Stuck in catholic traditions

[OAKLINE]

I am raised Catholic my hold family are Catholics and I am a practicing Catholic for the last 6 years. I started to read the bible and realised that the church tradition wasn't scripture. A friend of mine Is a baptist and I met him a few times I could see the love of Christ he had when he spoke about him. I wanted to know more about how to build a relationship with Christ through scripture. I be doing good and them BOOM I get anxiety and I run back to Catholic tradition. It spiritual drains me and bothers be but I can't let go of the safe of Catholic tradition. I don't meet to offend anyone here or any Catholics because in the end of the day it's a personal relationship with Christ that counts but I know in my the Catholic Church isn't for my but I can't understand why I'm so fearful to let it go.
Can anyone help me or have any suggestions how and what to pray around this.
Thanks again my intentions isn't to upset or disrespect anyone's believes.

 

[B-A-C]

Indoctrination is a difficult thing to let go of.
When you've been told and trained all your life to believe and do things a certain way, it's difficult to change it all overnight.
Sometimes it does miraculously change all at once, but sometimes it requires work, effort and re-learning old habits.

God knows your heart. It's OK to make mistakes. This is true spiritual warfare. I for one will be praying for you.

 

[OAKLINE]

Indoctrination is a difficult thing to let go of.
When you've been told and trained all your life to believe and do things a certain way, it's difficult to change it all overnight.
Sometimes it does miraculously change all at once, but sometimes it requires work, effort and re-learning old habits.

God knows your heart. It's OK to make mistakes. This is true spiritual warfare. I for one will be praying for you.

Thank you

 

[Br. Bear]

I for one will be praying for you.

Greetings OAKLINE,

I will be, too.



Bless you ....><>

 

[Christ4Ever]

@OAKLINE

It's as BAC has stated. Indoctrination. Yet this can also become the case with almost any church you are to speak of. Since it is Catholicism that you speak of that will be the one I address. Also, helps that I was Baptized and Confirmed Catholic over 40 years ago. Which is close to how long its been since I've gone to a Catholic Mass or have been to a Confessional.

One thing to realize is that for the most part you are around it constantly, i.e. family and I'm sure some friends as well. This will be even more difficult to come to terms with in any other way than how you now look at it. Still, the step you took in realizing that it's not about the Catholic Church, but about the Word of God and a Relationship with Jesus Christ, is a big one.

The step makes you hopefully look at things through the Word of God and not the traditions of man. It's not to disparage all traditions, because scripture speaks of some in a positive manner. However, you must weight according to His Word that which will bring you closer not in the accomplishing of an action, but in the remembrance of Jesus Christ (Communion).

For doing this or that in and of itself will not bring you closer to God, but what is within your Heart, Mind, and Soul whose desire is love Him more and to get closer to Jesus that will. This does not mean you exclude prayer, fasting, etc. The reason for this is that they do not create impediments to reaching Him, but rather increase your ability to talk one on one with God our Father.

Many Catholic Traditions are no more than obstacles which have you focusing on the act and its representation which isn't always scriptural and not on Jesus. You will hear that you do them to get closer by extension to God, like prayer, but that is not true. Prayer provides a direct line of communication between you and God, and is not symbolic in nature. Like dipping your hand in Holy Water as you enter the church and making the sign of the cross. A sign of God's Grace, but imparts none of it. Tradition.

So many obstacles in the world already. We don't need the church adding more walls/curtains from our access to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So instead:

And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Luke 10:27

You want not a tradition but a way to walk in life to give you comfort. Do the above all the time. You will find the comfort that only the Love of God can Grace you with. The really awesome thing about doing the above is that you don't even have to be in church to do it! :thumbsup:

I hope this helps you at least a little. If it came off as a post bashing the Catholic Church it was not meant so. My desire is that instead of being comforted by traditions, be comforted in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

With the Love of Jesus Christ Oakline.
YBIC
C4E
<><

 

[amadeus2]

The Catholics have the answers to every question... or so they believe. Through the centuries they have developed an answer to nearly every conceivable question. When people are in doubt or otherwise seeking a place of comfort they believe having all the answers in black and white is all they need. You @OAKLINE are wanting to find something that is unshakeable and see the RCC's apparent completeness as that. Believe me in spite of its "good" superficial face it is incomplete.

I was also raised a Catholic and served as an altar boy faithfully until I graduated from high school in 1961. I was comfortable and did not want to leave, but God had other plans for me as He has for you. There is something more complete than Catholicism and it is to be found IN the Son of God.

Pursue faithfully and urgently what it means to be IN Him so that He will be in you and you will find your solution.

