Ok before i begin let me get this straight i am not questioning my religion itself but the organization in which it is run (I am a Catholic)

Ok as i grow older i am learning more and more about my religion and the way it has been run since its beginning and makes me question it.

I have learned that many years ago during the crusades and such catholics killed many who opposed them and were murderers. Then i learn that high ranking people in the church decided on what went in to the bible and that they left things out, changed stories, etc. So it makes me question what do i beleive? because sometimes i think as if my church is covered with blood and lies.

I still believe in the central ideas of love and care but it dosen't really seem that the church realy followed what Christ taught, and infact did the opposite. I still believe in Jesus and the teachings he gave us but i question my church is this normal?

I question the things my church does too but remember they are human not God so they will make mistakes that doesn't change my belief or faith in God at all. You may not always agree with what the people of the church do or have done but that should no reflect on your beliefs. If your belief in God and Jesus Christ is strong enough it will overcome anything, Christians have been getting the same argument for years and years about the murders and bloodshed but remember they were representing themselves or the church and NOT God. Place your faith in God and not the church.
Always a pleasure

Yeah, I think everyone does that.

Well, I guess I cant speak for everyone can I? From what I have seen here, a lot of people do, and a lot of people have serious misgivings of their religions history, but still love their religions goal, what the fundamental idea behind it was before it got corrupted. I think that a lot of people have to figure that out themselves through researching everything they can find out about their religion(good and bad) and dealing with the bad part as well as embracing the good part.

I think of it like the history of any given country; you may love your country, but that country may have some sketchy things that it has done in the past. For example, the US and its history of slavery...horrible, horrible way to start the history of the country, but it has since been outlawed and our country is slowly fixing the racial divide. It is a long debate andI could go for hours on it, but I use it to illustrate the idea of "fruit of the poisoned tree". Is the tree(catholicism) so poisoned in your mind, have they not made any attempt at fixing the things that they have done to the point that you think that nothing good(the fruit) could come from it?

It is a judgment call and you could go back and forth a dozen times a month given what you find, or what you feel, and I think that wouldnt be unreasonable. I think that at a certain point after looking at it long enough you could see if the church itself has recovered enough in your eyes and heart to warrant your commitment. If it didnt, there would be alternatives, there are options that would fit your needs; there always are...

I wish you the best of luck on your search

yes very true i should try to forget about it thankyou for your comment

I hope you dont mind the severe edit Sandee, but I think that is a good answer too.

Nothing wrong with investigating and give thought to what you put your time into. All that matters is what your heart tells you.

" because sometimes i think as if my church is covered with blood and lies.

I still believe in the central ideas of love and care but it dosen't really seem that the church realy followed what Christ taught, and infact did the opposite."

Adcox, heres ya answer, straight & to the point.

1, Yes, it is true.Your church is covered with blood & lies.

2, As for "love & care", have you ever watched the video (or DVD), "The Magdellin Sisters"?
It"s a true story.The last of those miserable places (in Ireland), was closed down in late 1990s.
Forget religion & find your own way. Just treat people as you would like to be treated yourself,it"s simple & guilt free.

I think at some point we all have done that I’ say it’s normal I did but then I found me something else I’m not telling you to find another religion just live the way you think your God wants you to & be happy.

I started a thread on them,

I am a Christian, but i don,t exactly care for religion, as humans can and have twisted denominational religion to suit their desires of the time and momment too many times! Those are man made laws they back up with twisting scripture, and i follow God not man! Thats why God tells us to question men and test the spirit, so we don,t follow other flawed and sinfull humans thinking it,s Gods will! Thats why he gave us common sense, and instructs us to question, as well as hold our spiritual leaders and eachother accountable to Gods word! Questioning is a good thing, testing the spirit is nesessary, or we will be misled!

As I have said before and noted here, there are some within the Catholic Church who are indeed Christians but many who just follow blindly out of family tradition. I know this because I came from there.
Jesus did not say anything about building massive temples and organizations run by elite priests and popes. Jesus did not advocate rebellion nor form a new religion in His name. He did say wherever two or more are gathered in My name, there shall I be. He said nothing about attaining wealth and power in fact he demonstrated the opposite, poverty and servitude to His fellow man. The wealthiest organization in the world "The Catholic Church" claims its wealth on the name of this man Jesus, living in pampered luxury, while it's supporters in third world countries are dieing of starvation and illness. I think the Jesus I know will have a special place reserved for their kind nd no special pope mobile will protect them from that wrath.

Jesus Christ's disciples were asked to walk away from the comforts of family, stored food, shelter, wealth and to rely on faith, friendship and fellowship and God for those needs in their travels.
Much of the New Testament was about travel and letters to small groups of Christians throughout the known world. And those letters addressed individual group’s problems and concerns and no mention was made of joining together with an elite central leadership. There was to be one mediator between man and God, and that mediator was the Christ.

The true bride of Christ has existed from the beginning in spite of man and the enemy of man and Gods, attempts to force political control as well as stop the Good News from getting out.
The true bride of Christ is alive and well today and up until we are called home. You will find us not where you would expect us in the religious organization and politically elite governments of the world but we are the common folk anonymously, dispersed and protected, living our lives for the good we have been taught, for we are strongest when we appear at our weakest.
Jesus defined religious people as those that visit the sick, widowed or orphans. So I guess sometimes I can be a religious person. I see religious people who go to church every Sunday and look down on those who don’t. Like the Pharisees that Jesus had to deal with all the time. The church is “Where two or more are gathered in my name” Jesus. That could be on a hill by a river or in someone’s back kitchen the church is not a building or a structure of any kind. I am simply a non-denominational Christian, who believes that Christ provided a way to be re-united with our Creator. He did not say find yourselves a pompous leader and give him a funny hat to wear and start collecting taxes to support his luxury lifestyle. In fact He said nothing about forming religious organizations; He fellowshipped, ate and worshiped with the very people the religious people looked down upon He just wanted us to enjoy fellowship among those of like mindedness.

And although not religiously I try to emulate the way He lived and taught and acted, not for any gain or rewards but simply because it was good and caring. He was a model human being while He walked the earth experiencing the same things we experience day to day, joy, pain, tears and friendships. A creator that is willing to walk in the shoes of His creation proves that He is a loving God in my opinion.

Irish

Irish, off the top of your head, would you happen to be familiar with the quote that came out of one of the books of the apocrypha that went along the lines of "I am in every stone and in every timber" something along those lines? The implication being that the building of the church was not the important part...ring a bell?

It rings a bell! But as a hunchback I hear bells all the time The Creators signature is in every part of creation but man also is a creator on a lesser scale and desires that his signature be louder than the original. organized religion has done far more harm then simple spirituality, it is remenisant of our flaws. But i believe even that flaw was created for some purpose.

It’s interesting that the greatest artists/painters in the world include a flaw in their best work on purpose. Could this be part of our god nature?
I like to think of it as a measure of randomness within creation that makes life interesting. I used to know a man that built grandfather clocks but he used to create flaws in his work as well as throw in a few redundant parts, when i asked him why he did this he explained that it was his signature within his work and no automated manufacture could duplicate his precision work. It made each clock an individual and unique time piece, thus greater value and craftsman ship.

Irish