#ex catholics

So during 2012 I was 14 and in 8th grade. All of the 8th grade kids were required to go on a retreat called Luke 18 for the weekend so we could get closer to Jesus or something before our Confirmation which meant no phones or electronic devices. It started off like a normal camp with games and getting to know people then things got very very strange. When night came and it was time to sleep we were sent to random parishioners houses who volunteered to use their houses to let the Luke 18 kids sleep in them. (Keep in mind no one had any idea who these random ass people were and it was all incredibly unsafe but back then I thought it was all normal.) The next day we had more random people talk us about how God helped them in their personal lives and had more Bible studies then at night we were all led into a room where sad music was playing and we were all given a slip of paper and we were told to write our sins on the paper and how how much God loves us. People were bawling and we were led outside one by one to toss our piece of paper in a lit BBQ pit and when we did we were praised and told how much God loves us and how we did a good thing and that God was with us in that moment. It was all very culty looking back at it but back then to me it was normal. The only thing that I remember that made me uncomfortable was HAVING TO TAKE A SHOWER IN A STRANGER’S HOUSE! I only showered once during those whole 3 days and on the last day we were given a CD of some songs that they played and some weird string ball called a “Warm Fuzzy” where we complimented someone and took a piece of our fuzzy and tied it onto theirs and then we had to give them a hug. Overall looking back at it the whole thing was pure child abuse and indoctrination at it’s finest. I cannot stress how unsafe this was nd how much could have gone wrong. It was a crazy experience that no one should go through. I still have nightmares about it 9 years later.  

I agree. And the longer I'm away from Catholicism and Christianity in general, the more ridiculous the infighting seems. Fights over theology between Catholics is its own special kind of ludicrous but the constant debate between Catholics and Protestants is something you just gotta laugh at for a lack of better reaction. At least they're not killing each other anymore so we can make a big joke out of it.

Disappointed, kinda disgusted, but not surprised. Is it really that difficult to apologize and take steps to reconcile with the First Nations people of Canada?

Perhaps those Jesuit martyrs genuinely believed that they were doing good and for that I pity their deaths but I sympathize with the Huron (the Wendat) a lot more. Perhaps the Jesuits believed they were doing good and were able to convert some people but they weren’t invited and they weren’t welcome. They were invaders and that’s a fact that Catholics skirt around whenever a saint or martyr who had a hand in colonization comes up. 

Finally. Took them fucking long enough to say anything.