Should I Get Excommunicated?

Sept5SavedTeen · #1 05-25-2009, 07:52 AM

Hello everyone, I have a question...

I was at my grandparent's house yesterday, with my sister and my uncle, aunt and one cousin. We had a good dinner together, and all my dad's family is Catholic. Since myself and my sister are not, we always seem to get a religious question thrown our way, and it always seems to motivate more and more religious questions. Sometimes it's fun, interesting and sometimes annoying.

Anyways, at one point in the conversation, my uncle asserts that my sister and I were both "baptized" Catholic (we were christened as infants), and that as much as we might want to undo things, that, we can never "undo" our "heritage." I reminded him that Catholicism is not a "heritage" or "nationality", and that if my sister and I are "Catholics" then we are really funny ones, who believe in One God, Acts 2:38 salvation, holiness, and we deny the papacy, Mary-worship doctrines, ect, ect... Then they went on to say, "Well your names are still on the roles..." And I responded back with, "Then perhaps I ought to get excommunicated..."

The place went quiet...

My grandmother says, "Oh, umm... no, no... you don't want to do that."

My aunt says, "It's like double-insurance, just leave it alone..."

My grandfather mentions that if I just keep my name on the roles, even if I stay the way I am the Catholic Church will still be willing to do my funeral and bury me in a Catholic cemetery...

Although these answers were very "convincing"... NOT... I do wonder if this statement of excommunicating, might show my family that the Catholic Church is, indeed, nothing, and that I have nothing to fear by having my name taken off the roles, and even being, purposely removed from the Catholic Church. I have been apostolic since 2004, and even before that, I have gone to Protestant churches since I was 10, so I'm fairly well-removed from the Catholic Church, and I have no desire to return, and plus, if I did want to after being excommunicated, I'm sure they'd take me back, eh?

What do you all think?

-Bro. Alex

Fiyahstarter · #2 05-25-2009, 07:59 AM

Leave it alone. You were an infant.

Digging4Truth · #3 05-25-2009, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiyahstarter

Leave it alone. You were an infant.

Agreed.

Timmy · #4 05-25-2009, 08:24 AM

Aside from the double-insurance thing

, I see no reason to stay on their rolls. Or maybe you should go all out, and join JW, Hindu, Muslim, and whatever else you can think of: can't have too much insurance!

OnTheFritz · #5 05-25-2009, 08:34 AM

I guess it depends on what you think the effect would be on your family. If it would convince them that you are correct (doubtful) in your beliefs - then maybe. If on the other hand, it would put more distance between you and them (likely), then it seems like it would reduce your opportunities to be a witness to them. I say leave it alone.

MissBrattified · #6 05-25-2009, 08:45 AM

It doesn't affect your salvation to remain on their rolls, does it? So why offend your family by excommunicating yourself? What would be your goal?

Steve Epley · #7 05-25-2009, 09:05 AM

Alex leave it alone when you was born again that is all that matters to God you have made your stand don't totally alienate your family.

Sept5SavedTeen · #8 05-25-2009, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

It doesn't affect your salvation to remain on their rolls, does it? So why offend your family by excommunicating yourself? What would be your goal?

Yeah, I don't think it would affect my salvation, but I feel like it could be showing them that I fully reject the notion that the Catholic Church is a church or a "god" in any way that I should fear or reverence it. It is as if the RCC is a god to my dad's family, and to reject it would be sort of like an apostolic thing to do, as they rejected paganism in their day. I almost feel like someone has to stand up to the RCC for my family to see that lightning won't strike me, or I won't be come devil possessed or something like that, but that the RCC is in fact nothing, and my removal from their rolls could show that, I think... What do you think?

-Bro. Alex

Sept5SavedTeen · #9 05-25-2009, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

Alex leave it alone when you was born again that is all that matters to God you have made your stand don't totally alienate your family.

You don't think this could be a radical or revolutionary kind of action to deny the superstitious and spiritual hold of the RCC on so many people?

-Bro. Alex

Hoovie · #10 05-25-2009, 09:18 AM

I doubt any good would come of it. I agree with the other sentiments.