How about one for ex-Catholics who are still Christians

[Peter J Barban]

I once posted (by accident) on a Catholic forum here (OBOB) that I was a former Catholic and now a Protestant. That didn't go over well- and the mods gave me an active strike.

I want a forum where ex-Catholics can speak up, share their testimonies, struggles and complaints without being attacked by Catholics.

I believe there are many people like me on the forum who are afraid to speak because we have no protected community.

Even my salvation testimony is seen as an attack on Catholics -what can be done?

 

[Paidiske]

Are you not able to post within the area for your own denomination, Peter? Or is it that you specifically want to share with other ex-Catholics who might be in different denominations?

 

[disciple Clint]

I once posted (by accident) on a Catholic forum here (OBOB) that I was a former Catholic and now a Protestant. That didn't go over well- and the mods gave me an active strike.

I want a forum where ex-Catholics can speak up, share their testimonies, struggles and complaints without being attacked by Catholics.

I believe there are many people like me on the forum who are afraid to speak because we have no protected community.

Even my salvation testimony is seen as an attack on Catholics -what can be done?

If I read the rules correctly there is nothing wrong with being a respectful guest on the Catholic or other denomination forum. The best way to avoid being attacked is not attacking, a respectful guest does not argue with his host.

 

[Peter J Barban]

If I read the rules correctly there is nothing wrong with being a respectful guest on the Catholic or other denomination forum. The best way to avoid being attacked is not attacking, a respectful guest does not argue with his host.

Noted and agree.

 

[Peter J Barban]

Are you not able to post within the area for your own denomination, Peter? Or is it that you specifically want to share with other ex-Catholics who might be in different denominations?

The second option, assuming there are others like me who want to post.

When I was in college, I knew several former Catholics in my Christian fellowship. We joked that Catholicism is good preparation for Christianity.

Unfortunately, I don't know how to have such conversations without making Catholics really angry. or seeming constantly off-topic in the other forums.

I don't want to promote enmity with Catholics any more than the Gospel promotes enmity with Jews. It's just that right now there are certain truths that I feel cannot be spoken of freely without causing division.

 

[tampasteve]

That is kind of a tough one. Most debates/statements could be handled in Denomination Specific Theology, and the "protected" discussions could take place in the Faith Communities that are not Catholic.

For example, there have been similar discussions from former Catholics in the Lutheran and Reformed forums. The thing is, it is not healthy to encourage Catholic bashing, or bashing of any denomination. Intelligent debates and discussions are good and encouraged.

As a lapsed Catholic myself I have my own feelings and experiences with the Catholic Church, and I have discussed them in different forums at different times.

I suppose I am asking, and kind of stating, that a Ex-Catholic forum seems like it could easily devolve into a unhealthy place. How would this be avoided?

 

[chevyontheriver]

I once posted (by accident) on a Catholic forum here (OBOB) that I was a former Catholic and now a Protestant. That didn't go over well- and the mods gave me an active strike.

I want a forum where ex-Catholics can speak up, share their testimonies, struggles and complaints without being attacked by Catholics.

I believe there are many people like me on the forum who are afraid to speak because we have no protected community.

Even my salvation testimony is seen as an attack on Catholics -what can be done?

You can post in OBOB provided you are not teaching things contrary to the Catholic faith. There are plenty of people who post there who are not Catholic. Plenty They are welcome until and unless they start trying to recruit us into their particular views, or speak against the Catholic faith.

For those who want to speak against the Catholic faith there is practically the whole rest of Christian Forums as it is right now. Excluding 'Looking for a Church' or 'Prayer Requests' and the like it's all available to you.

But lets say we have an ex-Catholic forum. How about an ex-Lutheran forum, an ex-Anglican forum, an ex-Baptist forum, an ex non-denominational forum, and on and on? If we have one 'ex' forum it would really look like favoritism if every group didn't also have an 'ex' forum for their group.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I once posted (by accident) on a Catholic forum here (OBOB) that I was a former Catholic and now a Protestant. That didn't go over well- and the mods gave me an active strike.

I want a forum where ex-Catholics can speak up, share their testimonies, struggles and complaints without being attacked by Catholics.

I believe there are many people like me on the forum who are afraid to speak because we have no protected community.

Even my salvation testimony is seen as an attack on Catholics -what can be done?

People who are ex-calvinists, ex-charismatic, or ex-{insert name of tradition here} have similar issues. Being an ex-protestant that is neither catholic or orthodox, yet experiences Christianity within the statement of faith on the site, has lead to some comical discussions (looking back) in general theology.

The main issue here is that a lot of traditions exist on this forum, and the flaming rules are enforced so all people participating are respected. So if a subforum was created for one ex-group, there'd need to be other ones created.

I would recommend to post in your current denomination's subforum, or the non-denominational subforum if that applies to you.

If you post ex-catholic testimony in A Catholic subforum the same thing will happen. If you post ex-catholic testimony General Theology, Deeper Fellowship, or similar general use forums expect a debate.

