Lapsed Catholics

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I come from a large Irish Catholic family, though my mom was a young widow and I was an only child. My mom had a college degree, somewhat unusual for her time, but it was from a Catholic women’s college. I attended Catholic school until college, though my mom very much wanted me to attend the college she had.

Sooooo many things my mom, family, Catholic school and church did made me want to leave. The list is too long. But whatever Catholic doctrine applied to any given situation, you’d better believe we followed it. Only now, at age 58, do I have the understanding that I was raised in a cult-like environment.

DH is not Catholic. We baptized our kids as such because my mom would have disowned me otherwise. Frankly, the only reason I got away with marrying a non-Catholic is because DH is a charming guy. Mom loved him.

In my extended family, relatives were disowned upon divorce. My devout aunt and uncle missed YEARS of knowing their first grandchild, who was born out of wedlock.

My biggest regret is that I never had the freedom to choose religion for myself, nor could I raise my kids outside the church. We did baptism, confession, and communion for all 4 of our kids, but my mom was in her 90s and not aware of our household happenings as much, so we skipped confirmation for the 4th.

I was robbed from having any freedom of thought or action until I was much older and realized how the cultlike environment of my upbringing had directed so many aspects of my life.

At my mom’s funeral, I turned around and looked inside the cathedral as we left. Barring any wedding that I feel I’ simply must attend, I vowed on the spot that I would never set foot in a Catholic Church again. And I haven’t.

Just don’t raise your kids with edicts regarding religion, whatever religion you may practice. Catholicism has a LOT of them.

It’s a shame that you seem never to have learned why the teachings are what they are, so that you could develop an adult Faith and not merely react to what you perceived externally as “edicts.”

Is there any way that people can post here without you trying to tear them down? It's specifically a thread for lapsed Catholics. Start your own thread for what did you parents do to help you with your religion and get off this one.

DP. As soon as you atheists stop tearing down religion on every single religion thread....

Are you seriously equating lapsed Catholics to atheists?

I'm equating the behavior of the two groups. That should have been obvious to you.

(I'm neither Catholic nor atheist.)

No, you were not. And given that you are not Catholic, what value do you think you add to a discussion about Catholics who have left the Church?

DP - There's no need to believe in a certain religion (or any concept) to comment on it, e.g., pp above, who is not an atheist, expresses their views about atheism.

That's a dumb statement. Sure you can comment on it but you have no relevance. Nothing said is on topic nor is there any experience to back up a claim. You are just noise if you comment on something that you know nothing about and it's even more ridiculous when you ridicule people who actually have experience when you have none. You are really grasping for straws with this comment. You are irrelevant to the discussion.

So atheists who disparage Catholicism and Christianity here on a daily basis are irrelevant and just noise. Got it.

It's great to have a place where people can come to insult others. Even if it's on-line and anonymous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I come from a large Irish Catholic family, though my mom was a young widow and I was an only child. My mom had a college degree, somewhat unusual for her time, but it was from a Catholic women’s college. I attended Catholic school until college, though my mom very much wanted me to attend the college she had.

Sooooo many things my mom, family, Catholic school and church did made me want to leave. The list is too long. But whatever Catholic doctrine applied to any given situation, you’d better believe we followed it. Only now, at age 58, do I have the understanding that I was raised in a cult-like environment.

DH is not Catholic. We baptized our kids as such because my mom would have disowned me otherwise. Frankly, the only reason I got away with marrying a non-Catholic is because DH is a charming guy. Mom loved him.

In my extended family, relatives were disowned upon divorce. My devout aunt and uncle missed YEARS of knowing their first grandchild, who was born out of wedlock.

My biggest regret is that I never had the freedom to choose religion for myself, nor could I raise my kids outside the church. We did baptism, confession, and communion for all 4 of our kids, but my mom was in her 90s and not aware of our household happenings as much, so we skipped confirmation for the 4th.

I was robbed from having any freedom of thought or action until I was much older and realized how the cultlike environment of my upbringing had directed so many aspects of my life.

At my mom’s funeral, I turned around and looked inside the cathedral as we left. Barring any wedding that I feel I’ simply must attend, I vowed on the spot that I would never set foot in a Catholic Church again. And I haven’t.

Just don’t raise your kids with edicts regarding religion, whatever religion you may practice. Catholicism has a LOT of them.

