The sinfulness of lost faith

[rfulks]

Is it considered a sin to lose one’s faith in Christ and the Catholic Church?
I am thinking particularly of the sexual abuse scandal that has been rocking our Church for the past decade or two.
If someone who had been previously devout and became a victim of sexual abuse at the hand of a priest subsequently (and understandably) lost his faith as a consequence of that abuse, would he be considered a sinner? Would he be condemned eternally if he stopped attending Mass, stopped receiving the Blessed Sacrament, stopped believing in God entirely? I cannot imagine that would be a sin. What if someone who was not a victim of abuse still decided against following the teachings of the Church because of the scandal? If someone loses faith because their own pastor of 5 or 6 years - whom they trusted entirely and around the teachings of whom they lived their life - was accused and convicted of the most malicious crimes against the innocent, would that person be a sinner?
How sinful is it to lose one’s faith, if one has a valid reason?

 

[PAboy57]

If you are not with Jesus then you are against Him. Losing one’s faith means you do not accept God’s mercy and live by His law. You will not go to heaven chosing that path.

Accepting our faith and doing good works is the path to Jesus.

 

[Rascalking]

I am always troubled by people saying this is “a sin”.

Only is a world where faith is difficult can faith be possible.

Most honest people admit they have doubts. Mother Theresa did!!! How can you not? When you see pictures of the holocaust, children with cancer-if they don’t break your heart and make you, at one point in your life, at least wonder if there is a God-which I’ve done many, many times (I’m a Pittsburgh Pirates fan—come on, give me a break-) you might not have a very strong faith in the first place.

Reinhold Niebuhr, the brilliant theologian said it best. “A frantic orthodoxy is never rooted in faith, but in doubt. When your not sure, your doubly sure.”

I’m sure this won’t be a popular opinion here.

 

[puzzleannie]

one thing Christ definitely said is a sin, about the worst one can commit, is to lead the innocent astray. He warned that those who cause these little ones to sin, it would be better had they never been born, as they will be cast into the pit of eternal fire. So in addition to the actual crimes of abuse those who were guilty, and those who aided and abetted their crimes as accessories after the fact, or who failed to protect those under their care, will share the guilt if some leave the Faith due to this scandal.

It must be pointed out that nothing should diminish our Faith in Jesus Christ, we place our faith in Him, not in human creatures, so the actions of human creatures should not affect our Faith in the Lord. He himself warned us that those he chose to lead the Church would fail, so we should expect frailty on their part. The sinfulness of the preacher does not lessen the Truth of the message if the message comes from Christ Himself. So yes it would be sinful to reject Jesus because of the sins of his followers. But as Christ also warned, if that person does leave the Church because of the scandal of those sinful leaders, those leaders will be held accountable for each soul who is lost through their actions.

 

[TedDC]

Is it considered a sin to lose one’s faith in Christ and the Catholic Church?
I am thinking particularly of the sexual abuse scandal that has been rocking our Church for the past decade or two.
If someone who had been previously devout and became a victim of sexual abuse at the hand of a priest subsequently (and understandably) lost his faith as a consequence of that abuse, would he be considered a sinner? Would he be condemned eternally if he stopped attending Mass, stopped receiving the Blessed Sacrament, stopped believing in God entirely? I cannot imagine that would be a sin. What if someone who was not a victim of abuse still decided against following the teachings of the Church because of the scandal? If someone loses faith because their own pastor of 5 or 6 years - whom they trusted entirely and around the teachings of whom they lived their life - was accused and convicted of the most malicious crimes against the innocent, would that person be a sinner?
How sinful is it to lose one’s faith, if one has a valid reason?

To me, faith in the Church and faith in God are two different things. I’ve lost the former, but kept the latter.

