Religious ritual is not magic or superstition. All religions practice rituals, but religions interpret their rituals differently. Some offer “magical” interpretations of the ritual as a supernatural technology that produces material outcomes: “If we just pray hard enough, she’ll be healed.” Other religions interpret rituals as meaning-making activities, superimposed on life to create order from chaos. If life appears random, we can provide some order to it with periodic observances. 

In our account, religious rituals are not magic, nor are they meaning-making activities. Instead, they are meaning-accessing activities. Religious rituals access a preexisting meaning woven into the universe. Because they access the sacred, they are sacraments: portals through which the grace that lies within the cosmos flows into our everyday lives. 

Religious ritual confirms the basic sacramentality of the cosmos, reminding us that everything is holy. Due to this universal holiness, awe is the most legitimate attitude toward life and gratitude its most natural fruit. To feel a sacrament is to feel awe and become grateful, because the sacrament celebrates what we overlook in our distractedness—the intrinsic beauty of life, the sacredness of matter, and the importance of each person. 

Sacramental celebration brings existential healing to a despondent world. Life is stunningly beautiful and intensely difficult, with the ever-present possibility of intense suffering and great joy. We are material beings in a material universe through which courses Infinite Spirit. We are fully embodied and fully ensouled; our physicality entails risk, while our spirituality entails passion. Embracing the intensity of life, faith celebrates this unification of body and soul, a unification that heightens experience, deepens awareness, and unceasingly generates more.   

We need grace to bear that more. Recognizing this need, sacraments use the constituents of the universe—space, time, energy, and matter—as channels of divine encouragement. Such material sacraments reveal material existence to be holy: matter manifests spirit, and spirit reveals matter to be more lively than common sense alone could explain. 

Religious ritual is not harmful superstition, outdated magic, or pre-scientific technology. Religious ritual is a medium of the sacred with transformative power. Indeed, this power may be so transformative that it seems magical, working wonders in our interpretation of life. 

Transformation bequeaths knowledge. We think differently, feel differently, and act differently after transformation. By way of consequence, religious ritual is a powerful way of acquiring sound knowledge about human existence in a sacred cosmos. It reminds us what we should never forget—that we are sacred, life is a gift, and more beauty of every sort is forever available to us. 

Such knowledge cannot be proven or disproven. It can only be felt, and felt to enrich. The knowledge that ritual confers is not discursive: it cannot be translated into language, because it is first and finally embodied. The reduction of this embodied knowledge to language, even when necessary, will distort and attenuate it. (I am distorting and attenuating your ritual knowledge right now, for which I apologize.) 

Ritual knowledge must remain what it is—directly experienced, distinctly embodied, and resolutely unlanguaged. Participating in religious ritual may lead thought from reason to rumination, and theologians may even translate ritual experience into doctrinal concepts, but all religious ritual resists intellectual mastery, because ritual exceeds cognition, just as reality exceeds system. Life is always more than we can think. If we reduce life to understanding, then we shall have impoverished ourselves. God grants more, and some of that more God grants through ritual. (adapted from Jon Paul Sydnor, The Great Open Dance: A Progressive Christian Theology, pages 233-234)

*****

For further reading, please see: 

Driver, Tom F. “Transformation: The Magic of Ritual.” In Readings in Ritual Studies, edited by Ronald L. Grimes, 170–87. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1996.

Jennings, Theodore W. “On Ritual Knowledge.” In Readings in Ritual Studies, edited by Ronald L. Grimes, 324–34. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1996.

My church flies these flags and it means a lot to see. The sense of feeling welcome is immediate. I've been going here with my fiance and have always felt comfortable.

Long ago, pretty much a Month Ago, I made a Post requesting others to Pray for Me because I described the Psychological Abuse that has happened in my Household, which was mainly driven by the belief that I \*must\* stop being a Trans Girl and become a Cis Boy. The Prayers were mainly to make sure my Plan to seek Help from LGBTQ+ Organizations would Succeed.

In the end, I didnt talk just to a LGBTQ+ Organizations, I also talked to a Helpline for Minors going through Abuse, which apparently is also capable of sending in my Country's Child Protection Services, which where I live are Simply called "Social Services".

Two Days ago, the Social Worker who interacts with our Family to help us with State Welfare called my Father to the Office, and yesterday he was told that this Social Worker's Colleagues would come visit our house. Besides coming out to my Childhood Friend who witnessed my Mother giving birth to me, (She also revealed to me that shes Bisexual) I talked to the Social Workers who came to our home and I can say that my Parents will officially stop all attempts at changing my Gender Identity.

