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Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Church

flan327 · Itty bitty's Grammy

I survived 8 years in Catholic school. I attended Mass every Sunday, because it was only an hour out of my life & certainly easier than explaining to my folks that I didn't believe.

DH1 attended RCIS classes & identified as a Catholic.

When my boys were growing up, I took them to Mass & I taught Sunday school.

flan

FNW · Guru

Growing up, we went every week, and holy days of obligation, too. We went Saturday nights because they had a guitar mass, and the singers wrote their own music. The lead musician became a priest, and we were invited to his ordination. I went to CCD through my freshman year of high school. I felt the need to go, even as a teen. There were times I missed because I was out with my friends, but usually my BFF and I would go with each other to church. She is Pentecostal.

Over the years I can't say I attended regularly, but I did attend more often than Christmas and Easter. Since the boys started kindergarten, we make it a point to take them every week unless someone is sick, or we have something going on that weekend. They attend CCD, too, only it's called religious education now.

My ex-husband was never taken to church and he told me he wished he had because he felt like something was missing.

Tinydancer · Guru

We went every week and were very involved with the church. As a young adult I stayed away because I felt it took up too much of my time. I was glad I found my way back after my daughter was born. She has always loved and is still involved with church every week. I guess she never felt the need to go away from it when she went out on her own.

Lindley · Guru

I went to Church as a child but stopped going when I was 12 years old. Started going back to Church after I graduated high school. Just felt called to go back. I'm very active in Church and both my kids are active in their Church and raising/planning to raise their children in Church.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Went every Sunday, morning and evening services. Every Wednesday service. And once a month was ladies prayer group and men's prayer group.

Every service of every revival, Bible school and special anything.

We also went once a year to the CoG camp meeting.

Did Sunday school, Wednesday night classes and whatever else.

Basically, if there was anything going on at church, we were there.

Mom and dad held positions at different times, through out the years.

So I was at church a lot.

I got out of church around 16 or 17. Went sporadically for a while.

I didn't get to go a lot for a long time cause I worked on Sundays.

I don't go a lot now because of the pain but I try to watch live online.

I miss going. I need to go more.

chef · Guru

I was raised in the Church but fell away in my late teens. Went back in my early 20s and fell away again. Went back in my late 20s and went for awhile but left due to certain events within the Church and was disillusioned for awhile. After a lot of prayer and careful consideration as to what is important to us in a Church, DH and I researched area Churches and found one we clicked with and have been attending regularly. We also do Bible study.

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

Grew up in the Catholic church. Went every Sunday as well as days of obligation. Did CCD through my confirmation. Stopped going when I got married and moved away. Went sporadically until a little more than a year ago. Now I go every Sunday and I have joined a small group for bible study. We don't have extra services due to us not having our own building. We meet in a H.S. auditorium.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

There are a lot of catholics on the board.

Never realized how many.

I think we have one catholic church here.

There is a first Baptist or methodist on almost every corner.

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

lilyofcourse wrote:
There are a lot of catholics on the board.

Never realized how many.

I think we have one catholic church here.

There is a first Baptist or methodist on almost every corner.

I now go to a non denominational church. According to Catholic law I will now go to hell.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I don't want to speak I'll of those who follow the Catholic teachings, I just don't agree wit a lot of what they teach.

But.

That's ok. Free country. (For now)

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

lilyofcourse wrote:
I don't want to speak I'll of those who follow the Catholic teachings, I just don't agree wit a lot of what they teach.

But.

That's ok. Free country. (For now)

I don't agree with the teachings either. That is why I have left the church. I do miss it. But I have never felt such a connection as I do now.

flan327 · Itty bitty's Grammy

lilyofcourse wrote:
I don't want to speak I'll of those who follow the Catholic teachings, I just don't agree wit a lot of what they teach.

But.

That's ok. Free country. (For now)

flan

Fort Worth Mom · Mod/Penguin lover/Princess!

Southern_Belle wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:
There are a lot of catholics on the board.

Never realized how many.

I think we have one catholic church here.

There is a first Baptist or methodist on almost every corner.
I now go to a non denominational church. According to Catholic law I will now go to hell.

Ummm........really?

Someone told you that, and you believed it? confuse

Nope.

Not true.

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

We were raised to believe that if we even set foot in a church that wasn't Catholic that we were going to hell. I went in the Synagogue with my BFF all the time. I was such a rebel!

Fort Worth Mom · Mod/Penguin lover/Princess!

Southern_Belle wrote:
We were raised to believe that if we even set foot in a church that wasn't Catholic that we were going to hell. I went in the Synagogue with my BFF all the time. I was such a rebel!

That's crazy, SB.

Not at all true.

