Welcome to Gaia! ::

It's funny.

I'm Catholic. Was raised Catholic. Went to Catholic schools. Got confirmed. Haven't had sex yet. Haven't been married. I follow all the rules, except for a couple, like lying every now and then.

Yet, I find so many flaws with Catholicism and religion in general. The Church (Catholic Church) has gone through many changes in the last fifty years. Vatican II completely revamped the image and ways of doing things. With the constant invention of new goods, though, it seems it's lagging behind terribly. It says "No sex before marriage, and don't marry for sex." One of those has to go, because how will a relationship survive if the partners aren't sexually compatible? It will be long and awkward, and will last the rest of your life because getting divorced is a sin against God. Then they say, "No condoms, no abortion, no birth control." Again, one must go for society to function. The purchase of condoms is inversely proportionate to the amount of births annually. More condoms, less births. But making abortion illegal won't solve anything. People will simply have the child and give it for adoption, and there will be a run-around of kids everywhere. Making condoms illegal will do the same thing. So we're at an impasse. Either allow condoms or allow abortions, because Heaven knows that Catholics believe the world is becoming too populous, despite the fact that the world's nearly seven billion people can fit in Rhode Island with 3 square feet of space.

Now I'm not saying that abortion is good, or that it's bad, so don't go complaining about that. I, personally, believe that it's not the only option, nor that it's the final one. I believe that many factors cause a woman to abort, but some situations call for it.

Back to religion.
It's very skewed one way, as far as Catholicism goes. "The One True God" they say. Well, they try to throw away others beliefs saying, "God has many faces and is different to everyone." Then, later, to confirm that (after hundreds of years saying "Those who don't believe in the Catholic God are going to HELL. D<"), they say that anyone who lives a good, full life and has good morals, or whatever, can go to Heaven, but only after a few years in Purgatory so that they know that God is the one and only. They also say that one cannot be blamed for evil actions if ones conscience was formed with evil intentions. A "right from wrong" formed "incorrectly" cannot be blamed as evil, but one must show the person the "truth". Well, they don't think that's the truth.

So how can someone who was raised Satanist and who does evil deeds not knowing them as evil go to Heaven? Well, Catholics say that he will go to Hell, just like his heathen parents.

But what about the gods? Mythological gods, like Zeus, Odin, Ra, etc? Or Muhammad's god? Or Sheba? Hell, even the Jewish God? What makes those gods less believable than the Catholic or Christian God? There is no proof, scientifically, physically, or chemically that can prove the existence of a higher power. It is simply the answer man made to explain the unexplainable. Though we know so much about life, the galaxy, Space, and the universe, we have not even scratched at one percent of all knowledge there is to know. Thus, to explain that which we do not know, we call upon a deity or higher power to wisp away those fears of not knowing. The existence of one god has the same probable chance as the existence of another god, and has the same chance as the existence of all gods ever conceived, simply because it cannot be proven by science. The same goes for the afterlife. And the same goes for souls. There is no proof of a soul, only of a consciousness, which we claim to be a soul because it produces a personality. If souls exist, then souls are in all creatures, man or otherwise, down to insects, amoebas, and even plants. Although personalities and consciousnesses of these creatures cannot be proven because we do not have the technology to prove it, neither can we prove they don't have them.

I am scientific, so I look to what is known to determine what is unknown. Your opinions may differ slightly or substantially, but this is mine, and I would like it if no one flamed me for it.

That actually makes perfect sense. And that is the beauty of free will. You should be able to think these thoughts freely and explore your own faith and belief's openly. These doubts and such are reasonable and well placed. I think it's good for everyone to go through a questioning process with their religion.

No flames here. I think you need to find your own belief's, explore your mind and find your own inner truth. For example I believe that there is one God, that God sent his son, Jesus, down to earth to save us and that God started evolution, he didn't just simply make Adam and Eve in one night.

These are my belief's after studying the bible, an English adaption of the Koran and the Hebrew bible. Obviously I didn't read them all, but enough to understand the religion and their beliefs. Plus I have taken enough biology to know all about the theory of evolution.

I really commend you for stepping out of your comfort zone and in to a place that is unfamiliar. Especially since you have been Catholic all your life and they can be very strict in their teachings. I hope your journey to your own personal truths.

:3