 

[Peter J Barban]

That is kind of a tough one. Most debates/statements could be handled in Denomination Specific Theology, and the "protected" discussions could take place in the Faith Communities that are not Catholic.

For example, there have been similar discussions from former Catholics in the Lutheran and Reformed forums. The thing is, it is not healthy to encourage Catholic bashing, or bashing of any denomination. Intelligent debates and discussions are good and encouraged.

As a lapsed Catholic myself I have my own feelings and experiences with the Catholic Church, and I have discussed them in different forums at different times.

I suppose I am asking, and kind of stating, that a Ex-Catholic forum seems like it could easily devolve into a unhealthy place. How would this be avoided?

Off the top of my head I would include at least 3 issues:
1. Why you left the Catholic church?

2. What is wrong with the Catholic church or more positively, how to reform it?

3. Negative experiences with the Catholic Church (though I don't have any) and Catholic family/Friends.

4. I would allow negativity toward Catholics as a group but not toward (individual) Catholic forum members, or the Catholic forums here.

5. I would allow accusations of (sexual) abuse because that is a well-known issue in the Catholic church.

I recognize that this forum doesn't fit the mold of most forums. but sometimes people need a safe place to vent their unhappiness and frustrations.

Take your time and let it percolate a while.

 

[Peter J Barban]

You can post in OBOB provided you are not teaching things contrary to the Catholic faith. There are plenty of people who post there who are not Catholic. Plenty They are welcome until and unless they start trying to recruit us into their particular views, or speak against the Catholic faith.

For those who want to speak against the Catholic faith there is practically the whole rest of Christian Forums as it is right now. Excluding 'Looking for a Church' or 'Prayer Requests' and the like it's all available to you.

But lets say we have an ex-Catholic forum. How about an ex-Lutheran forum, an ex-Anglican forum, an ex-Baptist forum, an ex non-denominational forum, and on and on? If we have one 'ex' forum it would really look like favoritism if every group didn't also have an 'ex' forum for their group.

Ok by me.

As for my OBOB experience, a Protestant asked OBOB if he could take communion in the Catholic church. I told him that I as a former Catholic, now Protestant would not recommend it. I stupidly didn't notice that I was posting on a Catholic forum at the time. Oh, and I mentioned that I wasn't saved when I was a Catholic - which is part of my personal salvation testimony.

Anyway, several forum members heavily attacked me for posting on OBOB. I defended my right to do so, as "a friend" and in fact, my advice was in agreement with other Catholics. Even so, Catholics became abusive to me and the moderator intervened. The mod scolded me and gave me a punishment. I appealed to the higher moderator and got treated worse. All because I mistakenly gave advice as an ex-Catholic.

I was also forbidden to post on Catholic forums for 3 months, these Catholic forums wouldn't even show up on my computer. After 3 months I had to practically beg the moderator to even let me read Catholic forum posts.

his is not to complain about the OBOB forum or the moderators. But these are some of the reasons why we need a safe space, to tell the truth about our reality as ex-Catholics.

 

[Peter J Barban]

People who are ex-calvinists, ex-charismatic, or ex-{insert name of tradition here} have similar issues. Being an ex-protestant that is neither catholic or orthodox, yet experiences Christianity within the statement of faith on the site, has lead to some comical discussions (looking back) in general theology.

The main issue here is that a lot of traditions exist on this forum, and the flaming rules are enforced so all people participating are respected. So if a subforum was created for one ex-group, there'd need to be other ones created.

I would recommend to post in your current denomination's subforum, or the non-denominational subforum if that applies to you.

If you post ex-catholic testimony in A Catholic subforum the same thing will happen. If you post ex-catholic testimony General Theology, Deeper Fellowship, or similar general use forums expect a debate.

Debate is fine, except when someone else is asking for advice, then we should just focus on the question and the forum specifics per usual. But I was abused by mutliple Catholics and then I was punished. I asked the moderators to at least punish those who attacked me. They made it clear that I was wrong and the ones who attacked me were not wrong.

Just to be clear neither of the moderators I dealt with were Catholic.

 

[tampasteve]

I'll be direct on a couple of fronts here:

I am an lapsed Catholic and former Lutheran (after leaving the RCC).

Being an "ex-Catholic", "Lapsed Catholic", etc. is not quite the same thing as being an ex-abc denomination. Being a very closed denomination, about the only comparison would be ex-Orthodox, ex-Amish, etc. Most other Protestants are fairly fluid at this point. Protestants move between Methodism, Lutheranism, Anglicanism, etc. very frequently and with little fanfare. Leaving the RCC, OC, etc. is a different matter.

That said, I really can't see how a forum like this would really fit in here. I would recommend having these discussions in the forums that already exist. I would encourage you to have discussions about the issues in the RCC in the forums below that may fit:

General Theology
Denomination Specific Theology
Christian Philosophy & Ethics
Non-denominational
Ethics & Morality

Most of those are debate forums, but the specific Non-Denominational forum is protected for members that identify as general protestants without a denomination.

