As a child I was browbeaten by nuns and Rules!, No thank you. I believe in God, I am an Individual created in the “Image and Likeness” of God. Therefore I follow what is good and true to me, not the meanings and judgments of organizations.
Try to remember that individuals are not “the Catholic Church”. Catholics often conflate those two things. Bad priests/sisters/bishops are not “The Catholic Church/Religion” GOOD priests/nuns/whatever are also not “The Catholic Church/Religion”. They’r just individuals. Catholicism is deeper and broader than that. Ask God to help you to see that, because I think it’s going to help you massively. Also…
Organized religion isn’t inherently bad. Jesus followed one (Judaism), and he left us one (Catholicism). Sometimes we can see “organization” or “rules” as binding, because they can APPEAR that way. But consider that rules are freeing, not binding. When I give my kids rules, it’s to free them—it’s to preserve their lives and wellbeing so that they are able to grow and develop to be who they were made to be. It is not freedom, for example, to cut off my own arm. That’s license, not freedom. If there were a commandment that said “Thou shalt not cut off your arm” it would be to enable the freedom that comes with having two arms (to climb a tree, to play my guitar, to give a hug, to change a tier…whatever). Ask God to help you change how you think about “the rule” and the concept of freedom. I can see that people in your life have set you on a wrong path toward that understanding, and that isn’t your fault. But you have the power to course correct now. Ask God and the Blessed Mother to help you. I’m glad you enjoy my work! Thank you for saying so. God bless and be with you.
If God’s love is conditional on how well I follow organizational rules, I am not free at all regardless of who said it. The Gospels are reiteration and interpretations of what Christ said.
The Gospels are not an interpretation of what he said, they're a translation of what he said. And it's the most trustworthy translation of an ancient document in all of human history. God's love actually is conditional. That's why where are 10 commandments, Gospel principals, etc. Those are all conditions. I'll explain: Love is an action, not a feeling. It's not that God stops loving us, it's that his love has no effect if we're outside of it. It's like if my children run away from home, I don't stop loving them, but my love for them has no effect because the condition of my love is that they remain HERE where I can feed them, house them, teach them, protect them, etc. The condition of God's love is that we obey him (The word of God, and the Law of God....according to Jesus' words) and do what his son commanded. If we aren't doing that, his love for us remains, but we have moved outside of the effects of that love. I hope that makes sense. Also, to be clear, I'm not hammering you on any of this, I'm just giving you some things to consider, think about, pray over. I hope it doesn't sound like I'm attacking you. I'm sorry if it does; it's not my intent or desire.
Also, from Luke 13:25-27 - “Then will you stand outside saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know who you are” And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ And then he will say to you, ‘I do not know who you are. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’
I’m not saying “your’e going to hell!” (how could I know that either way, anyway?) but what I AM saying is that Jesus warns us that some people who ‘follow him’ without FOLLOWING are risking a lot. These are his own words, not someone’s interpretation.
So your position is literally in conflict with that of Jesus. You shouldn’t magnify the significance of your experience with nuns. It’s not significant at all, it’s just something you’ve convinced yourself of. Even if your experiences with them were terrible, it shouldn’t have any bearing on your faithfulness to God through the Church His Son established. The idea of being spiritual without being religious is a false concept. The devil is spiritual without being religious, too. I’m not saying YOU consider yourself “spiritual but not religious” but my concern is your position reflects it in some key ways. Following “What is good and true for me”-how does the tmake you different from an atheist or a pagan? Some things to consider in prayer. God bless and be with you.
I pray almost daily, including Acts of Contrition. However, the arrogance of priests, nuns, and organized religion, in general, undermines the individual freedoms that remind us we are all "children of God."
We have no freedom to call ourselves Christian and reject the Church he left to us. Being Christian involves the Church, it is not a religion of one. That’s an abuse of freedom—it’s license, not freedom.
As a child I was browbeaten by nuns and Rules!, No thank you. I believe in God, I am an Individual created in the “Image and Likeness” of God. Therefore I follow what is good and true to me, not the meanings and judgments of organizations.
Thank you for your kind words. I may be biased in a
negative way because of the force of organized religion in my childhood.
