was I a Christian?

[jezic]

I think that on the level of substance you were "marked" as a Christian by these Sacraments, however, i think that a person has to accept it as well. I don't want to start sounding protestant, but just receiving the Sacraments does little if your life is still not good.

You have to choose to follow Jesus.

(maybe i am getting the idea of being a Christian confused with salvation/Heaven but then again maybe they are intricately connected.)

[photosynthesis]

[quote name='Raphael' date='Feb 15 2006, 10:55 AM']I never encountered that in my life, but I learned in catechetics classes here that it actually happens quite often...it's a major abuse on a huge scale.
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It's horrible, because the kids don't learn the proper relationship between Mass and Confession. We weren't taught that you need to be free from grave sin before you receive... They also didn't teach us to receive on the tongue.... we only learned that you received in the hands. When I was in college and I saw my friends receiving on the tongue, I thought, "Can you do that?"

Then again, they also told us that Holy Communion was only a symbol. And the priest talked about sports in his homilies. I hate sports homilies.

[quote name='jezic' date='Feb 15 2006, 11:19 AM']I think that on the level of substance you were "marked" as a Christian by these Sacraments, however, i think that a person has to accept it as well. I don't want to start sounding protestant, but just receiving the Sacraments does little if your life is still not good.

You have to choose to follow Jesus.

(maybe i am getting the idea of being a Christian confused with salvation/Heaven but then again maybe they are intricately connected.)
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yeah, that's what I was thinking of. Could mortal sin destroy whatever mark on your soul that Baptism left?

[Aloysius]

no. baptism is indulable. it is forever.

[Paphnutius]

[quote name='Aloysius' date='Feb 15 2006, 10:18 AM']no.  baptism is indulable. it is forever.
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Same with Confrimation and Holy Orders.

[photosynthesis]

if a person is baptized and commits a mortal sin, and an unbaptized person commits a mortal sin, is one more or less sinful than the other?

[Paphnutius]

[quote name='photosynthesis' date='Feb 15 2006, 10:26 AM']if a person is baptized and commits a mortal sin, and an unbaptized person commits a mortal sin, is one more or less sinful than the other?
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It depends. The unbaptized could not have had the formal training on morality that the baptized person has had and thus not sin mortally while the other does because he has fuller knowledge.

[photosynthesis]

what if the baptized person was taught that the 10 commandments are just "healthy guidelines?"

[jezic]

i don't know that the gravity of the sins are different, but the accountability of the people would be.

mortal sin wouldn't destroy what Baptism gave you, however if you kept mortally sinning i think this indeible mark would be "painful" not necessarily physically, but on some level.

[cmotherofpirl]

photosynthesis:
OK, I am still having a bit of an identity crisis. I don't imagine i will ever have this resolved, but I am trying to figure this out.
I honestly believe that I didn't know Jesus until I came to college. Before that, it seems like we were complete strangers. If I was a Christian at baptism and a Catholic just like everyone else, that would mean that I was some how in a relationship at God. but I never talked to God because I didn't think that was something people could do.... you had to be special to pray."

[color=blue]Of course you were a christian, you were baptised into the Body of Christ.
Just because you didn't explicitly talk to God, didn't mean He wasn't talking to you If God wasn't working in your life you wouldn't be here. You were handicapped by your parents not raising you catholic, but you got here on your own, and are probably stronger for it.[/color]

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='photosynthesis' date='Feb 15 2006, 12:13 PM']It's horrible, because the kids don't learn the proper relationship between Mass and Confession.  We weren't taught that you need to be free from grave sin before you receive...  They also didn't teach us to receive on the tongue....  we only learned that you received in the hands.  When I was in college and I saw my friends receiving on the tongue, I thought, "Can you do that?"
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They don't have to teach that you can, but they should. I think a lot more people would.

I remember our teacher having us "practice" with unconsecrated hosts.

"Left hand over the right, receive in the left, then use the right to pick up the host and put it in your mouth."

I'm going to be quite clear to my class in my Eucharistic teaching, "we will not be calling Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament 'it'."

[photosynthesis]

LOL... we had "practice" hosts too! I think it demystified the process somewhat. whether that's a good thing or a bad thing I'm not sure.

[Socrates]

Photo, I wouldn't waste time worrying about this. If you were baptized validly, and have come back to Christ, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.

[photosynthesis]

I suppose that is a good point.

I guess I feel like I failed or someone failed in this and I feel bad about that. Baptized children are supposed to be raised in the faith and prepared for the sacraments, so it still perplexes me how technically I had the same upbringing as everyone else, but in terms of life experience it is different from that of someone whose parents actually raised them Catholic. It makes me mad how so many parents see the Sacraments as just something you do, a social event that you go through to make other people happy.