True. Some may do just that. My personal take is that it says much more about the author's style than my substance as a Catholic. Do you give your political opponents the power to upset you with derogatory names? Same principle applies here.
and they will dismiss anything that he may say simply because of this,
Don't be so sure. There are plenty of reasons to dismiss the article apart from name calling.
I am not at all convinced this is the genuine reason. I think it is more like some are AFRAID to read it because it is true and admitting it is true would require a decision.
I read the article. I didn't feel at all fearful but thanks for your concern :-) I don't find the article requires any decision on my part. It's typical anticatholic stuff I've read numerous times before. I spent a lot of years researching the RCC in scripture, the fathers, and other sources. I don't find this author remotely persuasive but if you do that's fine by me.
there are some who would rather continue to go along rather than ever be challenged to think for themselves.
Those who disagree with you and/or the author are impaired in their ability to think for themselves? What if I turn that question around? Are those who repeatedly criticize the RCC by citing antiCatholic articles instead of formulating their points independently impaired in their ability to think for themselves?
For others, the thought of letting go of a lifetime of dedication to a cause is too high of a price to pay.
Perhaps. It's also possible that some are just (gasp!) so in love with the Lord and so nourished by the RCC that wild horses wouldn't drag them away. No matter how many antiCatholic articles they read :)
So they would rather stop up their ears and pretend there IS no other truth but what they hold.
I get that you think Catholics are wrong. That doesn't mean their ears are stopped or that they're pretending anything at all. They may just be living a close walk with their Lord and Savior :)
As Wylie states, "When one man only in the world is permitted to think, and the rest are compelled to agree with him, unity should be of as easy attainment as it is worthless when attained."
No one is compelled to agree with RCC dogmas. Membership is voluntary. I choose it freely and find much joy in being Catholic, the best decision I ever made! Jesus asked us all to be one, to be united, so that the world may believe. If you and Wylie consider me unthinking and in a worthless kind of unity with my fellow Catholics, you're entitled to your opinion. And the fact that you would hold such view of me doesn't trouble me in the slightest. In about 6 hours I receive the greatest gift in the world, Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. You and Wylie can call me anything you want but I'll still feel blessed to be Catholic and very much loved by the Lord. It's going to be a great day!!
Peace be with you.
I find your confession a breath of fresh air!
Thank you for this post.
As the saying goes, "If the shoe fits, wear it.". My comments were in response to both the subject of this thread and the false premise that the Roman Catholic Church has unity. Rev. Wylie points out that such "unity" is because of the compelling nature of the dogmas of the RCC throughout its history as well as the absence of genuine liberty when ones eternal salvation is put on the line. WRT the thread, many Mormons are brought up in the faith and, as another put it, its all they have known since childhood so they should be given a "pass" on not investigating their beliefs further.
Of course, this doesn't apply to you as you have stated you, "spent a lot of years researching the RCC in scripture, the fathers, and other sources", so you are not among those who stay because of comfort. Still, you must agree that all religions have within them those who don't want to "rock the boat" and who do not care to know if what they believe is really true or not (I'm not just picking on Catholics and Mormons here).
I do not agree when you say no one is compelled to agree with Catholic dogmas and that membership is "voluntary". Thank God we live in a time and country where this is true, but a few centuries ago, it wasn't. People were indeed compelled to be Catholics if they were born into it and baptized as babies. Even here, on this thread, we were reminded again that, "once a Catholic, always a Catholic", and if one is baptized as a baby into the RCC they remain a Catholic. Do you disagree with that? And with the dogmas of the Catholic Church, there have been numerous Bulls, Councils, Papal declarations and even catechisms that clearly lay out that full and total obedience of faith is to be given to all that the Magesterium deems is of the faith. We are also reminded on this forum that, unless a Catholic holds to ALL that the church proclaims, they have excommunicated themselves from the church. Those who are in excommunication are then to be denied the sacraments (in theory) and that then precludes them from attaining the "beatific vision" (heaven). So, you may deny it, but it sure sounds a lot like compelling to me.
Grace and peace to you.