It’s a shame that you seem never to have learned why the teachings are what they are, so that you could develop an adult Faith and not merely react to what you perceived externally as “edicts.”

Is there any way that people can post here without you trying to tear them down? It's specifically a thread for lapsed Catholics. Start your own thread for what did you parents do to help you with your religion and get off this one.

DP. As soon as you atheists stop tearing down religion on every single religion thread....

Are you seriously equating lapsed Catholics to atheists?

I'm equating the behavior of the two groups. That should have been obvious to you.

(I'm neither Catholic nor atheist.)

No, you were not. And given that you are not Catholic, what value do you think you add to a discussion about Catholics who have left the Church?

DP - There's no need to believe in a certain religion (or any concept) to comment on it, e.g., pp above, who is not an atheist, expresses their views about atheism.

That's a dumb statement. Sure you can comment on it but you have no relevance. Nothing said is on topic nor is there any experience to back up a claim. You are just noise if you comment on something that you know nothing about and it's even more ridiculous when you ridicule people who actually have experience when you have none. You are really grasping for straws with this comment. You are irrelevant to the discussion.

So atheists who disparage Catholicism and Christianity here on a daily basis are irrelevant and just noise. Got it.

It's great to have a place where people can come to insult others. Even if it's on-line and anonymous.

Only you have that agenda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please don’t criticize me for choosing to be a practicing catholic and raising my kids in the faith.

But, if you are a lapsed catholic, is there anything your parents did or did not do that contributed to you wanting to leave the church? I don’t care about any of the issues with the church. I’m well aware of the issues. But, when it came to family devotions, practices, schooling, etc...do you think your parents did or didn’t do anything that factored into your teen/adult thoughts and choices?

No, my parents, and grandparents, and aunts and uncles were/are very observant and pushy about abiding by our religion. Unfortunately, like many Catholics, their day-to-day behavior doesn't match their pew behavior. Big turnoff, in addition to other reasons, to continuing to practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I come from a large Irish Catholic family, though my mom was a young widow and I was an only child. My mom had a college degree, somewhat unusual for her time, but it was from a Catholic women’s college. I attended Catholic school until college, though my mom very much wanted me to attend the college she had.

Sooooo many things my mom, family, Catholic school and church did made me want to leave. The list is too long. But whatever Catholic doctrine applied to any given situation, you’d better believe we followed it. Only now, at age 58, do I have the understanding that I was raised in a cult-like environment.

DH is not Catholic. We baptized our kids as such because my mom would have disowned me otherwise. Frankly, the only reason I got away with marrying a non-Catholic is because DH is a charming guy. Mom loved him.

In my extended family, relatives were disowned upon divorce. My devout aunt and uncle missed YEARS of knowing their first grandchild, who was born out of wedlock.

My biggest regret is that I never had the freedom to choose religion for myself, nor could I raise my kids outside the church. We did baptism, confession, and communion for all 4 of our kids, but my mom was in her 90s and not aware of our household happenings as much, so we skipped confirmation for the 4th.

I was robbed from having any freedom of thought or action until I was much older and realized how the cultlike environment of my upbringing had directed so many aspects of my life.

At my mom’s funeral, I turned around and looked inside the cathedral as we left. Barring any wedding that I feel I’ simply must attend, I vowed on the spot that I would never set foot in a Catholic Church again. And I haven’t.

Just don’t raise your kids with edicts regarding religion, whatever religion you may practice. Catholicism has a LOT of them.

It’s a shame that you seem never to have learned why the teachings are what they are, so that you could develop an adult Faith and not merely react to what you perceived externally as “edicts.”

Is there any way that people can post here without you trying to tear them down? It's specifically a thread for lapsed Catholics. Start your own thread for what did you parents do to help you with your religion and get off this one.

DP. As soon as you atheists stop tearing down religion on every single religion thread....

Are you seriously equating lapsed Catholics to atheists?

I'm equating the behavior of the two groups. That should have been obvious to you.

(I'm neither Catholic nor atheist.)

No, you were not. And given that you are not Catholic, what value do you think you add to a discussion about Catholics who have left the Church?

DP - There's no need to believe in a certain religion (or any concept) to comment on it, e.g., pp above, who is not an atheist, expresses their views about atheism.

That's a dumb statement. Sure you can comment on it but you have no relevance. Nothing said is on topic nor is there any experience to back up a claim. You are just noise if you comment on something that you know nothing about and it's even more ridiculous when you ridicule people who actually have experience when you have none. You are really grasping for straws with this comment. You are irrelevant to the discussion.

