I think that young ladies that enter into the convent in this day and age are lacking self confidence and self esteem. The convent themselves look especially for young ladies starting from 13 and up to attend retreats designed for becoming a nun. I think that this is an age that is too early to make such a decision. I think a woman should explore her choices in life without religious pressure. I totally disagree with the fact that nuns or priests can not marry. I think that this is going against natural urges that we all have as human beings. I feel bad for those young women that feel they should hide themselves away from life. —Would encourage all women to think twice
This article appears in Dec 23-29, 2010.
Get ’em while they’re young; That’s the basis for any cult; er I mean religion
Funny thing: I visited a convent this summer and stayed with the nuns, and those women were the happiest, most confident, generous, intelligent and self assured women I have ever met in my life.
It’s great to judge from the outside, but have you actually ever talked to a nun, op? have you ever spent time in a convent? Perhaps you should reserve judgement until you have, OP, if you haven’t.
Yet the OP didn’t touch the topic of women in the Middle East.
i have met nuns who seemed happy too pk. it just doesn’t sit well with me…brides of christ? sorry it is not what a young women should aspire to be. become a nurse or social worker or doctor if you want to help the unwashed masses
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubJ011RYy-I…
thanks commander, that was lovely…rooooo
Joni Mitchell also does a nice version on the Chieftans’ CD “Tears of Stone” >: (
Sure, why not.
OB, if a girl wanted to be an astronaut , is 13 too young to go to space camp?
How about a private school that specializes in the requirements for the space program, would it be wrong for her to attend.
13 is too young to make any sort of career decision? WTF?
Here’s a thought OB, let the kid take a try. If she decides it isn’t for her, she can always choose another path.
Long term, if she tries someting and doesn’t like it, wouldn’t it be better for this to happen early in life? This way the kid will have more time to learn something else. Easier to change careers at 18 than 30.
“…life without religious pressure.” how about….”life without pressure”, or, “life without anti-religious pressure”. Ain’t goin to happen sweetie.
Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, all helped the unwashed masses. So have Bono, Jane Fonda, and Sean Penn, just not to the same extent, wonder why?
i hear what you’re saying hugo. i just think it’s an ancient ritual that deprives women of a true human life. you only get one ticket to ride and i find it disturbing that young women would want to mary a long dead carpenter. i’m being simplistic and it’s only a personal opinion
Unless the girl of 13 is your daughter, it’s really none of your business.
Maybe if she chose to get preggo at 13 and become a welfare whore that would be fine with you?
she could go live in a convent baz and then be buried in unholy ground. it is nobody’s business but we all have an opinion
THis is just one of many stories available about just how wonderful becoming a nun or priest is…& how broken the total celibacy BS is in the catlick church
http://channelofhealing.com/?p=911
PG, your views of nuns is very limited. Many nuns are nurses social workers, musicians, teachers, work in addictions and a myriad of other occupations. They just do it through the church. Many hospitals and schools would not be here if not for nuns. They started the schools and hospitals of the New World (and the Old). You probably walk past nuns and not realize it as many do not wear habits other than for official occasions.
A young girl deciding to be a nun at 13 is no different than a girl who decides they want to be a soldier, police officer, nurse, model or whatever. They have the freedom to choose.
i know all that timothy. i just feel that women should do all that without giving themselves to christ. it is different in wanting to become a nun. you are giving up part of your life for what?
now that altar boys are “off limits” they’re grooming them early for a life of servitude 🙂
I dunno… they seem to enjoy it.
just google image search ‘nun’….doesn’t seem all that different from everyone else’s racy life.
areala be representing…
My Mom talked me into cadets when I was young–I attended for a few years. She also advised me to join the Forces when I was finished high school. The only marching I did as an adult was peace and disarmament marches.
I was in cadets too @ Kim_NS wonderful times but now yes I’m a peace activist! I chose my path. I have no issue with young women going to space camp, baseball camp , air cadet camp etc hell even bible camp. I have issue is that these women will never experience marriage, what gender preference they want to be or even to have children. They are married to someone who was crucified. I think a woman of any age should be able to chose her destiny and if she wants that cloistered life make damn sure that is what she wants. With no regrets. I know I wouldn’t choose it.
I couldn’t see myself wearing a Habit for the rest of my life. Besides, blacks not my colour. Oh no!
They are not forced to become nuns and they are not forced to remain nuns. As for the marriage bit, the way things look maybe they aren’t missing anything but some abuse and bratty kids. Also there are people out there who aren’t nuns or priests who stay celibate for whatever reason. Remember it is all the freedom of choice.
No decision should be made until she reaches legal age. If, at that time, she still wants to do the religious robotron trip, why stop her? Some women can actually be pretty happy without a man or raising a family.
From my research, a woman cannot become a nun until she is 18. Further, it is just not a matter of going to a chuch and saying I want to be a nun and they take you. They have many steps to take before that happens. They want to be and they want you to be 100% sure that this is what you want to do with your life. It takes a lot more than an application form and resume.
puss-n-boots: according to my Priest uncle, the habit is rarely worn anymore — usually only in the very small traditional communities.
Amen, TTFN! Sometimes having a man in one’s life can make one pretty unhappy actually. I fully get not needing that complication. Women who embrace God are still in a ‘relationship’ albeit in a vastly different sense than the reat of us. To each her own.
convents are breeding grounds for unwanted babies. montreal is/was the worst for that years ago. seems the priests now only go for the boys.
but be that as it may be, there is a better life than that anywhere, being sucked into a seratude for an invisible whatever, just doesn’t cut it anymore. there has to be more incentive for these poor gullibe girls than just serving this invisible whatever.
but best of luck to yas, if you wanna be that dumb, and then waste their lives being a fool. bah fucking humbug to them and their diddler masters.
Everyone has a choice in life. Weak minded people chose to be a part of something where there is a clearly guided path. If this is what you need to give your life meaning then all the power to ya. There is a whole lifes worth of stuff you will never experience by becoming a nun, but who am I to tell anyone what to do, no matter how rediculous it sounds to me.
Good morning from Montreal! Nice and sunny at 8:57AM local time. All the bad weather is staying in Spryfield, where it belongs.
The Blowhard (aka Life Sucks) claims that “convents are breeding grounds for unwanted babies. montreal is/was the worst for that years ago. seems the priests now only go for boys.” Just to let you know that we’re trying to change things around here so that everyone has a chance. It’s no longer just the boys. We’re now welcoming little girls again so that they can live in “seratude” ( a pleasant, carefree state until that light tapping comes on the door).
Cheerio!
Apologies for the typo -rest, not reat- I really should put my glasses on BEFORE letting my fingertips fly.
No worries OC – not the sort of thing the reat of us are likely to notice.
Screeeeeeee!
Thanks for that. I’m picky about spelling, but only my own. I’m indifferent to other people’s spelling. My quirkiness knows no bounds:)
Speaking as someone who has attended retreats like the OP is talking about, I completely agree, and I’ll go one step further by posing a question:
What about bringing up children in a religion from birth? Isn’t that too young for a person to decide which religion or non-religion they belong to?
I say yes.
I am not a fan of organized religion, for many reasons. And I do think that 13 is too young to make a decision like becoming a nun. But as I understand it, they aren’t making that decision at that age, they are just being encouraged to consider it. Like how some kids may be encouraged to study math and science, but they make up their own minds and become artists instead of doctors or scientists. If it were me, I wouldn’t encourage my daughter to go to nun camp, but I would instead ask her to choose what she is most interested in. If it’s the nun camp, I’m not going to stop her at that age, she will have to try some things for herself and see what happens.