They have answers, yes, but when you are considering going back to those answers consider also these verses:

"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

"And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:" II Thess 2:9-11

The Truth is Jesus and He is not to be found through logic or through a neatly packaged set of answers. Accepting such a package is, I believe, accepting a delusion in place of Truth.

 

[Dave M]

Oakline you are not alone, keep reading the bible !! not many Catholics do that !! I know I was a catholic all my life ! and only just 5 months ago did I walk away from them and turned to a non denomination bible church. I would suggest you find a good church that teaches the true gospel, that made the switch fairly easy for me, it was difficult at first but now its easy. I will pray for you and comment more later this subject is near and dear to my heart.

 

[OAKLINE]

@OAKLINE

It's as BAC has stated. Indoctrination. Yet this can also become the case with almost any church you are to speak of. Since it is Catholicism that you speak of that will be the one I address. Also, helps that I was Baptized and Confirmed Catholic over 40 years ago. Which is close to how long its been since I've gone to a Catholic Mass or have been to a Confessional.

One thing to realize is that for the most part you are around it constantly, i.e. family and I'm sure some friends as well. This will be even more difficult to come to terms with in any other way than how you now look at it. Still, the step you took in realizing that it's not about the Catholic Church, but about the Word of God and a Relationship with Jesus Christ, is a big one.

The step makes you hopefully look at things through the Word of God and not the traditions of man. It's not to disparage all traditions, because scripture speaks of some in a positive manner. However, you must weight according to His Word that which will bring you closer not in the accomplishing of an action, but in the remembrance of Jesus Christ (Communion).

For doing this or that in and of itself will not bring you closer to God, but what is within your Heart, Mind, and Soul whose desire is love Him more and to get closer to Jesus that will. This does not mean you exclude prayer, fasting, etc. The reason for this is that they do not create impediments to reaching Him, but rather increase your ability to talk one on one with God our Father.

Many Catholic Traditions are no more than obstacles which have you focusing on the act and its representation which isn't always scriptural and not on Jesus. You will hear that you do them to get closer by extension to God, like prayer, but that is not true. Prayer provides a direct line of communication between you and God, and is not symbolic in nature. Like dipping your hand in Holy Water as you enter the church and making the sign of the cross. A sign of God's Grace, but imparts none of it. Tradition.

So many obstacles in the world already. We don't need the church adding more walls/curtains from our access to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So instead:

And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Luke 10:27

You want not a tradition but a way to walk in life to give you comfort. Do the above all the time. You will find the comfort that only the Love of God can Grace you with. The really awesome thing about doing the above is that you don't even have to be in church to do it! :thumbsup:

I hope this helps you at least a little. If it came off as a post bashing the Catholic Church it was not meant so. My desire is that instead of being comforted by traditions, be comforted in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

With the Love of Jesus Christ Oakline.
YBIC
C4E
<><

Thank you for that

 

[OAKLINE]

The Catholics have the answers to every question... or so they believe. Through the centuries they have developed an answer to nearly every conceivable question. When people are in doubt or otherwise seeking a place of comfort they believe having all the answers in black and white is all they need. You @OAKLINE are wanting to find something that is unshakeable and see the RCC's apparent completeness as that. Believe me in spite of its "good" superficial face it is incomplete.

I was also raised a Catholic and served as an altar boy faithfully until I graduated from high school in 1961. I was comfortable and did not want to leave, but God had other plans for me as He has for you. There is something more complete than Catholicism and it is to be found IN the Son of God.

Pursue faithfully and urgently what it means to be IN Him so that He will be in you and you will find your solution.

They have answers, yes, but when you are considering going back to those answers consider also these verses:

"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

"And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:" II Thess 2:9-11

The Truth is Jesus and He is not to be found through logic or through a neatly packaged set of answers. Accepting such a package is, I believe, accepting a delusion in place of Truth.

Thank you

 

[OAKLINE]

Oakline you are not alone, keep reading the bible !! not many Catholics do that !! I know I was a catholic all my life ! and only just 5 months ago did I walk away from them and turned to a non denomination bible church. I would suggest you find a good church that teaches the true gospel, that made the switch fairly easy for me, it was difficult at first but now its easy. I will pray for you and comment more later this subject is near and dear to my heart.

Thanks Dave

 

[Dave M]

Hi Oakline

For me the switch was fairly easy because my family is gone, I have a aunt that is 80 years old that I keep in touch with, and she is very catholic and her heart is in the right place, but I have yet to tell her my thoughts on the subject, if you have family around I would imagine its much harder. THe hard part for me was not going to Catholic church or confession as those things I have practiced without fail for the past 13 years. But once I found the Church I go to now it is so much better, I look forward to the gospel every week now, and study the bible every morning. I remember going to the Catholic church and they just do not teach very much from the bible, maybe 15 minutes on the gospel the rest as you say man traditions. They pray to Mary and call her the mother God that is insane, yet I did it for alll my life until, like you I started reading the bible and said hey wait a minute something aint right here.

