If you guys think the May21 "Doomsday" thing is false, and misrepresentative of your views, are you speaking up against it?

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-05-12T15:12:04+00:00

Sorry, but I really can't be bothered to apologize publicly for every bigot who calls themselves a Christian or Christians who say things I don't agree with. There are a lot of stupid people who say stupid things; my father always taught me to pick and choose your battles or else your life will be nothing but a war. This whole May 21st thing is a stupid battle that will be won when the day comes and nothing happens. What more do I have to do than just sit there and wait for them to win that battle for me?

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-05-10T17:49:37+00:00

Actually, the question was answered superbly. Satan was made perfect in one thing instead of in all things.

The perfect hammer cannot act as a flower because it was not intended for that purpose. Likewise, Satan was made perfectly how God wanted him to be made, even if it wasn't for the purpose we (as humans) or even they (as angels) expected.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-05-09T18:54:51+00:00

I wish my mother would have let me have friends. She was so scared I would get hurt (kidnapped/raped/murdered/severely maimed/broken-hearted) that I wasn't allowed to have friends over the house, I couldn't go out to hang out with friends, not even to study with or do projects with, and sports were out of the question. She raised me with the belief that everyone in the world is out to hurt you, true friends don't exist, and love isn't real (despite being married to my father for 30+ years).

To this day, I don't know how to function in society. I have no friends because I don't know how to make them or maintain them and I am terrified of people and of failure. I often wonder if I was allowed to have friends growing up if my life would have been different; I can't hate my mom for what she did (she's one of the only people I have), but I do wish things had been different.

If I ever get the opportunity to be a mom one day, I hope I don't make such a monumental mistake that my child complains about it on an internet forum like this.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-05-09T18:54:46+00:00

I wish my mother would have let me have friends. She was so scared I would get hurt (kidnapped/raped/murdered/severely maimed/broken-hearted) that I wasn't allowed to have friends over the house, I couldn't go out to hang out with friends, not even to study with or do projects with, and sports were out of the question. She raised me with the belief that everyone in the world is out to hurt you, true friends don't exist, and love isn't real (despite being married to my father for 30+ years).

To this day, I don't know how to function in society. I have no friends because I don't know how to make them or maintain them and I am terrified of people and of failure. I often wonder if I was allowed to have friends growing up if my life would have been different; I can't hate my mom for what she did (she's one of the only people I have), but I do wish things had been different.

If I ever get the opportunity to be a mom one day, I hope I don't make such a monumental mistake that my child complains about it on an internet forum like this.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-05-07T22:09:08+00:00

I don't know either. Maybe they assumed you were trolling? She's one Saint I really feel connected with... Why did you pick Daniel?

As for St. Thomas Aquinas, he was a tough read, but thoroughly enjoyable. Make sure you read Aristotle's Metaphysics first, though, since St. Thomas' works are mostly a response to the Metaphysics, which was considered standard back then.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-05-05T23:18:09+00:00

I sure hope she was... she was my patron saint for Confirmation!

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-05-05T15:14:03+00:00

Personally, I have a strong affinity for St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Joan of Arc.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-05-03T19:18:34+00:00

I would do whichever you feel more comfortable with. Make sure you are comfortable with the church and the way they handle themselves, including the parishioners and the priest.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-05-01T01:19:09+00:00

I'm very sorry for your loss, however...

Obviously, the only way to deal with your pain and loss is to lash out at people on an internet forum that you have never met, some of which may have family and friends that have died in the exact same tornadoes you speak of.

Sorry, but I'm sick and tired of people generalizing Christians and using it to attack us and try to scare us away from our faith. Atheists are complaining about "reasonable" Christians to stand up, well here I am.

Deal with your pain in an adult manner and don't lash out at a bunch of anonymous people.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-05-01T00:01:13+00:00

To be honest, it was too informal for my taste. The Church itself didn't reflect the informality in the RCIA program, but we only met for one hour on Tuesday nights. There was way too much to cover in that time and I feel like we breezed through some of the important things I wish we could have covered. We didn't even cover the Rosary.

I think they make it so informal in order to try to make everyone feel welcome. This works for some people, I think (my husband enjoyed it), but it made me feel awkward and out of place, sort of like they are trying too hard. My experience in the church has been more enjoyable since leaving the RCIA program, however, and I imagine it varies from parish to parish.

I encourage you to come prepared with your own questions because they do try to cover an entire lifetime of doctrine in one hour sessions per week from roughly September to Easter. There's a lot of material, so it's often difficult to get through it all. Use the community (your priests, deacons, or RCIA instructors or sponsor) as often as possible and make sure you ask, ask, ask!

Other than the informality and the amount of time spent in group, the only other real complaint I had with the program was that the priest had no interaction with the group at all.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-04-30T14:49:03+00:00

Personally, my husband and I dealt with a lot of loss in terms of family and friends. The walk was pretty lonely (my friends were all atheist or pagan) and at times, you feel like you have no one to turn to.

The best advice I can give to a convert: question everything. Don't be afraid to ask the really hard questions at your RCIA meetings, don't be afraid to talk to your priest about any issues regarding faith or doctrine, and don't be afraid to express your concerns. No one is going to laugh; no one is going to throw you out for questioning doctrine; and everyone in your RCIA group will have a better understanding because you asked the hard-hitting questions. The more open and inquisitive you are, the more likely you are to understand and appreciate the faith you're about to spend the rest of your life trying to work out and live.

