OT: Am I a Bad Catholic?

[esbrick]

Thankfully, I do consider the Bible and the Church teachings to be wonderful tools to guide me in my faith. But I also look to myself to determine what God had in mind when He made me.

Beautifully said!

 

[roscoepc1]

I'm not Catholic, but about 1/2 of my very large family is, plus we have a lot of Catholic friends etc.

I have only ever known 1 Catholic in my entire LIFE who ate only fish on Fridays/lent...or the "no meat" thing, lol. Regardless of how devout. And she did it to draw attention to herself in an unhealthy way.

I think everyone, whether Catholic or Protestant, wiccan or pantheist, has items in their particular faith or denomination they don't agree with 100%. The only way you will find a religion/denom/faith that you agree with 100% is to make one yourself!

 

[okeydokey]

No I don't think so, but I had chicken soup for lunch. Honestly, some of my favorite meals are meatless so what kind of sacrifice am I making by having one of those on Friday? Going without meat on Friday does not make me feel closer to God. Taking extra time for prayer and contemplation does, so that is what I am focusong on during Lent.

 

[okeydokey]

I'm not Catholic, but a few years ago, St. Patrick's Day fell on a Friday during lent. At that time, our local Bishop said that the "no meat on Friday's" was more of a guideline than a rule, so he said that it would be just fine for Catholics to have the corned beef and cabbage on that day. My thought is that if God really cared if you had meat on Friday's during Lent, then he wouldn't make an exception for St. Patrick's Day.

You could always become Lutheran like me. We are "Catholic Lite". All of the doctrine with 1/3 less guilt.

Sounds like Pirates of the Caribbean.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Kind of a pseudo-Catholic here (DH is Catholic, and I'm just sort of general Christian, so we go a Catholic church) - so please don't take my answer as anything official, but here goes:

Lent's supposed to be about imitating Jesus, right? So I think doing something positive (charity, praying for someone, etc.) is just as good as giving something up if it means more to you.

For example, if DH is home for dinner on Friday, we have fish, but it's not a sacrafice for me at all - I love fish! So it makes more of an impact on me to do other things. (I do think the whole fish tradition gives a nice feeling of community, though.)

I hope that makes sense, and good luck with your decision.

 

[javamoma]

Don't feel bad! I am a Baptist and I drink wine!

 

[lntsmom]

I think that God gave us reason to be abole to personally examine our beliefs. When it comes right down to it our relationship with God is a personal one. Everone should examine the particular "restrictions" of his or her brand of religion and determine wether they feel that they are truly something God mandates. If you beleive it you shoud understand why you beleive it and not just follw it blindly because someone else, in the church or not, told you to.

What you believe is of no relevance to me. I choose to turn to experts, not the man on the street. My belief is that anyone who thinks he or she has all the answers doesn't even have all the questions.

The op asked if not following a church practice made him a bad member. I answered that question with my honest opinion. What you've written does not address the original question.

Geez, I spend all day trying to get kids to make sure they answer the question. I don't expect to have to teach writing skills during my free time.

 

[RN01]

You could always become Lutheran like me. We are "Catholic Lite". All of the doctrine with 1/3 less guilt.[/QUOTE]



I love it!!!!

 

[skitt]

Since we're talking about the point "to me"...I'll share:

There's an old saying: The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

My honest opinion is that anyone who thinks they can reinterpret restrictions has bigger problems than deciding whether to eat meat on Fridays. A look at the 7 Deadly Sins and the 7 Cardinal Virtues might be in line.

I completely agree with this! Very wise.

Of course, I am an all-or-nothing when it comes to religion, and it's why I am an atheist now!

 

[princessmom29]

What you believe is of no relevance to me. I choose to turn to experts, not the man on the street. My belief is that anyone who thinks he or she has all the answers doesn't even have all the questions.

The op asked if not following a church practice made him a bad member. I answered that question with my honest opinion. What you've written does not address the original question.

Geez, I spend all day trying to get kids to make sure they answer the question. I don't expect to have to teach writing skills during my free time.