So atheists who disparage Catholicism and Christianity here on a daily basis are irrelevant and just noise. Got it.

NP. And a lapsed Catholic. Why are you being such a victim? Just ignore and move on. And stop being so nasty - not a good look on a thread about the virtues of being Catholic or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I come from a large Irish Catholic family, though my mom was a young widow and I was an only child. My mom had a college degree, somewhat unusual for her time, but it was from a Catholic women’s college. I attended Catholic school until college, though my mom very much wanted me to attend the college she had.

Sooooo many things my mom, family, Catholic school and church did made me want to leave. The list is too long. But whatever Catholic doctrine applied to any given situation, you’d better believe we followed it. Only now, at age 58, do I have the understanding that I was raised in a cult-like environment.

DH is not Catholic. We baptized our kids as such because my mom would have disowned me otherwise. Frankly, the only reason I got away with marrying a non-Catholic is because DH is a charming guy. Mom loved him.

In my extended family, relatives were disowned upon divorce. My devout aunt and uncle missed YEARS of knowing their first grandchild, who was born out of wedlock.

My biggest regret is that I never had the freedom to choose religion for myself, nor could I raise my kids outside the church. We did baptism, confession, and communion for all 4 of our kids, but my mom was in her 90s and not aware of our household happenings as much, so we skipped confirmation for the 4th.

I was robbed from having any freedom of thought or action until I was much older and realized how the cultlike environment of my upbringing had directed so many aspects of my life.

At my mom’s funeral, I turned around and looked inside the cathedral as we left. Barring any wedding that I feel I’ simply must attend, I vowed on the spot that I would never set foot in a Catholic Church again. And I haven’t.

Just don’t raise your kids with edicts regarding religion, whatever religion you may practice. Catholicism has a LOT of them.

It’s a shame that you seem never to have learned why the teachings are what they are, so that you could develop an adult Faith and not merely react to what you perceived externally as “edicts.”

Is there any way that people can post here without you trying to tear them down? It's specifically a thread for lapsed Catholics. Start your own thread for what did you parents do to help you with your religion and get off this one.

DP. As soon as you atheists stop tearing down religion on every single religion thread....

Are you seriously equating lapsed Catholics to atheists?

I'm equating the behavior of the two groups. That should have been obvious to you.

(I'm neither Catholic nor atheist.)

No, you were not. And given that you are not Catholic, what value do you think you add to a discussion about Catholics who have left the Church?

DP - There's no need to believe in a certain religion (or any concept) to comment on it, e.g., pp above, who is not an atheist, expresses their views about atheism.

That's a dumb statement. Sure you can comment on it but you have no relevance. Nothing said is on topic nor is there any experience to back up a claim. You are just noise if you comment on something that you know nothing about and it's even more ridiculous when you ridicule people who actually have experience when you have none. You are really grasping for straws with this comment. You are irrelevant to the discussion.

So atheists who disparage Catholicism and Christianity here on a daily basis are irrelevant and just noise. Got it.

NP. And a lapsed Catholic. Why are you being such a victim? Just ignore and move on. And stop being so nasty - not a good look on a thread about the virtues of being Catholic or not.

What's nasty about that statement of fact which was modeled on something atheist pp said? Not a good look.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I come from a large Irish Catholic family, though my mom was a young widow and I was an only child. My mom had a college degree, somewhat unusual for her time, but it was from a Catholic women’s college. I attended Catholic school until college, though my mom very much wanted me to attend the college she had.

Sooooo many things my mom, family, Catholic school and church did made me want to leave. The list is too long. But whatever Catholic doctrine applied to any given situation, you’d better believe we followed it. Only now, at age 58, do I have the understanding that I was raised in a cult-like environment.

DH is not Catholic. We baptized our kids as such because my mom would have disowned me otherwise. Frankly, the only reason I got away with marrying a non-Catholic is because DH is a charming guy. Mom loved him.

In my extended family, relatives were disowned upon divorce. My devout aunt and uncle missed YEARS of knowing their first grandchild, who was born out of wedlock.

My biggest regret is that I never had the freedom to choose religion for myself, nor could I raise my kids outside the church. We did baptism, confession, and communion for all 4 of our kids, but my mom was in her 90s and not aware of our household happenings as much, so we skipped confirmation for the 4th.

