Has anyone here ever apostatated themselves from the Catholic Church?
459682
dani-- I too want to do the samething. I thik I posted a very similar question a few weeks ago. And I've seen someone else post one just the same. One person said something to the effect of the catholic church takes number by who is actually a parishioner. But I think I know where you are coming from, I 've received all my sacraments and I want the catholic church to know so that they can see that there are people out there that have turned their back on the catholic church.  Usually the catholic church does not take into account the number pf people that have left and it should be time that anyone who no longer follows catholism should send a letter to their local catholic church declaring that they have walked away.\n\nOn a side note not only did I turn away from catholism but religion as a whole. I do not see the need for religion nor do I want to be part of any religion.  but that part is just me, not sure about you.\nin anycase here is an idea which I am planning on doing, just send a letter in a resignation format declaring that you have turned away from catholism and whatever else you want to say and conclude with I want my name removed from being a catholic.
915814
EASY ! I got kicked out of Catholic school in 7th grade (Bad kid), my mother taught at the school too, ( I know), I don't go to church much, I always felt like I was abandon by my religion, as I looked back as a child, I could still see the nun Expelling me out the door. That doesn't mean I didn't learn anything, or that I'm not a good person, I know that Catholic school and the church are a bit "Jacked up".\n\n  If someone is without food, I always feed them, I've taken homeless people w/me into deli's and bought them lunch.\n\n  I have gotten out at red lights, and given my coat to someone that was cold in the street and didn't have one.\n\nIf someone is hurt or injured that I don't even know, I always try to help.\n\n  I saved a boy from drowning last year, ----> my biggest accomplishment EVER ! and I was proud to do it ! Snatched him right from the "Grim Reapers" arm's ....."GOTCHA" ! I clamped down on this kid like a "Hydraulic Vice" and saved him.\n\n  Practice random acts of kindness to strangers, I still think I'm a good Christian, even though they closed the doors on me but, I have to say this, I got these traits from my MOTHER'S GOOD UPBRINGING, NOT THE CHURCH'S BELIEF'S !
805356
Hmmm,\n\nI am not a Priest, but there are some Roman Catholic Priests that are married.\n\nThey were married before converting to Catholicism.\n\nPeace!
291455
Yes, I was raised Catholic and converted to Wicca when I was 21.  I had become increasingly unhappy about some of their theology and will be honest the way the sex scandal was handled was my last straw.  At that point I still did believe in Christianity.  But when I searched for the sect that mirrored what I thought I read the bible more and more and things just didn't make much sense any more. Then the more I read and looked the inconsistencies and contradictions jumped out.  The OT horrified me beyond belief and I couldn't understand the shift from the OT to the NT, it was as if God had a personality transplant.  Then I began finding out the changes that had been done to it, stuff taken out, re-written, gutted, etc.  and my disbelief grew.   The end finally came while I was watching George Carlin, believe it or not.  When he did his skit about how God and Santa sounded about the same, I was floored.  I sat there as that played through my mind and it made sense.  My faith officially died.  After that I read the books of many faiths from around the world.  Wicca matched what I believed best and my journey ended with it.
1128543
I joined the Church for the peace it brings me.  I was raised Protestant and have had all the fire and brimstone I will ever need.  Sigh, but for the record--it is still a harsh church for women.
347975
Your final statement is quite telling. You still need someone else to prove you wrong! \n\nHow many more unanswered questions must you have about the church that you belong to before you make the cognitive decision, once and for all, to get the hell out of Dodge anyway? If I were you I'd skedaddle outta town before high noon!\n\nI know I did.
413741
I was in a cult, awhile back. It was considered a church, and from all appearances, it seemed to be. They followed the Bible, they were very social, and at first, it was fun and I learned alot about the Bible. After several years, things got tougher, as the church "discovered new truth" and the atmosphere changed from seeking the truth in God's word to complete "CONTROL! We were watched, members reported to the ministry about what other members were doing, ( tattletaleing) There was alot going on, and it was not a feeling of God's love, and family, anymore. They disfellowshipped people because they asked questions, or were considered troublemakers. Then other members were not allowed to talk to them, and if they did, someone reported them to the ministers and they were disfellowshipped. \nThey then instituted a "biblical" no makeup for women rule, which made some of us want "proof" from the Bible, and it just wasn't there. At that point, this and having more and more control put on me, and questioning it, I was disfellowshipped..It was a Blessing in disguise! \nI kept in touch with many other former members of this church, and we helped each other in de-programming ourselves from this cult. We met for many years, privately, where we proved all things according to the Bible, and got out from a controlling situation. \nWhen I first got into this church, it was wonderful, but then when things changed, lots of members left, and lots got kicked out, but it was very traumatic for all of us, because we had been brainwashed into believing that we were losing our Salvation, and that made us fearful to leave. Of course, when a person is brainwashed, they don't know they are brainwashed! We all believed, at the time, that we were in the one and only "God's true church!"\nThe membership of this church, which still exists, has droppped over 75%. \nThis was a long time ago, and I won't ever forget it or the fear I had. I've grown Spiritually since that time, and I've not joined another church, as the lessons I've learned have been very valuable...and one of them is that I can worship Christ as a personal relationship, and that the "true Church of God" is made up of many people from all over the world, those who follow God. We don't have to go to a building, as the church is not a building.\nI too, have come back to life, and have never felt freer!
