Anonymous wrote:I am Catholic. Went to Catholic school, etc. I cannot stand how hypocritical and judgmental so many Catholics are. I do not follow all of the church's teachings but I do the best I can. Part of me would like to join a religion that is more welcoming and open minded but I grew up praying to Mary and the saints and that is too important for me to give up.

You can keep praying to Mary if you want to. There are other Christian religions -- e.g., episcopal - that don't mind who you pray to -- or what you believe, for that matter.

I am Catholic by birth and attended Catholic school all my life. I think we respect the church, but respectfully have to do what is best for us and our families while not hurting anyone else. For example, I wouldn't have an abortion, at least I don't think. It is not black and white for me, there is a lot of gray. I've never been in a situation like rape or incest or severe birth defects that will cause pain to my child. Our teachings are clear: we do not judge others. People's decisions are between them and God. Most of my Catholic friends think in a similar fashion. Same with gay marriage. I don't agree, but I don't judge them. I have gay friends who I love and I have attended 2 gay marriages and they are fantastic human beings. Much better than some Christians that openly judge, judge, judge.

I am Catholic. Went to Catholic school, etc. I cannot stand how hypocritical and judgmental so many Catholics are. I do not follow all of the church's teachings but I do the best I can. Part of me would like to join a religion that is more welcoming and open minded but I grew up praying to Mary and the saints and that is too important for me to give up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am Catholic and I don't understand why people harp on abortion and BC so much.

The teachings of the church are very strict and nobody follows them 100% because we are human. I just don't understand why people are so up in arms about BC and abortion.

Nobody is like.. hey you are not Jewish because I saw you eat a BLT or you drove you car after sunset on Friday.

Of course I think abortion is killing and I agree it is wrong but I also understand why it is legal, just like war, the death penalty, etc.

Some people DO follow the rules very closely and when they falter, they go to confession and communion to return to a state of grace.

Those Catholics who don't are not just human they are also people who are choosing to live in sin.

You definitely need to confess being self righteous and try to work on that, judging others is God's job not yours.

Catholicism has a whole heirarchy of sins that every catholic learns about. It's not a matter of "judging others" -- all catholics learn as children what is acceptable to the church and what is not. There's noting to confess about upholding Catholic dogma. Catholics are supposed to do that. Sinning Catholics are always welcomed back into the church. All they have to do is go to confession, make a good act of contrition and go to communion and their souls will be wiped clean of sin.

I don't think you truly understand the Catholic teaching. I have 16 years of Catholic education and your understanding of the Catholic religion is sophomoric.

There is no ranking system on who is a "better" Catholic. Sinning all week and going to confession before communion does not make you a "better" Catholic.

If you understood the teaching you would not be so self righteous.

I don't see anything about a "ranking system" or "sinning all week" except in the response above. The teaching about confession and communion is so simple to undersand that it is taught to small children. Catholics know what the rules are. Some people choose to follow them and some don't. Nothing "self-righteous" about it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am Catholic and I don't understand why people harp on abortion and BC so much.

The teachings of the church are very strict and nobody follows them 100% because we are human. I just don't understand why people are so up in arms about BC and abortion.

Nobody is like.. hey you are not Jewish because I saw you eat a BLT or you drove you car after sunset on Friday.

Of course I think abortion is killing and I agree it is wrong but I also understand why it is legal, just like war, the death penalty, etc.

Some people DO follow the rules very closely and when they falter, they go to confession and communion to return to a state of grace.

Those Catholics who don't are not just human they are also people who are choosing to live in sin.

You definitely need to confess being self righteous and try to work on that, judging others is God's job not yours.

Catholicism has a whole heirarchy of sins that every catholic learns about. It's not a matter of "judging others" -- all catholics learn as children what is acceptable to the church and what is not. There's noting to confess about upholding Catholic dogma. Catholics are supposed to do that. Sinning Catholics are always welcomed back into the church. All they have to do is go to confession, make a good act of contrition and go to communion and their souls will be wiped clean of sin.

I don't think you truly understand the Catholic teaching. I have 16 years of Catholic education and your understanding of the Catholic religion is sophomoric.

There is no ranking system on who is a "better" Catholic. Sinning all week and going to confession before communion does not make you a "better" Catholic.