She asked for opinions I gave mine. Did I hit a nerve? You absolutely do not need to teach me writing skills. That was my response to your post and again my opinion. It does address the original question. The question was wether she was a bad Cathloic for eating meat on friday, and as anyone could tell from actually reading the series of posts i have made, I don't think so. I was expressing my opinion. If it bothers you that much ignore it, but don't try to belittle me for expressing it. I do not claim to have all the answers, but at least I am asking the questions. If you don't question anything, ever, how can you even begin to understand it?

 

[RN01]

I love all the replies I'm getting, even the ones that bashed me, which I knew there would be some. It's really made me think. But I do know one thing, just because I don't agree with one thing that my church does doesn't mean I want to switch religions. That would be ridiculous. I also don't feel like I'm being rebelious.

 

[princessmom29]

This is an interesting discussion and is making me think - I like that!

I do wonder about the lives/homes of those who believe they need to follow every rule to the letter. I was given a book of typical 'wedding readings' to look through when dh and I were planning our Catholic wedding. I went in to meet with the Deacon and told him I was appalled they are still giving that out to soon-to-be-marrieds. I'm not very knowledgeable about Bible verses, so someone will have to help me, but included in the recommended reading options was the one about a husband being joyous of a silent wife. My Deacon didn't find it as humorous as I did...and I think this is one way the Church must adjust if they want to increase/maintain membership. I can't even believe a Church today would 'recommend' that a wife be subservient to her husband. The Bible was written a LONG time ago and it might have been acceptable then, but, God would not have given women and men the brains they have if they wanted only one of them to use it.

Thankfully, I do consider the Bible and the Church teachings to be wonderful tools to guide me in my faith. But I also look to myself to determine what God had in mind when He made me.

I think you made my point much more eloquently than I did. Faith ultimately lies within.

 

[DawnM]

I have never really understood why this is practiced today anyway, it seems that most find little to no meaning in it and if it isn't meaningful to you, why practice it?

Dawn

 

[MrsPooh]

If you choose to belong to any group your indentity as a member is tied to your willingness to follow what that group follows or believes. If you wish to term yourself a Catholic than you should follow the rules, regulations and beliefs of the Catholic Church. If you do not believe in following the rules and guidelines of the Church it may not make you a bad person but it makes you not authentically Catholic. That is why the US Bishops and the Pope are upset with many of our politicians - they present themselves as Catholics but do not follow the Church teachings, leading others to confusion about the Catholic Church.

The US Guidelines for lent include fasting as well as abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and abstaining from meat on all other Fridays during lent. Truthfully, this is not a hard rule to follow - you can still have seafood, eggs, cheese and pb&j.

 

[chepic]

I couldn't help but look at this. I am a DRE of our Parish, and have been chatting about this subject to the kids. I looked it up and this is what I found:

http://www.usccb.org/lent/fast.shtml

Let us offer a reminder on the Church's fasting and abstinence teachings:

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of universal fast and abstinence. Fasting is obligatory for all who have completed their 18th year and have not yet reached their 60th year. Fasting allows a person to eat one full meal. Two smaller meals may be taken, not to equal one full meal. Abstinence (from meat) is obligatory for all who have reached their 14th year.

If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the "paschal fast" to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily his Resurrection.

Fridays in Lent are obligatory days of complete abstinence (from meat) for all who have completed their 14th year.

We encourage you to make use of the site. Through our works of prayer, fasting, and abstinence, let us heed the prophet Joel's exhortation to return to God with our whole heart (2:12).



So I suppose we are supposed to not eat meat to remember why Christ suffered and sacrificed for us.

Just pray about it, the answer will be revealed.

 

[princessmom29]

I just remebered something our preist quoted from the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. She said at the annual conference "You don't all have to profess exactly the same understanding of the outline of the faith(catechism) that I hold so long as we worship together in unity and peace." I gusee that sums up what I am saying pretty well.

 

[fussymonkey]

What you believe is of no relevance to me. I choose to turn to experts, not the man on the street. My belief is that anyone who thinks he or she has all the answers doesn't even have all the questions.

