I’m profoundly grateful for your friendship and for your witness to Christ, Ray. And you don’t have to battle these temptations that you struggle with alone. Jesus, Mary, the saints, and your brothers and sisters in Christ all love you and will help you carry your cross.
That’s one reason why having those close male Catholic friends whom you spend time with in person is so important. Every Frodo Baggins needs at least one Samwise Gamgee in his life.
So as you prepare to enter into full communion with Holy Mother Church, I strongly encourage you to build those friendships with good, virtuous, kind Catholic guys who live in your area and whom you can spend time with in person. I’m sure there are even a few who have similar interests and hobbies to you. And remember, it will take time to find those friends and build up those close friendships, so don’t feel discouraged if it takes longer than you expect to find your band of brothers.
Congratulations Ray. Addiction regardless of the type is so difficult because while the temptation may subside it never goes away. I have fought one, although not as serious nor physically as damaging but still spiritually wrong. About 20 years ago I was listening to Father Larry Richard on Catholic radio and was talking generally about addictive sin. He said “ Why do you want to keep hurting Jesus if you love him” and then he said “Jesus doesn’t want you to be nice he wants you to be holy!”. I had excused my issue for so many years because I kept telling myself that I was nice. His words knocked me over and I stopped immediately. The temptation is still there but I just hear those words again, He wants you to be holy. It has carried over into the rest of my life and sustains me especially when so many around me have fallen away from the church and adopted so many of the current progressive ideology. They all consider themselves “nice”. If you are truly Holy you can’t help to nice but it doesn’t go the other direction.
Another inspirational reflection coming from a very motivated place even though you may not feel energized at the moment. You have certainly had to develop so many layers of " copes" to persue your past transgender life style and shedding those shackles isn't easy. I'm sure Easter and your confirmation will mark an epiphany for you and you'll feel more free from the past and even more supported. I will have to check in with Saint Ignatius as I haven't thought about him since Catholic school days. Your journey out of the transgender life style has given me so much hope even though you're not my son. The key to this I feel is deep reality based reflection, spiritual connection with God, and people to walk alongside you so you're not alone in this .
Hello Ray I am not questioning your religious commitment but your actions from a psychological point of view resemble some form of substitution.... I think you are a very confused person. But I don't know if going from one ideology to another is the right way....
Whether these forms of defence mechanism are there or not, it is as if you are trying to replace one energy with another, but it is also a defence mechanism, your mind is looking for balance, so you have to be careful.
How is transforming my life in a positive way and conquering my destructive addictions “running away from myself”? Why would I want to run back to self-centered hedonism when I can run to God?
Maybe you should get help from some therapist, support groups, I just want to say that running away into religion is not always a good solution. I know people who have been harmed by it. Have you tried therapists, psychologists, have you explored the subject of addictions ? In you there is a tendency to throw yourself into different activities, addictions...maybe it would be worth exploring where this comes from ? I just have this thought so that the spirituality you get caught up in doesn't cover up your real problems. Because the problems will come back one day....
“Running away into religion” is running towards the truth. What good has secular therapy done the world? We are drowning in a secular therapeutic culture and there are more mental health issues than ever. All secular therapy is going to do is “affirm me” and affirm the values of the secular world. There are higher things than of this world. Transcendental problems require transcendental solutions. The root problem of my life wasn’t psychiatric it was spiritual.
I’m profoundly grateful for your friendship and for your witness to Christ, Ray. And you don’t have to battle these temptations that you struggle with alone. Jesus, Mary, the saints, and your brothers and sisters in Christ all love you and will help you carry your cross.
That’s one reason why having those close male Catholic friends whom you spend time with in person is so important. Every Frodo Baggins needs at least one Samwise Gamgee in his life.
So as you prepare to enter into full communion with Holy Mother Church, I strongly encourage you to build those friendships with good, virtuous, kind Catholic guys who live in your area and whom you can spend time with in person. I’m sure there are even a few who have similar interests and hobbies to you. And remember, it will take time to find those friends and build up those close friendships, so don’t feel discouraged if it takes longer than you expect to find your band of brothers.
Thank you friend 🙏
Congratulations Ray. Addiction regardless of the type is so difficult because while the temptation may subside it never goes away. I have fought one, although not as serious nor physically as damaging but still spiritually wrong. About 20 years ago I was listening to Father Larry Richard on Catholic radio and was talking generally about addictive sin. He said “ Why do you want to keep hurting Jesus if you love him” and then he said “Jesus doesn’t want you to be nice he wants you to be holy!”. I had excused my issue for so many years because I kept telling myself that I was nice. His words knocked me over and I stopped immediately. The temptation is still there but I just hear those words again, He wants you to be holy. It has carried over into the rest of my life and sustains me especially when so many around me have fallen away from the church and adopted so many of the current progressive ideology. They all consider themselves “nice”. If you are truly Holy you can’t help to nice but it doesn’t go the other direction.
“Jesus wants you to be holy”
Wow! That is a powerful sentiment. Wise words. Thank you for sharing. God bless 🙏
Another inspirational reflection coming from a very motivated place even though you may not feel energized at the moment. You have certainly had to develop so many layers of " copes" to persue your past transgender life style and shedding those shackles isn't easy. I'm sure Easter and your confirmation will mark an epiphany for you and you'll feel more free from the past and even more supported. I will have to check in with Saint Ignatius as I haven't thought about him since Catholic school days. Your journey out of the transgender life style has given me so much hope even though you're not my son. The key to this I feel is deep reality based reflection, spiritual connection with God, and people to walk alongside you so you're not alone in this .
Hello Ray I am not questioning your religious commitment but your actions from a psychological point of view resemble some form of substitution.... I think you are a very confused person. But I don't know if going from one ideology to another is the right way....
Whether these forms of defence mechanism are there or not, it is as if you are trying to replace one energy with another, but it is also a defence mechanism, your mind is looking for balance, so you have to be careful.
It’s not going from “one ideology to another.” It’s going from falsehood to truth.
You can't run away from yourself, Ray. But I understand your temporary point of view. Do you remember the myth of Theseus and Ariadne ?
How is transforming my life in a positive way and conquering my destructive addictions “running away from myself”? Why would I want to run back to self-centered hedonism when I can run to God?
Maybe you should get help from some therapist, support groups, I just want to say that running away into religion is not always a good solution. I know people who have been harmed by it. Have you tried therapists, psychologists, have you explored the subject of addictions ? In you there is a tendency to throw yourself into different activities, addictions...maybe it would be worth exploring where this comes from ? I just have this thought so that the spirituality you get caught up in doesn't cover up your real problems. Because the problems will come back one day....
“Running away into religion” is running towards the truth. What good has secular therapy done the world? We are drowning in a secular therapeutic culture and there are more mental health issues than ever. All secular therapy is going to do is “affirm me” and affirm the values of the secular world. There are higher things than of this world. Transcendental problems require transcendental solutions. The root problem of my life wasn’t psychiatric it was spiritual.
Best regards, and I wish you all the best. Thank you