my wife’s faith. Perhaps see how it’s worked for other non-Catholics married to them. Help me formulate a viable compromise wrt future children.

What keeps you logging on after all these years?

You guys are interesting and discuss things rationally for the most part. The use of ad hominem is managed here. I’m absolutely fascinated about how people come to believe something. Also, I hang around to bring in a dose of reality when some wild theories and assumptions about nonbelievers pop up.

Name an aspect of Catholicism that you respect or admire.

Not sure how widespread is is, but at my wife’s church there are numerous efforts to help others besides giving money. They make sandwiches for the poor, facilitate distribution of basic needs to those in need, and even go to those in jail regularly. And this is the laity.

Name a Catholic figure (past or present) that you respect or admire

Mother Teresa for her philanthropic efforts.

Is there something about your faith tradition that you think that Catholics misunderstand?

If you mean as a nonbelievers… I think many have a bizarre understanding of what motivates me wrt mortality. Also, the concept that God is replaced by something is also bizarre. It is like some consider it impossible for one not to miss and need to replace religion and God. While true of some, I don’t see this as true of most.

How do you deal with what you perceive as unfair criticism of your faith tradition or non-Catholic Christianity as a whole?

I understand this to be an echo chamber of the more conservative among Catholics. I will sometimes chime in when I perceive something as over the top factually untrue. But most of the small stuff I let go in most sub forums. I understand it to be part of how your faith colors your view of the world.

 

[Mike_from_NJ]

1. What brought you to CAF?

If memory serves it initially was an internet search on some religious topic. I was very happy to see adult conversations using complete sentences, something that is rare in many other religious discussion sites.

1. What keeps you logging on after all these years?

The combination of absolute certainty and complete unknowing in faith fascinates me.

1. Name an aspect of Catholicism that you respect or admire.

Two things: One is the helping of the downtrodden. Two is the willingness to speak out on what it sees is wrong (even if runs counter to what I see as right or wrong).

1. Name a Catholic figure (past or present) that you respect or admire.

Galileo Galilei

1. Is there something about your faith tradition that you think that Catholics misunderstand? If so, feel free to elaborate and clarify.

It’s a lot of the same stereotypes that break the commandment on bearing false witness: the idea that people don’t believe because they haven’t studies the catechism, that people don’t believe because “they want to sin”, that not believing makes one immoral.

1. How do you deal with what you perceive as unfair criticism of your faith tradition or non-Catholic Christianity as a whole?

I post my replies on CAF

 

[drac16]

1. I wanted to gain some converts to Islam. When I started coming here, I was a muslim.
2. I enjoy learning about religions and it’s been a help to increase my faith in God.
3. Being passionately pro-life.
4. St. Francis. I admire his love of animals. He would often refer to animals with a title that’s usually be applied to humans. For example, he would say things to the effect of “Brother duck, come sit with us”.
5. Yes, I believe that they misunderstand what my authorities are. They seem to think that it’s just me sitting under a tree, reading the Bible and going forth with my own private interpretation. That’s not the case, though. I have traditions that I follow and there are men whom I believe are authorities; people like Charles Spurgeon and James White.
6. I try to correct it. If I can’t do that, I simply cast it aside. I rarely get angry. There’s rarely a good reason to get angry, in my opinion.

 

[lanman87]

What brought you to CAF?

My son dating (now engaged) to a Catholic girl. He kept telling me that he would never become Catholic, then one day he said, “I might become Catholic”. I decided I needed to research what Catholics believe. I’ve tried to stay away from the anti-Catholic propaganda and stick with Theological and Historical research. Since I only know one Catholic family (my son’s fiancees family) I looked for a place I could ask Catholics questions and dialog with them.

What keeps you logging on after all these years?

I mostly lurk as I find some of the discussion interesting. I usually only reply if I see a Protestant/Evangelical doctrine or tradition being misunderstood or misrepresented.

Name an aspect of Catholicism that you respect or admire.

I admire the beauty of the Churches, the peacefulness of the Mass, and the faith of many Catholics.

Name a Catholic figure (past or present) that you respect or admire.

I recently read a book about World War II in Italy. Catholic Priest helped many Jews in Italy cross the alps in Switzerland. They risked their lives to help non-Catholics escape the Nazis.

Is there something about your faith tradition that you think that Catholics misunderstand? If so, feel free to elaborate and clarify.

I think many Catholics think that “Faith alone” means “Belief alone”. Which is a misrepresentation of “faith alone”.

How do you deal with what you perceive as unfair criticism of your faith tradition or non-Catholic Christianity as a whole?

I try to explain what I was taught and believe without getting upset. However, I will confess that there have been times I’ve been upset on this board.

 

[Wampa]

Seriously great idea for the thread. This is really enlightening!

 

[YourNameHere]

God bless all of your non-Catholic brothers and sisters here on the CAF message board!

 

[HopkinsReb]

Been here months, not years, but here goes.

What brought you to CAF?

Considering swimming the Tiber.

What keeps you logging on after all these years?

I generally like the discussions here. I’ve learned quite a bit.