[snip]
Geez, I spend all day trying to get kids to make sure they answer the question. I don't expect to have to teach writing skills during my free time.

What any of us beleive may be of no relevance to you, but then you are not the center of the universe are you? The comments that you quoted were obviously intended for the OP.

What makes an "expert" an expert when it come to faith? No amount of learning the scripture will ever lead one to abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent. In any case the layity is as entitled to an opinion on relgious matters as the clergy. We are as able to read, study, understand and seek wisdom.

I don't understand this attitude of "follow every rule or get out". If we had to agree with every plank of a party's platform most of us wouldn't ever vote in an election. If we don't agree with everything the US does in terms of foreign policy, ought we to move? That's insane. Strict, unquestioning adherance to ever rule created by men (not God) is cultish... and most of the nuanced, thinking, intellectual and wonderful Catholics I know are not like that. Jesus set an example of questioning religious authority- check out his dealings with Pharasies in the New Testament. All or nothing adherance to man-mandated (without scriptural authority) religious practice is counterindicated by scripture.

Finally, the nast, rude tone here is the kind of thing that gives Christians a bad name. I would no more snarl about someone else's writing skills than I would stick a Jesus fish on my car while flipping other drivers the bird. Seriously.

eta: OP, I just meant if you are being rebellious to a certian rule, not a great thing. If you don't feel convicted about not abstaining from meat on a Friday, and you've prayed it through, then don't sweat it.

 

[micheleq]

Why??? Aren't we taught as christians to love and accept everyone??

It was a joke My accountant is a wonderful person who also is a friend. I was just letting the OP know that they weren't a bad Catholic in my opinion.

 

[mjkacmom]

What any of us beleive may be of no relevance to you, but then you are not the center of the universe are you? The comments that you quoted were obviously intended for the OP.

What makes an "expert" an expert when it come to faith? No amount of learning the scripture will ever lead one to abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent. In any case the layity is as entitled to an opinion on relgious matters as the clergy. We are as able to read, study, understand and seek wisdom.

I don't understand this attitude of "follow every rule or get out". If we had to agree with every plank of a party's platform most of us wouldn't ever vote in an election. If we don't agree with everything the US does in terms of foreign policy, ought we to move? That's insane. Strict, unquestioning adherance to ever rule created by men (not God) is cultish... and most of the nuanced, thinking, intellectual and wonderful Catholics I know are not like that. Jesus set an example of questioning religious authority- check out his dealings with Pharasies in the New Testament. All or nothing adherance to man-mandated (without scriptural authority) religious practice is counterindicated by scripture.

Finally, the nast, rude tone here is the kind of thing that gives Christians a bad name. I would no more snarl about someone else's writing skills than I would stick a Jesus fish on my car while flipping other drivers the bird. Seriously.

eta: OP, I just meant if you are being rebellious to a certian rule, not a great thing. If you don't feel convicted about not abstaining from meat on a Friday, and you've prayed it through, then don't sweat it.

Are you Catholic? Because there are very strict rules to follow - that are not up to interpretation. I am Catholic, and a "bad" one. I don't go to Mass every Sunday, I don't confess my sins, I sometimes eat meat on Sundays during Lent - there are SO many rules, it's tough to be a "good" Catholic. I believe in gay marriage and abortion, but understand why my religion cannot accept these things. My grandmother was a "good" Catholic, and strictly followed the rules (she actually went to Mass daily). She was a much better Catholic than I am.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

If you're "just not into" church teachings, find another church.

Seriously. If you don't believe in pennance and reconcilliation, which is what fasting and abstinance are about, then you don't believe what the Catholic church believes.

If you think you know better than anyone else and that you don't need guidance to be a better person, then find a church that embraces that philosophy.

On the other hand, maybe you need to question how serious you are about your faith and whether you think a embracing only those traditions that are convenient for you is enough. Seems to me the Bible says something about the way being narrow....

My answer: no, you can't be a good Catholic and choose to ignore teachings. Either man up and do the right thing or find another church.

Are you Catholic?