I'm so sad, that you were so misinformed. cry

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

Fort Worth Mom wrote:
Southern_Belle wrote:
We were raised to believe that if we even set foot in a church that wasn't Catholic that we were going to hell. I went in the Synagogue with my BFF all the time. I was such a rebel!
That's crazy, SB.
Not at all true.
I'm so sad, that you were so misinformed.

All those old Italians loved to put the fear in us bigtime.

Fort Worth Mom · Mod/Penguin lover/Princess!

Southern_Belle wrote:
Fort Worth Mom wrote:
Southern_Belle wrote:
We were raised to believe that if we even set foot in a church that wasn't Catholic that we were going to hell. I went in the Synagogue with my BFF all the time. I was such a rebel!
That's crazy, SB.
Not at all true.
I'm so sad, that you were so misinformed.
All those old Italians loved to put the fear in us bigtime.

Well, if they did, shame on them.

I grew up around plenty of Italians.......and none of them spouted such nonsense.

huskerbb · Guru

Raised going to church. Still go to church.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Fort Worth Mom wrote:
Southern_Belle wrote:
Fort Worth Mom wrote:
Southern_Belle wrote:
We were raised to believe that if we even set foot in a church that wasn't Catholic that we were going to hell. I went in the Synagogue with my BFF all the time. I was such a rebel!
That's crazy, SB.
Not at all true.
I'm so sad, that you were so misinformed.
All those old Italians loved to put the fear in us bigtime.
Well, if they did, shame on them.
I grew up around plenty of Italians.......and none of them spouted such nonsense.

I'd rather they put food in us.

Love Italian food.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Oops!

Double post.

-- Edited by lilyofcourse on Saturday 31st of October 2015 07:31:47 PM

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

I was raised in the Presbyterian church. My mom was a deacon and my dad was an elder for quite a few years. We did Sunday services and Sunday school, nothing else really. Our pastor moved on to a bigger congregation when I was about 12 years old. We changed churches to one closer to our home and I attended but never felt connected.

DH was easier Catholic. We got married in my church and only ever went back for holidays. I worked full time nights and weekends and he worked plus went to school full time and we had a baby. We just were not ever off on Sunday and if we were, we used the time to reconnect and keep our marriage going. After a few years, we started taking the kids out once a week, sometimes on Sundays, for a nature walk or such and talked about seeing God everywhere.

Really now, I believe in a higher power but nothing specific.

Nobody Just Nobody · Rib-it! Rrrib-it!

Southern_Belle wrote:
We were raised to believe that if we even set foot in a church that wasn't Catholic that we were going to hell. I went in the Synagogue with my BFF all the time. I was such a rebel!

I was raised in a southern baptist church and that's what we were raised to believe. They called it worshiping false gods. I was raised in a hell fire and brimstone church. I was pretty much taught everyone was doomed to hell for something or another.

karl271 · Guru

Sunday School every Sunday. Still have my 10 year perfect attendance pin.
Sang in whatever choir was I eligible for (by age).

And, yes, to enter a Catholic church was to insure damnation forever....

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Fort Worth Mom wrote:
Southern_Belle wrote:
We were raised to believe that if we even set foot in a church that wasn't Catholic that we were going to hell. I went in the Synagogue with my BFF all the time. I was such a rebel!
That's crazy, SB.
Not at all true.
I'm so sad, that you were so misinformed.

Unfortunately that happens a lot. When I was born, my mother refused to have me Baptized. Said she believed the Bible said I should make that choice for myself. The priest at the church told her not to ever come back until she would agree to have me Baptized. She has never been back.

My mother never went to church again after that, but I would go on my own. I lived in a very small town, and usually lived very close to a church, so I would walk there myself most of the time. My mom would drop me off if the weather was bad. I also went to church with friends or my grandmother. So, depending on where we were living at the time, I attending Catholic, Baptist, Methodist or Lutheran. I was finally baptized in the Church of Christ when I was 17, and attending church more faithfully as an adult. When living in Japan, I went to a mission church. Now, I am a member of a Southern Baptist Church. It's different, but I like it.

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

My sister raised her girls in the Catholic Church. One of the girls had a baby, she was 17 and unwed. Dn and baby's father went to the church on their own to inquire about baptism. The priest treated them horribly and they left. My sister went and had some words with him and no one has been back since. Makes me so sad.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

DH and I were thinking of going to the local Catholic church. DH was raised Catholic but he fell away from it in college and he attended more evangelical churches. I was raised an occasional Methodist. But, over the years, I have attended some Catholic weddings, services and funerals and the one think I do like about the Catholic church is the sense of Reverence. I don't agree with all their doctrines either but I could find some that I do agree with as well.

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

It won't hurt to check it out.

FNW · Guru

SB, when I was 19 I got married in the Catholic Church. I didn't want to, he was threatening me and blackmailing me. After 10 months I got out of it. He went to the priest who married us and asked him to talk me into going back with him. The priest called and gave me a list of grounds under which I could seen an annulment. He said he would do it, but he was leaving the parish and couldn't. So I went to the church and asked for help. No one would even return my calls or visits.