This is because the Social Workers explicitly stated that if my Parents ever try to suppress my Gender Expression, force me to cut off Friends just because they Support me or are Queer, or perform a "Small Exorcism" against my Will with the Desired Outcome being Identity Change, they will get in SERIOUS Legal Trouble.

Whether I can begin the Psychological Percourse towards getting HRT (Which lasts from 6 to 12 Months) is yet unclear, but its said I will indeed begin a Psychological Percourse that does NOT involve someone whose best Advice for Gender Dysphoria is "Focus on your Hobbies and pretend the Dysphoria doesnt exist", and my Parents will also begin one with a Separate Professional.

I hope any other Fellow Trans Girl out there whos going through what I went through before Finding the Light manages to reach the same Victory as me, the Era of being free to exist as my Authentic Self has just begun.

For those that dont know, Arthur is from a video game called Red Dead Redemption 2, hes a outlaw and lived a very bad life and struggles with morality but is absolutely capable of being a good when given opportunities.

He contracted tb after beating a sick man who was loaned money from Arthur's gang to death and towards the end of the game you watch cone to terms with his sickness and the consequences of his actions.

Here hes talking to a nun were he tells her he's afraid and she lovenly tells him, "Take a gamble that loves exists and do a lovenly act."

Which he does.

What about you guys? Looking for to reading yalls responses.

First off I want to day that I think being in a poly relationship isn't a sin despite my personal feelings towards it, if you can make that work and everyone is happy then good for you.

But these groups I see are super weird about it, like saying if you were polygamous you wouldn't have to worry about jealousy or cheating and that men need more then one wife; I even saw someone asking if the women can take more then one husband and she was told that it'd be adultery like what?

They just use super weird arguments for it too, and I notice that almost always the people are Judiazers and always say that modern churches are going to hell?

Ive been in the SBC for pretty much my entire childhood. Both Churches I had attended ALWAYS pushed the “you are a horrible person who deserves nothing but pain and suffering just for living cause you love wrong“ rhetoric. They‘ve also always pushed women being submissive to men and abortion = murder. My current church has a youth pastor who quite literally wears an “Abortion Abolitionist” t-shirt. My first church also used “babies go to hell since they can’t verbally profess Jesus as their savior“ as an argument against abortion. Anyways, thanks for listening to my rant and have a blessed week <3.

For background, I'm a heavily tattooed female bartender, who is also an unwed mother. I understand that from an outside perspective, I do not "look" like a typical Christian, and I didn't really start to pursue my relationship with Christ until I found the Episcopalian church. I always struggled with the idea that being gay is a sin, and a non-believer is a sinner. I just don't see God's love as so black and white, and it wasn't until I found my church that I encountered true, radical love.

Today at work, a group of men selling banana bread for their church specifically approached ME at my bar, asking if I believed in the word of God. I said yes, and that I go to service at my church as often as I can. They asked which church, and I answered. Cue a BARRAGE of very personal and targeted questions towards me regarding my sexuality, sexual experiences, what other sins I have committed and if I TRULY believed that that such a liberal Church was guiding me towards Christ. I was terrified and embarrassed, and being so soon into my Christian journey I didnt feel like I had the knowledge to defend myself, not to mention being at my literal job I couldn't just walk away like I would do on the street.

Is this normal? Am I a bad Christian for specifically searching for a church that aligned with my views? Is that specific search limiting my knowledge and relationship with God because I don't want to align with things I don't agree with? I don't really know how to navigate this. I have pretty liberal political views, and my belief system is also built on that. I just can't rationalize condemning people for things they can't control. Idk, some clarity would be nice if anyone can offer it.