It took me years of spiritual and psychological work to simply find and define myself without harsh judgement. No offense taken.
God did not hurt me…people did, in the name of the organization (in my case Catholicism).
I do acknowledge that the religion of my birth did open in me a desire to know a loving God.
I really enjoy your writings❣️
Try to remember that individuals are not “the Catholic Church”. Catholics often conflate those two things. Bad priests/sisters/bishops are not “The Catholic Church/Religion” GOOD priests/nuns/whatever are also not “The Catholic Church/Religion”. They’r just individuals. Catholicism is deeper and broader than that. Ask God to help you to see that, because I think it’s going to help you massively. Also…
Organized religion isn’t inherently bad. Jesus followed one (Judaism), and he left us one (Catholicism). Sometimes we can see “organization” or “rules” as binding, because they can APPEAR that way. But consider that rules are freeing, not binding. When I give my kids rules, it’s to free them—it’s to preserve their lives and wellbeing so that they are able to grow and develop to be who they were made to be. It is not freedom, for example, to cut off my own arm. That’s license, not freedom. If there were a commandment that said “Thou shalt not cut off your arm” it would be to enable the freedom that comes with having two arms (to climb a tree, to play my guitar, to give a hug, to change a tier…whatever). Ask God to help you change how you think about “the rule” and the concept of freedom. I can see that people in your life have set you on a wrong path toward that understanding, and that isn’t your fault. But you have the power to course correct now. Ask God and the Blessed Mother to help you. I’m glad you enjoy my work! Thank you for saying so. God bless and be with you.
If God’s love is conditional on how well I follow organizational rules, I am not free at all regardless of who said it. The Gospels are reiteration and interpretations of what Christ said.
The Gospels are not an interpretation of what he said, they're a translation of what he said. And it's the most trustworthy translation of an ancient document in all of human history. God's love actually is conditional. That's why where are 10 commandments, Gospel principals, etc. Those are all conditions. I'll explain: Love is an action, not a feeling. It's not that God stops loving us, it's that his love has no effect if we're outside of it. It's like if my children run away from home, I don't stop loving them, but my love for them has no effect because the condition of my love is that they remain HERE where I can feed them, house them, teach them, protect them, etc. The condition of God's love is that we obey him (The word of God, and the Law of God....according to Jesus' words) and do what his son commanded. If we aren't doing that, his love for us remains, but we have moved outside of the effects of that love. I hope that makes sense. Also, to be clear, I'm not hammering you on any of this, I'm just giving you some things to consider, think about, pray over. I hope it doesn't sound like I'm attacking you. I'm sorry if it does; it's not my intent or desire.
I am sorry, but I morally and consciously reject that! Try forgiveness? Insight? Inclusion?
We are all Veterans of Organized wars. Rehabilitation requires mercy, care and above all love.
Also, from Luke 13:25-27 - “Then will you stand outside saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know who you are” And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ And then he will say to you, ‘I do not know who you are. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’
I’m not saying “your’e going to hell!” (how could I know that either way, anyway?) but what I AM saying is that Jesus warns us that some people who ‘follow him’ without FOLLOWING are risking a lot. These are his own words, not someone’s interpretation.
So your position is literally in conflict with that of Jesus. You shouldn’t magnify the significance of your experience with nuns. It’s not significant at all, it’s just something you’ve convinced yourself of. Even if your experiences with them were terrible, it shouldn’t have any bearing on your faithfulness to God through the Church His Son established. The idea of being spiritual without being religious is a false concept. The devil is spiritual without being religious, too. I’m not saying YOU consider yourself “spiritual but not religious” but my concern is your position reflects it in some key ways. Following “What is good and true for me”-how does the tmake you different from an atheist or a pagan? Some things to consider in prayer. God bless and be with you.
I pray almost daily, including Acts of Contrition. However, the arrogance of priests, nuns, and organized religion, in general, undermines the individual freedoms that remind us we are all "children of God."
We have no freedom to call ourselves Christian and reject the Church he left to us. Being Christian involves the Church, it is not a religion of one. That’s an abuse of freedom—it’s license, not freedom.