irenewilde Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 On the news earlier it was said the parents hadnt prepared fully for the lads communion. The mum said "we dont go to church every sunday, we dont have time". If the communion of a seven year old means so much to them they go whining to the press surely they are devout enough to actually go to mass? Exactly. When the story started I wondered what possible reasons the catholic church could have for not letting this boy take his first communion with his classmates. As it unfolded, I realised they weren't banning him, they just didn't think he had enough understanding at the moment of what the ceremony means. Then when his parents said that, I thought there really is more to this than we've heard about. His mum attempted to prove the child understood by saying to him, "You really want to have communion with your classmates, don't you?" He said yes, but you really couldn't tell whether he understood the question. It seemed to me that he had quite a severe case of autism, bless him. Of course, there's a whole other can of worms here, as to how much any 7-8 year old without learning difficulties understands what it means to take their first communion. I've always thought it was too young. But it's such a big thing in the catholic church, I remember corpus christi parades of kids dressed in white through my town in the north-east in the late 1960's . I was confirmed in my CofE church when I was 14 and had started going to church because I wanted to, my parents couldn't have cared less, they didn't even turn up to my confirmation. But at that age I felt able to make the decision for myself. Funnily enough, my daughter has decided she wants to be confirmed at exactly the same age as I did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffragette1 Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 I’m not sure a child of seven is capable of understanding God/religion and forming judgments by a process of logic; they tend to believe what they are told at that age. Many still believe in Father Christmas. This is a good argument for not raising a child into any faith and allowing them to choose and decide for themselves once they are mature enough and have the intellectual capacity to form their own views. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irenewilde Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 This is a good argument for not raising a child into any faith and allowing them to choose and decide for themselves once they are mature enough and have the intellectual capacity to form their own views. On the other hand of course, they're also perfectly capable of walking away from the faith they've been raised in when they're old enough to have the intellectual capacity to form their own views. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffragette1 Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Have you all complained about all the other 7 year olds that aren't ready for first communion? I was put forward for mine and undertook it, yet I hadn't the faintest idea of what it was all about, all I understood was that I had to wear a white dress and veil and look like some silly bride for the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irenewilde Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Well the Catholic church has shot itself in the foot with this one, a family friend has Downs Syndrome and is a credit to his parents. He has his own flat, works, and is far more intelligent than some folk that I have encountered. Shame on them. Hold it right there. I've just read the OP again and I have no idea what this post is about. I think we've all assumed it's to do with the 7 year old on Look North tonight going by the title of the thread but I very much doubt he works and has his own flat! What's this post about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffragette1 Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 On the other hand of course, they're also perfectly capable of walking away from the faith they've been raised in when they're old enough to have the intellectual capacity to form their own views. Unless they've been so totally brainwashed by years of god fearing dogma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daven Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Unless they've been so totally brainwashed by years of god fearing dogma. Which is exactly what the Roman Catholic church rely upon - 'catch 'em young'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irenewilde Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Unless they've been so totally brainwashed by years of god fearing dogma. Do you really think people have so little intellect? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffragette1 Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Which is exactly what the Roman Catholic church rely upon - 'catch 'em young'. Quite. I cannot think of a single positive thing about the Catholic Church. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffragette1 Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Do you really think people have so little intellect? Some do, but it's not just down to intellect, or lack thereof, it's so deeply ingrained. I still genuflect when I go into a church, it's like a reflex action, even though I don't believe in any of it. Years of hearing my mother (a South American Catholic) banging on about how I can't do x, y and z, because I'm a Catholic. Grrr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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