s/o: if you're catholic, how do you deal with sticking by the church?

[Anonymous]

i was raised catholic and come from a deeply religious family. but seriously - the catholic church systematically allowed priests to touch little children while simultaneously holding believers accountable to rules that aren't even in the bible. they are literally allowing priests to have sex with children while telling married women they can't use birth control. the hypocrisy of it is blinding.

and as a side note that is not nearly as horrible but still annoying - how come priests preach poverty and the pope wears prada??

so if you're still catholic, how do you deal with this? i miss my religion but i am disgusted and i can't bring myself to return.

[Anonymous]

perhaps you need to look up the word "literally"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:perhaps you need to look up the word "literally"

don't be a dick.

[Anonymous]

read up on church history
the doctrine changes with the times
church used to hold inquisitions and burn witches
and give the death sentence for attempted suicides
etc etc
nothing has changed.
do you believe in the faith or the priests?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:read up on church history
the doctrine changes with the times
church used to hold inquisitions and burn witches
and give the death sentence for attempted suicides
etc etc
nothing has changed.
do you believe in the faith or the priests?

it's hard to separate priests from catholicism. catholics believe priests have the line to god, right? that's why we confess to them? that's why they used to be the only ones allowed to read scripture? and that's why we are supposed to believe that there is some kind of divinity in priests, because they are allowed to change church doctrine, and therefore speak for god. how do you separate priests from the faith?

[Anonymous]

For me, I separate the tenets of the faith, from the actions of fallible men. Read the Apostle's Creed http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=220 This is the fundamental basis of the faith.

Interpretations and doctrine on a variety of issues have evolved over the centuries, as a PP noted. Yes, many periods of the history of the Church are shameful in terms of the politics and the activities of the men - from the selling of indulgences in the Middle Ages to the nauseating systematic coverup of sexual abuse by priests in this era. I despise those realities. However, that is separate and apart from my Catholic faith.

[Anonymous]

For me, I separate the tenets of the faith, from the actions of fallible men. Read the Apostle's Creed http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=220 This is the fundamental basis of the faith.

Interpretations and doctrine on a variety of issues have evolved over the centuries, as a PP noted. Yes, many periods of the history of the Church are shameful in terms of the politics and the activities of the men - from the selling of indulgences in the Middle Ages to the nauseating systematic coverup of sexual abuse by priests in this era. I despise those realities. However, that is separate and apart from my Catholic faith.

[Anonymous]

I was raised Catholic and went to Catholic schools through High School. I dealt with it by leaving the church.

[Anonymous]

For me, I separate the tenets of the faith, from the actions of fallible men.

But by going to Church, by being a part of the Church, and by giving them money, if you do, you are still supporting the reprehensible actions and faulty policies of these fallible men.

[Anonymous]

I was also raised Catholic, went to Catholic school (and a Jesuit college), and was married in the Catholic church. And like PP, I left the church. We attend a Protestant church now & that's where our children were baptized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was raised Catholic and went to Catholic schools through High School. I dealt with it by leaving the church.

My situation exactly. I would actually like to be excommunicated and drafted a letter to the diocese where I was confirmed but we wound up moving unexpectedly and this is now reminding me that I need to follow up on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

For me, I separate the tenets of the faith, from the actions of fallible men.

But by going to Church, by being a part of the Church, and by giving them money, if you do, you are still supporting the reprehensible actions and faulty policies of these fallible men.

I'm the PP, and I'm probably going to back out of the thread since I have a feeling this is just going to turn into another ugly attack.

Those donations yes, might support the politics and some of those activities which are reprehensible. But they also support the existence of the Church (e.g. education of future priests) as well as the social service and social justice work that the Catholic Church does in almost every country around the world.

Analogy to being an American. Over the history of this country have there been shameful policies, corrupt politicians, reprehensible actions? Yep. Doesn't mean I'm not proud to be an American, doesn't mean I'm going to refuse to pay my taxes because they help pay the salary of those in the White House or Congress that I might find to be repulsive for one reason or another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

For me, I separate the tenets of the faith, from the actions of fallible men.

But by going to Church, by being a part of the Church, and by giving them money, if you do, you are still supporting the reprehensible actions and faulty policies of these fallible men.

yea, i agree with this. my money went to support the moving of priests from parish to parish to hide pedophiles. i funded that. i think my issue is that now i'm seeing the church through new glasses, and the hypocrisy that used to drive me nuts before is now so absurd that i see the whole institution as a scam. men who think they're important using their supposed relationship to god to control people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

For me, I separate the tenets of the faith, from the actions of fallible men.

But by going to Church, by being a part of the Church, and by giving them money, if you do, you are still supporting the reprehensible actions and faulty policies of these fallible men.

I'm the PP, and I'm probably going to back out of the thread since I have a feeling this is just going to turn into another ugly attack.

Those donations yes, might support the politics and some of those activities which are reprehensible. But they also support the existence of the Church (e.g. education of future priests) as well as the social service and social justice work that the Catholic Church does in almost every country around the world.

Analogy to being an American. Over the history of this country have there been shameful policies, corrupt politicians, reprehensible actions? Yep. Doesn't mean I'm not proud to be an American, doesn't mean I'm going to refuse to pay my taxes because they help pay the salary of those in the White House or Congress that I might find to be repulsive for one reason or another.

i like your reasoning and i think i agree with you in some ways. but i find it hard to believe in the core of the religion when the priests are corrupt - i just don't have that same problem with politicians. and besides - voters choose politicians. but supposedly god chooses priests. i think i should be able to expect more from them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was raised Catholic and went to Catholic schools through High School. I dealt with it by leaving the church.

Same here. It's not something I am totally happy about. Every now and then I give it another try to see if I can somehow go with the flow.... I go to church and mostly I feel repelled. It's hard to break off from the traditions/habits that you are so used to. Even going to a protestatant service (that is theologically/socially much more in line with my beliefs) feels uncomfortable/foreign b/c it's a different process and different songs.

Nativity Catholic Church in Burke was the most open, welcoming church I've found.... but still... I feel like a bit of a faker b/c I don't really believe what everyone else seems to. So, we just don't go.