Is it hard not being catholic in a mostly catholic country

  • Thread starter Thread starter Matt1626
  • Start date Start date
  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
The only struggle I had was when I was in college. Being in a catholic school I had to take up units for religious education. I'm done taking up religion 1 on a diff school, but I transferred to another school and the description they have is different, so I had to take the class again. I wasn't able to attend the recollection and that G-R-R-R teacher failed me. Arrghh it still made me grrr remembering that moment when I saw failed on my grade.

I went immediately to the Religious Education department to talk to that teacher but couldn't find her. So I talked to their head and asked if they fail students who are not Catholics when they're not able to join the recollection. She said no... blah blah... still in the end she said there's nothing they could do to my grade since it was already submitted to the Department of Education and the only thing I could do really is to retake it.

Ahhhh the memories of me waking up early M-W-F since it's a 7:30 am class, running through her class on the 4th floor using the stairs since no elevators yet at that time (but good thing they have already when I went there 5 years ago). Almost getting her quizzes and exams perfect, and then in the end it's failed. But it was mainly because of that teacher not because of rules or anything. It was my fault also, I didn't take her words seriously when she said after the midterm exam, "oh you didn't go to the recollection, see you in summer...sigh just sigh.

We have religion classes since elementary but we are free not to join. I have classmates who are Jehovah's witnesses and they won't put their hand on their chest when we sang the national anthem or raise their right hand for an oath and the school considered it. Differences in our faith was never an issue in my country. We are not being deprived of anything just because we are non Catholics. Nor we are being force to do certain things as what Catholics do. There is respect in individual's faith and we simply have our freedom.
 
I would guess the problems are more likely to occur "under the radar".
Probably some social issues, job issues, political issues.

What Jangel described is exactly what I would expect.
Official policies say there is no discrimination... but you still encounter it on a personal level.

I'd like to hear more about this if you guys have more anecdotes to share.
 
If only I were that teacher's priest. Argh the lecture I would have for her. "How dare you..." and all that.
 
I attended a catholic school in HS. It was mandatory to attend Mass and Recollection because attendance is a must. I really didn't have a choice but to attend or else they'll fail me. I dont feel like an outsider because they didnt force us to participate in their religious activites. It's just that our presence is important. I just sit around the corner with other non- Catholics when a mass is being held. Of course, I have to take up Christian Living because it's part of the cirriculum.
 
My case is nothing compared to many within the Catholic background/faith, but I can assure that if you've been raised under the Catholic belief then it goes with you more than you think, even if you don't consider yourself a Catholic by heart. :/
 
To some extent, those deeply ingrained in teh catholic faith still look differently at those with other faiths. While theres said to be freedom of religion, most public offices allow statues or crosses/images to be put up, and often Catholic chapels in public places too. I can admire the courage of some transport 'evangelists' who proclaim the gospel in buses, or even terminals and market places and some people are more tolerant or accepting of them now. Still there are 'givens' as most ppl take the Simbang Gabi or 9 early morning masses before Christmas day, the black nazarene processions soon (in Manila) even if these cause so much traffic and other disasters as ppl going blackout in the heat and crowds. Some know the pope is coming over next week, so thats affecting a large part of happenings in Metro Manila, as well as many flights cancelled in other islands he is going to. There are more listeners to a local Christian radio staion now, but before there were only portions of broadcasts in other stations, and the Angelus was also a given when u listened to any station. I'm not sure if Febc was ahead in using The Master's Touch in its programming, but it was later i heard about the Mother's touch in a catholic station--butnot really sure who was first..
 
didymos said:
The US is a catholic country? Really? :eek:
Click to expand...

Since he posted in the Filipino forums, i think it's a safe bet he's asking Filipinos, a country known for Catholicism, and not speaking about the US.
 
Ugly said:
Since he posted in the Filipino forums, i think it's a safe bet he's asking Filipinos, a country known for Catholicism, and not speaking about the US.
Click to expand...
I posted here too, does that make me Filipino? (or you?).
Fact is both his flag and nationality are american.
 
here we go..boo hoo....JESUS never sanctioned or created catholicism...JESUS never came to start a 'religion' nor did HE command priests to not marry, or for people to worship, praise, or seek His mom. GOD will never ask a dead soul "Were you a good catholic?" The history of catholicism is extremely sickening...esp. when inquisitions, choir boy molestations, hiding and smuggling Nazi's out of Europe, eating fish only on Fridays, pergatory, penitent tithes to cover sins not yet committed, etc. are the NORM. NO..I do not hate people that profess to be catholic...they are my brothers/sisters but only in CHRIST..not the POPE. Is it hard to be a catholic? Not at all...anything can be justified or simply confessed in a dark booth between mass and all is well.
 
it is HARD in this modern world to be a true CHRIST follower...being catholic, baptist, lutheran, CHURCH of GOD has nothing to do with it. IF we profess CHRIST and reflect HIM..the world will declare war on us. IT is all or nothing for JESUS CHRIST..not catholicism.
 
didymos said:
I posted here too, does that make me Filipino? (or you?).
Fact is both his flag and nationality are american.
Click to expand...

Typical response from you. Ignorant and rude.
Show me where i said 'posting here makes you Filipino'. I didn't. Which you would know if you read what i said more clearly. And you'd understand the OP if you'd taken time to read that correctly as well. But i know that's asking a lot from you, so i don't expect it to happen.
 
Ugly said:
Typical response from you. Ignorant and rude.
Show me where i said 'posting here makes you Filipino'. I didn't. Which you would know if you read what i said more clearly. And you'd understand the OP if you'd taken time to read that correctly as well. But i know that's asking a lot from you, so i don't expect it to happen.
Click to expand...
Since you chose to resort to namecalling I'm not going to take your post seriously.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back