[sinkspur]

No, you sir are mischaracterizing my positions.

Your problem is not your religous beliefs, but your anally-retentive personality.

Have you not, mr. convert, yet been able to distinguish between matters of faith, and matters of discipline?

Or, do you think everything in the Catholic Church is of the same import?

Read some of Cardinal Dulles' early works in which he posits a "hierarchy of beliefs"; some matters of faith are more important than other matters of faith.

At bottom, your ire with me is my objection to mandatory celibacy. A discipline. A discipline which is not absolute, even today.

Your antipathy toward Protestantism wants to wipe any evidence of your former denomination from your present denomination. I'm a convenient whipping boy because I question some non-essentials.

Now that I understand your background a little better, I won't be so hard on you. Your reaction is totally in character with many Protestant converts I know.

I've been here since sun-up. You came at 3:00, but I'm glad to be in the vineyard with you, nonethless.

[Unam Sanctam]

It is a discipline that has tremendous value as a sign of contradiction to the values of the world. It is an ideal and I believe the Church should hold onto its ideals rather than water them down to the least common denominator as so many other societal organizations have done in these days. Thank you for your note of fellowship, and I'm sorry if I have been overly harsh and uncharitable.