Hey all, i want to apologise if this doesnt make sense, I'm just writing my thoughts.I would like some advise and support about believing after my recent trip. So I went last week (11th - 19th) and don't get me wrong it was a nice experience,ish. I went with my church and I just feel like it just started wrong. We left really late in the evening, like 9pm and didn't get to Taiźe till 3pm sunday and we were all just so tired. It just felt like we had so much to do with getting a job and setting up etc. As time went by, i had some good experiences with God which was nice but the people around me with the church just felt..weird. It just felt like I was being babied by some people and like I had to do the majority of the work cause one of the people couldn't get over the wasps which at the time felt fine but idk. Then a storm happend. I've got anxiety and autism so I was petrified. I was in tears and trying not to have a panic attack on the phone to my mum and my paster who was on the trip said in the group chat not to use our phones (in a way that made my anxiety worse) and didnt even try comfort me or see where I was during it. I then got moaned at when I saw her and a thing I noticed was her eyes. (My nan has Bipolar and i can just tell with eyes when someone changes) it was kinda scary. I wasn't comforted once by anyone but 1 women. Anyway, then I went to the town over to get ice-cream and I left my charger in the church to charge my powerbank. I told her and she (my vicar) said not to worry and she'll look after it ect. When I came back and went to the service my phone was dying so I went up to her to get the charger ect and she denied even saying that and had no idea where it was. She was more concerned about her adapter then anything else and didn't even bother to help look for it. Then on the last day I got shouted at for just sitting down and looking over by the vicar and her daughter (her daughter shouted) and then she ignored me for hours until she kinda apologised saying she don't know why she shouted ect but she was still distant. During that time I also felt incredibly home sick, in pain with my joints and just masking everyday.

I've been feeling distant and I'm really struggling to believe in God ever since coming home because if he loved me then why would be let me go through that? Why would he let me struggle during the trip? If he knew what was gonna happen, why didn't he help or even stop the struggle? Any advice would be great!!

In this scenario, the dna is created custom, with handmade protons, nucleus and electrons, created with computers and stuff. (Sci fi or something) and then it’s grown in a lab, a synthetic womb, but the it’s let out into the world to live a normal life. It doesn’t know it’s synthetic and it has a consciousness, thoughts, emotions, feelings. Does this being have a soul? Or because it is fully made by humans would it not. This is theoretically possible.

Too often, bisexual experiences are overlooked. That’s why we’re asking for your help. Your voice could help improve mental health supports. Participation is open to all adults (18+) with a marginalized sexual identity (e.g. bisexual, lesbian, gay, queer, pansexual, omnisexual, sexually fluid etc…) and we particularly need more bisexual women.

Survey: https://csufobjbs.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6sCeGsZJld6774W

By completing our anonymous 10–15 min survey, you’ll be contributing to research that aims to better understand the risk and protective factors for mental health, among adults with a marginalized sexual identity.

We are Psychology Honours Students from Charles Sturt University in Australia. This ethics-approved study (H26115) includes questions about sexuality, self-kindness, belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community, sleep, suicidality, and depressive symptoms.

Ethics approval letter: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:AP:23e6db21-4592-4881-8472-c98ab36e4b5c

Thank you for helping make bisexual experiences more visible. Please share with others who may be interested.

I struggled with myself and reconciling it with God at least once a year, especially since my Church's abysmal views on queer people. They did a talk and made it clear that if anyone "rallies" against their policies they will be asked to leave. And wr are not allowed to argue with them.

(Before I hear another "JuST GO tO AnOTHer ChURch", life is not so black and white. I do not have an affirming church in my area, and God is making it very clear He still needs me there).

My very Christian, very closeted queer friend (and an absolute light in the crap world I live in), is a part of the prophetic team.

Let me rewind a bit. I found out when God put on my heart to tell him that once he found who he is, he will be ready for a relationship. I honestly did not clock this wonderful autistic man, but God pushed me in that direction.

Anyway, he became more confident and sure of himself...the first reason that it was clear that God wanted him to grow in his identity.

So one day I asked him to have a prophetic session with his team. He made it clear that he did not share any information about me to the rest of the team so I knew it was from God.

They called me a power station: those who are Christian, but for reasons have drifted away find me and become revigorised in God. My friend earlier did describe me as someone who finds those who were struggling and shepard them back

While they dont know it (besides my friend) these homophobes unknowingly affirmed that struggle in my soul. I know it sounds braggy, but God had blessed me with a purpose to help those who feel torn between two identities and reconcile them.

If homophobes can affirm queer people through God literally telling them, then I think it is pretty clear on His stance.

I know the NRSVue is the most recommended translation here, but it isn’t a favorite of mine. Personally, I like Bible translations that are more literal, or ‘word for word.’ I also know that the ESV, NASB, and NIV have conservative biases, but as long as I know that and don’t let it misconstrue my judgment, am I fine to read them without guilt?

These are the questions that really matter. What do you think?

Last time I talked about how Ephesians 5:22 needs to be read in the context of the verse above—it's not just wives that need to submit to their husbands, but husbands also need to submit to wives! But people asked about the next verse, 5:23, that claims that just as Christ is the head of the church, husbands are the head of their wives.

