Joining the catholic church

[JoeBobSmith]

[terranus]

LOL don't worry too much about it JBS. We all get drunk and say stupid stuff every now and then. I probably should have made a few drunk posts myself by now, but for some reason whenever I get sloshed I seem to forget how the keyboard and mousepad work...

[xSilverPhinx]

I really don't know what's worse, feeling isolated in an island of ridiculous beliefs or joining a group with ridiculous beliefs in order to feel less isolated and alone. If you don't believe in it, how can joining a group that's defined around what you don't believe help in the long run? If it's just for the social aspect, I'm going along with what others have posted before: look for a more open and maybe even non religious group. Doesn't even have to be an atheist or secular one.

[JoeBobSmith]

 

[xSilverPhinx]

I really don't know what's worse, feeling isolated in an island of ridiculous beliefs or joining a group with ridiculous beliefs in order to feel less isolated and alone. If you don't believe in it, how can joining a group that's defined around what you don't believe help in the long run? If it's just for the social aspect, I'm going along with what others have posted before: look for a more open and maybe even non religious group. Doesn't even have to be an atheist or secular one.

I'll tell u what.  I think the head priest in my church is a homo, and every time I interact with him he gives the the creepiest look.

I'm not sure if i'm gonna do the whole deal...baptism, but if i do i'll let you all know if drinking (supposedly) Jesus's blood changes me at all

Honestly I'm probably a better catholic than most of the catholics in my perish, and i'm not even a catholic.  And this church is turning out to be an "old man's" church, so i'm really not doing it for the social aspect anymore anyways

Will there be Jesus crackers as well?  I always wanted to know what Jesus tastes like...some say rather boring.

[Whitney]

Will there be Jesus crackers as well?  I always wanted to know what Jesus tastes like...some say rather boring.

I always liked the communion wafers...at my church they tasted like oyster crackers (really small white crackers commonly paired with soups in the US)

[fester30]

I guess if an atheist/agnostic had to join a church for whatever reason, Catholic would probably be the best way to go.  There's a lot of mindless sit/stand/kneel/repeat after me going on.  You can be a Catholic your entire life and not really have to think.  Well, except for that Catechism thing.  But that's easy to get through.  If you go to an evangellical church or one where they have less chanting and more preaching and teaching, it could get annoying.  I got kicked out of a couple Bible study classes even before I was an atheist, because I wouldn't let them sit there and lie about what was in the Bible, so I often made class rather difficult to conduct.

[Whitney]

I guess if an atheist/agnostic had to join a church for whatever reason, Catholic would probably be the best way to go.  There's a lot of mindless sit/stand/kneel/repeat after me going on.  You can be a Catholic your entire life and not really have to think.  Well, except for that Catechism thing.  But that's easy to get through.  If you go to an evangellical church or one where they have less chanting and more preaching and teaching, it could get annoying.  I got kicked out of a couple Bible study classes even before I was an atheist, because I wouldn't let them sit there and lie about what was in the Bible, so I often made class rather difficult to conduct.

I'd go to a Unitarian Church if I were to feel the need to ritualize my Sundays.

[JoeBobSmith]

an oyster cracker?

[JoeBobSmith]

can you tell me what you mean

[fester30]

that Catechism thing

can you tell me what you mean? thanks

To join the Catholic church, you have to go through confirmation.  This is a process by which you learn the Catholic doctrine.  There is a little book called the catechism that you will read and study, and you'll have to pass a test on this book.  There is a ceremony as well when you get your first communion, and you'll have to be baptized somewhere along the way.

[xSilverPhinx]

Will there be Jesus crackers as well?  I always wanted to know what Jesus tastes like...some say rather boring.

I always liked the communion wafers...at my church they tasted like oyster crackers (really small white crackers commonly paired with soups in the US)

Sounds nice, even if mundane and earthly

[februarystars]

To join the Catholic church, you have to go through confirmation.  This is a process by which you learn the Catholic doctrine.  There is a little book called the catechism that you will read and study, and you'll have to pass a test on this book.  There is a ceremony as well when you get your first communion, and you'll have to be baptized somewhere along the way.

Baptism --> First Confession --> First Communion --> Loads of stupid classes --> Confirmation --> Huge waste of time

Also, Jesus crackers taste kind of like styrofoam, but I would buy Jesus blood by the bottle. I'm not sure what kind of wine my ex-church used, but I've never had better.

[xSilverPhinx]

Also, Jesus crackers taste kind of like styrofoam

Oh, so they're like what you buy from McDonald's.  :eek: )

[Being_Brave]

that Catechism thing

can you tell me what you mean? thanks

If you're actually serious about considering joining, you could go a couple Sundays to Mass and see what it's like (sounds like you might have already gone a few times?). You don't have to do all the aerobics, and when they get up for Eucharist you can walk up with them if you want (just cross your arms over your chest so they know you won't be partaking, and the priest will "bless" you in stead), or you could just stay seated during that time...nobody really minds either way.

The Chatechism is a medium sized book (about as thick as a hardback version of Twilight), and it's a reference for what the Church believes and why. The chapters are broken up so that if you have a question about Baptism you just look up "baptism" (the Religious Ed office at the church will give you one free if you ask, but you can get it at a bookstore too). It also explains a bit about why all the singing and aerobics etc..

For adults, there's RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults), that's usually one hour a week for 6 months (from September to Easter). They want you to go to as many as you can, but if you miss it's usually not a problem, and you're not signing up for the church just by going to the classes. You won't be asked to join until Easter, and usually by then people have already decided they're not interested and stopped going or have decided to join the church. There isn't a test after every class or anything, but there will be a time when either the Priest or a Deacon has a face-to-face interview with you to make sure you understand what Catholicism is about and to make sure it's really something you want to do.

At the end of RCIA if you want to join but you've never been baptised you'll be baptised, and then you'll do first confession, first communion (or "Christ Chex", since it's usually about breakfast time...don't say that to the priest though), etc. with the rest of the class.

If you just like going, but don't believe everything the Church teaches, you can still go every Sunday (just don't take Communion).