Why do people leave the Catholic Church?

[Stephentlig]

Do you think people generally leave Catholicism for reasons of conscience or simply because they aren’t much interested in spiritual matters of any kind?

Curiously,
Mick

I havnt much time to respond to this post the way I’d like to and perhaps I shouldnt but I would say:

People leave the Catholic church out of self interest. now I’d love to expand on that but I cant lol I’d only ask that you think about it.

One example: ‘‘I want to have pre-marital sex, therefore I’m gonna leave the church so I can do just that.’’

then they use excuses also, such as the scandals and so on and so forth, we must pray for them though that they’ll come back.

God bless
Stephen.

 

[Howie01]

I called it an anti-Catholic interpretation because no matter how much proof and logic is shown to the contrary - the Catholic is always accused of idolatry. So, yes - I stick with that description. Nice dance around the issue, though . . .

I see.

I haven’t accused you of idolatry, so you’re not always accused of idolatry.

But, now you’ve me got me really curious.

Would you interpret Christ in the following verse to be giving you the green light to refer to as "anti-Catholics," those who refer to you as "idolator?":**Matthew 5:44

44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,**

Where has God commanded the NT Church NOT to make graven images that are not idols?

No. Where has God commanded the NT church to make images, graven or otherwise?

No, they didn’t worship it, and neither do Catholics worship images. Is that what you’re implying?

No, that’s not what I’m implying.

Once again, where has God commanded the NT church to make images, graven or otherwise?

 

[SSTeacher]

And you have traded your birthright for a mess of pottage. Anyone who would trade the gold of True Faith for the base metal of a religion founded by a madman and the world-conforming slavery of gay and abortion-friendly Episcopalianism is not wise, in my opinion.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Do you think people sometimes are driven out of the Catholic Church by the harsh words hurled at them?

Speculatively,
Mick

 

[Ronald_E]

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Do you think people sometimes are driven out of the Catholic Church by the harsh words hurled at them?

Speculatively,
Mick

children are. That is where all of us begin.

 

[josie_L]

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Do you think people sometimes are driven out of the Catholic Church by the harsh words hurled at them?

Speculatively,
Mick

I think that a lot of Catholics have left the CC because of the unkind words and downright lies propagated by some Protestants about our doctrines, you should read Karl Keatings
"Catholicism and Fundamentalism. " It’s an eyeopener.

 

[Salonika]

I havnt much time to respond to this post the way I’d like to and perhaps I shouldnt but I would say:

People leave the Catholic church out of self interest. now I’d love to expand on that but I cant lol I’d only ask that you think about it.

Yes, I have thought about it and the results are interesting.

Let me preface by saying I have left the Church but not the Catholic Church, however I am still commenting because I think there are similiarities in the reasons why people leave Churches.

Yes, I left the Church out of self interest, I found that staying in the Church when I did not believe its teachings was not in my best interests. I came away upset each Sunday hearing doctrines I did not believe and found non-life giving. I finally left after the cost of putting myself back together got too great.

I still get upset thinking about that time and the pain it involved. There is pain being away but that is so much less than being there.

 

[rinnie]

Exodus 20:4 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;

Oh Lord have Mercy,

The use of statues and icons for liturgical purposes (as apposed to idols) also had a place in the OT. Please refer to Exodus 25:18 God commanded make two cherubim of gold.

Now go to numbers 21:8-9 He told moses to make a fiery serpent.

In John 3:14 JESUS TELLS US THAT HE HIMSELF IS WHAT THE BRONZE SERPENT RESPRESENTED SO IT WAS A SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION OF JESUS. There was no PROBLEM with this statue- God commanded it to be made.

Please read all of the OT before you try to contradict yourself.

Now it is as simple as this either you are contradicting yourself or Jesus is. Who do you think everyone on this post is going to agree with. You or Jesus?

 

[hosemonkey]

Do you consider that most Protestants lack taste? Maybe they just have different tastes. Maybe there is a place for both Cordon Bleu and Hamburger Helper. Sometimes too, they may understand but not agree with Catholic doctrine.

Each person has their own reasons for leaving or staying with a Church. So you believe that people who leave the Catholic Church or do not join because because they disagree with aspects of the Catholic Church’s views on sexual matters are carnal?

 

[SSTeacher]

I think that a lot of Catholics have left the CC because of the unkind words and downright lies propagated by some Protestants about our doctrines, you should read Karl Keatings
"Catholicism and Fundamentalism. " It’s an eyeopener.

Do you think the people who have left the Catholic Church because of the words propagated by some Protestants subsequently convert to some form of Protestantism or do you suppose that they lose interest in spiritual matters altogether?

Musingly,
Mick

 

[rinnie]

We will but get into another discussion of what Jesus intended I’m afraid. I think it clear that Jesus told Peter to lead the movement and be in charge so to speak of the other apostles. I cannot presume the mind of Christ as to why he changed Peters name, other than he felt he could count on Peter in the end to continue preaching in the manner that Jesus had. I don’t know that Jesus called Peter the “leader of the flock” as you say.

Simple go to John. 21:15-18

quick version. Simon do you love me, Yes Lord feed my sheep, Simon do you love me Yes lord TEND MY SHEEP. peter do you love me? feed my sheep. Simple Peter is who he was talking to. Please read it yourself. ITs better that way.

 

[hosemonkey]

Whatever Henry V111 may have become later he was not a madman at the time of the “break from Rome”, so that comment is inaccurate.

