Why Catholics turn unbelievers in adult life after studying in Catholic schools for years?

Answer 1

I think they cannot reconcile between strict catholic principles and sex-centered hedonist life style of western culture. Sin is attractive and give a quciker pleasure. Roman catholic church failed to influence the western society to protect their own followers.
I do not mean to support or oppose roman catholic church here, but this is what I feel true.

Answer 2

I think that they are not exposed to life, but a very strict path. Perhaps this is useful later in life, but when a young adult realizes they have been contained and have not experienced an entire another portion of life they seek what they do not know. I was raised very strict Catholic, it was a very noble upbringing, but I knew very little about the world. I was very judgemental and saw in only black and white. I lost good connections between the people who raised me and the people I truly loved because of the way I was raised, and what I later believed. It has been a very unfortunate upbringing for me. I was so convinced of the good/evil black and white factor. I also felt that as a woman I couldn't live fully in the Catholic Church, too many people telling me how to use my body and telling me just what my place was. Perhaps if I had been raised to choose my own religion I would have looked at Catholicism more thoughtfully and romantically.

Answer 3

Maybe its because the Catholic church has so many rules..and if you go to a Catholic school, its worse every thing you do slightly wrong is either a venial sin(not serious) or a mortal sin(very serious).
I grew up Roman Catholic, but I've gone to many different churches, including Unity non-denominational Church.
I don't agree with everything the Catholic Church says but I know God still loves me.

Maybe because adult Catholics feel if they cannot be a 'good' Catholic, it useless trying to be a Catholic at all....?

Answer 4

I believe that Catholic schools are fantastic, because most will give a good education of other religions and practices, as well as teaching the student how to live a good Catholic life. If the student then decides that he is an atheist, or that his beliefs lie outside of the Catholic religion, then at least he is given the chance to make an informed decision, and I respect that he has considered his options and made his own decision. Nothing annoys me more than ignorant people - atheist or otherwise - who have no substance to the decision they have made.

Answer 5

Pastor Billy says: one word freewill.

There are as many cases were non-Catholics discover the truth of Catholicism after years of following anti-Catholic instruction. In addition there are many Catholics who receive both a poor and excellent catechisis yet leave the Church to later return as reverts.

I would love to know the stats on those who never knew Catholicism then find it then leave it again.

Answer 6

I'm not Catholic but I went to a Catholic high school.

I think a large part of it was the relatively free and open way we could talk about religion. You could ask a question about religion or speak your mind and no one was going to treat you like you were a vicious monster. After getting used to that culture it made it hard for me to deal with religous persecution in college.

Catholic schools get you thinking about religion and sort of encourage you to be more philosophic. They usually don't have teachers who are Biblical literalists. They're not like fundy schools were all you do is study the Bible, pray mindlessly, and you're punished for asking questions. Catholic schools will actually educate you.

Answer 7

In my case, I studied a lot and became Catholic as an adult.

Answer 8

I was an nonbeliever at about age 6. None of it seemed possible and there was no tangible evidence that any of it was true. Spending 8 years in a Catholic grade school didn't make any difference.

Answer 9

because in school they would teach you the principles of theology and when you think about it, you'll realize that there are a lot of loopholes that theologians themselves find it hard to explain. they would say you'd only understand it if you take up Canon law. and sometimes nuns have bad attitude. i had a first hand experience coz i was educated in an all girls' catholic school.

Answer 10

They become unbelievers for one (or both) reasons:

1) They lack Faith. One who lacks Faith simply isn't going to believe no matter what. Hopefully, this will change sooner rather than later.

2) They had the misfortune of dealing with ill-prepared instructors. A bad teacher will yield bad students, inadvertently driving them from the Church rather than closer to it.