Other Administrators are welcome to chime in here, but I honestly don't see this forum being put into place.

 

[Peter J Barban]

I'll be direct on a couple of fronts here:

I am an lapsed Catholic and former Lutheran (after leaving the RCC).

Being an "ex-Catholic", "Lapsed Catholic", etc. is not quite the same thing as being an ex-abc denomination. Being a very closed denomination, about the only comparison would be ex-Orthodox, ex-Amish, etc. Most other Protestants are fairly fluid at this point. Protestants move between Methodism, Lutheranism, Anglicanism, etc. very frequently and with little fanfare. Leaving the RCC, OC, etc. is a different matter.

That said, I really can't see how a forum like this would really fit in here. I would recommend having these discussions in the forums that already exist. I would encourage you to have discussions about the issues in the RCC in the forums below that may fit:

General Theology
Denomination Specific Theology
Christian Philosophy & Ethics
Non-denominational
Ethics & Morality

Most of those are debate forums, but the specific Non-Denominational forum is protected for members that identify as general protestants without a denomination.

Other Administrators are welcome to chime in here, but I honestly don't see this forum being put into place.

Yes, all that is possible, but as soon as we start gathering and telling the truth of our negative experiences with the Catholic church, the mods will come in with the ban hammer. I want to speak the truth, or at least "my experience" without punishment.

Ex-Catholics are a potential community with a lot in common. We aren't a community on the forums because it would be too real, too negative. And, instead, people who can't even mingle in public because of Covid will suffer and stew in silence.

So that is why I am asking for a new kind of forum.

 

[Albion]

Noted and agree.

It's not true in practice, however.

And that also applies to some other denomination-oriented forums here which claim to allow posting by non-members so long as it's respectful and doesn't take issue with the beliefs of the host denomination.

I want to speak the truth, or at least "my experience" without punishment.

Ex-Catholics are a potential community with a lot in common. We aren't a community on the forums because it would be too real, too negative. And, instead, people who can't even mingle in public because of Covid will suffer and stew in silence.

The problem with setting up such a forum would seem to be that there are ex-Adventists, ex-Baptists, ex-Episcopalians, etc., many of which would like to speak their minds about past experiences, too.

And as Paidiske noted, if you joined some other denomination after leaving Catholicism, you have that as an outlet. If not, I think you are still eligible to post your views on General Theology or perhaps the Non-denominational forum, since some non-denoms here are members of independent congregations but others interpret the term to mean "unaffiliated," period.

 

[Peter J Barban]

Looking over this thread, I didn't intend it to be either anti-Catholic or anti-moderator, so I wouldn't mind if the mods removed anything that appears indiscreet.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

I once posted (by accident) on a Catholic forum here (OBOB) that I was a former Catholic and now a Protestant. That didn't go over well- and the mods gave me an active strike.

I want a forum where ex-Catholics can speak up, share their testimonies, struggles and complaints without being attacked by Catholics.

I believe there are many people like me on the forum who are afraid to speak because we have no protected community.

Even my salvation testimony is seen as an attack on Catholics -what can be done?

Sorry for your struggle. As a former Catholic I can truly say I found Jesus Christ of Nazareth through my Catholic upbringing. From there I grew out of the Catechism and grew into the Gospel. Honestly I dont think there needs to be a " recovering Catholic" forum as everyone is responsible for their own path to salvation. Blessings

 

[Brian Mcnamee]

The second option, assuming there are others like me who want to post.

When I was in college, I knew several former Catholics in my Christian fellowship. We joked that Catholicism is good preparation for Christianity.

Unfortunately, I don't know how to have such conversations without making Catholics really angry. or seeming constantly off-topic in the other forums.

I don't want to promote enmity with Catholics any more than the Gospel promotes enmity with Jews. It's just that right now there are certain truths that I feel cannot be spoken of freely without causing division.

Hi as a former Catholic who also has been given a few strikes for speaking opposing views on the Catholic page I understand what your are saying. Once it was on communion and I posted the verse in John about belief. being the theme of the gospel and communion. The verse that Jesus used that my words are spirit and all was not received. Now you could put up in a general forum the same idea that was on the Catholic only page and toss out the question where debate would be encouraged and welcome.

The thing I am finding with the Roman church is Muslims and atheist can be saved according to the pope but if you look up the list of things that label you anathema I am on that list many times. For instance belief in the millennium as a real prophecy will get you on that list and yet a Muslim who holds the idea that God has not begotten nor ever will beget a son they are acceptable.

I hope to not bash people but to encourage people to read their Bibles and study themselves this is the best way and not to put up any other mediatory between you and the Father other the Christ Jesus.

 

[tampasteve]

While I appreciate the ideas, and we may discuss it more on our end, I am going to go ahead and close this thread. While the idea of a new forum is valid, the way this discussion seems to be going could cause issues. Thank you for participating in the forum and for everyone trying to make this a better place.