A year later I was working for a retired judge and his attorney daughter. I started dating the son. They were a very Catholic family. His mother had been divorced by her first husband (before marrying the judge) and treated like crap by the women of the church because she was a divorcee. They would not let her on the alter to put flowers around. No one would help her get an annulment either. So she understood and helped me. She found me a priest who helped me get an annulment. She told me to hold my head up high and not to let anyone disparage me.

DH and I got married by a JOP, as he was previously married in the Church without an annulment. When we went to our current parish to have the boys baptized, they asked if we were married in the church, previously married, etc. But they did not discriminate against us, and in fact welcomed us to the parish. I think the Catholic Church is a lot more forgiving and welcoming than they were in the past. And with Pope Francis who is forgiving everyone and anyone, I think the days of casting out children of unwed parents is coming to an end.

Personally, I feel sins are sins and that does not change with changing times. And I feel that the Church is only more accepting in order to gain more membership which leads to power. It's all about the power and money.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

I do think the whole "annulment" thing is a bit strange. I mean, OK, maybe within the first week or something. But, having an "annulled" marriage after 20 yrs and kids, what does that really mean?

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

When the same sister went to have her oldest daughter baptized the priest asked why she wanted her daughter to go to heaven when she and DH were going to hell. She married a Catholic but not at church.

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

I do miss the Catholic service. I am planning to go on Christmas day since my church will have no service.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

I do respect that the Catholic Church has been the loudest, strongest voice on the planet concerning abortion and pro-life.

flan327 · Itty bitty's Grammy

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
DH and I were thinking of going to the local Catholic church. DH was raised Catholic but he fell away from it in college and he attended more evangelical churches. I was raised an occasional Methodist. But, over the years, I have attended some Catholic weddings, services and funerals and the one think I do like about the Catholic church is the sense of Reverence. I don't agree with all their doctrines either but I could find some that I do agree with as well.

LGS,

Did I tell you about a site called beliefnet? (I think that's right.)

They have a quiz that matches your beliefs with various denominations. It's surprisingly accurate (at least it was for me).

flan

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Yes, I think I have been on that before.

Bonny22Pye · Guru

I was raised by Heathens in the Woods. I had little to no understanding of basic Christianity or other world religions.

TrudyML · Guru

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I do think the whole "annulment" thing is a bit strange. I mean, OK, maybe within the first week or something. But, having an "annulled" marriage after 20 yrs and kids, what does that really mean?

You have to pay for it. Big time. So you can get married in the church again.

Big bucks.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

TrudyML wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I do think the whole "annulment" thing is a bit strange. I mean, OK, maybe within the first week or something. But, having an "annulled" marriage after 20 yrs and kids, what does that really mean?
You have to pay for it. Big time. So you can get married in the church again.

Big bucks.

So it's basically an indulgence? I thought the church got rid of those.

TrudyML · Guru

Nope, just was discussing one. Nice, huh?

Fort Worth Mom · Mod/Penguin lover/Princess!

How Much Does an Annulment Cost?

If you are really poor, it costs nothing. If you have limited means, you pay as much of the fee as you can. If you have means, you pay the full tribunal fee which ranges from $500 to $1,000 depending on the locality.

There is a lot of misunderstanding when it comes to annulment fees. Some people say that you can buy an annulment in the Church. If that were true, which it is not, why do we have such an elaborate scheme to thwart any form of corruption? You would have to bribe six different judges in two different dioceses and any one of them could throw the case out in a second. Daring to tamper with the justice system is a crime in the Church as well as the state.

The American tribunal system ended up $14,000,000 in the red last year. It is not now and never was a money-making proposition, but many times I have heard people spreading the rumor that they did not get their annulment because they were not willing to pay the huge fees involved. More likely than not, their case was rejected because they did not have any credible evidence to support it. Tribunal fees are minimal compared to civil divorce fees.

Once an annulment is obtained, both parties to the marriage are free to remarry in the Catholic Church. The person who is the culpable cause of the invalidity, however, such as the woman with the lover, may not be allowed to remarry in the Church unless she has reformed her life. This would have to be verified through counseling or some other means.

Bonny22Pye · Guru

Lawyerlady wrote:
TrudyML wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I do think the whole "annulment" thing is a bit strange. I mean, OK, maybe within the first week or something. But, having an "annulled" marriage after 20 yrs and kids, what does that really mean?
You have to pay for it. Big time. So you can get married in the church again.

Big bucks.
So it's basically an indulgence? I thought the church got rid of those.

It costs between 100-500 bucks on average for an annulment. Its not an indulgence. Catholics only believe in divorce for very limited things, which is why its so hard to get married in the church to start. Marriage is a sacrament and they take it very seriously.