Henry had a number of loose screws that became looser as time went on. Correct, his madness was not full-blown until after he chose to rob the Church and murder Catholics, but nonetheless, he was responsible for the travesty that became Anglicanism.

 

[Hesychios]

Simple go to John. 21:15-18

quick version. Simon do you love me, Yes Lord feed my sheep, Simon do you love me Yes lord TEND MY SHEEP. peter do you love me? feed my sheep. Simple Peter is who he was talking to. Please read it yourself. ITs better that way.

Yes. This was in order to reconcile Peter with Jesus, after having denied Him three times.

Peter was in confession. He was being reconciled for his sin.

 

[Salonika]

hosemonkey:

I stand by my contentions. I see by your profile that you list your religion as “nil”. Does that mean that you have no religion or do you just choose to be coy?

Thought it was clear from my post that I have left the Church. But I have not become unspiritual.

hosemonkey:

Protestantism is the product of rebellion to the will of God by a failed priest who chose to drag millions of souls with him in his heresy. The so-called “Protestant Reformation” is a product of the Evil one and has caused more misery than any other human calamity. IMHO. More than that, I cannot say.

Not going to get into this more than this comment. I think movements have their time, otherwise they don’t take off. Think you need to look at why the Protestant Reformation took flame.

The Protestant Reformation has caused more misery than any other calamity - what about The Holocaust? Stalin’s Russia? Pol Pot’s Cambodia?

 

[rinnie]

I don’t agree that it is better. If that is so, then we all should aim to be single and celibate and thus violate the Catholic belief that we are to “go forth and multiple” which is the reason that Catholics aren’t supposed to use contraception. Course most do, but that is another question entirely.

This is where I must have misunderstood you SM. Where you said we should aim to be single and celibate. Sorry we did get our wires crossed.

 

[hosemonkey]

Do you think the people who have left the Catholic Church because of the words propagated by some Protestants subsequently convert to some form of Protestantism or do you suppose that they lose interest in spiritual matters altogether?

Musingly,
Mick

Active proselytising by protestants coupled with Lousy catechesis by the post Vatican II Church. How can you withstand the onslaught of verse-spouting and lies and half-truths by predatory protestants if you do not know your own faith? Catholics NEED to know the Faith, they need to have a defense for their belief and it’s origins. The Catholic Faith is The True Faith and is not at all difficult to defend and propagate, if one has good, solid ,basic knowlege. That knowlege is NOT being imparted by your average parish catechesis program, but more importantly, by Catholic parents for their children. This is the key, Instruction, by the parents… Example, by the parents. The parish cannot be expected to do it all. One hour of CCD a week will not cut it. You gotta study AND teach your kids.

 

[hosemonkey]

Thought it was clear from my post that I have left the Church. But I have not become unspiritual.

Not going to get into this more than this comment. I think movements have their time, otherwise they don’t take off. Think you need to look at why the Protestant Reformation took flame.

I know exactly the genesis of the “Protestant Reformation.”
The Nazis, Stalin and Pol Pot took men’s lives, the “Protestant Reformation” took men’s souls.

 

[Hisalone]

I know exactly the genesis of the “Protestant Reformation.”
The Nazis, Stalin and Pol Pot took men’s lives, the “Protestant Reformation” took men’s souls.

You guys insist on trying to hijack this threads with your off topic spew.
The RCC was the cause of the reformation, look to yourself why we are split.

 

[Hesychios]

Yes, the photos came up fine.

And yes, that is more my style of architecture - though I realise that’s is not for everyone.

Will also go on to some Cistercian sites to see more.

Thanks

Salonika

The medieval monasteries of that tradition had bare stone walls, not the nicely finished gypsum we see here. The concept was the same and it can really project an idea of sacred space in all of it’s simplicity.

Even a roughly cut cave with a simple altar can project similar feelings.



As I said the Cistercians of later centuries began to drift away from the “stark” designs and the early discipline. It is a natural process of change.

Parallel to this in time, but quite different in spiritual ideals was Cluny, which was very ornate, even sumptuous, and as some might say “prone to excess”. Cluny preceeded Cîteaux by well over one hundred years, if I remember correctly.

I think the Cistercians were living a spiritual style in reaction to what they considered Cluniac excess.

 

[hosemonkey]

You guys insist on trying to hijack this threads with your off topic spew.

The RCC was the cause of the reformation, look to yourself why we are split.

Spew? “Get thee behind me, Satan.”

 

[SSTeacher]

Active proselytising by protestants coupled with Lousy catechesis by the post Vatican II Church. How can you withstand the onslaught of verse-spouting and lies and half-truths by predatory protestants if you do not know your own faith? Catholics NEED to know the Faith, they need to have a defense for their belief and it’s origins. The Catholic Faith is The True Faith and is not at all difficult to defend and propagate, if one has good, solid ,basic knowlege. That knowlege is NOT being imparted by your average parish catechesis program, but more importantly, by Catholic parents for their children. This is the key, Instruction, by the parents… Example, by the parents. The parish cannot be expected to do it all. One hour of CCD a week will not cut it. You gotta study AND teach your kids.

Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray. It’s a biblical injunction and doubtless makes sense to most parents.

Allow me to ask this. You referred in your post above to “verse–spouting and lies and half–truths by predatory protestants.” Is it your considered opinion that these Protestants are aware that they are telling lies and half–truths i.e. that they are willfully and purposefully indulging in deceit with a full knowledge of what they are doing?

Curiously,
Mick