Posted on 04/04/2009 3:29:51 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
This is a distressing new Gallup poll. It shows that churchgoing Catholics are far more likely to approve of moral behavior (sex between unmarried people, homosexuality, etc.) that their church deems immoral than are churchgoing Protestants.
This is a conundrum to me, one I thought about a lot when I was a Catholic, and troubled over. Why is it that Catholics have a Pope and a Magisterium -- a clear teaching authority -- as well as a complex, coherent and profoundly intellectual moral theology ... and yet these things, which ought to give it a tremendous advantage in maintaining the obedience of its flock, avail the Catholic Church little? It shouldn't be that way, logically, but it is in practice.
Lee Podles, an orthodox Catholic, has some thoughts.
[I wish I didn't have to say this, but I do: this is not an anti-Catholic post, but rather intended to spark discussion on various reasons why this poll found the things it did. As someone who would like to raise my children to believe in what my faith teaches, I'd like to know what works, and what doesn't. Anybody who tries to derail the thread by making specious claims of anti-Catholicism will find their posts unpublished. So don't even start.]
Great post mentioning the Mormons. They did wonders for the Prop 8.
... I don’t think they are Christians.
We agree on something, Tink. The LDS are not Christians but often they are conservatives.
Thank you. Maybe someday I'll catch up with you. :-)
I’m happy to help you embarrass yourself further.
The voice of experience. lol.
I’m happy to help you embarrass yourself further.
I’m happy to help you embarrass yourself further.
I’m happy to help you embarrass yourself further.
I’m happy to help you embarrass yourself further.
I’m happy to help you embarrass yourself further.
I’m happy to help you embarrass yourself further.
No, I’m not the guy you want to hang out with if what you’re about is keying cars, ripping antennae off of them and breaking out windows of campus buildings here and there - I do have an issue with that sort of gratutitous, random destructiveness, probably especially when it’s engaged in for “fun”.....
That says so much, and probably not at all in the way you intended.
“Does the foregoing mean your Church has only saints?”
???
I just listed the sins of alcoholism, adultery and spousal abuse. Why do you ask me if my church has only saints?
Oh, in re-reading your question, I think I know what you mean. Are you saying, we throw out only the imperfect and keep the perfect people?
No, it is habitual and unrepentant sinning that gets you thrown out. A guy who cheat on his wife, admits it, asks forgiveness, takes obvious steps not to do it again (doesn’t call the woman he cheated with, stuff like that) would be retained.
It would be doubtful that he’d be in a position of leadership for quite a long time, though.
You have no idea how many times I have cried over the realization of it.
Go ahead and ignore someone who has been on the inside who has serious concerns...I fully expect it.
Again..turning an observation into a personal attack on my family no less...an observation by the way that you came very close to agreeing with by saying that the Church is losing it's people. THE CHURCH IS THE PEOPLE!
That's it...I refuse to write to you any longer, after you attack my good family. You will never know how much they have been loved and respected by all in the Catholic community for hundreds of years.
Good day!
I don’t find those things “fun” either.
I don’t trash anyone’s faith, Protestant denoms, Mormons, etc. Except for Islam. So I guess I do trash that faith...I know enough about it from the historical context. I may be wrong there too but haven’t seen that yet.
I don’t dish it out and I’d hope other Catholics don’t either. I’d hope that no Christian faith “dishes it out”
However, I can understand anyone, including me, trying to post factual information about their faith. Posting info that will help others understand or answer questions one may have.
Religion is a hot/volatile topic. It’s sad that so many of us focus on the differences rather than the commonality.
I don’t know everything about every religion out there and I hope that my posts don’t come off that way.
I apologize if anything I posted trashed your religion.
Amazing the way you tar all Catholics with your false witnessing. Is that your intent?
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