I was robbed from having any freedom of thought or action until I was much older and realized how the cultlike environment of my upbringing had directed so many aspects of my life.

At my mom’s funeral, I turned around and looked inside the cathedral as we left. Barring any wedding that I feel I’ simply must attend, I vowed on the spot that I would never set foot in a Catholic Church again. And I haven’t.

Just don’t raise your kids with edicts regarding religion, whatever religion you may practice. Catholicism has a LOT of them.

It’s a shame that you seem never to have learned why the teachings are what they are, so that you could develop an adult Faith and not merely react to what you perceived externally as “edicts.”

Is there any way that people can post here without you trying to tear them down? It's specifically a thread for lapsed Catholics. Start your own thread for what did you parents do to help you with your religion and get off this one.

DP. As soon as you atheists stop tearing down religion on every single religion thread....

Are you seriously equating lapsed Catholics to atheists?

I'm equating the behavior of the two groups. That should have been obvious to you.

(I'm neither Catholic nor atheist.)

No, you were not. And given that you are not Catholic, what value do you think you add to a discussion about Catholics who have left the Church?

DP - There's no need to believe in a certain religion (or any concept) to comment on it, e.g., pp above, who is not an atheist, expresses their views about atheism.

That's a dumb statement. Sure you can comment on it but you have no relevance. Nothing said is on topic nor is there any experience to back up a claim. You are just noise if you comment on something that you know nothing about and it's even more ridiculous when you ridicule people who actually have experience when you have none. You are really grasping for straws with this comment. You are irrelevant to the discussion.

So atheists who disparage Catholicism and Christianity here on a daily basis are irrelevant and just noise. Got it.

It's great to have a place where people can come to insult others. Even if it's on-line and anonymous.

Only you have that agenda.

Ha Ha. You too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I come from a large Irish Catholic family, though my mom was a young widow and I was an only child. My mom had a college degree, somewhat unusual for her time, but it was from a Catholic women’s college. I attended Catholic school until college, though my mom very much wanted me to attend the college she had.

Sooooo many things my mom, family, Catholic school and church did made me want to leave. The list is too long. But whatever Catholic doctrine applied to any given situation, you’d better believe we followed it. Only now, at age 58, do I have the understanding that I was raised in a cult-like environment.

DH is not Catholic. We baptized our kids as such because my mom would have disowned me otherwise. Frankly, the only reason I got away with marrying a non-Catholic is because DH is a charming guy. Mom loved him.

In my extended family, relatives were disowned upon divorce. My devout aunt and uncle missed YEARS of knowing their first grandchild, who was born out of wedlock.

My biggest regret is that I never had the freedom to choose religion for myself, nor could I raise my kids outside the church. We did baptism, confession, and communion for all 4 of our kids, but my mom was in her 90s and not aware of our household happenings as much, so we skipped confirmation for the 4th.

I was robbed from having any freedom of thought or action until I was much older and realized how the cultlike environment of my upbringing had directed so many aspects of my life.

At my mom’s funeral, I turned around and looked inside the cathedral as we left. Barring any wedding that I feel I’ simply must attend, I vowed on the spot that I would never set foot in a Catholic Church again. And I haven’t.

Just don’t raise your kids with edicts regarding religion, whatever religion you may practice. Catholicism has a LOT of them.

It’s a shame that you seem never to have learned why the teachings are what they are, so that you could develop an adult Faith and not merely react to what you perceived externally as “edicts.”

Is there any way that people can post here without you trying to tear them down? It's specifically a thread for lapsed Catholics. Start your own thread for what did you parents do to help you with your religion and get off this one.

DP. As soon as you atheists stop tearing down religion on every single religion thread....

Are you seriously equating lapsed Catholics to atheists?

I'm equating the behavior of the two groups. That should have been obvious to you.

(I'm neither Catholic nor atheist.)

No, you were not. And given that you are not Catholic, what value do you think you add to a discussion about Catholics who have left the Church?

DP - There's no need to believe in a certain religion (or any concept) to comment on it, e.g., pp above, who is not an atheist, expresses their views about atheism.

That's a dumb statement. Sure you can comment on it but you have no relevance. Nothing said is on topic nor is there any experience to back up a claim. You are just noise if you comment on something that you know nothing about and it's even more ridiculous when you ridicule people who actually have experience when you have none. You are really grasping for straws with this comment. You are irrelevant to the discussion.