So, a couple of things to get out of the way. First, the Bible never says, "Men are the head of the household." It is just not a verse that appears in Scripture in any English translation. The closest we come to the Bible saying anything close to that is 1 Timothy 5:14, which says that women should manage or lead their homes.

Three Meanings of "Head"

The second thing we need to understand is that, just like in English, the word for head in Greek—kephale—can be used in three main ways.

One, it can be used for your cabesa, the home of your brain and your beautiful, beautiful faces.

Two, head can be used as a reference to leadership, such as the sentence, "Noted orphan Charles Entertainment Cheese is the head of the Chuck E. Cheese Corporation."

And three—and this is where we should pay attention—head can refer to the source or origin of a thing. This is less common in English, but we still use it when we refer to, say, the head or headwaters of the Mississippi River.

What Paul Actually Meant

That third meaning—head as source or origin—is what is happening in Ephesians 5, and in general, whenever Paul refers to headship.

How do we know? Because in no place where Paul refers to headship (either of Christ or men) does Paul equate that to leadership, decision-making, or hierarchy. Rather, for Paul, headship is the call to self-sacrifice and the giving of oneself for the sake of someone else's well-being.

The Genesis Connection

Now, you may be thinking, in what way is a husband the "origin" or the "source" of a wife? Okay, hang with me here. Behind the Greek words for "husband" and "wife" are words that more generally mean "man" and "woman."

In the Jewish imagination, shaped by the creation narrative of Genesis 2 specifically, there is one single human being, the a'dam. God takes flesh from the side of the a'dam and shapes a second human corresponding to—but different from—the a'dam. That person is the issha. The woman. The flesh from the side of the a'dam was the origin or source material for the issha.

Undermining Patriarchy, Not Supporting It

Man being the source of woman, however, is not an argument for hierarchy. Rather, Paul is making a rhetorical argument to challenge the common perceptions of his day. Paul and everyone else in both his Jewish and Greco-Roman world were swimming in patriarchy. Paul, however, sees man as the head/source/origin of woman not as an excuse to continue the patriarchy, but to undermine it.

Self-Sacrificial Love

Again, notice the actual language Paul uses when talking about what it means for husbands to be the heads of wives. "Husbands, love your wives"—or, more generically—"Men, love your women." How? Just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." That phrase, "gave himself up for her," is the Greek word paradidomi. It means to hand something over into someone else's keeping. It's used in the Gospels for the giving over of money, being given over into prison, and for the action of Jesus being given over to be crucified.

The True Meaning of Headship

So, do you hear it? Paul says, yes, men, you are the head, the source, the origin of women, according to Genesis 2. Therefore, you must be the same sort of head that Jesus is as head of the church. And the way that Jesus was the head, the origin, the source of growth for the church, was not by executive leadership functions. It was not by decision-making authority and power. Jesus was head by the fact that he handed himself over for the church's sake, for the church's health, and well-being.

In the same way, then, men, you too should be heads of wives, willing to offer up your bodies for the sake of the well-being of women.

The Revolutionary Implications

This is Paul's giant middle-finger to sexism and patriarchy. Men who use their bodies to abuse, harm, harass, or endanger women are not acting like Jesus. Men who use their power and authority to keep women out of leadership, out of teaching, out of decision-making—they are acting entirely opposed to this passage.

Rather, in any society or culture where women are pushed to the margins, kept out of the room where it happens, or made to feel inferior or less than in any way, the best way for a man to be Christ-like and to lean into the calling as "head" is to do everything in their power—including putting their own resources and bodies on the line—to lift women up. That's what headship means.

Tw: LGBT phobia, self hate, religious trauma, I think

. I try to be as Christian as possible and love my neighbor, but damn it. I really hate when people do that.

I can't stand it when they say that. Especially because they are usually in the gender, roles and sexuality fits their religion. I remember when I heard the pastor saying about a lesbian teen that killed herself. According to him, it was not homophobia, but the demon, the devil and her fault and the path her chose.

And instead of thinking, 'We're wrong. We have to change something. It was just a child.'They never talk about the subject again, they ignore it, they give basic support to the family (which is more like blaming the victim and saying that their kid went to hell, God's will, she chose it). They will probably repeat the same mistake that led to this disaster, and may even be the main cause.

Sometimes I feel like they treat LGBT people with more disgust, revulsion, and hatred than abusers and pedophiles. Nah, they definitely do.

