Posted on 02/28/2013 4:49:29 AM PST by wesagain
The Catholic QuandaryOver the years, I have occasionally written about being a practicing Roman Catholic, a fact that sometimes leads to incredulous statements like "YOU go to church?" Somehow, I don't believe the question is a compliment.
This is a tough Holy Week for Catholics, as once again the terrible specter of child molestation is in the air. Driven by a series of articles by the New York Times, the church now faces questions about whether Pope Benedict XVI ignored some past abuse cases when he was a cardinal. The evidence is scant, but damning anyway, because of the previous priest-pedophilia scandals.
A number of Catholics have left the church because of the priestly sins, but not me. From the beginning, in Sister Claudia's first grade class, I understood that the Catholic Church was about Jesus, not Father Flannery. Believe me, I saw so many loons in my Catholic school days that I should be a Buddhist. But it is the theology, not church leadership, that keeps me in the fold.
You may remember that I was a driving force in bringing down the villainous Cardinal Law in Boston, a man who allowed child molesting priests to run wild. When Law was forced to resign, I was happy. But then the late Pope John Paul II gave him a cushy job in Rome, where he remains today. If it were up to me, the cardinal would be in prison.
Even though I respected Pope John Paul's holiness, I was deeply disappointed that he did not meet with molestation victims when he visited the United States in 1999. The pope should have done that simply to show devastated American Catholics, and the victims themselves, that he cared and understood their pain. When I publicly criticized Pope John Paul for avoiding the issue, the Catholic League scorched me. And that's fine. They are entitled to their opinion.
Throughout it all, however, I stayed with the church. If you cut through all the bull, the doctrines of treating others as you want to be treated, forgiveness and redemption, and charity for all stand the test of time. Even if the atheists are right and there is no God, the philosophy of Jesus is full-force positive. Live the way he lived, and the world will be a better place.
The actions of others must be considered, of course. But I like this analogy: We've had some pretty bad leaders in America, right? Do they make you want to renounce your citizenship? The United States is not the people who lead it. It is all of us.
Same thing with the Catholic Church. It's not corrupt priests or apathetic leaders in Rome. It's Jesus and his followers, the folks who sit in the pews on Sunday. And that's good enough for me.
Actually, when I was watching this last night I thought of a book titled “Killing the Constitution.” It will go through the entire Constitutional process and then detail over the decades how the leftists and progressives have twisted and bastardized every amendment to suit their ends, thus killing a Constitutional Republic. What do you think?
Mel
Television and the movies always get the Bible wrong. Always.
“I don’t watch tv anymore; they warp reality around to suit the anti-religion agenda every time. Its a waste and its discouraging and depressing. And, in the end, its all about making money serving the agenda. You wanna get published, you have to write to satisfy the Muse of Political Correctness.”
I only watch now college sports, weather, some current events, and faith based shows.
And even the so-called “muse of political correctness” is starting to show cracks, getting ever closer to coming apart.
I think we need more revival in this country than revolution. That if we are not right with God, not grounded on good values... We will not be worthy or capable of turning this country around.
Saw an interview with Mark Burnett and his wife on Fox. Sounds like he’s a believer and I’m glad he’s using his talent and wealth to share about God. Hope he does it well.
Riley should have enough sense to stick to stuff he knows a tiny smidgeon about, instead of messing around with stuff he knows absolutely nothing about.
‘Cuz Riley never learns anything about anything. He can only work with what little bits of information he managed not to forget. He never listens to anyone for more than three nanoseconds and he’s so full of himself that there’s no room for any new knowledge to fit in.
Mark Burnett is a believer? Wouldn’t know it from some of the crap he has brought to TV
Very well said!!! And saved me from having to attempt posting something like that. People that state there are contradictions in the gospels demonstrate that they have not given the subject much thought.
[“Killing the Constitution.”]
That’s a book he would never write. he has built his image by appealing to left and the right. I believe he could best described as a ‘post turtle’.
But the title, “Killing the Constitution” is a work in progress and all of media are contributing chapters.
LOL!! Bill is going to rewrite the Bible the way it should have been written in the first place.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Bill.
Who gave you that job Bill? And who gave it to MML&J?
excuse me, im the product of roman catholic education as well, but i actually know what His church teaches, not some made up strawmen that folks like to bludgeon us with...
dont assume b. oreilly knows what i know.
I can see I haven’t missed anything since I stopped watching this idiot.
I’m SOOOOOO happy that after 5000 years we finally have the Tabloid TV Leprechaun around to tell us the Bible is all screwed-up! /sarc
The History Channel is not reliable when it comes to Biblical History or anything Christian
***
My exact thoughts when I first saw this series advertised. But we are going to give it a go based on the couple who produced it. DVR is set.
Burnett did win an award from GLAAD in 2001
Agree. I am also RC and spent 12 years in Catholic school.
Some people just have to hate, apparently, and will spout off against the Church based on no actual factual knowledge.
As a Christian, I now look at politics through this lens, “where would the early church have been if they had put their faith in Rome?”
Good example. Here is one I use:
True story. I was out doing a painting in a field when I was attacked by the land owner’s great dane. I was able to fend him off using my folded camp chair until the owner finally called him off. My camp chair still has the teeth marks...this is how I usually tell the story. Other times, I might include the fact that there was a second smaller border collie attacking me at the same time using a flanking maneuver.
Now read the gospels about blind Bartimaeus. One gospel says that there were two blind men and the other only records one. It seems like a contradiction until you realize...that is how people tell stories. One emphasizes what he thinks is important, and the other does the same.
Geez...I thought I had a good handle on the gross size of BOR’s ego but I see I was off by several orders of magnitude! Now he’s going to set the record straight because the Word of God is ‘allegorical’ and ‘contradictory’.The folks can’t trust their bibles...but worry not BOR has a new book(available on BOR.com) that should set the real stroy straight. Someone’s got to look out for the folks at home! TIt’s all for the folks.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.