Catholicism was once part of your life, and it is part of what made you who you are today. You can speak your truth without putting ours down. You're older, more mature than back then: do you ever feel as if you have put more into your journey away from the Church, than you did within the Church when you were younger? My time away came because people were promulgating "the spirit of Vatican II" and we had no way of finding out what actually was said. I was brought up in a school and parish and family where the rubrics, Sacred Tradition, and Scripture went hand in hand with the Magisterium. Then I hit high school and the Magisterium and Scripture, as well as tradition, were being contradicted. Every day, my poor dear Homeroom teacher, with whom I've remained in contact all these years, listened to me vent about the daily head-to-head we had. I fought like a banshee for Scripture and Church teaching! She said, Adam and Eve was just a fable and that Baptism was a ritual we went through "to please the old people" Pardon me for a moment:
AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH! Thanks, I needed that!
I was a rebel, at least where that was concerned. On my tests I would write: "What ##### Teaches", then "What the Church Teaches" underneath! it was the only way I could pass without compromising my Faith, through which my Scripture was interpreted. My parents spoke to our Pastor, and he investigated. I found out years later, she blackballed me from the Honor Society- "Argumentive" lol! I came back after too long of awhile, see my homepage if you like, but committed myself to learning what I knew was the Truth for me. I'm older, was injured, and my health deteriorated, so I'm not quite the apologist I became, especially after computers and online documents. I can't call things quickly to mind as I used to, but what I believe is written in my heart. I would so rather be insulted than endure some of the below-the-belt derision here of what i love the most. It hurts when it isn't discussion.
I know a lot of ex Catholics who left because of the marriage laws, among other things. Many are bitter towards the Church. I am sincerely sorry, because I gleaned from your posts that you were bitter toward us. I was angry because you know how much the Faith can mean to a Catholic. When I spoke of the mud, i meant that derision of the Church was, in a way, a derision of yourself, because you once were part of It. I thank you for opening up as you did! It helped my understanding, and that was the reason I joined FR in the first place. Thank you for listening, as well as all you, gentle readers. Sorry I took so long, but I feel I must try to be a little less judgemental. Again, please forgive me. And for any of you reading still, please keep me in prayer if that request does not offend you.
God bless you! Grateful
No not at all bitter.. just one bigger trying to tell other beggars where to find bread..