Nothing will make me stop believing that many, if they could, would be in favor of creating concentration camps to go after those who don't fit in. People of other religions, political views, LGBT people, racial and cultural minorities. Honestly, they are anti abortion, but if they could discover if the fetuses are going to be lgbt or some other thing, they wouldn't think twice!

"You choose it", "bare your cross", ""Renounce and deny yourself", "it is a sin", "you are going to hell", "trans people are sick", "they can't see what God made and accept God is identity", "you are destroying God is work".

I just hate that shit so much . I am so fucking tired. I hate all of this and the one thing telling that trans and gay people are all z\\\*\\\*, p\\\*do, demons, possessed.

I am a trans man pre transition, so it probably will be more turned to the trans experience and ass of God, but I do believe that lgb people may understand and feel the same.

I never asked to be trans, I never asked to have dysphoria, I never asked to be born with a body that doesn't fit.

"Huhhh huh you have to pray more and fight against it". BY THE LOVE OF GOD. I WAS PRAYING TO GOD MAKE ME NORMAL AT 7. I WAS SCREAMING AND BEGGING TO GOD FIX ME AT 15 UNTIL TODAY. IDK EVEN HOW I ARRIVED TO MY 20TH B'DAY. HOW THE FUCKING HELL COULD I CHOOSE THAT? HOW THE FUCKING HELL IT WAS A DEMON SINCE MY CHILDHOOD?! FOR WHAT? TO SUFFER BECAUSE I FEEL THAT GOD HATES ME? CRY BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A FUCKING DICK? BECAUSE I WILL GO TO HELL? BECAUSE I WANT TO BE CONVICTED FOR LOVING SOMEONE? TO SUFFER BECAUSE MY PARENTS DOESN'T ACCEPT ME AND I HATE SEEING THEM SUFFER BECAUSE OF ME?!

They are all like "don't do that. Life is short. Eternity is forever", "you need to deny it". And they say all this shit because they are not the ones who need to deny their gender or sexuality. They can dress as they want, they have the characteristics that fit them, They're going to get married and have sex without guilt; they're allowed to have their teens crushes. If a cis woman has PCOS, they will give the medication to her, if a cis man has hypogonadism they will give T to him without fault. And they will address that it is wrong let a person without the hormones that do good for them, because their body and mind need it.

But if it is a trans or gay person they deny it all to them.

I hate that all. For the love of the saint! I never asked to be born trans or to even be born. I want to live a happy and long live, but they make me feel like I am a horrible and dirty thing. I feel like I am a fucking abomination. Why I have to go to hell for something I didn't choose?! Why I have to go to hell for searching the means to have a healthy life and mental health?!

They always say "life is too short. Eternity is forever. Fight against it!" because the same that tells you to search the heavens in eternity are the same who are living the heavens on Earth.

Why the fuck can't we have the right to feel What are the minimum rights that everyone should have? Why don't we have the right to love and be loved? The right to feel good in our own bodies and to have a family?

The same people who tell us to suppress and endure are the same ones who wouldn't last a week if they went through the same thing.

They tell that we are destroying our bodies, the work of God and are going to hell, but if they are so, are they going to hell for doing all the things that Jesus not told them to do?

Are the rich pastors going to hell? The millionaire? Are a lot of Christians going to hell for supporting the destruction of nature because of the capitalism? The ones that hate the next by gender, sexuality, race, country, religion?!

Jesus was born more than 2.000 years ago, but still they can't learn? They can't pin in their heart the "first, love God the most and the second is important the same, love the next as yourself"?

My God. If I ain't wrong there are more than 2 billion of Christians in the world. You know how much change 2 billion of people could do? If people took that seriously, we would have fought all the bias better. There would not have Ice, maybe a lot of wars, genocide, slavery, misoginy, homophobia wouldn't have happened or ended soon, etc. Yeah, prob we would have people that sucks, but the difference would be so drastic. We wouldn't have a lot of people supporting the destruction of the biosphere. We would have more people being more human and Fighting the maximum they can against all the kind of violence and supporting human rights and nature. But still they can't do that?!! They just keep fighting against the "woke". Omg, Jesus must be so proud!/s

I hate how I am seem as someone ungrateful by my parents, or at least I feel it. I hate that. "You should complain more. Or are you just irritated for no reason? Damn, if they had a hormonal disorder that was masculinizing or feminizing them and they couldn't get treatment, they'd be crazy. I am Not wanting an allowance, or complaining about how we don't travel by plane and saying it's their fault. I try to be positive; I've already said that when I get a job I'll help at home and give gifts to them, I feel bad for them suffering for me being trans, I try to comfort them. I never smoked, stole, had sex, I not even curse at home or next to them (unless of damn).

