Scratching my head

Wow so here's another testimony I saw on ACC TV on the computer - today being Sunday, I usually watch some religious broadcast in the morning. But this show is subtly anti-catholic and blatently evangelical. It's called "Influence Living". So this time there's a Catholic guy who messed up his life and marriage. Tried to commit suicide but "heard a name", so he goes to play golf instead and finds this lady with this name. She brings him to church and a certain Pastor Margaret invites him to come forward and accept Jesus. So his life changed and became evangelical. He said "I gave my heart to Jesus. I was born again" Several things got me thinking -
1) if he didn't find Jesus in the catholic church, it's not because Jesus wasn't there but simply he "didn't give himself to Jesus" as a catholic.
2) So why didn't he "give his heart" to Jesus during all the catechism classes and youth activities?
3) In his crisis he needed to fall back on his faith, but obviously all he learnt in catechism didn't provide a cushion to fall on.
4) Evangelism provided an easy way out for him - "Jesus loves you despite all your sins"; but what about being repentent for your sins? Jesus taught that too!

Second story: A rich, latin american lady, catholic in upbringing. As a teenager she felt that the church kept saying "it's God will" though children are dying around the world. "If God is like that, I don't want it." That's what she said. Her discontent with the answers to her consternation of pain and poverty around her grew. During Mass one day, she said "If this is all there is to you [God] - all the rituals and traditions, I don't want it." and left the Catholic church. Then she met up with evangelical friends who got her to be born again. She said "I got the message of salvation. This is what I want - it's centred on the living God. Things around change, you change your ideas, but the word of God never changes. You will never be fulfilled until Jesus comes to you. I needed a saviour. I was in darkness."

My reflection of this is:
1) She's rich so if she feels bad for the poor and suffering, she could have done something subtantial to clean her conscience - giving alms is a biblical precept, you know! Stop blaming the church if you're tight-fisted. You are after all the church!
2) The Catholic church has been preaching the message of salvation since Day Zero when they found the Tomb empty .... halooooo lady? What have you chosen not to hear while you were catholic?
3) If she's convinced the Word of God doesn't change, then she should accept that it's the same Word she should have heard in the Catholic Church
4) If she felt she needed a saviour so late in life, then wow she only realised she was a sinner that late in life! No wonder she didn't feel at home in the Catholic Church, which preaches that you're a sinner from day one of your life. Not a sinner? - No need for a Saviour!
5) "This is what I want" ... like haloooo? Christianity is not about what you want to hear or do, but what God wants. Christianity is no longer christianity when it is tailored-made to suit each one; because then God is our servant, not our Lord! He does and says what we want. That type of religion is "me-ianity". and "I"-ology. Wake up, lady! It's what you need, not what you want that matters in christianity!!!

Then the presenter came on and said "She found the peace she wanted in Jesus Christ. Free from rules and regulations, just follow Jesus and do what he wants." Very ironical because if you really follow Jesus, then you have to follow the rules and regulations that he imposed!!! Like hallooo???? "Do this in memory of me"? "Love your neighbour as yourself"? "Go forth and sin no more"? "You are Peter and on this rock I will built my Church"? Actually I think she found the peace she wanted in what she wanted to hear, not what she needed to hear.

Boy that was a sure lot of catholic bashing on that show. But to be honest, it does challenge us catholics what are we doing or not doing in our faith formation. Why are people like that being churned out of catechism? Scratching my head for answers.