I Have A Problem..
Vulgar_Menace
Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22118Members
Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22118Members
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">100% angst free!</div> OK, heres my problem; I'm getting confirmed into the cathloic community, there is one hitch to this: I'm an athiest. I seriously don't want to go through with this, yet I don't want to be marked for life by all my bible-thumping reletives. I would really appreciate real advice for this and as little flaming for my religious belifs as possible. Thanks.
Comments
Honestly, they're morons if they try to impose their religion on anyone else against their will. I'm pretty sure that's a sin.
My family doesn't know I'm agnostic, and while none of them go to church they still somehow consider themselves good baptists... I know they'd be disappointed if they knew I was agnostic but at the same time I'm not going to lie to them about it either.
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p.s. whatever you do, don't listen to the overly hostile anti-religion types :P That's not pointed entirely at you Mojo (though maybe a little) but mostly for future posts not made yet.
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in terms of YOU: if you're an atheist, nothing's wrong with becoming a catholic. god won't smite you. etc.
in terms of ethics: it's wrong to lie to the people who will help you join the community, and to lie to the people you're doing it for.
i wouldn't if i were you.. but i always guilt myself. that's just me.
If he was Cathlic and wanted to join, and his atheist family said he couldn't, I'd say the same thing.
Any activity that you don't want and others force you to is probably not worth it.
Little story: My family has raised me as a strict catholic all my life. Come 18 years old, having endured something I never beleived in, I just told them that was enough, and im not going to church anymore.
Surprisingly my over-conservative grandparents supported my decision, which really blew my mind. My dad practically had a heart attack though, and threw me out of the house. I went away to finish school, and honestly its the best thing thats ever happend to me. It was sooo much fun =)
People can act really strange when you discredit their religion. So its up to you.
However, if you truly up the creek with your family for whatever reason - speak to your priest, explain to him your doubts/reservations and try and work something out with him, if you can get the priest to support your decision (which he <b><i>should</i></b> do) then it will be hard for the family to argue against a priest, especially if he will not allow someone who has admitted that they aren't a Catholic be Confirmed.
If all else fails feign Protestantism and if denying God is too much deny Transubstantiation.
Trust me, you will feel better in yourself, however if you do end up having to be confirmed choose a weird name to take.
Also a comedy option is to say you went to see say you went to see <a href='http://www.thepassionofthechrist.com/' target='_blank'>The Passion of the Christ</a> and you disliked it so much it put you off Christianity. Alternatively go see say you went to see <a href='http://www.thepassionofthechrist.com/' target='_blank'>The Passion of the Christ</a> and you might be able to find some faith, you never know. Good old Mel Gibson.
"Which would you have? Me use blasphemy against your Lord by confirming a religion I don't believe in, or not? Wouldn't that insure me going to hell?"
Just remember: All sins are forgiveable to us, except blasphemy.
Simply approach this from an academic point of view. You are going to participate in a historical ritual for the sake of the experience. The true essence of the monotheistic religions is that you must find your own path to god, living by your beliefs (or lack there of) is YOUR path to god, so do the ritual for educational purposes, it will make them happy, and then go about your life, its not like you're gunna grow a third nipple afterwards or anything! <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
From the perspective of, well, that it's a little dishonest - talk to your family about it.
1) My family is catholic.
2) I don't want to be catholic.
3) I don't want to offend them.
Dude, if there's one thing you should've learned by now, it's that if you aren't white, middle class, and catholic, pretty much all the other catholics are going to look down on you. It's the republican of religions <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo-->