 

[JRKH]

Is it considered a sin to lose one’s faith in Christ and the Catholic Church?
I am thinking particularly of the sexual abuse scandal that has been rocking our Church for the past decade or two.
If someone who had been previously devout and became a victim of sexual abuse at the hand of a priest subsequently (and understandably) lost his faith as a consequence of that abuse, would he be considered a sinner? Would he be condemned eternally if he stopped attending Mass, stopped receiving the Blessed Sacrament, stopped believing in God entirely? I cannot imagine that would be a sin. What if someone who was not a victim of abuse still decided against following the teachings of the Church because of the scandal? If someone loses faith because their own pastor of 5 or 6 years - whom they trusted entirely and around the teachings of whom they lived their life - was accused and convicted of the most malicious crimes against the innocent, would that person be a sinner?
How sinful is it to lose one’s faith, if one has a valid reason?

It is a Mortal sin to lose ones faith because it cuts off the flow of grace and separates us from God.

You list a number of things in your post that could result in different levels of sin and might need diffetring answers based upon the particulars of the situation.
If one were to lose faith in the Church, but not in God, that could be one issue.
If one loses faith and belief in God that is a different issue.

As to losing ones faith over the abuse scandals - The victims are a small group and their culpability would need to be determined in any sin from leaving the Church over the scandal.
As for others non-victims who leave the because of some scandal or other, they are fully culpable since we hold a faith based upon The Church and upon Christ, not on the actions of sinful men. Those who would leave the Church over such issues do a diservice to, not only The Church, but to Christianity in General.

Peace
James

 

[Dorothy]

Is it considered a sin to lose one’s faith in Christ and the Catholic Church?
I am thinking particularly of the sexual abuse scandal that has been rocking our Church for the past decade or two.
If someone who had been previously devout and became a victim of sexual abuse at the hand of a priest subsequently (and understandably) lost his faith as a consequence of that abuse, would he be considered a sinner? Would he be condemned eternally if he stopped attending Mass, stopped receiving the Blessed Sacrament, stopped believing in God entirely? I cannot imagine that would be a sin. What if someone who was not a victim of abuse still decided against following the teachings of the Church because of the scandal? If someone loses faith because their own pastor of 5 or 6 years - whom they trusted entirely and around the teachings of whom they lived their life - was accused and convicted of the most malicious crimes against the innocent, would that person be a sinner?
How sinful is it to lose one’s faith, if one has a valid reason?

I have been a Catholic since birth, and have grown to love the Church because I believe she has, through apostolic succession, passed down all the truths that Our Lord Jesus Christ wants us to know.

Of course I am disappointed in how some things are handled, and about the humiliation all faithful Catholics are feeling with these revelations. But, why should it make me turn my back on Christ? I would be cutting off my nose to spite my face if I walked away from the Church.

Remember, there will always be scandals, and they started with the apostles. Judas betrayed, Peter denied, and none of the apostles but John were at the foot of the cross when Jesus died.

There are very big sinners in the Church, and there are very big saints in the Church as well. The saints show us what can be done with the cooperation with His grace that he gives through the Sacraments.
The Church needs committed, prayerful people to live the Gospel. We need to stay and grow in holiness, so that we, like the saints, can show what God can do through us with His grace.

 

[Rascalking]

Christ has always brought me back.There is simply not enough evidence to even come close to denying his existence. There is WAY too much historical evidence that He was the son of God.

I simply don’t have enough faith to be an athiest, but I’m a very skeptical person by nature, so I really understand most of them.

 

[kage_ar]

To me, faith in the Church and faith in God are two different things. I’ve lost the former, but kept the latter.

Scripture is clear, one cannot divide the body of Christ, one cannot decapitate the head from the body. Christ is the Head, His Church is the body.

I pray that this Easter you return to God with your whole heart.

 

[TedDC]

Scripture is clear, one cannot divide the body of Christ, one cannot decapitate the head from the body. Christ is the Head, His Church is the body.

I pray that this Easter you return to God with your whole heart.

I believe I am with God; I simply don’t believe that today’s Roman Catholic Church is the “one true Church”.

 

[Zatzat]

I simply don’t have enough faith to be an athiest, but I’m a very skeptical person by nature, so I really understand most of them.

Which begs the question, do you have enough faith to be a Scientologist, Hindu, Sikh, Jew or Muslim?

 

[lil_flower_luv]

I believe I am with God; I simply don’t believe that today’s Roman Catholic Church is the “one true Church”.

