How can I leave the catholic church?

[Will__S]

I was born catholic, baptized, given first communion and confirmed within the catholic church before I really had a chance to think about it all.

Now that I'm a fervent atheist, I used to think I was ok with my being counted as a catholic, since I had not the energy to do anything about it. Their recent behaviour though has changed my mind.

It started with ratzinger's appaling attitude to condoms in africa, and now through this snowballing paedophilia protection racket, I think it's time for me and this disgusting, indolent, arrogant vile organisation to part company, even though it would of course be a nominal event.

It might have come to this anyway, since their attitude to pretty much everything, especially under this current leering fascist, is pretty much abhorent to me, from their attitudes to gays, 'unbaptized' babies going to 'hell', 'purgatory', etc etc. In fact I don't think I could have a polite conversation with a priest these days; as I get older I seem to get angrier and angrier with them and their kind.

How can I get them to stop counting me, or how can I remove my name from any link to this vile body?
I no longer wish to be associated with the morally bankrupt old villain in a frock, but have no idea how to go about it.

Many thanks.
Will

[mollykins]

Well its a start that you're denying your catholic side and are saying what you really think, but i don't think that there is a decommunion you can take part in, if a form asks for your religion call yourself a catholic.

[quizbag]

I am so sorry that you have come to think this way. You don't have to do anything to leave the Church as no lists are kept. Simply declare yourself to be an aethist on any official forms.

[jackthehat]

I understand that you wish to do something 'pro-active'; a public declaration of your withdrawal, a ripping-up of your membership card, a setting fire to your certificates, unfortunately, I don't really think that there is any such public demonstration of your rejection of the Catholic Church :o(

They will continue to count you, regardless..........

You can only effect your withdrawal on a small personal basis and that it to refuse to be identified as catholic on any document or during any conversation.

I realise that it doesn't exactly scratch the itch you have, but I think it's the best you can hope for :o)

[Henkle2]

I'm not religious so don't know how it works exactly, what power does the church hold over you in respect to your everyday life?
Simply walk away?

[jno]

You've already stopped being Catholic (it's quite possible you never were one); perhaps next you could stop being fervent. As jackthehat says, withdrawal is your only option unless you want to stand outside Westminster Cathedral embracing an inflatable rubber Satan. If you want everyone to know why you've left, you can go round telling them all how wicked the church has become, and they will probably agree with you though their eyes will eventually start to glaze over.

[mollykins]

i was christened (but not confirmed)
i'm 16 so i don't think i need god-parents anymore

and i say i'm an atheist.

[R1Geezer]

All religions attempt to brainwash the children to ensure the next generation. The only way religion will ever be broken is for those like yourself to deny it's poison. Just declare yourself an athiest and ignore all religion for what it is. It matters not what fairy tale rituals you where forced through, there is no "god" anyway, all irrelevant h0rsesh1te propounded by religious leaders to control the weak. By deciding this you have shown you are not one of the "sheep", welcome aboard!

[joggerjayne]

You could get yourself excomminicated !

Under Pope Bendydick it doesn't seem to take all that much ...

Just criticise His Holiness, or have a gay friend, or confess that you made love with your fiance before your wedding, and you are ...

... OUT !!

[Panic Button]

There is a census due.

That will ask your religion.

[jake-the-peg]

http://www.positiveat....org/mail/eml8379.htm

You can be unbaptised if the wrong font was used - Boom Boom!

....

I'll get me coat

[McMouse]

Join me and become a Jedi. Your catholic ticket will be automatically cancelled.

[VHG]

>I am so sorry that you have come to think this way.

Why, the catholic church is an awful organization. I am surpsied ANYONE wants to be part of it.

Two organizations came out of Italy - the Mafia and the Catholic church - and I am not sure which is worse.

[beso]

Take a wander around this site and those it links to.
http://www.ebonmusings.org/atheism/index.html

Be thankful that you have not been so damaged as some whose stories are told there. The Daylight Atheism blogs should give you some perspective.

Remember, getting angry is not an effective strategy. Religions need to be unwoven in calm and rational debate. The theists main thrust of defence at present is that we atheists are more guilty of rabid attitudes than those we have accused.

The change to secular society will not happen overnight. Devout followers will not abandon their faith because that would render thier life meaninless. The children are our audience. Show them the best of what it means to be an atheist.

[Will__S]

Well, some interesting and clearly impassioned responses; thanks for your replies.
I take the point about being angry not being the best solution to the problem; it just rankles so much that these charlatans imagine they have some superior 'revealed' truth that gives them the right to tell other people how to live their lives. To paraphrase Stephen Fry: "Sometimes one feels there just isn't enough bile in the world'.

On that note, for those of you who haven't yet seen this, watch this video of Stephen being his wonderful, watchable self at the Intelligence Squared Debate "The catholic church is a force for good" It's a truly magnificent destruction of all things vatican.

http://tiny.cc/m9kdu

Will

[Sandy-Wroe]

Isn't Stephen Fry a notorious sinner? I'd take anything he had to say about the church with a large pinch of salt.
The church would consider you as 'lapsed'. I don't think there is a way to get off their books.

[tamborine]

bile - just a 'b' dismissed........does that soften your venom?

Live & let live !

[mollykins]

what about belonging to omid djalili (sp) religion, i always thought that he would be a muslim or something similar but he's decided to join an organisation that believes that all religions basically stem from the same idea and so there's no point in arguing with each other, peaceful, sensible and tolerant of all the worlds religions.

[Will__S]

@Sandy-Wroe - of course he's considered a sinner. By the same maniacal vicious organisation that I loathe as much as him. But watch the video link, and you'll see he presents his argument in a cogent, researched, informed and generally 'more fair to them than they are to him and his kind' way.

@tamborine - if your answer to my comment about 'bile' is to add a b, then that's your choice. To end your post 'Live & Let Live' is all very well. It's a mantra I find admirable. It's just rather ironic that in this situation, I'm arguing about leaving an organization whose strap-line is about as far away from 'Live & Let Live' as can be imagined. If they had one, it would be along the lines of 'Do as we demand, or burn in hellfire for eternity'. Oh, and 'feel guilty' all your life.'

I'm sorry, but they can take a literal very long jump of a very short pier.

[Will__S]

@tamborine - perhaps I should add that though your answer is that there isn't enough bible in the world, I don't agree with you. I recognize your right to read whatever you want and you are welcome to base your life upon it.

If I were to base my life on anything, or use something as a tool to guide my life, I wouldn't choose a two thousand year old desert survival guide of dubious origin written by a bunch of hate filled old men the vast majority of whom never met that nice jewish carpenter anyway. Have you read the old testament? In it, god turns out to be a petulant, untrusting, capricious, indolent, vile being, with no redeeming features whatsoever. Quick to anger and never grateful, he, is in short, an asswhole (sic).

Perhaps Isaac Asimov puts it best "Properly read, the bible is the most potent force for Atheism ever conceived."

Have a lovely afternoon.