... as the only non-believer in the family, he has sought me out for advice.
Is my duty stronger as a brother to my sister (i.e., recuse myself) or as an uncle to an obviously smart and searching teenager?
2006-12-29 01:20:22 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Sounds like he's on the right track. Encourage him and answer any questions he has.
Richard Dawkins has a good book out now called, "The God Delusion".
2006-12-29 01:23:13 · answer #1 · answered by nondescript 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
It is your duty to do what you see right. Ask him why he feels the way he does and then speak to your sister to let her know the argument he has against Catholicism. Is it just Catholics he is questioning or God in general? Everyone questions at one time or another and you should simply encourage him to seek out other religions to see if they fit with what he strongly believes and if not then his mom will have to ultimately deal with the choice he made. He is an adult and capable of doing his own soul searching. I would simply suggest he think hard about the reasons why he is turning from God and see if he can find some answers to his own questions in the bible. That will be the litmus test for him. Just be supportive either way.
2006-12-29 09:28:14 · answer #2 · answered by mortgagegirl101 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Your duty is to the truth. That he questions his beliefs means that he is on the quest for the truth. Do not turn him away. Answer his questions honestly and directly.
Truth trumps family, Truth trumps country, Truth trumps religion. Truth trumps everything, even the self. The man who stands alone except for the Truth has the best company he could ask anyways, and is never alone even in isolation."
Here is the kicker right here. I agree with what is written here. I believe that truth is absolute. It is what it is whether you believe it or not. It exists in spite of you and what you believe and not because of you or what you believe. My point is this, if you feel it is your duty to guide your nephew then you better be absolutely without a doubt sure about what you tell him is truth, especially if what you tell him goes against everything your sister has raised him with. You are in a unique position of becoming a role-model for someone who could potentially hang on every word you speak so if you proceed to tell him the "truth" as you know it then you better be sure of what you say because everything we do has a cause and effect or consequences to our actions.
2006-12-29 14:00:38 · answer #3 · answered by Bruce Leroy - The Last Dragon 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That appears to be happening with more catholics than any other group of Christians. My wife is the same. I wonder if they have given up on the church because of all these bad priests who like boys. I don't have a clue though. I wish my wife were a Christian, because I am and would like to share it with her. She is an atheist and claims it happened when she was about 13. She said all the going to hell stuff turned her off. The priest thing hasn't helped much either.
2006-12-29 09:24:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's a tough one. I am a Christian, but there's little that irritates me more than someone preaching to me about how their particular take on religion is right and everyone else is wrong. I think you should be supportive of your nephew, without pointing him in any particular direction. He has to choose his own belief system, as we all do. Personally, I don't think you can really believe in anything until you've questioned it and come up with your own answers.
2006-12-29 09:28:11 · answer #5 · answered by Lt 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your "duty" is to yourself first. If you can stomach your sister's anger, then go ahead and help your nephew think things through. If you cannot, and you're willing to abandon your nephew to someone who doesn't love him, then refer him to someone you know who may help him.
Personally, I'd spend as much time helping the nephew as possible. He's got fewer personal resources than a middle-aged Catholic woman.
2006-12-29 09:24:14 · answer #6 · answered by NHBaritone 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Your duty is to the truth. That he questions his beliefs means that he is on the quest for the truth. Do not turn him away. Answer his questions honestly and directly.
Truth trumps family, Truth trumps country, Truth trumps religion. Truth trumps everything, even the self. The man who stands alone except for the Truth has the best company he could ask anyways, and is never alone even in isolation.
2006-12-29 09:25:59 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I did that at the age of 16. Encouage him to seek out other religions. *Don't freak hear me out* I did so, I went to many different services of all faiths & even many different kinds of Christain. What it did was make my belief stronger in being a Catholic. The world is changing quickly & blief is personal, sure you share it with friends and family but it's still your own time with God.
As a Catholic you know Jesus was not a Catholic or even a Christain he was Jewish hence the 1st half of the Bible is the Torah. Let him explore his faith God will love his lost sheep & bring him home when it's time.
2006-12-29 09:53:49 · answer #8 · answered by mac 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Encourage your nephew. Talk to your sister about zyprexa. A wonderful new treatment for schizophrenic delusional mental disorder.
Ramen !
2006-12-29 09:44:42 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your nephew is 18, and now has the legal right to choose his belief system. (I think children ought to be given that right instead of having their parents beliefs thrust on them from the most impressionable years, it's like brain washing). You should speak frankly to your nephew, and if your sibling is offended simply point out that their son is an adult.
2006-12-29 09:27:28 · answer #10 · answered by Jessy 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