Questions from an atheist--Am I allowed to attend RCIA?

[2towers]

when I was 10 my grandfather died after suffering with Parkinson’s disease for pretty much my entire life

Sorry to hear that. My mom has this. Such a dreadful disease.

 

[Inquisitor85]

Somewhat, but there are other issues as well.

@2towers, you have my sympathy.

 

[catholic1seeks]

@Inquisitor85

I recommend looking into Bishop Robert Barron’s Catholicism series. Might be more entertaining for you.

Here’s a full episode online, and it might be good for you, considering it’s on the Church as a concept in particular:

 

[JoeVaghn]

sorry about your grandfather, man. my grandfather is not well right now, and i understand that struggle.

 

[Gorgias]

I understand your point, and while I would appreciate a deeper understanding those moral issues are a major deal to me. They run deeper than simple dislike, they go against a lot of my core beliefs.

Right. I get it. But, these issues are distinct from your “core beliefs” – in fact, they flow from them! Same thing with Catholic moral norms – they flow from Catholic and Christian beliefs. So, to take your moral stances (which flow from your core beliefs) and compare them to Christian moral stances – without considering the core beliefs from which they flow – really just sets up straw man arguments.

So, it’s a good thing to investigate the core beliefs that give rise to the moral stances. Not because of the moral stances themselves – after all, they’re just reactions and consequences – but in order to compare the sets of core beliefs.

 

[jlhargus]

Hi, this is my first post so if it’s in the wrong category please forgive me. I’m curious to know if it would be inappropriate to attend a RCIA course to learn more about Catholicism but not convert? I would be completely up front about this, there are far, far too many issues I disagree with RCC teachings on to become a Catholic but I’m curious to learn more than I picked up in school. Feel free to ask me anything and I’ll try to answer as best I can.

It wouldn’t be wrong at all if you are there to learn. I could see it being a problem if you were there to debate.

 

[Inquisitor85]

Yeah, debating would not be good. The way I see it I’d be going into a Catholic space so it’s my decision to do that, if a JW knocks on my door for example they’re entering my space so that would be fair game.