Why participate?

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Peter_J

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Hi all. I haven’t had too much time to spend on CAF in the last couple months. This evening, however, I did have some time, and decided to take a look at the list of threads. (Most of the threads that I’m suscribed are, not surprizingly, long dormant by now.) Oddly enough, the end result of this wasn’t a period of reading so much as a period of reflecting: why participate here? (Not that I never asked myself that question when I was participating here on a regular basis; but I think I have a slightly different perspective now.)

Turning the question around, why do you participate on CAF?

Anyone is welcome to answer, but naturally some people’s answers will be of greater interest to me than other people’s. (If you say “I’m here because I believe the Pope is the anti-Christ, and I want to let others know that” then I will respect your opinion, but I’ll be more interested in the answer given by someone who is a little closer to my own point of view.)
 
I don’t regularly, usually I just lurk/read. 😛 I am a man of few words on the interwebz.
 
Peter_J said:
Hi all. I haven’t had too much time to spend on CAF in the last couple months. This evening, however, I did have some time, and decided to take a look at the list of threads. (Most of the threads that I’m suscribed are, not surprizingly, long dormant by now.) Oddly enough, the end result of this wasn’t a period of reading so much as a period of reflecting: why participate here? (Not that I never asked myself that question when I was participating here on a regular basis; but I think I have a slightly different perspective now.)

Turning the question around, why do you participate on CAF?

Anyone is welcome to answer, but naturally some people’s answers will be of greater interest to me than other people’s. (If you say “I’m here because I believe the Pope is the anti-Christ, and I want to let others know that” then I will respect your opinion, but I’ll be more interested in the answer given by someone who is a little closer to my own point of view.)
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Force of habit, possibly ?​

 
Originally to kill time, now mostly to learn different perspectives. I may think someone is wrong but that doesn’t mean I can’t learn anything from what they’ve arrived at.

I’ve actually learned quite a bit about the RCC through this forum, as well as a few other select religions. Sadly I’ve also had my preconceptions on a few others (not going to mention them) re-enforced.
 
To learn more about my religion. To talk to other Catholics.🙂
 
Learning, exchanging of views and offer personal thoughts especially with fellow Catholics and other posters.

Help to discover oneself. Chances are real people would react similarly as how they react to you in the internet.
 
Hiyas:)

Actually, I have learned much about me through communion with other Catholics, here.

Some here are strong in scripture, some in prayer devotion, some in social justices, some in philosophical thought. The educational resource is amazing, to me. Something I don’t have assessable without CAF .

When I ask a question, I can get a number of responses and I can choose my mentors.

I get challenged at times, while reading, on why I believe the way I do…and that is a good thing.

I think, I can’t be an informed Catholic… sitting on someplace like my-spac.

I hope this helps
 
To attempt to understand what Roman Catholics believe by talking to Roman Catholics.
 
Parascheva1014 said:
To attempt to understand what Roman Catholics believe by talking to Roman Catholics.
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You can call us Catholics. Or Catholic Christians.
But even when I told her I was not yet a Catholic Christian, I was no longer a Manichean, she was not greatly exultant as at some unlooked-for good news because she had already receive assurance upon that part of my misery…
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– Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, The Confessions, 400 AD
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I actually came here to learn more about the catholic church. However, when I saw the antimormon threads, I decided to defend the mormon church against what I see as antimormonism. So I mainly post on mormon threads but I would much rather be in the catholic living section etc.
 
A few reasons -

One is sheer habit. It’s easy to do, and can be a time waster. But that’s only after doing it for a while in the first place.

Another is that as a former Protestant, I hope a few Protestants will realise the Catholic Church may not be the un-Christian or erroneous outfit they thought it was. For some of us, I suppose it’s a form of Clayton’s evangelisation.

A third is to learn from others. By bouncing ideas around, I often pick up threads that challenge my own conceptions, or which may lead to modification of some of my previous opinions.

Fourth is to express the truth as I see it. Obviously others are doing the same thing from their point of view.

Fifth, as a sign of the times, I can debate topics almost instantaneously with people thousands of kilometres away. That was unheard of when I was younger, with the rare exception of televised debates at many times the cost.

Sixth, to relate to people who believe much the same as I do.

And then it gets right back to my first point - it’s become a habit, and not always a good one. It’s easy to get sidetracked onto this when I should be doing something else that requires more real self discipline.
 
Peter_J said:
Turning the question around, why do you participate on CAF?

.)
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great question, it seems at least for this forum there are folks genuinely interested in hearing directly from non-Catholics about their experience and beliefs in their own faith, and those who generously share their knowledge. There are also those who wish to engage in debate, and those who are just on a learning curve. I’m an old member, most of the mods were still in diapers when I joined, but I hang around and usually respond only to threads where I feel I can make a direct contribution, usually those about RCIA, sacramental prep, religious eduction, and sometimes questions from non-catholics. I can’t resist butting in like any other grandma on family life and parenting from time to time but they don’t mind any more than my daughters do.
 
Peter_J said:
Turning the question around, why do you participate on CAF?
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Wow. I logged on this morning to see if this question had already gotten a response or two; come to find out that it got 13 replies overnight. (Well, “overnight” from the p.o.v. of us on the east coast.) Thanks to all responders.
 
Parascheva1014 said:
To attempt to understand what Roman Catholics believe by talking to Roman Catholics.
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Glad to hear that (and welcome to the forum btw). However, I would like to warn you against a pitfall that a lot of non-Catholic Christians seem to fall into here: namely, thinking that “such-and-such must be ‘what Catholics believe’ because somebody or other posted it on CAF.”
 
I see no one has yet mentioned the A word, but yes the forums can be addictive
 
I’ve been on here for a while. I’ve taken breakes along the way. I do return because I enjoy it, it is addictive, and I have learned things. More importantly, I do it because I hope that one day, in heaven, someone tells me that they made it because of something I said. Maybe they will disagree at the time, but I planted the seed.

Sure, that is egotistical, but it is true
 
I’ve just started posting again after a short gap - because I got a notification of a reply to a thread that had been dormant for a while and I was curious to see the new answers.

Originally I got involved because I wanted to understand the Catholic background of one side of my family (goes back to the middle 1860’s) which was not often mentioned/to be keep silent about in my Protestant family. And yes I have learnt.

Then I moved a bit wider and looked at threads that dealt with some of the theological issues that led me to re-leave the Christian Church some years back. Don’t get involved in these much now because some of these issues can still become raw for me.

When I visit CAF I look at the family living and related areas and usually find some issues to contribute to.

And yes, it can become addictive as you follow people working on problenms/questions or you see some of your favourite posters (some of whom you agree with and some you don’t) have posted.

And at times by thinking about someone’s question/problems I get insights about my own that I wouldn’t get otherwise.
 
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