Jesus and His Church are inseparable.

 

[TedDC]

Jesus and His Church are inseparable.

As I said, I don’t believe that the Roman Catholic Church is “His Church”, at least not the only one.

 

[chaunceygardner]

Is it considered a sin to lose one’s faith in Christ and the Catholic Church?
I am thinking particularly of the sexual abuse scandal that has been rocking our Church for the past decade or two.
If someone who had been previously devout and became a victim of sexual abuse at the hand of a priest subsequently (and understandably) lost his faith as a consequence of that abuse, would he be considered a sinner? Would he be condemned eternally if he stopped attending Mass, stopped receiving the Blessed Sacrament, stopped believing in God entirely? I cannot imagine that would be a sin. What if someone who was not a victim of abuse still decided against following the teachings of the Church because of the scandal? If someone loses faith because their own pastor of 5 or 6 years - whom they trusted entirely and around the teachings of whom they lived their life - was accused and convicted of the most malicious crimes against the innocent, would that person be a sinner?
How sinful is it to lose one’s faith, if one has a valid reason?

You are talking about faith on different levels: losing faith in the Church, losing faith in Christ, and no longer believing in God.

I could see how someone, in the circumstances you describe, could lose their faith in the institutional Church, or those who are in earthly charge of that church. But does that mean rejecting God? Perhaps for some, but I would hope not for most. You can lose faith in your own priest or pastor for what they did (or didn’t do) or in other leaders due to their hypocrisy, but they are not God. They are not Christ. I would think God is as upset and angered with what has happened as any of us, and likely more. But God does not control anyone’s behavior, including that of a priest, Bishop or Pope.

No, I don’t think that someone whose faith in their church is shaken or even destroyed because of this is a sinner. The love of God is above and way beyond all of our pitiful attempts to comprehend it and deal with it. God is always there. Humans can fail spectacularly, but our faith in God should be indestructable.

 

[Rascalking]

Which begs the question, do you have enough faith to be a Scientology’s, Hindu, Sikh, Jew or Muslim?

Well, I did look into all of those other faiths. I can’t get away from the fact that Jesus was the Son of God. If he really was the son of God, then all those are other faiths, while perhaps partially true (and I actually do think 4 out of the 5 faiths you mentioned have LOADS of the truth in them, and are valid ways to salvation. That doesn’t mean that I think that practitioners of the 5th cannot achieve salvation) are not as completely true as Christianity.

 

[Rascalking]

Jesus and His Church are inseparable.

I’m not sure about the phrasing of this one. I think that Jesus walks with most Christians. I’ve always thought that He is much more accepting of other faiths than we sometimes can be!

Of course, He cannot be separated from the church, but He can also walk with other Christians.

 

[lil_flower_luv]

As I said, I don’t believe that the Roman Catholic Church is “His Church”, at least not the only one.

I’m very sorry about that. May our Lord be with you always.

I’m not sure about the phrasing of this one. I think that Jesus walks with most Christians. I’ve always thought that He is much more accepting of other faiths than we sometimes can be!

Of course, He cannot be separated from the church, but He can also walk with other Christians.

Who said He couldn’t walk with other Christians just because they aren’t Catholic?

When He came to this earth, He founded One, True Church. That doesn’t mean He leaves those outside of His Church in the cold. Like Him, we are to be accepting of and love those of different faiths, just as you said. But more importantly, lead them to the light…to Truth.

 

[kage_ar]

Of course, He cannot be separated from the church, but He can also walk with other Christians.

Nothing exists where God is not there, that is Scripture. That does not mean that those who have separated themselves from His Church are assured of heaven!

 

[Rascalking]

Who said He couldn’t walk with other Christians just because they aren’t Catholic?

Oh, your totally right. I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear-I know people were not saying that, I was just reminding them.

My bad…sorry.

 

[Rascalking]

Nothing exists where God is not there, that is Scripture. That does not mean that those who have separated themselves from His Church are assured of heaven!

Kage, thank God you and I are back to disagreeing. I was getting very worried!