They keep me treating like if I am 12 yo, when I am 20. I want all the good for them. I try to be a good son, I try to be better everyday, I love them. I feel bad when they have take me to a doctor or when I see how expensive the food is now.

My God. It is obvious that I am being a horrible ungrateful. I can't feel fine in my own body. They are denying to accept it, to accept me, to may help me with hrt. I'm not being spiteful because they didn't buy an expensive iPhone. Damn, I try to pull myself together sometimes to help when they're crying. I feel awful for getting annoyed afterward when they give me gifts and things that make me happy. I feel like an ungrateful, selfish person. What a hell. I just want to be accepted, supported, start transitioning, etc.

I tell them that church makes me feel dirty and suicidal. That I don't want to go or watch. That I want to be at home and I will find a church that doesn't makes me feel like I should been aborted, and they can't even try to do that.

I'm just so annoyed. I don't think they're going to kick me out of the house, and fuck it. I'm going to try to start the T in secret, change the documents, sell commissions and all that.

I feel like I shouldn't, but idk if that's religion speaking or my love of books speaking? But I like putting sticky tabs in it so my favorite verses or passages are easy to find; I've tested it and so far they haven't removed text along with them. I like to highlight the odd verse here or there that really speaks to me and is useful, but I have to restrain myself or else I'd be highlighting a lot. I think that would look bad. I need to find a happy medium.

What do you all do? If you mark in, highlight in, or do anything like that in your bibles, what do you do? Any ideas or tools you can recommend?

Hi.

I have a question about Christianity.

Why is abortion almost always viewed as a violation of the commandment "do not kill," whereas disconnecting a person in a coma from life-support equipment is not?

It might be blasphemous to even imply that God would be torturing me just cause but

My anxiety is so bad that it genuinely feels like torture, I feel like I’m in a marine boot camp just by being alive

I don’t know what to do. I have BARELY any faith nowadays and I feel guilty for it but with all the horrible things happening and all the soul crushing and dreadful anxiety it feels like I actually am just being punished

I probably do things that He wouldn’t want from me 24/7 but idk. Would he actually punish me like this? Or is it just the possible religious OCD talking

I am a catholic and I have been my entire life long eventhough I did not believe that strongly due to my parents always denying God. All of that is very complicated so let me come to the points.

Being gay shouldn‘t be considered a sin I guess due to the enormous amounts of arguments made by the people who already posted on this topic so many times.

The catholic church actually persecuted people. Not just random people but people like Martin Luther who at their time have been right to speak up against the church. I don‘t think that God actually wants us to persecute anyone. Not even the most wicked person.

The pope‘s decisions during the holocaust. Like not standing up about it and also calling Hitler an alright believer and a good catholic. Besides giving holy water and blessings over weapons of war and destruction.

Two popes during the same time.

Popes that contradict each other because perhaps no one fully knows God and therefore the whole dogmatism is also having issues perhaps (exspecially regarding homosexuality I think)

Having free will. Free will is a complex topic and if you have any explanation for it then please tell me about it. Free will has been kind of debunked by our most recent neuroscience which shows that it is all just brain chemistry and electrical signals. Besides how should addiction lesson free will when addiction is based on the same chemistry as our will. It is based on dopamin and receptors which are triggered based on genetics and all of it is based on our experiences, what we eat, how we sleep and so on.

Committing s as a grave sin while biblical figured killed themselves and early christians did it too. Besides, most people don‘t decide to do it for fun but regret it and only do it because they see it as their only option, which means: their decision is not really freely willed

Confessing to a priest vs confessing to God. I get that the priest is seen as having special authority from God but at the same time isn‘t a confession directly to God much more meaningful? The priest just listens and makes it feel more awkward than it already is.

Why is a person allowed to have sex if they can not get children while a person is not allowed to have oral, anal sex or fumble the genitals because it is not fruitful? I get that one shouldn‘t waste the semen but if sex is also seen as vital for a healthy relationship and if it is something that the partner is into, why exactly does this make it a sin? Considering that most of the old text speaking of sodomy is probably about rape and violence and not about healthy loving relationships, I doubt that it is a sin.

I still am catholic because I agree with many things and support the good social services that the catholic church has.