Posted on 10/08/2013 2:47:48 AM PDT by ClaytonP
A majority of Catholics in the United States who attend Mass weekly support same-sex marriage and the ordination of women to the priesthood, according to a Quinnipiac University survey released October 4.
The survey found that 56% of Americans, 53% of Catholics who attend Mass weekly, and 65% of Catholics who attend Mass less frequently would support “a law in your state that would allow same-sex couples to get married.” Support was stronger among Catholics of ages 18-49 (64%) than ages 50-64 (62%) or 65+ (46%).
According to the survey, 72% of Catholic women back same-sex marriage, while 49% of Catholic men do.
The survey also found that 52% of Catholics who attend Mass weekly, and 66% who attend less frequently, favor the ordination of women to the priesthood. Support was stronger among Catholics of age 65+ (68%) than ages 50-64 (64%) or 18-49 (57%). By a slight (2%) margin, women are more likely to favor women’s ordination than men are.
According to the poll, 53% of Americans believe that abortion should be legal in most or all cases, while 49% believe it should be illegal in most or all cases. By a 61%-32% margin, Catholics who attend Mass weekly believe abortion should be illegal in most or all cases; by a 64%-29% margin, Catholics who attend Mass less frequently believe that abortion should be legal in most or all cases. By a slight (2%) margin, women are more likely to oppose abortion than men are.
93% of Catholics who attend Mass weekly, and 85% who attend less frequently, have a favorable or very favorable opinion of Pope Francis.
The answer is, "Yes. The term 'proselytism' now has a negative connotation in common speech, and sometimes in law. It indicates questionable or unethical practices. 'Evangelism' has no such negative connotation, and is generally regarded as a free speech activity involving sharing the faith without the offer of material recompense and without manipulative or abusive practices."
Awareness of these connotations can help yield more accurate communication.
When I read the Scriptures I find nothing negative about “converts” and “proselytes” or activity that religiously oppressive regimes would label “proselytism” so they could punish it.
“Awareness of these connotations can help yield more accurate communication.”
I well aware of the connotations some attach and reject them in favor or correct English usage.
This appears to delight a large cohort of people who despise the Catholic Church, including individuals who belong to a variety of quite disparate groups, including some who self-identify as "Christian" and also many others who have little use for any form of traditional morality.
The Catholic Church has the ability to unite some strange bedfellows, it would appear.
If the other person is attaching their own meaning to words how can I ever know what they meant? Again, that’s why we use dictionaries.
It is the RCC that has been among the most vocal proponent of liberal issues (universal health care, immigration, welfare).
Catholics want to influence politics using their muscle and yet react with claims of bigotry when those who are genuinely threatened by the Church's evil political stances fight back.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3076178/posts?page=72#72
... in which there was a bit more of an in-depth explanation, with examples from both legal and religious sources.
Pope Francis was not, as you said, attaching his "own" meaning to words. He was using words that he assumed would be readily understood by careful readers. Possibly he assumed too much.
If you're actually interested in grasping another person's meaning, a little digging into their use of language is worth your effort. And if not, not.
Your references show how the misuse of language can be used by religious oppressors. As for the Pope I can’t know what he assumed or didn’t assume just what he is reported to have said.
So, no, I didn’t miss your post nor the twisting of words in Greece to justify attacks on religious freedom.
I attend the largest parish in the Archdiocese of Boston and have been the Grand Knight three times in our Parish Knights of Columbus Council. No one at our parish has ever taken this poll.
It would be an amazing thing if they had. This poll comes from 392 Catholics. There are probably 70+ million Catholics in the US. But that’s only 7% or so of the total Catholic population. Also, it doesn’t say where they polled.
Freegards
Polls usually take a small but representative sample. If you look at similar polls the results are rather consistent.
The Quinnipiac poll is ran by CBS news and it slants left. In addition to it being a left-wing polling service, read Bill Donohue’s comments below.
QUINNIPIAC POLL IS FLAWED
There are more than 78 million Catholics in the U.S. and Quinnipiac interviewed 392 of them. The actual number of Catholics who go to Mass on a weekly basis that they interviewed was 153. Most polls ask self-identified Catholics if they “attend church weekly”; “attend church nearly every week or monthly”; or “seldom or never attend church.” Not this one—there were just two choices: “attend weekly” or “less.” In other words, the poll does not distinguish between those who attend monthly and those who have stopped going—they’re lumped together.
http://www.catholicleague.org/quinnipiac-poll-is-flawed/
Weekly Catholic church-goers do so because they fear damnation for not going weekly, among other obligations the Church makes clear.
There is no way weekly Church-going Catholics would publicly (even in a poll) endorse homosexual practices pretending to be marriages.
In doing so they would risk auto-excommunication.
There's just no way, even in flaky Quinnapaic, that Catholics support these abominations.
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