JabbaJawz
Be about it
I am a baptized Catholic and attended Catholic school for grades K-8. Dean (fiance) is a baptized Lutheran but hasn't ever really practiced the religion. We're getting married in the Catholic Church this May, and are required to attend marriage preparation classes. We completed the class this weekend, and several issues came up that really got us thinking. While I have faith in God - my trueness to the Catholic faith is in question.
As most faith's do, there are many specific beliefs and a certain lifestyle that the Catholic church expects you to follow. It's not that they don't welcome you as a member if you don't follow all of them, but they do in a sense 'shove in down your throat' in many ways. I always realized this, but after this class and going over each lifestyle manner, it's a little more out of control that I thought!
I guess where I'm going with this - is to ask if all Catholics FULLY believe in ALL the theories and lifestyle? And follow the 'rules' per se? Is it acceptable to take from the religion what you can value for your life, or is that too much picking and choosing?
I mean, some of the things they're expecting are absolutely insane in our opinion. I guess it really hit home when we sat through presentations by a few couples, and to see how much they truly believe in and live this lifetyle to a "T". We could NEVER be like this, despite the fact that we are good people. Most of the opinions on sexual relations, quantity of children, etc... are just completely unrealistic. I could go on forever, but I suppose am looking for others' opinions on the topic.
As most faith's do, there are many specific beliefs and a certain lifestyle that the Catholic church expects you to follow. It's not that they don't welcome you as a member if you don't follow all of them, but they do in a sense 'shove in down your throat' in many ways. I always realized this, but after this class and going over each lifestyle manner, it's a little more out of control that I thought!
I guess where I'm going with this - is to ask if all Catholics FULLY believe in ALL the theories and lifestyle? And follow the 'rules' per se? Is it acceptable to take from the religion what you can value for your life, or is that too much picking and choosing?
I mean, some of the things they're expecting are absolutely insane in our opinion. I guess it really hit home when we sat through presentations by a few couples, and to see how much they truly believe in and live this lifetyle to a "T". We could NEVER be like this, despite the fact that we are good people. Most of the opinions on sexual relations, quantity of children, etc... are just completely unrealistic. I could go on forever, but I suppose am looking for others' opinions on the topic.