What do you think - Should the lukewarm have their children educated in the faith?

[TheOtherHockeyMom]

I understand the conflict pretty well, I hope. One thing that does matter is why you are lukewarm. I'm lukewarm because I have a hard time believing in the existence of God, but feel that if God exists, the Catholic faith is likely to be closest to the truth.

When I was younger, though, I don't think I could process the thought of loved ones dying without a firm belief that there was something like a heaven where we can be all reunited. I still have a hard time with this thought, to be honest, and it is why I try so hard to hang on to faith...I'm terrified of there not being an afterlife, although part of me is convinced that is in fact the case.

My children talk about heaven a lot, and I know it gives them comfort when they are dealing with the loss of family (or even pets). They also value, as do I, our evening prayer time, and are convinced of the power of prayer to heal.

Sometimes I try to look at them and let them lead me back to faith.

All in all, I see a lot of positives raising them to be Catholic at this age. I can see the potential negative, though, especially as they get older. I developed a fair bit of fear and self loathing when I fell from the straight and narrow path, in part due to my devout (at the time) parents who were difficult to talk to.

I don't want that for my kids, and I'm not sure how I'll handle it when they get to those teen years. I know that one thing I'll do my best to do is to listen, not judge, and let them know that my love for them isn't dependent on their orientation, purity, or fidelity to the Church. I'll also tell them that I truly believe that if God does exist, he loves them as the person they are, and wants to see them grow into kind and happy adults, despite what they might hear from some religious folks.

 

[Tallguy88]

I understand the conflict pretty well, I hope. One thing that does matter is why you are lukewarm. I'm lukewarm because I have a hard time believing in the existence of God, but feel that if God exists, the Catholic faith is likely to be closest to the truth.

When I was younger, though, I don't think I could process the thought of loved ones dying without a firm belief that there was something like a heaven where we can be all reunited. I still have a hard time with this thought, to be honest, and it is why I try so hard to hang on to faith...I'm terrified of there not being an afterlife, although part of me is convinced that is in fact the case.

My children talk about heaven a lot, and I know it gives them comfort when they are dealing with the loss of family (or even pets). They also value, as do I, our evening prayer time, and are convinced of the power of prayer to heal.

Sometimes I try to look at them and let them lead me back to faith.

All in all, I see a lot of positives raising them to be Catholic at this age. I can see the potential negative, though, especially as they get older. I developed a fair bit of fear and self loathing when I fell from the straight and narrow path, in part due to my devout (at the time) parents who were difficult to talk to.

I don't want that for my kids, and I'm not sure how I'll handle it when they get to those teen years. I know that one thing I'll do my best to do is to listen, not judge, and let them know that my love for them isn't dependent on their orientation, purity, or fidelity to the Church. I'll also tell them that I truly believe that if God does exist, he loves them as the person they are, and wants to see them grow into kind and happy adults, despite what they might hear from some religious folks.

That's all got to say about that.

 

[Brother Bread]

Consistently love your children , Consistently be faithful, Consistently love your neighbor , Consistently follow the faith , YOU are the greatest influence on your children even when the world is falling apart , especially when the world is falling apart.

 

[RDKirk]

One thiing for sure, Jesus hates hypocrites. If you're going to be Catholic, be as Catholic as you can be--know your doctrine inside and out, be "eaten up" with it. Lutheran, Methodist, et cetera.

I was listening to a priest telling once of a couple that came to him to have their new baby baptized. He'd never met them before, so he asked some questions. They lived in his parish for some years, admitted they'd never been to mass. He asked them if they intended to begin coming regularly now that they had a child, and they hemmed and hawed about that.

To make the story brief, the priest of course agreed to hold the baptism as soon as possible, but he also chewed them out. He told them that if they didn't intend to raise the child in the faith, then just getting him baptized was merely their superstition--not real belief. Real belief required follow through.

 

[Virgil the Roman]

Would you advise a lukewarm Muslim to have their child educated in the faith?

In the Catholic faith, yes; in Mohammedanism, no. Even in my periods of doubt, I wouldn't have entertained Mohammedanism as any sort of viable 'alternative'. If that doesn't answer your question, I suppose I don't know quite how else to respond? It'll have to do; whether or not one agrees with me or not. Because the thought in my mind is I can either be Catholic or Irreligious, usually. Other religions wouldn't be an alternative, to my mind. I suppose I've all my eggs in one proverbial basket?