H
HerrZJA
Guest
All right, I’ve been mulling this one over for a while with the SO, who brought it up in the first place. Full disclosure is that neither her or I are Catholic; she identifies herself as a non-denominational Christian, and I call myself a potential-convert on my more pious days.
In any event, we often have discussions about faith, which is a reasonably healthy thing to do, and about a week and a half ago, we were talking about baptism, since I was planning on being baptized when I complete RCIA in Easter. She made an interesting point that I sort of knew without knowing, if that makes any sense. She said something to the effect that baptism means you are prepared to set aside your own beliefs on right and wrong to accept the bible’s position wholeheartedly.
It gave me pause, obviously, because neither of us are especially devout followers of the “rules”, as it were. We’re both relatively far to the left. I can’t speak for her politics (because that goes outside my privledge), but I can talk about mine. I wouldn’t ever advise anyone to get an abortion, but I’m not against them being legal. I believe in other forms of birth control, and think they should be used. I’m not a big fan of the church’s position on gay rights, either.
I’m not saying this to start a row, but I’m saying it because it’s sort of a sticking point. I’m absolutely convicted about the existence of Christ… in fact, I’m fairly certain of everything in the apostle’s creed… but when it comes down to the nitty-gritty practical matters, where faith and day-to-day life meet, I hit a sticking point.
That’s what I need help with, I suppose. How do we digest the hard sayings of the bible? How can I believe it in one way, but set that belief aside when it’s no longer convenient… which is to say, how do I stop doing that?
I really want to get this. I want to make this real.
In any event, we often have discussions about faith, which is a reasonably healthy thing to do, and about a week and a half ago, we were talking about baptism, since I was planning on being baptized when I complete RCIA in Easter. She made an interesting point that I sort of knew without knowing, if that makes any sense. She said something to the effect that baptism means you are prepared to set aside your own beliefs on right and wrong to accept the bible’s position wholeheartedly.
It gave me pause, obviously, because neither of us are especially devout followers of the “rules”, as it were. We’re both relatively far to the left. I can’t speak for her politics (because that goes outside my privledge), but I can talk about mine. I wouldn’t ever advise anyone to get an abortion, but I’m not against them being legal. I believe in other forms of birth control, and think they should be used. I’m not a big fan of the church’s position on gay rights, either.
I’m not saying this to start a row, but I’m saying it because it’s sort of a sticking point. I’m absolutely convicted about the existence of Christ… in fact, I’m fairly certain of everything in the apostle’s creed… but when it comes down to the nitty-gritty practical matters, where faith and day-to-day life meet, I hit a sticking point.
That’s what I need help with, I suppose. How do we digest the hard sayings of the bible? How can I believe it in one way, but set that belief aside when it’s no longer convenient… which is to say, how do I stop doing that?
I really want to get this. I want to make this real.
