Author Topic: reunion gone bad (Read 964 times)

easter1975 · « **on:** May 12, 2009, 09:37:54 AM »

I recently got back together with my high school girlfriend after many years apart. We had a true love, and it was wonderful to get back together. We were planning to get married, but a problem came up. I was raised a Catholic and had recently started attending mass again. She is a devout Catholic and was nurturing me along. Things were going well until she claimed to have the ability to lay her hands on people and cure them of illnesses. I was honest and told her that I don't believe that people can perform such miracles. She called me evil and said I was influenced by Satan for not believing. Do the majority of Catholics believe in this ability and are they as intolerant of skeptics?

Matthew · « **Reply #1 on:** May 12, 2009, 09:46:26 AM »

No, it sounds like she is affected by the Charismatic movement, something that came about in the 1960's and 70's.

Laying on hands, curing the sick and other "charisma" are hallmarks of Penecostals, not Catholics.

The "Charismatic movement" might as well be called "Pentecostalism within the Catholic Church".

All such activity is faked, staged, etc. and is totally bogus.

The Holy Ghost did manifest miracles among the early Church, because otherwise men wouldn't know it was the true Church. But after 20 centuries, men can look at history and see that the Catholic Church is true. We have more evidence to go on now.

Therefore, such miracles are no longer needed.

Matthew

easter1975 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 12, 2009, 10:29:00 AM »

She has been through some very rough times over the years. She was traumatized by losing a loved one in an accident. That led to mental problems, ѕυιcιdє attempts, and entering into abusive relationships (she has had an arm broken and teeth knocked out). Her life became more stable after she turned to religion, but her extreme beliefs seem to be like those of a vulnerable person that was drawn into a cult. She does charity work, which is wonderful, but says that suffering on her part is a necessary part of the charity work. I have a good job that would make it possible for us to have a home and live comfortably. She says that she feels it would be "selling out" to accept such a life and that Satan caused her to consider such a life.

easter1975 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 14, 2009, 10:19:40 AM »

Quote from: ChantCd

No, it sounds like she is affected by the Charismatic movement, something that came about in the 1960's and 70's.

Laying on hands, curing the sick and other "charisma" are hallmarks of Penecostals, not Catholics.

The "Charismatic movement" might as well be called "Pentecostalism within the Catholic Church".

All such activity is faked, staged, etc. and is totally bogus.

The Holy Ghost did manifest miracles among the early Church, because otherwise men wouldn't know it was the true Church. But after 20 centuries, men can look at history and see that the Catholic Church is true. We have more evidence to go on now.

Therefore, such miracles are no longer needed.

Matthew

Can you direct me to any literature along these lines? Are there any official statements by the Catholic Church regarding such miracles? I would appreciate input from other members of the forum because I am curious how common such beliefs are among Catholics.

Alex · « **Reply #4 on:** May 15, 2009, 02:25:16 AM »

It seems like your girlfriend is too emotionally unstable and spiritually confused for you to be getting back together with her. People can change over time and so the girl you may have loved in high school now has emotional baggage that you will have to deal with and that could cause a lot of problems in the relationship. I would seriously advise against getting back together with her.

easter1975 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 15, 2009, 10:26:49 AM »

Quote from: Alex

It seems like your girlfriend is too emotionally unstable and spiritually confused for you to be getting back together with her. People can change over time and so the girl you may have loved in high school now has emotional baggage that you will have to deal with and that could cause a lot of problems in the relationship. I would seriously advise against getting back together with her.

That is good advice, and I had already figured it out for myself. Without identifying her (in respect to her privacy), I wrote to a priest at her church who agrees that she seems to need counseling. I asked her to go talk to the priest, but she became angry and defensive.