858705
Too many stories like this----------one of the reasons I left Christianity for another religion.\n\nAnother story--\n\nA couple (unmarried) moved to the fairly small town where my parents lived.  They went to church and quickly tried to become active in it.   My mother proudly told me that the minister (Methodist Church) told them they were not allowed to come to their church anymore as they were living in sin.  If they wanted to be members they must marry first.  They married and became active in the church.  I'd have told them where to go and found another church.\n\nSame church-------several Black women started to come to the church.  This town had only recently ''allowed'' Blacks to move into town------yeah!  In 2004 it was.  My mother's friends commented, ''It's alright.  They sit in the back by themselves, and don't bother anyone''.\n\nThis is the same Methodist Church that has ads on TV saying they are the church of diversity and open doors to all?
640322
I was raised Roman Catholic, but I hated it. I was dragged to church, and forced to go to catholic school. I sat in religion class, thinking that God didn't exist and that religion was brainwashing.My school was very sheltered from the rest of the world, and they didn't really let us associate with other schools, cultures or religions. I barely knew that other people existed. \n\nWhen I reached Grade 9, I went to a public high school, and I was amazed to find out about other cultures and religions. I did research, talked to people, and eventually turned back to my native American pagan roots. I started taking part in full moon ceremonies, and other pagan celebrations, sac rid fires, pow wows,drumming circles,naming ceremionies and stuff. Eventuially this lead me to Wicca, which I practiced for a few years, which lead me back towards paganism. \nI left these behind last year. I was always interested in Christianity, but as a religion, not as truth.\nI went to a Christian bible study with my parents. I remember being in the car saying " wow this is just going to be some stupid Christian propaganda". We turned the corner, and headed to the church. When we left the church, I said the prayer to ask Jesus into my heart into my heart for the first time ever.I felt the need, not out of fear of hell, but out of love for my creator. Out of LOVE for JESUS. I realised that GOD loves me.\n\nI went home and was so confused. How could my stubborn opinions be changed in a few hours? How could my beleifs be altered?What was going on with me! I needed answers.\nI felt to so alive, but had so many questions.I was so hyper, so awake, so amazed. I went on the computer and started searching. I found this website and talked to someone who helped clairfy what happened.
433115
Not me, maybe someone else, No, not me, not me.\nSadly this cult thing is very real. I had a nephew that got taken in and it took a lot of professional help to get him back. A year latter he died in a white water raft excision. Witness say he waved goodbye before giving up.
655725
I had a religious Catholic upbringing at home and school, I chose to go to a co-ed state high school instead of a Catholic all-boys one, quickly learned that not everyone has belief in God.\n\nI  went on to University and mixed with every type of person and gradually the religious conditioning began to fade away but I still half believed in God and would never dare say I didn't believe in case I was struck down on the spot.\n\nI took up buddhism for a time and it cleared my head even more. \n\nQuite recently only a few years ago I was aware that all the religious garbage had finally left my head, I felt clear clean and bright and life made sense more than at any time previously, I still feel that way and I can tell you it's great. But it was a long slow and gradual process, not hard work though. \n\nI'm very pleased to be in charge of my own brain instead of having some religious dogma in charge of it. If you are not  controlling your own brain and thoughts somebody else is ...you can be sure of that (and I don't mean God guys).\n\nProblem is my family, and one especially newly fundamentalist sister..she gets very nasty at times and communication is on hold for time being.
991221
i'm catholic too, and i remember being a teen (i'm 23 now) and ppl assumed i was  a bad seed because of my long hair, and concert shirts, and that i played guitar. they didnt take the time to find out that i was an all A and B student, and to this day i've never drank, smoked or done a drug, let alone something ridiculous like worshipping the devil. ppl just fear what they dont understand, and if they cant figure out why you'd want to dress a certain way, they make up a reason.
