No, I'm saying I go when I feel like it.

 

Keep in mind that I don't buy into the notion that you have to go to mass every week to be a good Catholic.

 

Gotcha. I'm slowly beginning to realize that your idea about being a Catholic, or religious in general, involves picking and choosing whatever you like and fits in with your life. This is called cognitive dissonance. Your beliefs have no foundation; you change them to fit your actions.

 

And yes, before you say it, "I don't care what anyone on a message board thinks about me."

 

Not so much whatever I like, but more like what I agree with.

 

If I get absolutely zero out of attending mass, why MUST I go?

 

There are plenty of terrible people who go to Mass every week, just as there are plenty of great people who rarely go to Mass....I don't see why just showing up and sitting in church somehow makes you a good Catholic.

 

It doesn't, but it is part of it. Being a good Catholic requires going to Mass AND acting as Christ would outside of Church.

 

Your attitude of "why should I do it if I get nothing out of it" is beyond selfish.

 

How does it make me a better Catholic to go?

 

Discuss.

Edited September 2, 200917 yr by cch5432
can't spell

:lol: Glad I could inspire a new thread.

 

Also, just wanted to point out that just because I don't feel it's a necessity to go to Mass every week, especially when out of town, doesn't mean I don't go more often than not...I'd say I probably average missing 5-6 times a year at most.

This shouldn't come as a shocker...NOT AT ALL. The most bigoted, racist, narrow-minded, and discriminatory people I've ever meet were at a church service. The last service I ever attended I had to endure I heard very many disgusting things when I missionary trip was being discussed...

This shouldn't come as a shocker...NOT AT ALL. The most bigoted, racist, narrow-minded, and discriminatory people I've ever meet were at a church service. The last service I ever attended I had to endure I heard very many disgusting things when I missionary trip was being discussed...

Say I'm searching for the best way to run a government. I begin attending Libertarian Party meetings, where libertarian topics are discussed and debated.

 

A racist, child molesting serial killer also attends these meetings. Does this mean that attending these meetings is worthless?

 

I'm not asking if bad people go to Church. I'm asking if going to Church can (not automatically) provide any spiritual benefit for one. To be honest, this question may not apply to you, at all, formerky.

 

If you have two practicing Christians who are both good people, is the one who also attends Church being a better Christian?

Say I'm searching for the best way to run a government. I begin attending Libertarian Party meetings, where libertarian topics are discussed and debated.

 

A racist, child molesting serial killer also attends these meetings. Does this mean that attending these meetings is worthless?

 

I'm not asking if bad people go to Church. I'm asking if going to Church can (not automatically) provide any spiritual benefit for one. To be honest, this question may not apply to you, at all, formerky.

 

If you have two practicing Christians who are both good people, is the one who also attends Church being a better Christian?

If he is a leader of the meetings...than yes, it's pretty worthless.

 

I'm not a fan of religion at all...but when it gets organized it becomes even worse.

 

I see no reason why the person who attends Church is being a better Christian. They probably "look" better to fellow Christians.

 

 

Disclaimer: The last part of this post is aimed more towards Protestants than Catholics...

If you pay attention and use the lessons from the Bible readings and homily to make yourself a better person, then yes, going to mass does help you become a better person.

 

I almost always feel better after church on Sunday and try to use what was discussed in my everyday life.

 

Plus, ... if we really appreciate what God has done and is doing for us, and want to thank him, ... what better than to add the effort of attending to church to worship him along with our daily prayers.

 

Does attending church make you a better person? Not necessarily. But being around others of your faith and sharing your beliefs is a great way to remind ourselves who we are and what we should strive to become.

Some of my random thoughts and comments on the subject...

 

For the last several years I have been struggling with my feelings on God, church, the bible, religion in general. I have never been a very active in church, that is to say I would go a couple of times a year. I woman I married's father is a Methodist minister so needless to say she was brought up going to church every Sunday and then some. One of my biggest struggles with church and religion was no matter what church I went to they all seemed to be the same. They were great on the surface but the hypocrisy ran deep.

 

After getting married my wife talked me into trying a new church. I really liked it and really liked the minister. That lasted for about a year and it turned into the same story. The minister turned out to be one of the biggest weasels I have ever meet and some of the members that I thought a lot of were talking a good game but most of it was crap.

 

My experience with religion is it's in your heart not a building. If you are a christian and your have accepted Jesus Christ into your heart and you live the way he teaches you to live then what does it matter if you are sitting in a pew on Sunday morning falling asleep.

From The Catechism of the Catholic Church

 

1393 Holy Communion separates us from sin. The body of Christ we receive in Holy Communion is "given up for us," and the blood we drink "shed for the many for the forgiveness of sins." For this reason the Eucharist cannot unite us to Christ without at the same time cleansing us from past sins and preserving us from future sins:

 

For as often as we eat this bread and drink the cup, we proclaim the death of the Lord. If we proclaim the Lord's death, we proclaim the forgiveness of sins. If, as often as his blood is poured out, it is poured for the forgiveness of sins, I should always receive it, so that it may always forgive my sins. Because I always sin, I should always have a remedy.

