Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: unisoft!lins@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Lindsay Gower) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Help!! Message-ID: Date: 20 Sep 90 07:44:40 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 41 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu iatterlep@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Alan T. Terlep) writes: >college at Oakland University. I'm about to be confirmed as a Catholic after > Second, I will say that the coldly logical part of my brain is still >surprised about my confirmation. My decision to get confirmed was the first of >several decisions I've made based wholly on nonrationality. One day I woke up >and knew that I should get confirmed. It was, to say the least, unusual, >although I have had other similar experiences since. > The problem is that I feel distanced from the standard experiences that I >hear about from most religious people. I don't agree with many of the >principles of the Catholic Church, but nonetheless I feel drawn to it by God-- > I advise you to wait on your confirmation. My experience was similar; my mom was a luke-warm Catholic, my dad had no faith. I became a Christian in college, and in my mid-20's joined the Episcopal church. But whenever the time came for Confirmation as an Episcopalian (reception, really, as the Episcopal church recognized my RC confirmation) I always hesitated. Something made me resist. One year it was because the confirmation service was the same day as my mom's birthday and I knew it was painful enough to her that I has left the RC church! But I was a content member of my parish, growing in my faith, baptised and regularly recieving communion, learning from my Christian friends. In one sense, I didn't *need* to be confirmed. Then, of course, came the time when I did want it, very much. I enjoyed the classes, the talks with other confirmands, the ceremony, my friends being there with me: the firm, happy knowledge that I was standing up and saying I am the Lord's. That was my experience; others' might have known different. By I would recommend that you wait. Confirmation is a sacrament celebrating one's ADULT commitment to faith. Regardless of one's years, you can still be a babe in faith at 17, or 35, or 70. Grow a bit first, continue in the "grade school" of your walk with the Lord before you try to "graduate." With love and prayers, Lindsay Gower UniSoft Corp lins@unisoft.comm