Quote:
Originally posted by valkyrie
Here's another question. I can understand the desire some Catholics have for the church to be more progressive and change with the times. But why? Is it concern for the well-being of the church or is it something else? I guess what I want to understand but don't is why people stay with the church when they don't agree with it on so many issues. Do most people stay in the religion in which they were raised no matter what? Is it more of a cultural thing than a religious thing? Are you Catholic even if you don't go to church or pray or follow the "rules" as they exist now? If so, why?
I'm just fascinated by religion in general, but I think my concept of religion is very different from that of most people. I was raised protestant (I was confirmed and all that and used to go to church somewhat regularly on occasion) but eventually I realized that I just don't believe in 90% of the stuff that goes with being Christian, so I no longer consider myself such. I want to understand what makes some people leave when they don't agree and some people stay when they don't agree.
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Basically, I disagree with the Catholic Church on quite a bit of issues. But in addition, I no longer feel it's very relevant to my life. My relationship is between God and I and I don't need the Catholic Church to dictate it to me. God knows what I've done whether or not I make a point of telling him (i.e., going to Church).
So I just choose to be a non-practicing Catholic after 18 years of Catholic schools, weekly church and heavy involvement.
Why haven't I just left? Well, I just haven't gotten around to it. I haven't taken the time to find somewhere else that I would fit in better. It's just not that important.
But yes, I do wish that the Church would modernize a bit and realize that the world we live in now is a world that was never envisioned during Jesus's time. Women are held at a MUCH higher standard than they were in biblical times and that should at least be taken into account.
A number of Catholics I know (my family mostly) are mostly annoyed by the centralized power and the pulling back from things that Vatican II opened up.