So atheists who disparage Catholicism and Christianity here on a daily basis are irrelevant and just noise. Got it.

NP. And a lapsed Catholic. Why are you being such a victim? Just ignore and move on. And stop being so nasty - not a good look on a thread about the virtues of being Catholic or not.

What's nasty about that statement of fact which was modeled on something atheist pp said? Not a good look.

Some statements of fact are nasty, regardless of what they are modeled on

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I come from a large Irish Catholic family, though my mom was a young widow and I was an only child. My mom had a college degree, somewhat unusual for her time, but it was from a Catholic women’s college. I attended Catholic school until college, though my mom very much wanted me to attend the college she had.

Sooooo many things my mom, family, Catholic school and church did made me want to leave. The list is too long. But whatever Catholic doctrine applied to any given situation, you’d better believe we followed it. Only now, at age 58, do I have the understanding that I was raised in a cult-like environment.

DH is not Catholic. We baptized our kids as such because my mom would have disowned me otherwise. Frankly, the only reason I got away with marrying a non-Catholic is because DH is a charming guy. Mom loved him.

In my extended family, relatives were disowned upon divorce. My devout aunt and uncle missed YEARS of knowing their first grandchild, who was born out of wedlock.

My biggest regret is that I never had the freedom to choose religion for myself, nor could I raise my kids outside the church. We did baptism, confession, and communion for all 4 of our kids, but my mom was in her 90s and not aware of our household happenings as much, so we skipped confirmation for the 4th.

I was robbed from having any freedom of thought or action until I was much older and realized how the cultlike environment of my upbringing had directed so many aspects of my life.

At my mom’s funeral, I turned around and looked inside the cathedral as we left. Barring any wedding that I feel I’ simply must attend, I vowed on the spot that I would never set foot in a Catholic Church again. And I haven’t.

Just don’t raise your kids with edicts regarding religion, whatever religion you may practice. Catholicism has a LOT of them.

It’s a shame that you seem never to have learned why the teachings are what they are, so that you could develop an adult Faith and not merely react to what you perceived externally as “edicts.”

Is there any way that people can post here without you trying to tear them down? It's specifically a thread for lapsed Catholics. Start your own thread for what did you parents do to help you with your religion and get off this one.

DP. As soon as you atheists stop tearing down religion on every single religion thread....

Are you seriously equating lapsed Catholics to atheists?

I'm equating the behavior of the two groups. That should have been obvious to you.

(I'm neither Catholic nor atheist.)

No, you were not. And given that you are not Catholic, what value do you think you add to a discussion about Catholics who have left the Church?

DP - There's no need to believe in a certain religion (or any concept) to comment on it, e.g., pp above, who is not an atheist, expresses their views about atheism.

That's a dumb statement. Sure you can comment on it but you have no relevance. Nothing said is on topic nor is there any experience to back up a claim. You are just noise if you comment on something that you know nothing about and it's even more ridiculous when you ridicule people who actually have experience when you have none. You are really grasping for straws with this comment. You are irrelevant to the discussion.

So atheists who disparage Catholicism and Christianity here on a daily basis are irrelevant and just noise. Got it.

NP. And a lapsed Catholic. Why are you being such a victim? Just ignore and move on. And stop being so nasty - not a good look on a thread about the virtues of being Catholic or not.

What's nasty about that statement of fact which was modeled on something atheist pp said? Not a good look.

Some statements of fact are nasty, regardless of what they are modeled on

So you didn’t go after the atheist who said the same thing, why?

[Anonymous]

The Catholic Church has had a long history of grooming indoctrination and pedos do you know what doesn't Drag queens?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I come from a large Irish Catholic family, though my mom was a young widow and I was an only child. My mom had a college degree, somewhat unusual for her time, but it was from a Catholic women’s college. I attended Catholic school until college, though my mom very much wanted me to attend the college she had.

Sooooo many things my mom, family, Catholic school and church did made me want to leave. The list is too long. But whatever Catholic doctrine applied to any given situation, you’d better believe we followed it. Only now, at age 58, do I have the understanding that I was raised in a cult-like environment.

DH is not Catholic. We baptized our kids as such because my mom would have disowned me otherwise. Frankly, the only reason I got away with marrying a non-Catholic is because DH is a charming guy. Mom loved him.

In my extended family, relatives were disowned upon divorce. My devout aunt and uncle missed YEARS of knowing their first grandchild, who was born out of wedlock.

