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Jane —
It is normal and necessary for an
adolescent to seek a higher understanding
of his or her faith.
What you are rejecting is not the
Catholic faith, but the Catholic
faith that was taught to you as a
little child, perhaps very poorly.
Since you are of an age to think
for yourself, it is right and good
that you start to think for yourself,
and seek to understand the faith
you have been given before you look
into any others.
Only by understanding one faith
well you can have a reference point
to understand other faiths.
You have to know where you are coming
from!
So:
- get on a good website, like Catholic
Answers, or
- buy a good book like Handbook
of Christian Apologetics (which
contains every possible objection
you could ever make), and
- ask good questions of your priest
and your religious education teacher.
- You might even go into an RCIA class for your Confirmation, instead
of regular Confirmation class.
- Get a copy of the Catechism and
read it.
If you are serious about understanding
God and His relationship with human
beings, instead of just being rebellious
for rebellion's sake, then you will
ask God for help on the right way
to find Him, and ask Him
to send people into your life as well as readings to
help you.
A closed mind and heart doesn't let
anything in, not even the limited
truth that is in other religions.
If you speak to your parents about
these questions, and ask for guidance
and good conversation, they might
surprise you, but refusing to obey
because you have already rejected
something you don't even understand
at your own level will just cause
conflict.
- Pray.
- Read the Catechism.
- Read apologetics books; Apologetics
is the area of thought which gives
reasons for things in a logical
manner.
As a follow up, I will add that, yes,
you must obey and honor your parents,
while you are under their moral and
legal authority.
One other thing — often we
are doing something that is not good,
and our uneasy conscience impels
us to close our minds and hearts
to things that make us feel uneasy.
Be sure you are not engaging in any
behavior that affects your eyesight
and heart-sight, so to speak.
Blessed are the pure of heart, for
they shall see God.
Mary Ann
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