TrudyML · Guru

Bonny22Pye wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
TrudyML wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I do think the whole "annulment" thing is a bit strange. I mean, OK, maybe within the first week or something. But, having an "annulled" marriage after 20 yrs and kids, what does that really mean?
You have to pay for it. Big time. So you can get married in the church again.

Big bucks.
So it's basically an indulgence? I thought the church got rid of those.
It costs between 100-500 bucks on average for an annulment. Its not an indulgence. Catholics only believe in divorce for very limited things, which is why its so hard to get married in the church to start. Marriage is a sacrament and they take it very seriously.

$10K the one I was talking too. Or a stained glass window. It is pleasant here in MA! My brother switched churches due to random shake downs.

Lexxy · My dog name is Sasha, too!

We went to church when I was a kid & we went to vacation bible school in the summer. We stopped going when I was about 8. We moved & my parents just never found a church they liked. I went with a few friends to their churches but just wasn't into it.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Bonny22Pye wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
TrudyML wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I do think the whole "annulment" thing is a bit strange. I mean, OK, maybe within the first week or something. But, having an "annulled" marriage after 20 yrs and kids, what does that really mean?
You have to pay for it. Big time. So you can get married in the church again.

Big bucks.
So it's basically an indulgence? I thought the church got rid of those.
It costs between 100-500 bucks on average for an annulment. Its not an indulgence. Catholics only believe in divorce for very limited things, which is why its so hard to get married in the church to start. Marriage is a sacrament and they take it very seriously.

Well, that's kind of the point, isn't it? I mean, if marriage is a sacrament, why would an annulment be granted at all?

FNW · Guru

The basis for my annulment was lack of consent. I was being manipulated by him, and he had a drug/alcohol problem. I don't recall the cost. Probably around $500, but this was in 1986 or so. And the friend who set it up was/is a large donor.

-- Edited by FNW on Monday 2nd of November 2015 04:00:57 PM

Whenitrains · Member

When I was a teen the Pastor said that God had called him to leave and lead another church. His wife stood up and told the congregation that he was having an affair (and mentioned the church lady who he was having the affair with). The men of the congregation told her to shut and sit down and she had no right to say anything. That really bothered me, that she was being punished when she was the one being wronged. We quit going because the people that would pick us up started going to another church and we didn't have a way to get there and back.

huskerbb · Guru

Whenitrains wrote:
When I was a teen the Pastor said that God had called him to leave and lead another church. His wife stood up and told the congregation that he was having an affair (and mentioned the church lady who he was having the affair with). The men of the congregation told her to shut and sit down and she had no right to say anything. That really bothered me, that she was being punished when she was the one being wronged. We quit going because the people that would pick us up started going to another church and we didn't have a way to get there and back.

Hmmm...

i dont think that was really the right time or place to air the dirty laundry. I don't see how that is "punishment".

Bonny22Pye · Guru

Lawyerlady wrote:
Bonny22Pye wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
TrudyML wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I do think the whole "annulment" thing is a bit strange. I mean, OK, maybe within the first week or something. But, having an "annulled" marriage after 20 yrs and kids, what does that really mean?
You have to pay for it. Big time. So you can get married in the church again.

Big bucks.
So it's basically an indulgence? I thought the church got rid of those.
It costs between 100-500 bucks on average for an annulment. Its not an indulgence. Catholics only believe in divorce for very limited things, which is why its so hard to get married in the church to start. Marriage is a sacrament and they take it very seriously.
Well, that's kind of the point, isn't it? I mean, if marriage is a sacrament, why would an annulment be granted at all?

An annulment means the sacrament was never present to begin with. That's why it takes like 18 months of investigation of lots of counseling.

Here is a good little recap - https://www.archbalt.org/about-us/marriage-tribunal/upload/Doc_12_myths_about_marriage_annulments_in_the_Catholic_Church.pdf

Lindley · Guru

Whenitrains wrote:
When I was a teen the Pastor said that God had called him to leave and lead another church. His wife stood up and told the congregation that he was having an affair (and mentioned the church lady who he was having the affair with). The men of the congregation told her to shut and sit down and she had no right to say anything. That really bothered me, that she was being punished when she was the one being wronged. We quit going because the people that would pick us up started going to another church and we didn't have a way to get there and back.

I agree with husker that it wasn't the right place to bring it up even though I do not blame her and the one who is suppose to pastor should just resign his position at the Church and not say God was calling him elsewhere.

Renegade Time Lord · Member

I was not raised here or with a family, and "religion" and "attending church" was not a part of my life. The only times I have entered a church were for funerals/memorial services and weddings. I have my beliefs based on my own life experiences, which I do not expect anyone else to understand, so I will just leave it at that.