Is anybody Catholic?????

[Syd Valentine]

This may seem like a totally off the wall question but.... I am curious!

The other day one of the ladies at my gym's daycare showed up with a big, black "plus" sign on her forehead. I thought it was a cool make-up trend starter or something but she explained that she had just come back from church and that it was "ASH WEDNESDAY" and that it was NOT a plus sign but a cross the priest had painted on her forehead with ashes. I've heard of Ash Wed. before but I am not Catholic so I don't know much about it. I thought it was closer to Easter which is in April but she informed me that there are 40 days of... Lint? or Lent?... that starts with Ash Wednesday leading up to Easter. She told me that during these 40 days Catholics have to give up something they really value... she used Caffeine, Sweets, Starbucks... as examples.

I am not a religious person. I am "spiritual" in my own ways. BUT I am EXTREMELY interested in different religions and beliefs. I could just research it on-line of course, but I thought it would be more fun to ask people to give their own opinions and thoughts and experiences first.

So, is/was anybody Catholic? What can you tell us about Ash Wednesday and Lent(?) and Easter? If you have to give up something of value for 40 days, is it supposed to be something more important than material things? Can it be a... person, for example??

Looking foreword to your responses!

xxx

Syd Valentine

[Anita Fixx]

I found that book I told you about. It's called:
"Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts"
by Carol Tavris (Author), Elliot Aronson (Author)

You can read a preview of it on Amazon.com
Yeah, I love reading books about psychology and this book is really one of the best ones I've read recently.
And yes, they explain about religious beliefs and why some people are so fanatical about it.

[Dottie Darling]

Well is there anything specific you'd like to hear about?

Syd Valentine said:

Awww.... I'd love to hear what you have to say! Message me??

[Syd Valentine]

Thanks, sweet-cheeks!
I'm all over it! I'll yet you know what I think!

Anita Fixx said:

I found that book I told you about. It's called:
"Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts"
by Carol Tavris (Author), Elliot Aronson (Author)

You can read a preview of it on Amazon.com
Yeah, I love reading books about psychology and this book is really one of the best ones I've read recently.
And yes, they explain about religious beliefs and why some people are so fanatical about it.

[Syd Valentine]

Not really! I am just interested in people's thoughts and experiences. So, if you'd like to share, I'd love to listen.

Dottie Darling said:

Well is there anything specific you'd like to hear about?

Syd Valentine said:

Awww.... I'd love to hear what you have to say! Message me??

[Syd Valentine]

VERY cool! Thanks for sharing your story! I'm glad you found your spiritual path and thank you for your kind words. I will definitly be sending positive thoughts in your direction!! :) I'm going to look into "Summa Theologica". Sounds intriguing.

sfphotojournal said:

After a life of Secularism, Atheism and Buddhism, I converted to Catholicism in my early 30's.

I certainly had a idea of what Christianity was, who doesn't in this culture. I had even read the New Testament in college for a Western lit class. But my views were prejudiced by popular notions of what Christianity stood for.

As a Buddhist, I thought perhaps Christ was a Sammasambuddha, an englightened being who sought to teach others, but I certainly didn't think of him as divine. In fact I was totally Atheistic. Atheism and Buddhism are completely compatible since Buddhism teaches that either there is no God/Gods or if there were God/Gods they wouldn't be worth bothering with.

Ultimately, I reached an impasse since Atheism and Buddhism are at their core nihilistic. Atheism because it is morally relativistic and Buddhism because it's ultimate goal is the destruction of all matter, of all being.

My conversion didn't occur like a flash of light. I didn't have an epiphany. My conversion resulted from rational inquiry and debate. I would argue with a friend of mine in law school. I thought he was an odd bird since he was highly intelligent, articulate and a devout Catholic. Something I thought was impossible given my prejudices.

He convinced me to read St. Thomas Aquinas "Summa Theologica". Aquinas was startling because in his work I encountered a great intellectual and a great philosopher. He laid out a very rationale argument for the existence of God, without relying upon any notions of faith. Every argument I had, he had already made and carefully refuted it. After about a year of Aquinas, I had to admit that it was rationale to believe in God. (I would warn any Atheist against reading Aquinas if you wish to keep your beliefs.)

It took another 2 years before I was actually believed in the existence of God. And another 3 years of reading St. Francis De Sales, St. Therese of Avilla, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, C.S. Lewis, et. al. before I was convinced enough to be baptised and entered into the Catholic Church.

Has being a Catholic made me a holier person? Certainly not. But it has made me to a very small degree a better person. I am now a little less selfish, a little less immature, more caring of others, more willing to admit when I'm wrong.

Has it made me a happier person? In a way yes. I'm more contented and have more certitude. But in another way, no. Because I now see clearly my failings. It certainly hasn't shielded me from all the vagaries life has to offer. I now pray more and interestingly I meditate far more now then when I was a Buddhist.

My wish is that everyone here find a degree of peace, contentment and happiness. And know that I include you all in my prayers and I hope you pray for or at least think good thoughts of me.

SFPJ

[Syd Valentine]

Hahahah! Thanks for replying. Sorry about the Taco Bell! :(

BeBe La Diabla {{N.C.P.D. * S.G.C.}} said:

I'm Catholic....but I'm not a PRACTICING Catholic...I don't attend church as often as I should, I do my own form of worship here at home. Kind of hard for me to do with 2 kids 5 & under and the hubby is deployed right now! LOL...

This year for Lent, I've given up Taco Bell (which is MY FAVE fast food).