I think the important thing is that you're comfortable with admitting you've lost your faith. Keep in mind, I've been a non-theist/agnostic/whatever since I was around 12 (the age when our mom thought me and my brother were old enough to decide for ourselves what our faiths were; my brother is Buddhist now, I believe, but my mom still goes to church every week [she's Presbyterian]), but I do think that being comfortable with yourself and hence, your beliefs, is an extremely important part of life.
It's a shame; I know a lot of good Catholics (including my father and that whole side of my family) and former Catholics, and even one of the preachers at Spot's church who we've been talking about marriage convalidation with seems like a really amazing guy and I love the story of how he found his faith and how he feels people should feel about their faith. But the religion itself doesn't present that way, and you have to dig much deeper to find the compassion and love that I would expect from the guy(s) the faith is built around.
Spot's been having a tough time with all the Catholicism in the news lately, and all the moronic things they've been doing. He still goes to church almost every week, observes Lent, all that stuff. I've been to non-Christmas Mass once with him, and at the end there was a recorded announcement about how abortion is bad, and I told him I'd never go again except for Christmas & Easter with family. I feel a bit guilty because I think I'm a small part of the reason he's been questioning his faith, but I also feel like it's something everyone should do; questioning it, like questioning anything in life, is the only way you can learn and grow.
There's a lot of good websites out there for ex-Catholics, former Catholics, recovering Catholics, etc. that have articles supporting the faith without supporting the specific religion. Likewise, there's an amazing amount of organizations that involve faith but not religion; I know that Lonnie/Beerhorse goes to one at the DeKoven House here in Middletown every week and it's more of a community group hug than a whole lot of specifics on what you need to believe in. Finding something like that might be a good way of becoming more comfortable with being an ex-Catholic and finding your own answers.
I had a point somewhere in here; hopefully you can find it. Apologies for rambling :)
Don't worry about the rambling. I agree with you that everyone should consider their beliefs (religious or otherwise). Blind obedience isn't true faith. I do rather like Terry Pratchett's views on the matter in Small Gods: how a religion can get lost in empty rituals. Rituals need to have meaning to the individual.
For me, faith and religion is intertwined. Consider it a matter of my preference for structure and clear ethics and practices.
I don't think you should blame yourself for Spot questioning himself. The American Church has had a sharp shift to the right since the ascension of the latest pope. The previous pope was conservative, but more easy going/loving toward his flock. And he, Pope John Paul II had been pope for the majority of Spotty's life, and certainly all of mine. The current pope is putting his priests and nuns in chains, restricting their behavior, and pushing specific political messages beyond what had been normal. Catholicism isn't the most welcoming faith at the moment.
It's a shame; I know a lot of good Catholics (including my father and that whole side of my family) and former Catholics, and even one of the preachers at Spot's church who we've been talking about marriage convalidation with seems like a really amazing guy and I love the story of how he found his faith and how he feels people should feel about their faith. But the religion itself doesn't present that way, and you have to dig much deeper to find the compassion and love that I would expect from the guy(s) the faith is built around.
Spot's been having a tough time with all the Catholicism in the news lately, and all the moronic things they've been doing. He still goes to church almost every week, observes Lent, all that stuff. I've been to non-Christmas Mass once with him, and at the end there was a recorded announcement about how abortion is bad, and I told him I'd never go again except for Christmas & Easter with family. I feel a bit guilty because I think I'm a small part of the reason he's been questioning his faith, but I also feel like it's something everyone should do; questioning it, like questioning anything in life, is the only way you can learn and grow.
There's a lot of good websites out there for ex-Catholics, former Catholics, recovering Catholics, etc. that have articles supporting the faith without supporting the specific religion. Likewise, there's an amazing amount of organizations that involve faith but not religion; I know that Lonnie/Beerhorse goes to one at the DeKoven House here in Middletown every week and it's more of a community group hug than a whole lot of specifics on what you need to believe in. Finding something like that might be a good way of becoming more comfortable with being an ex-Catholic and finding your own answers.
I had a point somewhere in here; hopefully you can find it. Apologies for rambling :)
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For me, faith and religion is intertwined. Consider it a matter of my preference for structure and clear ethics and practices.
I don't think you should blame yourself for Spot questioning himself. The American Church has had a sharp shift to the right since the ascension of the latest pope. The previous pope was conservative, but more easy going/loving toward his flock. And he, Pope John Paul II had been pope for the majority of Spotty's life, and certainly all of mine. The current pope is putting his priests and nuns in chains, restricting their behavior, and pushing specific political messages beyond what had been normal. Catholicism isn't the most welcoming faith at the moment.
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