Its weird at first but I bet you wont give it second thought once you get situated in a good Church, I got lucky and found one pretty easy, I think thats the most important thing for me was having a new home, I need a place to worship every week for my inner piece.

I can not believe the Catholic church changed the 10 commandments and never get called on it.

As everyone else say pray to God for help he will see you through this Brother !! there are a lot of X Catholics on this forum that is comforting to know.

 

[OAKLINE]

Hi Oakline

For me the switch was fairly easy because my family is gone, I have a aunt that is 80 years old that I keep in touch with, and she is very catholic and her heart is in the right place, but I have yet to tell her my thoughts on the subject, if you have family around I would imagine its much harder. THe hard part for me was not going to Catholic church or confession as those things I have practiced without fail for the past 13 years. But once I found the Church I go to now it is so much better, I look forward to the gospel every week now, and study the bible every morning. I remember going to the Catholic church and they just do not teach very much from the bible, maybe 15 minutes on the gospel the rest as you say man traditions. They pray to Mary and call her the mother God that is insane, yet I did it for alll my life until, like you I started reading the bible and said hey wait a minute something aint right here.

Its weird at first but I bet you wont give it second thought once you get situated in a good Church, I got lucky and found one pretty easy, I think thats the most important thing for me was having a new home, I need a place to worship every week for my inner piece.

I can not believe the Catholic church changed the 10 commandments and never get called on it.

As everyone else say pray to God for help he will see you through this Brother !! there are a lot of X Catholics on this forum that is comforting to know.

I was the same Dave I wasn't one of them going to mass every Sunday people I searched for years in the Catholic Church and couldn't find what I was looking for a relationship with Christ.
Confession was a big part of my practice I wanted so badly to be forgiving for my sin not realising Christ paid the price for my sin all I had to do was repent from the heart.
I would stay in adoration for an hour because it made me feel good all the practices I was doing was because it made me feel good. Never realising how selfish that was!

 

[Waggles]

I am raised Catholic my hold family are Catholics and I am a practicing Catholic for the last 6 years. I started to read the bible and realised that the church tradition wasn't scripture.

Try the power and truth of the original apostolic gospel that began on the Day of Pentecost and continues through to this day...
Without the Holy Spirit you can never become a true worshipper.

 

[Br. Bear]

Greetings,

Try the power and truth of the original apostolic gospel that began on the Day of Pentecost and continues through to this day...
Without the Holy Spirit you can never become a true worshipper.

How would someone arrive at that point?

Bless you ....><>

 

[Waggles]

How would someone arrive at that point?

By believing and complying with the Book of Acts.

 

[Br. Bear]

Greetings,

By believing and complying with the Book of Acts.

thank you for taking the time to reply.
If I may re-phrase the question?

Given the member asking the questions here is /was involved in Catholic tradition and ritual, how might he get to the place you feel comfortable with?
By simply believing... what?
And by complying the Book of Acts, how might he do that? Do we presume that he has others around him who speak the same speak as you might? And if not?

So, how might he arrive at that place you suggest? My question is not to question you or your belief or doctrine but to encourage you to consider explaining to him, his way out of Catholicism and into a new life with Christ and to encourage him that it is possible and best for him, in love, perhaps with help overcoming any dangers, concerns or fears that might seem overwhelming to him if indeed that is the case.


Bless you ....><>

 

[OAKLINE]

Greetings,



thank you for taking the time to reply.
If I may re-phrase the question?

Given the member asking the questions here is /was involved in Catholic tradition and ritual, how might he get to the place you feel comfortable with?
By simply believing... what?
And by complying the Book of Acts, how might he do that? Do we presume that he has others around him who speak the same speak as you might? And if not?

So, how might he arrive at that place you suggest? My question is not to question you or your belief or doctrine but to encourage you to consider explaining to him, his way out of Catholicism and into a new life with Christ and to encourage him that it is possible and best for him, in love, perhaps with help overcoming any dangers, concerns or fears that might seem overwhelming to him if indeed that is the case.


Bless you ....><>

I'm an emotional wreak over this my brain is running 100 miles an hour.
All I want it a connection with Christ I went to mass the other morning because my son is making his communion 2 weeks time. We are so new to this faith without the catholic church it was to late to pull or son out of this tradition. I passed a comment to my family about the possibility of my sun not making his communion and the family reacted very unpleasant! All I Want is peace it could also be the devil confusing me but I don't think so because sometimes I hear a voice in my heart saying when you give up and let go I'm here to catch you.