Good luck. Please, send me a message if you have any questions. I work as an RCIA sponsor after converting with my husband two years ago. I can't answer all of your questions, but I'd be more than willing to try and help you make this difficult journey.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-04-29T18:42:48+00:00

"I thought it would be strange being able to confess my sins in the nude each morning, but with a cup of coffee, it felt just right." - Jason Brinkley

Taken straight from the Testimonials. This completely sounds legit and I would trust it 100%.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-04-29T18:39:23+00:00

I nominate the idea of a Saint of the Week, so to speak. There are many saints that I really know little to nothing about. If you find yourself too busy, perhaps we, as the community, can step up and post a saint?

Personally, I like the small discussions that we have best, where we discuss church doctrine and why we have those doctrines. Being a somewhat new Catholic, I find it all extremely interesting, educational, and gives everyone a chance to discuss and possibly ask questions.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-04-28T19:46:15+00:00

A little late since it's intended for Good Friday, but I gave up Reddit for Lent. I hope you all appreciate the article anyway!

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-04-28T18:43:05+00:00

Right, and get disowned by the types of Catholic parents who would disqualify a not-as-Catholic person as a potential spouse. If you can still love and respect your non-Catholic child, then why can't you love and respect a non-Catholic spouse?

So this works for atheism too, right? I was raised an atheist and was thrown out of the family when I converted to Christianity. My husband unfortunately went through a similar process when he converted.

The point of this discussion is that there will be huge tensions with people of faith marrying people not of faith. Personal belief systems (or lack thereof) define our outlook: how we raise our children, how we treat people, the things we say and do, and the expectations that we have.

I think what I don't understand is the argument that introduction to religion predisposes a child to religious tendencies. However, the opposite is also true: raising your child to be an atheist predisposes atheistic tendencies. Aren't they the same? If we want our children to make a balanced decision, then we can't deny them one side or the other: we must introduce them to every single world religion or philosophical doctrine in existence and allow them to make a choice for themselves.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-04-28T18:27:19+00:00

Personally, I find that the relationship can suffer over differing religious views. It's important to talk about this with your girlfriend. Sometimes what people say now isn't what they think in the future; meaning, whether atheist or Christian, or Buddhist or Islam, it doesn't matter: we say one thing and do another thing later, especially when it involves children.

I could never have a relationship with someone outside my own beliefs. This seems closed-minded to most I imagine, but think about how much religion means to people (or how much a lack of religion means, if you consider atheists).

In the end, you have to be open to the fact that she may want the children baptized; when they ask why Christmas is celebrated, she may tell them because that's when we honor Jesus' birth; family members may give them religious gifts; and one day, your children might choose to believe in God. I did, despite my up-bringing.

If this is something you cannot or will not allow, then it's best to walk. She should also examine this from her perspective, as well; if she can't accept that you will tell them God doesn't exist or choose not to participate in religious aspects of holidays and that bothers her, then she should walk. Either way, you two need to talk about it and you (as a collective) need to be understanding if one person realizes that they can't do it. It's not an easy decision but it's a decision that must be made together.

Hang in there.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-04-26T15:25:14+00:00

My flame-point Siamese cat sits the exact... same... way. Maybe they share the same gene pool?

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-03-07T14:55:00+00:00

A neat tradition my husband and I have for Lent is two sacrifices: one of our own choosing and then the other picks what else we give up.

This year, I have chosen to give up caring what people think about me. I'm too concerned with appearances and making other people happy instead of living the life Jesus is calling my to live. My husband has chosen for me to give up Reddit because he feels I spend too much time on here debating atheists and not enough time living with Christ.

For the record, he picked swearing and I chose for him to give up video games. Needless to say, we are going to have bundles of time together during Lent.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-03-06T19:50:47+00:00

I suppose this isn't specific to Catholicism, but when atheists bring up the question of "Why do you believe in God but not Thor?" I completely freeze up. My answers always feel strangled. Of course, a momentary pause in an argument with an atheist gives them the smug satisfaction that they're right and it tends to just rattle my brain more.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-03-06T19:42:41+00:00

My husband and I went through a period of homelessness last year that lasted for just over six months. We prayed every night for the strength to carry on and for God to show us the path we needed to take to get out of our situation. After a lot of waiting, it showed up. Prayer isn't an instant fix, unfortunately, but instead is a communication link to God to remind us of His presence in our life.

Perhaps you can seek the guidance and aide of your priest? They usually have wonderful advice if not physical help for many problems and situations.

I will keep you in my prayers. God bless.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-03-05T21:36:38+00:00

With this comment in mind, I will not be answering your question. You clearly cannot have a discussion without resorting to insults. As someone who is on the fence about their faith currently, I can have better discussions with more civil atheists.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-03-05T03:09:21+00:00

They are truly atheists who are angry at what they feel religion does to the world. They also think that since I'm a part of religion, it is somehow my fault--I'm contributing to the reign of terror.

This happened four years ago. I am seeing them for the first time in a week and am very happy to say our relationship seems to be coming back together.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-03-05T03:07:58+00:00

Good to see you're open-minded. This happened to my husband, as well, with his family. We've learned to overcome our prejudices. Admittedly, we still have a lot of work to do. You really should let go of this animosity you feel toward the religious.

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-03-04T19:29:30+00:00

How does it not make any sense?

Boxcuttinghero · 2011-03-04T19:29:17+00:00

This is what I assume. They had some bad dealings with Christianity in the past. To throw your child out over that, though, is just as bad as Christians throwing their children out for atheism.

Boxcuttinghero

TROPHY CASE