My biggest regret is that I never had the freedom to choose religion for myself, nor could I raise my kids outside the church. We did baptism, confession, and communion for all 4 of our kids, but my mom was in her 90s and not aware of our household happenings as much, so we skipped confirmation for the 4th.

I was robbed from having any freedom of thought or action until I was much older and realized how the cultlike environment of my upbringing had directed so many aspects of my life.

At my mom’s funeral, I turned around and looked inside the cathedral as we left. Barring any wedding that I feel I’ simply must attend, I vowed on the spot that I would never set foot in a Catholic Church again. And I haven’t.

Just don’t raise your kids with edicts regarding religion, whatever religion you may practice. Catholicism has a LOT of them.

It’s a shame that you seem never to have learned why the teachings are what they are, so that you could develop an adult Faith and not merely react to what you perceived externally as “edicts.”

Is there any way that people can post here without you trying to tear them down? It's specifically a thread for lapsed Catholics. Start your own thread for what did you parents do to help you with your religion and get off this one.

DP. As soon as you atheists stop tearing down religion on every single religion thread....

Are you seriously equating lapsed Catholics to atheists?

I'm equating the behavior of the two groups. That should have been obvious to you.

(I'm neither Catholic nor atheist.)

No, you were not. And given that you are not Catholic, what value do you think you add to a discussion about Catholics who have left the Church?

DP - There's no need to believe in a certain religion (or any concept) to comment on it, e.g., pp above, who is not an atheist, expresses their views about atheism.

That's a dumb statement. Sure you can comment on it but you have no relevance. Nothing said is on topic nor is there any experience to back up a claim. You are just noise if you comment on something that you know nothing about and it's even more ridiculous when you ridicule people who actually have experience when you have none. You are really grasping for straws with this comment. You are irrelevant to the discussion.

So atheists who disparage Catholicism and Christianity here on a daily basis are irrelevant and just noise. Got it.

NP. And a lapsed Catholic. Why are you being such a victim? Just ignore and move on. And stop being so nasty - not a good look on a thread about the virtues of being Catholic or not.

What's nasty about that statement of fact which was modeled on something atheist pp said? Not a good look.

Some statements of fact are nasty, regardless of what they are modeled on

So you didn’t go after the atheist who said the same thing, why?

perhaps pp is a dreaded atheist lover who never gives Christians a break. There are so many on DCUM, right??

[Anonymous]

Happy Christmas!

[Anonymous]

I suppose it's not appropriate to call me a "Lapsed" Catholic, because I never had faith in the first place.

For my Catholic parents, my religious upbringing was about THEM and THEiR faith; their faith told them they had a responsibility to raise me as a catholic, and I was never asked what I believed (I was TOLD what I believed, in exactly those words: "You believe X") and any rejection of it was a personal insult to them. So I simply played the role, went through the motions, and stopped going through them when I moved out on my own.

Don't misunderstand: this attitude was not the reason I left (or never really embraced) the Catholic faith - that was pretty much driven by an intuitive lack of belief in God and the rest that went with it. But their approach to instilling the faith certainly didn't help. It was just emblematic of the arrogant attitude I got from anyone who had anything to do with the Church; that, among other things, thoroughly squashed any interest I might have had in its early stages.

[Anonymous]

My parents were great and were stalwart members of our Catholic parish back in the day. All five of us kids left the church because of things above the parish level, which eventually trickled down to our parish. My parents left too.

Widespread child sexual abuse that was tolerated and covered up at every level of the church for decades long after it became a known problem.

My family is very active in the Episcopal Church and our faith is a big part of our daily lives. It makes me sad that my parents left their church long ago and never found another community to practice their faith.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents were great and were stalwart members of our Catholic parish back in the day. All five of us kids left the church because of things above the parish level, which eventually trickled down to our parish. My parents left too.

Widespread child sexual abuse that was tolerated and covered up at every level of the church for decades long after it became a known problem.

My family is very active in the Episcopal Church and our faith is a big part of our daily lives. It makes me sad that my parents left their church long ago and never found another community to practice their faith.

It's a real shame that the Catholic Church brainwashes people to think that there is no point in looking for another Christian community to join if they choose not to be Catholic.

[Anonymous]

I think going to Catholic school is a large part of why my Dad's not just lapsed, but actively hates the church. He said the nuns regularly hit them.