I don't think anyone on this website is Catholic, but I was raised that way all my life. I'm 18 now and beginning to see a lot of flaws in my church. For one, I don't understand why I need to confess my sins to a priest and not directly to God. I came to this website to find out about other dominations and there teachings. I want to switch to a Protestant church but fear what my family will think of me. It scares me what will happen if I do make the switch. My grandparents especially are devout Catholics and would look down on me for this. I can't help but feel lost and confused where I am in my faith. Someone please help lead me in the right direction.
To begin with, Catholicism is a false religion. Your family is deluded if they think it isn't. Catholics pray to Mary, they worship and venerate her and believe that she intercedes to Jesus on their behalf. SHE DOESN'T. Catholics use rosaries to pray Hail Mary's. They confess their sins to a priest, instead of God directly. A priest CANNOT forgive your sins, only GOD can. Catholics venerate and worship their pedophile popes. Catholics believe Mary was born sinless and remained that way all her life.
Do what you know is right. Renounce catholicism, and become a christian. Christianity is the ONLY true religion. Christians do NOT worship Mary or pray to her, we do NOT say Hail Mary's, we do NOT bow down and worship statues and we do NOT worship the pope. We DO believe that Jesus is our ONLY intercessor, and that Mary WAS a sinner. We don't light candles and pray to a dead person who CANNOT hear or answer our prayers, or even intercede for us. Mary couldn't do that even if she WAS still alive. The bible says that no person comes to God except through Jesus. Note that it doesn't say through Jesus AND Mary. Christians believe that Mary was NOT born sinless, and that she DID go on to sin before AND after Jesus was born.
God is calling you to come to him. However, you can't be a child of God as long as you remain catholic and adhere to their beliefs and practices. Jesus said those who love him will be persecuted and reviled, or looked down upon. So what if your family disapproves? It's YOUR life, it's YOUR eternal security on the line here. Don't let fear stop you from making the right choice here. Fear comes from the devil, not God. Listen to God's call and follow it, before it's too late. His return is not very far away.