 

1394 As bodily nourishment restores lost strength, so the Eucharist strengthens our charity, which tends to be weakened in daily life; and this living charity wipes away venial sins. By giving himself to us Christ revives our love and enables us to break our disordered attachments to creatures and root ourselves in him:

 

Since Christ died for us out of love, when we celebrate the memorial of his death at the moment of sacrifice we ask that love may be granted to us by the coming of the Holy Spirit. We humbly pray that in the strength of this love by which Christ willed to die for us, we, by receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, may be able to consider the world as crucified for us, and to be ourselves as crucified to the world. . . . Having received the gift of love, let us die to sin and live for God.

 

1395 By the same charity that it enkindles in us, the Eucharist preserves us from future mortal sins. The more we share the life of Christ and progress in his friendship, the more difficult it is to break away from him by mortal sin.

 

Seems pretty clear to me, as far as the Catholic mass goes. The sacrament of Holy Eucharist, being the real presence of the sacrificed and risen savior of the world, Jesus Christ, brings about a physical connection with God. And that's what all religion throughout history has been about isn't it? Getting closer to God? This is, of course, when the sacrament is received in a state of grace following full confession and absolution of sins. So, if you go to mass and just run through the motions, not reflecting on anything and don't accept the power of the sacraments to do good for you in this world and the next, then no, it won't do anything for you. BUT, the sacrament of Eucharist, when taken and appreciated for all its power, can work great wonders.

Too many people simply go through the motions, or they treat church as a social club event. I probably would go more often, but I'll confess I don't because of personal convenience.

 

But because I rarely do attend (usually only a handful of times a year), I don't feel as though I have less of a connection with God. I still pray regularly, and try to live (mostly) in a manner that He would approve. I treat people with kindness, respect, friendliness and generosity. I try to conduct my life in a reasonably ethical and respectful manner.

 

True, I learned a lot of that behavior in church as a child, when I was dragged there unwillingly each Sunday. But none of that would have made a lick of difference had my parents not taught me and reinforced in me the right way to live my life.

I always mess these threads up, because the answer is always, "bad people go to Church" or "some people go through the motions at Church" and therefore "going to Church isn't important." That's like saying that "chemotherapy doesn't always cure cancer, therefore I'm not going to ever take it if I get Cancer"

Too many people simply go through the motions, or they treat church as a social club event. I probably would go more often, but I'll confess I don't because of personal convenience.

 

But because I rarely do attend (usually only a handful of times a year), I don't feel as though I have less of a connection with God. I still pray regularly, and try to live (mostly) in a manner that He would approve. I treat people with kindness, respect, friendliness and generosity. I try to conduct my life in a reasonably ethical and respectful manner.

 

True, I learned a lot of that behavior in church as a child, when I was dragged there unwillingly each Sunday. But none of that would have made a lick of difference had my parents not taught me and reinforced in me the right way to live my life.

 

Great post!

I always mess these threads up, because the answer is always, "bad people go to Church" or "some people go through the motions at Church" and therefore "going to Church isn't important." That's like saying that "chemotherapy doesn't always cure cancer, therefore I'm not going to ever take it if I get Cancer"

At least you admit it!

How about this answer. If going to church truely helps you better yourself and you are there for your own reasons (instead of the social club JS alludes to), then it is probably a good thing for you. But if not, I don't see a reason you should go and why people should attempt to "shame" you into going.

Say I'm searching for the best way to run a government. I begin attending Libertarian Party meetings, where libertarian topics are discussed and debated.

 

A racist, child molesting serial killer also attends these meetings. Does this mean that attending these meetings is worthless?

 

I'm not asking if bad people go to Church. I'm asking if going to Church can (not automatically) provide any spiritual benefit for one. To be honest, this question may not apply to you, at all, formerky.

 

If you have two practicing Christians who are both good people, is the one who also attends Church being a better Christian?

 

That seems nothing like your original question, of

 

"Does attending mass/church/services make you a better person".

 

Does the fact that you go to Mass more than I go to my church make you a better person than me?

That seems nothing like your original question, of

 

"Does attending mass/church/services make you a better person".

 

Does the fact that you go to Mass more than I go to my church make you a better person than me?

 

See, this is part of the rub I have about it. We all know people who would have us believe they are the most devout folks in the world, never missing a mass and always making sure they're seen putting $$$ in the collection plate, yet outside of the church they make their living by screwing people over, cheat on their spouses, abuse their kids or live a non-Christian/non-devout life.

 

They think -- and want you and everyone else to think -- they're better than you because they're putting on a big show on Sundays, but the rest of their life tells a much different story. This is what really puts me off about church. I can have a strong relationship with the Lord, and still avoid all the hypocrisy that surrounds "church."

 

Is that everyone who regularly attends? Of course not. Most? I don't know. Enough to turn people like me off? Oh yes. There will be a lot of people in Hell wondering why their regular attendance didn't get them off the hook.