Name an aspect of Catholicism that you respect or admire.

Actually caring about sin, and not in a merely topical way.

• Name a Catholic figure (past or present) that you respect or admire.

John Henry Newman

Is there something about your faith tradition that you think that Catholics misunderstand? If so, feel free to elaborate and clarify.

Lots, but I’m Anglican, and it’s pretty easy to misunderstand the various competing and tangled threads of historic Anglicanism.

How do you deal with what you perceive as unfair criticism of your faith tradition or non-Catholic Christianity as a whole?

I try to correct.

 

[Pattylt]

1. I became agnostic years ago and it was a traumatic experience for me. Ever since, I have been fascinated about what believers believe and why as I am unable to have faith that there is a supernatural layer to reality. While I have investigated Judaism and Christianity in general, I had never looked closely into Catholicism and found this forum in my searches.
2. Well, it hasn’t been years but I find Catholics and their beliefs fascinating. There are some really bright folks here.
3. Catholics have a lot of pride in their church and faith that I admire. It is interesting that they often have faith crisis or questions that I find interesting and enjoy the variety of responses to these issues.
4. Pope Francis has been a breath of fresh air to this non believer.
5. I come from traditional Orthodox Judaism and sometimes see statements made about past or current beliefs that assume all Jews believe one thing or another that isn’t quite accurate. Jews believe many different things, kind of like saying “Protestants believe XYZ”. There are multiple beliefs. I rarely comment though on these statements, however. I’m not expert enough to make corrections even if I know they are wrong.
6. As an agnostic I often see comments on what atheists or agnostics think that are way off track. It’s a bit like the Protestant issue as non believers really only have one area in which they all agree…non belief. A whole lot of assumptions on what we are and why we don’t believe are often way off the mark but I’m not here to defend my world view but learn about yours.

 

[TC3033]

What brought you to CAF?
For example, to learn more about Catholicism, to answer questions about your faith tradition, to debate doctrine, discuss the Bible, socialize, engage in ecumenism, or a little of each? Perhaps none of the above?

I ended up here while doing some investigation before my oldest’s first communion 3 or so years ago.

What keeps you logging on after all these years?

There’s a lot of solid discussion that make for good reading and some “interesting” opinions shared.

Name an aspect of Catholicism that you respect or admire.

Reverence

Is there something about your faith tradition that you think that Catholics misunderstand? If so, feel free to elaborate and clarify.

This is kind of a loaded question. I can’t paint all Catholics with one broad brush. I suppose that one thing I read the most is “their worship is more about “feel goods” than actual worship”

How do you deal with what you perceive as unfair criticism of your faith tradition or non-Catholic Christianity as a whole?

Sometimes I’ll reply if I can add something to the discussion or if it’s something that I have a lot of experience with. If it’s a really hot button topic, I’ll probably just avoid it.

 

[BenYosef]

I will give this a try…

1. What brought you to CAF?

I am a member of Reconstructing Judaism and part of the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue. This is one of the few places I can feel safe on the Internet to socialize to speak and support my fellow Catholics without getting strange “looks,” so to speak.

1. What keeps you logging on after all these years?

I haven’t been on for all that long. But I do I appreciate being able to dialogue openly. Catholics are one of the only–and maybe the only–Christians that do dialogue. What I mean by that is discuss, maybe debate, but not with the end goal of trying to secretly turn me at the end of the day. They always respectfully evangelize–and I expect them to–but welcoming, lively dialogue is always happening here.

1. Name an aspect of Catholicism that you respect or admire.

The love of Biblical scholarship. I know that in Catholicism you have what you Catholics consider conservative and liberal schools of thought, but from the outside both ways are very academic, very scholarly, even very critical-thinking. Even the most “conservative” of Catholic Biblical study is highly academic and critical when compared to the outside world. Catholics take their Bible seriously. I love it.

1. Name a Catholic figure (past or present) that you respect or admire.)

St. Pope John Paul the II. He did so much in his years as pope, set so much of an example of what it meant to be a pope or just what it means to be a man of God regardless of religious denomination, I could go on for a long time.

1. Is there something about your faith tradition that you think that Catholics misunderstand? If so, feel free to elaborate and clarify.

I am quite happy to report that this gap of misunderstanding has shrunk over the past decade. If there are misunderstandings, Catholics are very good at learning from the source and setting matters straight in their heads and hearts. It might be that Catholics and Jews share so much in common that this has been so positive of a thing for me lately.

1. How do you deal with what you perceive as unfair criticism of your faith tradition or non-Catholic Christianity as a whole?

This may be why I feel good about coming to CAF. I have unfortunately had bad experiences with evangelizing Christians who proselytize door-to-door or in public places. Reconstructionist Jewish men often wear kippah (yarmulke) and unlike Catholics, these other groups aren’t always as welcoming.

It can sting for days when these people call me a Christ-killer at my door on a Shabbat morning or tell me I am going to Hell unless I join their group. Others might view me as “one of God’s people,” but only if I am officially heading back to live in Israel so I might hasten the coming of the End of Days to fulfill their belief that Christ will return once all Jews physically move back to Israel.

