The retreat really made me enlightened over certain religious issues which I am still confused about. Things like why Catholics and Protestants cannot get along, especially since we all believe in the same thing.
I found out that actually Catholics are allowed to go to the other Protestant churches and experience the Holy Spirit, but the Protestants have their own ideas that they are not allowed to enter a Catholic church, and always think that only being a Christian (not a Catholic as they never consider Catholics as “true” Christians) will people really be “saved”.
When my friend got married last month, the one solemnizing her marriage is a Catholic Brother. She is Buddhist and her husband is Christian. What a diversity of religions! But for both of them, as long as they were able to get someone to officiate their marriage it is all that matters.
She initially wanted a Christian friend to help her, since the friend’s husband is a pastor. However, her friend said she must convert to be a Christian, and she and the husband must attend a few of their church services and cell groups before the pastor can officiate her wedding.
My friend refused because her friend put demands on her. As far as she is concerned, every religion is equal; there is no religion that is better than the next. Thus she does not like it if people put demands on her to convert just so she can get married. If her husband respects the difference in religion and does not ask her to convert, she does not see why she needs to convert for anybody else.
I can relate to that to a certain extent. Years ago there was this guy whom I thought we could hit off together. We almost got together before I went with my first ex. He and I were so similar in a lot of ways, except for the religion part. At that point in time, I have not officially attended any church, and he is a staunch Christian. In fact, his dad is a pastor.
He wanted me to go to his church. In those days, the only church experience was the Catholic masses I have been attending, so when I went to his church, it was so different. The way they pray and worship is so different and intense, and I felt so uncomfortable in there. It was really overwhelming as everything was so joyous and charismatic, and it was something that I was not used to, although a different experience.
After that, I told him I still prefer the Catholic masses, simple, traditional and not as intense. I asked why not he attends church with me and experience it for himself? Then he said that Catholics are not true Christians as they worship Mary, who is a human, and we pray through priests who are humans too.
He told me that prayer and Confession should be directly to God and Jesus, and if priests really give their lives to serve God, they should marry and have a family as God will want His children to have children of their own.
That really got me riled as he did not even know how Catholic priests are like and how they pray, so who is he to just put down the faith? And since I already went with him to his church, the least he could do was to be less narrow-minded and follow me to church so he could see and experience for himself.
He said that his whole family is all pious, so his girlfriend and future wife must also be a Christian, not just a mere Christian, but someone of the same denomination, attends the same church, and just as pious.
In the end, he said that if I was willing to budge on the religion issue, we would have ended up together. Just as well we did not end up together. Sometimes I really wonder why the guys I deem as potential enough are all so mean and picky. Although what I really regret is losing a good friend, as we never spoke to each other again after I started off with my first ex.
But that is not the only time. I feel that some Christians think themselves too high and mighty and self-centered. They think only their religion and denomination is the best and everyone else must convert so they can be “saved”.
Some Christians stop you in the middle of the street and give you the flyers and start preaching to you. Some offer door-to-door service. Some sit down next to you while you are eating or just resting on a bench in a shopping mall, just to preach to you the Bible and its teachings.
In cases like these, I always tell them that they do not need to tell me anything since I believe in God too and have taken bible studies all through school. But when they found that I attend a Catholic church, they will start saying that Catholics are not true Christians and ask me to consider their denomination. Some even think that Catholic churches are just a farce, and Catholics are really a big cult group.
Now wherever did they get that idea? And whoever said Catholics are not true Christians? What do they determine as real Christians anyway? In fact, Catholics are the first Christians as after Jesus died, those Jews who converted to Christianity all became Roman Catholics.
Roman Catholicism was around for more than a thousand years before all the other denominations started coming up. So, although I am taking a big risk in offending a lot of people here, it can be said that Catholics are actually the truest Christians around!
But religion should not be imposed on others as it is everyone’s own free will what they want to believe in. I feel that religion is all equal, as no religion or denomination is better than the rest. I do not go around preaching my beliefs to everyone.
Just like I do not convert my guys, I do not like them to convert me too. I am entitled to my own beliefs, just like him. Initially I had two Catholic guys but both broke my heart badly, so when the next one came along, I thought it was alright if he has no religion. In the end, it turned out there were more problems as he wanted me to give up my religion.
Which was why after that I thought it best to find someone who is a Catholic. But now I guess religion really does not matter as long as both parties love and respect each other and can get along.
Most Christians I know will only find someone who is a Christian. So those who are not Christians have to convert in order to marry a Christian. I think it is the same for a Muslim as well. It is alright if one converts out of his / her own free will because of love, as that shows how much you love the person. But overall, to convert into a certain religion must be the individual’s own choice, not because it is imposed by someone else.
I am not condemning or looking down on all Christians per se, only stating my observations at those more fanatic or extreme ones who go around converting everyone. I am glad that I have a lot of Christian friends who respect my beliefs and the church I attend. They have never tried converting me or preaching that their denomination is the best. That is what being a Christian or any other faith is about – tolerance, respect and equality.
I found out that actually Catholics are allowed to go to the other Protestant churches and experience the Holy Spirit, but the Protestants have their own ideas that they are not allowed to enter a Catholic church, and always think that only being a Christian (not a Catholic as they never consider Catholics as “true” Christians) will people really be “saved”.
