But I did not mean to defend them -- AT ALL -- because I think what they are doing now is worse than hypocrisy. Hypocrisy hides its vices. But this new infidelity consists in not hiding vices, but rather celebrating them.
A hypocrite might, for instance, preach wholesome Christian marriage while secretly committing adultery with the choir director. But worse, is a person who does not *even* preach wholesome Christian marriage: a person who (to continue the example) suavely says he's juggin' the choir director and it's OK, it's "love," it's "open marriage."
In other words, worse than a hypocrite is a shameless person who won't even hide his vices and *pretend* to be following the perennial laws of God wgich the Church has always taught.
These people do not represent "The Church". They represent the betrayal of the Church. I'm sure you can see that.
If that is the case their terminations should be issued no later than tomorrow.
That they still have a job is astounding.
So far all we've seen from the Roman Catholic church is a shell game where the offending priests are moved around with no terminations.
The problem isn’t that these people exist.
The problem is that the Catholic leadership is either so weak or so complicit that these people aren’t being thrown out on their ears.
With poor leaders, the people aren’t being told the Gospel. Without the Gospel, there’s no Jesus. Without Jesus, there’s no church.
And the institution that calls itself Catholic is becoming more and more an enemy of Christ.