843838
I was born and raised Southern Baptist.  I never felt at home in that faith.  I always felt like an outsider looking in.  I went to church Sun morn, Sun eve and Wed eve every week without fail for my entire childhood.\n\nI graduated from high school and moved out on my own.  After a period of staying out of churchs completely, I felt empty in my heart.  After a lot of soul searching I figured out that the emptiness in my heart was due to my being out of the will of God.  In order to fill that emptiness I had to reconcile myself to God. \n\nI tried going back to the Baptist Church, but I still never felt like I was a part of that.  At the time I worked with two Catholics.  They had a peace about them that I wanted in my life!  They talked openly about being Catholic, they weren't ashamed of it.  And I could tell that being Catholic was a big part of their entire life--not just a trip to church twice on Sunday and once on Wednesday nite.\n\nSo I did some more research.  I liked what I read about the Catholic faith.  And I began to take instruction in the Catholic faith.  This has been one of the hardest things I've ever done in my whole life.  All my life as a Baptist I was taught that Catholics were going to hell because they worshipped Mary and the Saints.  That they prayed to statues.  That the Roman Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon mentioned in the Book of Revelation.  That you ask Jesus to forgive you, not a man---even if the man is a priest.  And so on and so forth, ad infinitum ad nauseum.\n\nIt took a lot of study and prayer to find the answers to all those bogus notions I'd been taught.  Catholics don't worship Mary or the Saints--we venerate them.  We don't pray to statues---that's just dumb.  I don't believe the Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon.  Jesus gave the power to forgive sins and cast out demons in his Name to his disciples.  And its ok to confess your sins to a priest.  \n\nI took instruction for about six months.  I joined the Catholic Church about 25 years ago and I've never regretted a minute of it.  I finally feel at home in a church.  I'm active in my local Church--I help out at Mass and I teach in our Parish School of Religion.  \n\nI have a peace in my heart and soul that I never felt when I was Baptist.   And I still hear the same bone headed things that I heard as a kid about Catholics.\n\nHas this cost me anything?  Yes.  My father, a die-hard Baptist, never accepted my conversion.  Until his dying day he still would not talk about it.  That hurt a lot.\n\nBut I have a church home now--and a solid faith in my Lord Jesus--who saves me from my sinful nature by his Grace alone.  I can't earn my salvation--its a gift from the Lord.  \n\nWould I do it over again?  Yes---although I probably would've not drug my heels so much and made the conversion much sooner.
489596
yes I was caught by my mother, of all people, she was not pleased I'm an Irish roman catholic convent girl I was not supposed to do things like that. Little did she know I have been masturbating since before I even knew what it was.
270322
I've been Wiccan ever since I was excommunicated by the Catholic church for my views in Religion class.  That was in 1966.  \n\nFor quite a while, I never mentioned my religion to others, because I wasn't sure how they would react.\n\nHowever, when I went into the Navy in 1972 I was shocked to find that in a country in which freedom of religion is a cornerstone, I was forced to be a "Buddhist" for four years.  The Navy required we state a religion for our dog-tags, and Buddhism was the only non-Christian, non-Jewish, non-Muslim religion available on their list, and they flatly refused to add Wicca to the list.\n\nHappily, even the government has gotten better in this regard - the U.S. Army Chaplain's Handbook now has an entire chapter on how to deal with Wiccans - and it's surprisingly accurate.\n\nAnd just for the record - the reason I'm Wiccan and not Catholic now is responsibility.  I believe we are all responsible for our actions, and have to make amends for pain or damage that we inflict.  In real time - in a tangible way.  That belief fits well with Wicca, and doesn't fit Catholicism at all.\n\nAs a Witch, if I cause harm, I must make reparations.\n\nAs a Catholic, if I cause harm, all I had to do was go to confession, then say ten "Hail Mary's", a few "Our Father's", and all is forgiven, regardless of the enormity of the harm caused.\n\nIn my opinion the first is responsible - the second is a cop-out.
421946
At the age of nine, with a magic show gone horribly wrong (in my case) at a local Baptist church.  I had the numinous belief in the supernatural that all kids have through contact with such beliefs from the society they live in.  Then I saw a guy mystifying children with simple sleight of hand tricks and extrapolated from there, which I am sure wasn't what the pastor of the church intended at all.  It was a life changing moment, though I did not really know it.  I had decided to throw off the shackles of the mind that are required by religion and embraced logic, reason, and science as my "holy" trinity.
1107013
I had a child out of wedlock.  I can tell you that some Catholic priests would not baptize my daughter for precisely that reason.  That's one of the reasons I went to one of the Protestant churches.  I asked for and received forgiveness, and it was never considered something my daughter needed forgiveness for.  She has since been baptized.  Neither of us are going to hell for it, at least not according to our church :)