Please help...trouble with 13 year old and questioning of faith

[Timothysis]

Ok, so you’re saying I sounded like some expert in moral theology, yet you sounded like you were trying to be one in this post. So it’s ok for you to give your opinion on this matter, but I can’t without sounding like a know-it-all? Double standards. I suggest you stop replying to my posts if you’re going to attempt to engage in fights with me on almost every thread.

Sorry Spiritus, but otjm is completely correct. Your posts are nothing but personal opinions on matters which you are not well educated. The problem is that you DO sound like a “know-it-all.” All doubt does not come from the devil, uncertainty is not always a mortal sin and playing Stairway To Heaven backwards does not say “all hail Satan.” You make pronouncements that the Church does not make; doesn’t that tell you something?

 

[otjm]

Ok, so you’re saying I sounded like some expert in moral theology, yet you sounded like you were trying to be one in this post. So it’s ok for you to give your opinion on this matter, but I can’t without sounding like a know-it-all? Double standards. I suggest you stop replying to my posts if you’re going to attempt to engage in fights with me on almost every thread.

From you comment, it is obvious you have not taken much in the way of classes in Moral Theology. Just because I call you on it does not mean that I haven’t. Double standard? Nope. Trying to be an expert - no, I am not trying.

Have you raised any teenagers? Your comment treats a 13 year old like a mature adult - which they are not. Responding to the thread about a 13 year old who has their knickers in a twist with a comment that doubting about God is a mortal sin is firing off without sufficient information to even know if you have a target.

If you don’t like being critiqued on your comments, don’t be so free with your opinions, especially when they are not founded in facts. Either that, or learn to couch your opinion in something less than a fiat.

 

[h1478971]

13 year old boy, faith restored, problem solved!!

funny lol

 

[benedictus2]

Hello,
I am new here and hope I am posting in the right place. I am Catholic, raised Catholic, and so is my husband. We have 3 children 13, 11, and 10. All have been baptized Catholic and received First Holy Communion. We have been very active in our church and attend fairly regularly. Recently, we are having trouble with our oldest son. He is starting to question his faith and is becoming rebelluous to going to church. He is telling us that he is not sure he wants to continue being Catholic. This is very upsetting to my husband and me. We’re not sure what to do. He is fighting with us about going to church and now telling us that he doesn’t believe in God. He went with us to mass begrugingly, and didn’t participate in any part of the mass, other than communion. I am so upset. He is questioning his faith and says that we are forcing him to be Catholic and go to church. I was tearful in mass today and prayed for him. He was crying in the car on the way and saying, “I don’t believe in God!”. We are telling him that until he is 18, he WILL be raised Catholic and go to church with us as a family. He thinks we are violating his freedom of choice. Please advise. Anyone here experienced with teens and rebelling against going to church? Thank you so much! It’s been so upsetting.
Connie

Hi Connie,

It is around this age when people start exercising their reasoning faculties and this is when doubt sets in.

The good news is a the Catholic Faith is an intelligient faith. This is where faith and reason meet.

Perhaps you could ask him one at a time what his objections are. Then if you know the answer present it. If not, research it. This forum I think has discussed to the nth degree every possible objection to the Catholic Faith.

You can perhaps even suggest to him that if he has so many questions, then perhaps he should join and discuss his gripes about the Church here.

But the most important thing is to continue praying for him. Ask our Lady to lead him back to her Son’s church. She has done this so many time you know. And if it seems to be taking a long time, just remember St Monica. Which reminds me, there’s another mother you can pray too and who will understand your situation.

Try to get a hold of the conversion story of Fr Donald Calloway.

Also, read up on Alphonse Ratisbone. If you like, I will email you his conversion story.

As a last word, I may be wrong but most often, the issue that young kids (and mature adults) have with the Church is usually morality. They cloak it in so many ways but in the end, it’s because they cannot accept the church’s moral teachings on sexuality.

And yet, that too, if they will only read can be easily explained.

May God’s peace remain with you.

 

[judechild]

How much time does your son spend with atheist friends? Since he is very young, he probably won’t be able to effectively explain his faith, and so if a friend treats him weird and then asks him to “prove God,” and he can’t, then he may think his faith is unreasonable; hence, he says “I don’t believe in God” because he feels exposed to say that he does.

I’d make sure there is no bullying going on that is making him act like an atheist. I have a friend who’s almost fourteen and was serverely bullied for his belief in God, and it made him a nervous wreck for a while (though he didn’t start doubting).

If there is no bullying, maybe he simply needs to discover metaphysics; definitely show him the proofs of Augustine, and maybe St. Anselm’s Ontological Arguement which may not prove God necessarily, but it does show belief is reasonable.

Most importantly, ask him why he is doubting his faith. Be as gentle and loving as is possible, so that he doesn’t feel attacked. I truely would doubt that he rejects belief for purely intellectual reasons.