So you can see that there is a great difference between what is refreshing about the type of Christianity practiced in the Catholic Church and found here at CAF and elsewhere.

My thanks to all you wonderful Catholic faithful here. Your warm welcome is much appreciated.

 

[NeuroTypical]

• What brought you to CAF?
  Here’s my thread on the issue from back in 2013. How to be a good guest
• What keeps you logging on after all these years?
  Sometimes I can contribute on LDS related matters. I also like arguing guns and stuff on the World News forum.
• Name an aspect of Catholicism that you respect or admire.
  The nicest little old lady I ever knew was a Catholic named Mary, back in Utah in the 1980’s. She has all the other little old ladies beat, hands down, and I will defend her honor forever.
• Name a Catholic figure (past or present) that you respect or admire.
  We used to be neighbors with, and remain friends with, a Catholic family here in CO. The folks are admirable in how they live their faith.
• Is there something about your faith tradition that you think that Catholics misunderstand? If so, feel free to elaborate and clarify.
• How do you deal with what you perceive as unfair criticism of your faith tradition or non-Catholic Christianity as a whole?
  Heh. It seems like threads like these always degenerate into an “argue about mormonism-fest”. No need for me to start it now, I’m sure it’ll happen soon enough.

 

[JohnStrachan]

1. What brought you to CAF?

I’m a former Roman Catholic who left the church for Anglicanism 10 years ago. I was searching for a good Christian blog and stumbled on this one.

1. What keeps you logging on after all these years?

Probably God. Heaven knows many here have heard me spout off but I keep coming back. There is something very genuine about the conversations that take place here.

1. Name an aspect of Catholicism that you respect or admire.

Commitment to the unborn; piety, devotions, prayer and sense of holiness. For all the faults I seemingly point to the priesthood, the priest for me is a symbol of Christ. Most clergy I have known are incredible role models.

1. Name a Catholic figure (past or present) that you respect or admire.

St. John Paul ll. He was awesome!!!

1. Is there something about your faith tradition that you think that Catholics misunderstand? If so, feel free to elaborate and clarify.

Anglicanism empowers the laity. Lay people - for good or ill - are part of the governance structure of the church. It isn’t perfect, but there is a beauty in having lay people walk hand in hand with our bishops and priests.

1. How do you deal with what you perceive as unfair criticism of your faith tradition or non-Catholic Christianity as a whole?

I’ve often referred to Anglicanism as reformed Catholicism - meaning that the Anglican church reflects what I believe most RC’s live. What is fair criticism in my current faith expression is the absence of the sense of holiness. For me, this is what if long for and have great difficulty finding.

PAX

 

[Kaninchen]

I’m a Jew (female), I’ve been here for 12 years.

1. I’d spent many years talking to Protestants while my family history was of people living within a Catholic world (Southern Germany and Northern Italy), so it became time to talk to Catholics;
2. force of habit;
3. I think it’s the alien/normal nature of the Catholic world – take the counter-Refomation, highly ornate, Baroque and Rococo era architecture of Venice, for example, familiar in a ‘civilisation’ sense but alien in a religious sense;
4. William of Ockham;
5. Judaism isn’t Christianity minus Jesus, Christianity isn’t Judaism plus Jesus;
6. live with it.

 

[niceatheist]

Hello to fellow non-Catholics. For some of you who have been on CAF for years, I have a few questions for you that I am curious about, if they are not too personal. If not, just answer the ones that you are comfortable with.

1. What brought you to CAF?
   For example, to learn more about Catholicism, to answer questions about your faith tradition, to debate doctrine, discuss the Bible, socialize, engage in ecumenism, or a little of each? Perhaps none of the above?

Curiosity more than anything else. My ex-wife is Catholic, and my mother-in-law (sadly departed) was a very strong catholic, and probably one of the most Christian people I ever met.

1. What keeps you logging on after all these years?

I enjoy the debate and learning.

1. Name an aspect of Catholicism that you respect or admire.

I’m a lover of history, and for me, Catholicism, in particular, represents one of the great movements of Western and indeed world civilization. I’ll confess I have a great attraction to the traditions of the Church, even if on a philosophical level I certainly diverge.

1. Name a Catholic figure (past or present) that you respect or admire.

Goodness, that would be a long list! Off the top of my head, JRR Tolkien. I loved his writings as a child, and as an adult I finally came to understand why he called The Lord Of The Rings a “fundamentally Catholic work”.

1. Is there something about your faith tradition that you think that Catholics misunderstand? If so, feel free to elaborate and clarify.

I’d hesitate to ever state Catholics as a whole don’t understand atheism. I certainly seem some prejudice and ignorance, but as with any group, there are a wide range of views.

1. How do you deal with what you perceive as unfair criticism of your faith tradition or non-Catholic Christianity as a whole?

I thing that really gets under my skin is the rather annoying claim that because I don’t accept the existence of God, I somehow think I’m a god. I’ve never fully understood how anyone could arrive at that conclusion.