 

[milordsheep]

Greetings and God's Peace Oakline;
I too am a recovering Catholic; and after 9 years of nuns and time with the Jesuits and Franciscans I became well indoctrinated. When I was a young man I had a genuine affection for the pomp and tradition that was the litany of the Catholic Mass. Fortunately for me as a child I also had a yearning for the Truth; and when I finally and truly searched for the truth it was Jesus, not the RCC that saved me. It was the Bible that was God's Word; not Papal Bulls.
What I learned from God's Word was that His Cross was enough. When He said It was finished...it was finished. "Paid In Full". To say that "indulgences" or "penance" was required was to say that His Cross was not enough, That I could do and needed to do more. That is a lie.
What I learned from the Bible is we have ONE Advocate with the Father... the man Jesus Christ. I also learned that at His Name alone every knee shall bow and tongue confess. I do not have nor need any ''saints'' or intercessors. I do not bow down to any other.
What I had also learned from God's Word is that God hears the heart; not the lips, and that He knows His Own and they know Him. So it doesn't matter how many times I genuflect, bless myself, or beat my chest in mea culpa... God's forgiveness is in the sincerity of the heart, not the wording of the prayer.
And Finally I learned that He who the Son sets free is free indeed. No one can take us from His Grasp. He never leaves or Forsakes His Own. You can let go, and let God.
How I received Jesus was with all the honesty and humility I was capable of at the time. How I walk with the Lord is by Trusting and Obeying. I Take the Bible as God's Word and Final Authority.. not church (any church) doctrines.
I am sorry about the hostility that your family is showing. I Pray that the LORD speak Peace to Your household, that He places you and your family under His Protection, and that He holds you in the hollow of His Hand. I pray that the opposition against you following the Lord's will for you and your household cease. And that I pray in Jesus' Name, amen

 

[OAKLINE]

Greetings and God's Peace Oakline;
I too am a recovering Catholic; and after 9 years of nuns and time with the Jesuits and Franciscans I became well indoctrinated. When I was a young man I had a genuine affection for the pomp and tradition that was the litany of the Catholic Mass. Fortunately for me as a child I also had a yearning for the Truth; and when I finally and truly searched for the truth it was Jesus, not the RCC that saved me. It was the Bible that was God's Word; not Papal Bulls.
What I learned from God's Word was that His Cross was enough. When He said It was finished...it was finished. "Paid In Full". To say that "indulgences" or "penance" was required was to say that His Cross was not enough, That I could do and needed to do more. That is a lie.
What I learned from the Bible is we have ONE Advocate with the Father... the man Jesus Christ. I also learned that at His Name alone every knee shall bow and tongue confess. I do not have nor need any ''saints'' or intercessors. I do not bow down to any other.
What I had also learned from God's Word is that God hears the heart; not the lips, and that He knows His Own and they know Him. So it doesn't matter how many times I genuflect, bless myself, or beat my chest in mea culpa... God's forgiveness is in the sincerity of the heart, not the wording of the prayer.
And Finally I learned that He who the Son sets free is free indeed. No one can take us from His Grasp. He never leaves or Forsakes His Own. You can let go, and let God.
How I received Jesus was with all the honesty and humility I was capable of at the time. How I walk with the Lord is by Trusting and Obeying. I Take the Bible as God's Word and Final Authority.. not church (any church) doctrines.
I am sorry about the hostility that your family is showing. I Pray that the LORD speak Peace to Your household, that He places you and your family under His Protection, and that He holds you in the hollow of His Hand. I pray that the opposition against you following the Lord's will for you and your household cease. And that I pray in Jesus' Name, amen

Thank you for your post
When you stopped doing the catholic church traditions did you miss them and how did you stop yourself from going back?

 

[milordsheep]

That is a good question indeed; and the answer to that would be yes I did. But I also missed drugs when I first quit, and drinking... smoking etc... I have an addict's attraction to things.
Habits are hard to break, especially bad ones... And the feeling of loss was very short lived; the Holy Spirit quickly filled that void in my life.
Personally I equate cultist religions and addictions as two sides of the same coin, since both serve to entrap and enslave a man both physically and spiritually, and that being the case the remedy is similar for me as well. I changed people, places and things. I found a good Bible based church to join and became active in participating in it. I prayed simply for God's Will and the desire to carry it out. I stopped vacillating and fence sitting.I made the decision to follow Jesus and no turning back from it.
I have no regrets. the 'friends' that I may have lost were never really friends anyway, just mutual misery acquaintances; and what I have gained in return is far greater. I became part of a family; an adopted child of the King. My worst day with Jesus is far better than my best day without Him. The Lord has seen fit to show Mercy to me and for that I am grateful.
the best I could hope for from the RCC was time off for good behavior.
To God be the Glory!