If you understood the teaching you would not be so self righteous.

Anonymous wrote:Wow, these posts are sad, and I don't even like Catholics. Of course, that's because they are smug and hypocritical at the same time....

You can be forgiven for that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am Catholic and I don't understand why people harp on abortion and BC so much.

The teachings of the church are very strict and nobody follows them 100% because we are human. I just don't understand why people are so up in arms about BC and abortion.

Nobody is like.. hey you are not Jewish because I saw you eat a BLT or you drove you car after sunset on Friday.

Of course I think abortion is killing and I agree it is wrong but I also understand why it is legal, just like war, the death penalty, etc.

Some people DO follow the rules very closely and when they falter, they go to confession and communion to return to a state of grace.

Those Catholics who don't are not just human they are also people who are choosing to live in sin.

You definitely need to confess being self righteous and try to work on that, judging others is God's job not yours.

Catholicism has a whole heirarchy of sins that every catholic learns about. It's not a matter of "judging others" -- all catholics learn as children what is acceptable to the church and what is not. There's noting to confess about upholding Catholic dogma. Catholics are supposed to do that. Sinning Catholics are always welcomed back into the church. All they have to do is go to confession, make a good act of contrition and go to communion and their souls will be wiped clean of sin.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am Catholic and I don't understand why people harp on abortion and BC so much.

The teachings of the church are very strict and nobody follows them 100% because we are human. I just don't understand why people are so up in arms about BC and abortion.

Nobody is like.. hey you are not Jewish because I saw you eat a BLT or you drove you car after sunset on Friday.

Of course I think abortion is killing and I agree it is wrong but I also understand why it is legal, just like war, the death penalty, etc.

Some people DO follow the rules very closely and when they falter, they go to confession and communion to return to a state of grace.

Those Catholics who don't are not just human they are also people who are choosing to live in sin.

You definitely need to confess being self righteous and try to work on that, judging others is God's job not yours.

Anonymous wrote:Yes. If I didn't believe in the Church teachings I would not be Catholic.

If I was just there for the ceremony, I could find that as a Lutheran or Episcopalian.

Lutheran here, I agree with this. The services are quite similar, but ELCA Lutherans are down with gays and birth control. Come join us!

Less than zero.

Anonymous wrote:Wow, these posts are sad, and I don't even like Catholics. Of course, that's because they are smug and hypocritical at the same time....

It's simply a matter of knowing what the rules are and choosing to follow them or not. There is no earthly punishment for not following the rules of the Catholic church. It's only after death that the punishment comes and even then, you can't be sure it will happen -- it's a matter of believing that what the Catholic church is accurate. A lot of people can enjoy certain aspects of Catholicism without concern about what happens afer death. but it's going to happen - or not- irrespective of what people think.

Wow, these posts are sad, and I don't even like Catholics. Of course, that's because they are smug and hypocritical at the same time....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am Catholic and I don't understand why people harp on abortion and BC so much.

The teachings of the church are very strict and nobody follows them 100% because we are human. I just don't understand why people are so up in arms about BC and abortion.

Nobody is like.. hey you are not Jewish because I saw you eat a BLT or you drove you car after sunset on Friday.

Of course I think abortion is killing and I agree it is wrong but I also understand why it is legal, just like war, the death penalty, etc.

Some people DO follow the rules very closely and when they falter, they go to confession and communion to return to a state of grace.

Those Catholics who don't are not just human they are also people who are choosing to live in sin.

+1 Correct.

Anonymous wrote:I am Catholic and I don't understand why people harp on abortion and BC so much.

The teachings of the church are very strict and nobody follows them 100% because we are human. I just don't understand why people are so up in arms about BC and abortion.

Nobody is like.. hey you are not Jewish because I saw you eat a BLT or you drove you car after sunset on Friday.

Of course I think abortion is killing and I agree it is wrong but I also understand why it is legal, just like war, the death penalty, etc.

Some people DO follow the rules very closely and when they falter, they go to confession and communion to return to a state of grace.

Those Catholics who don't are not just human they are also people who are choosing to live in sin.

This is a good FB group called "Catholics Come Home" if anyone feels like they are missing something and it's just not quite right to not still be somewhat a part of the Church:

https://www.facebook.com/catholicscomehome.org/?fref=nf