Catholic guilt

[chrisc0295]

I find that my biggest struggle after leaving the Roman Catholic Church is extreme guilt, anxiety and fear. Is that normal? Has anyone experienced that after leaving a religion?

[jessed03]

Oh, yep. The Catholics really know how to get their teeth into a person. Hey, Jesse here. Ten years at Catholic school.

Here's the thing: it's all just a means of control. Scare somebody, make them believe their natural desires are wrong, and they'll remain perpetually confused. Tell them the Catholic church is the only way to salvation and you have somebody under your thumb for life. Some people seem to enjoy it, but the whole thing belongs in a different century as far as I'm concerned.

You've been given this fabulous organ - your brain. The Catholic church has semi-caged it. Give it permission to go free and seek out its own ideas of morality. Look around you and 'work' life out for yourself. Don't rely on any dogma to tell you what's right and wrong. Because trust me, no matter how certain somebody is that they're right - they're not.

If you're still a Christian, there are other denominations that are far less judgemental. If you're not, philosophy books can be a great read when it comes to understanding human nature. They'll often make you realize the simplicity of said church. It really does work in the most basic way, triggering emotions such as guilt and fear.

I think you'll be good. Console yourself with the fact that you're a good person, and spend a little while exploring.

[mrslizzyg]

Catholic is a little out of my realm.. but I converted to Mormon for a few years after I was 18 years old. I feel like even though the beliefs are different the way the get you to stay is the same: fear.

I was raised non-religious at all. I met my husband who was raised Mormon and I converted for about 4 years. It was good at first then it got really miserable... I felt so pressured to be someone other than myself. I felt like doing something that didn't follow their.. guidelines? beliefs?morals? Whatever you want to call it, practically made me a bad person, which lead to guilt.

I left the church about a year ago. For a little while I did feel that anxiety/fear/guilt... They make you feel like you have to live life in a certain manner or things are questionable after you pass on. I'm not sure exactly what the catholic beliefs are but I imagine it's not too far off from that as well..

It DOES go away. Once you start to open yourself up to life and be FREE, you will (most likely) realize you were missing a lot of yourself as a person, living up to those standards. You can still be a good person without the church. God still loves you, and you can still believe in God, without the church(if you want to.) You can still pray.

I'm sure it's different if you were raised religious your whole life, but this is my experience. :)

My anxiety resolved immensely after leaving the church.. It got worse for a few weeks and then I have felt a million times better in the last year than I did the 4 years in the church. From my experience, living with anxiety is tough enough without all those extra standards.

To each their own. I respect anyone who goes to church, but it just wasn't for me.

You do your thing. You will find happiness. :)

[Britanica]

I was raised Catholic (I am now a Christian) and being raised that way I think only encouraged my fears. I always felt like God was out to get me if I did something wrong and it isn't true. The way they teach people about God is wrong (to me, at least) and I think it is normal. They bash it into your head how much God will hate you for doing anything wrong so when you walk away, you gotta assume that is the worst thing. Trust me, it is the best thing for you. If I stayed Catholic I would have ended up hating God or not believing in Him at all.

[sae]

I was introduced to the Christian faith later in life. The first time I ever stepped foot in a church I was 26. I started waaaay wrong by jumping directly into a UPC pentacostal church. I did the whole nine yards, sold my tv, wore skirts and dresses only, never cut my hair, yet I just couldn't wrap my head around the beliefs no matter how hard I tried. To me it felt like I had joined a cult.
The breaking point for me was when a couple ladies from the church paid me a surprise visit and I was dancing around in my house listening to Rick Wakeman ' s "Six Wives of Henry VIII" (an amazing instrumental prog rock album from late 70's) I was proclaimed a devil worshipper on the spot because I had held onto my "world music." Apparently even though it was completely instrumental, the sounds "offended God." I broke down, slapped on a pair of jeans and never went back.
I ran into the same ladies a few months later at a store where they proceeded to shout at me, asking if I was going to enjoy Hell. I felt guilty. So badly I wanted to believe as they did, but it never happened. My guilt kept me away from church for another year.
I found myself attending a small town Baptist church (the husband figured pretending to be a good Christian would bolster his business). I battled guilt every time I walked in those doors. I didn't believe in God, but I hung my head and sang my hymns like a good Christian housewife should.
Fast forward two years and I am teaching Sunday school to pre-schoolers and all the guilt and shame lifted. Coloring pictures of Moses parting the Red Sea, and telling animated tales of David and Jesus brought me into the faith I have now.
I dont think any denomination centered around guilt is ever a good thing. The Word teaches us that we are made by Him perfect in weakness. Nowhere in the Lord's new Covenant are we told to feel shamed for our transgressions, but to bring them humbly in repentant prayer. I know that I never taught my little ones to ever feel badly about themselves for anything.
I could go on for volumes, but I won't preach :3 . I have found my faith a key element in healing. I am not catholic, nor can I ever see myself subscribing to the Catholic belief system. Sometimes taking a break from church and immersing yourself in the Bible on your own can give you far better answers.