Replies

Did you truly not understand what I was saying when I sad "Catholics believe?" Were you confused about what I meant?

I think there is some confusion here. If the majority of Catholics do not believe what Catholicism officially teaches, is Catholic doctrine still correct? This is a largely theoretical question as no one could demonstrate to anyone's satisfaction one way or the other. But this gets back to the whole "theology/practicality" issue. They must be working together or they are not working at all.

(SoothingDave) Did you truly not understand what I was saying when I sad "Catholics believe?" Were you confused about what I meant?

I think there is some confusion here. If the majority of Catholics do not believe what Catholicism officially teaches, is Catholic doctrine still correct? This is a largely theoretical question as no one could demonstrate to anyone's satisfaction one way or the other. But this gets back to the whole "theology/practicality" issue. They must be working together or they are not working at all.

Actually, during your hiatus, Dave and I have been having a go-around over his use of "Catholic". Of course I know what he is saying to me when he says such things as "Catholics believe".

I firmly believe there is no such thing as a generic "Catholic" or "Protestant" or even "Athiest" for that matter and it is important to qualify the statement that "X believes" anything.

BTW, Dave knows full well that I know that he knows that I know. IOW, it is a little gamesmanship.

How do you know what a majority of Catholics think about anything? It is hard enough to determine what any given group of 100 people think about wearing seat belts in a car, because, for one thing, people tend not to tell the truth.

I think there is some confusion here. If the majority of Catholics do not believe what Catholicism officially teaches, is Catholic doctrine still correct?

An interesting point. Reg, didn't you post something last week from the catechism about the "consensus of the faithful" or something along those lines?

Correction, it was patent posting in reply to you:

92 "The whole body of the faithful. . . cannot err in matters of belief. This characteristic is shown in the supernatural appreciation of faith (sensus fidei) on the part of the whole people, when, from the bishops to the last of the faithful, they manifest a universal consent in matters of faith and morals."55

What exactly does this mean in a situation where, say, 95% of the body of the faithful disagrees with the "official" teaching?

Did you truly not understand what I was saying when I sad "Catholics believe?" Were you confused about what I meant?

I think there is some confusion here. If the majority of Catholics do not believe what Catholicism officially teaches, is Catholic doctrine still correct?

If a tree falls in a forest does it still make a sound?

When the majority of the people thought the earth was flat, was it?

Truth is Truth, even if nobody believes it.

SD