When my friend got married last month, the one solemnizing her marriage is a Catholic Brother. She is Buddhist and her husband is Christian. What a diversity of religions! But for both of them, as long as they were able to get someone to officiate their marriage it is all that matters.
She initially wanted a Christian friend to help her, since the friend’s husband is a pastor. However, her friend said she must convert to be a Christian, and she and the husband must attend a few of their church services and cell groups before the pastor can officiate her wedding.
My friend refused because her friend put demands on her. As far as she is concerned, every religion is equal; there is no religion that is better than the next. Thus she does not like it if people put demands on her to convert just so she can get married. If her husband respects the difference in religion and does not ask her to convert, she does not see why she needs to convert for anybody else.
I can relate to that to a certain extent. Years ago there was this guy whom I thought we could hit off together. We almost got together before I went with my first ex. He and I were so similar in a lot of ways, except for the religion part. At that point in time, I have not officially attended any church, and he is a staunch Christian. In fact, his dad is a pastor.
He wanted me to go to his church. In those days, the only church experience was the Catholic masses I have been attending, so when I went to his church, it was so different. The way they pray and worship is so different and intense, and I felt so uncomfortable in there. It was really overwhelming as everything was so joyous and charismatic, and it was something that I was not used to, although a different experience.
After that, I told him I still prefer the Catholic masses, simple, traditional and not as intense. I asked why not he attends church with me and experience it for himself? Then he said that Catholics are not true Christians as they worship Mary, who is a human, and we pray through priests who are humans too.
He told me that prayer and Confession should be directly to God and Jesus, and if priests really give their lives to serve God, they should marry and have a family as God will want His children to have children of their own.
That really got me riled as he did not even know how Catholic priests are like and how they pray, so who is he to just put down the faith? And since I already went with him to his church, the least he could do was to be less narrow-minded and follow me to church so he could see and experience for himself.
He said that his whole family is all pious, so his girlfriend and future wife must also be a Christian, not just a mere Christian, but someone of the same denomination, attends the same church, and just as pious.
In the end, he said that if I was willing to budge on the religion issue, we would have ended up together. Just as well we did not end up together. Sometimes I really wonder why the guys I deem as potential enough are all so mean and picky. Although what I really regret is losing a good friend, as we never spoke to each other again after I started off with my first ex.
But that is not the only time. I feel that some Christians think themselves too high and mighty and self-centered. They think only their religion and denomination is the best and everyone else must convert so they can be “saved”.
Some Christians stop you in the middle of the street and give you the flyers and start preaching to you. Some offer door-to-door service. Some sit down next to you while you are eating or just resting on a bench in a shopping mall, just to preach to you the Bible and its teachings.
In cases like these, I always tell them that they do not need to tell me anything since I believe in God too and have taken bible studies all through school. But when they found that I attend a Catholic church, they will start saying that Catholics are not true Christians and ask me to consider their denomination. Some even think that Catholic churches are just a farce, and Catholics are really a big cult group.
Now wherever did they get that idea? And whoever said Catholics are not true Christians? What do they determine as real Christians anyway? In fact, Catholics are the first Christians as after Jesus died, those Jews who converted to Christianity all became Roman Catholics.
Roman Catholicism was around for more than a thousand years before all the other denominations started coming up. So, although I am taking a big risk in offending a lot of people here, it can be said that Catholics are actually the truest Christians around!
But religion should not be imposed on others as it is everyone’s own free will what they want to believe in. I feel that religion is all equal, as no religion or denomination is better than the rest. I do not go around preaching my beliefs to everyone.
Just like I do not convert my guys, I do not like them to convert me too. I am entitled to my own beliefs, just like him. Initially I had two Catholic guys but both broke my heart badly, so when the next one came along, I thought it was alright if he has no religion. In the end, it turned out there were more problems as he wanted me to give up my religion.
Which was why after that I thought it best to find someone who is a Catholic. But now I guess religion really does not matter as long as both parties love and respect each other and can get along.
Most Christians I know will only find someone who is a Christian. So those who are not Christians have to convert in order to marry a Christian. I think it is the same for a Muslim as well. It is alright if one converts out of his / her own free will because of love, as that shows how much you love the person. But overall, to convert into a certain religion must be the individual’s own choice, not because it is imposed by someone else.
I am not condemning or looking down on all Christians per se, only stating my observations at those more fanatic or extreme ones who go around converting everyone. I am glad that I have a lot of Christian friends who respect my beliefs and the church I attend. They have never tried converting me or preaching that their denomination is the best. That is what being a Christian or any other faith is about – tolerance, respect and equality.
4 comments:
A well written piece.
Sounds like you are ready to study Catholic apologetics, the art of defending your faith.
To study church history is to become Catholic...
That's why, I like your friend's idea of all religion being equal. After all, I don't find it healthy enough to be so 'deeply' into the religion or the belief that only one religion will save you....
Heh...
I read about Someone trying to argue that "Atheism" is a religion.
"You are believeing that you do not believe in xxxxx".
Which is quite an interesting thought, because it sounds "Zen-like".
I think it all boils down to definition. And as we know, it is virtually impossible to get everybody on earth to agree to one standard. People will always argue about which one is more "correct".
Sen : I agree with you. I take all religions as equal too, so although I do believe in a certain faith, I don't go around preaching that my beliefs are better than the other faiths.
Ole Wolvie : Quite true, everyone is entitled to their own beliefs from their own point of views. It's just irritating the way some try to impose their beliefs on others.
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