Despite The Crisis: Still Catholic -- And Still Faithful

ToogoodReports ^ | May 6, 2002 | Patrick Mallon

[Burkeman1]

Hmmm- I think it depends on the Diocese. My brother married a Japenese woman who was in the process of converting last year (she was confirmed at an Easter Eve Mass as is tradition) and they had to get a civil marriage and then just had their Catholic marriage cerimony. Your parish certainly aint' mine brother.

[sinkspur]

It seems that it is good enough to charge the parents to bring the child up with Christian teaching. This may seem strange, but how can the Catholic Pastor expect this to happen, when the Catholic member just selected a non-Catholic to wed?

Well, it's the burden of the Catholic partner to bring the children up in the Faith. That presumes that the Catholic partner is strong enough to direct the children in that direction.

I've always maintained that the priest can direct, encourage, and prod, but if the Catholic partner "promises" but doesn't follow through, there's little the Church can do about it.

Thanks for your kind words.

[Angelique]

How strange that in my entire life I have never felt discrimination as a Catholic. Indeed, my entire family has always felt proud, and not afraid to express our faith.

I am beginning to wonder about FR. I have been insulted for being French, and now Catholic. I hate to tell you that I am also Irish. For goodness sakes, do we want a visible conservative site to spew such stuff?

[Poohbah]

Are you French, or American?

[Burkeman1]

Hmm- I guess some priests take their faith more serously than others. Sorry if I offended you. My protestant friends don't take offense and I don't from their criticisms. I am an adult who believes in my faith and doesn't view it as merely a "different perspective" as you seem to. I am not afraid to call a spade a spade. I can understand those who don't want to "offend" others. It is so easy nowadays since we all want to be "victims". Sorry- I am not. My faith is strong enough to stand the Bob Jones protestant rants against my faith. And when I call protestants heretics that is what they are? Are they not? Or is Catholicism just a "choice" and not truth?

[Angelique]

I know whatever you are saying in tongue-in-cheek, but every couple I know who is of different faiths, one being Catholic, do celebrate the tenets of the Church.

[berned]

Wow, Burkeman1. Your post # 23 is about as honest and cogent as I have ever seen from a Roman Catholic Freeper!

Bravo! It's exactly how I feel from the Protestant side. But I must say, I'm always shocked how fast my discussions with Catholic Freepers go from Theological debate to hateful name-calling on their part.

I'm human and flawed as can be, but I rigorously refrain from getting personal in my posts. Not so with Catholics! It only takes about two posts to go from "Clearly, in verse 17 Jesus is prophesying in a future tense..."

to...

..."You are nothing but a hateful anti-catholic bigot moron whose own mother hates you, blah blah blah, your personal life story was successfully debunked on thread # 217, blah blah blah, Bob Jones..."

Anyway... great post # 23. Groundbreaking.

[Burkeman1]

As for the "whore of Babylon" stuff- that was what Protestants called the Catholic Church and some fringe folks still do.

[sinkspur]

I am beginning to wonder about FR. I have been insulted for being French, and now Catholic.

Many people say things on FR that they wouldn't say to your face. They also take belligerent stances to come across as ideological when they would not take the same position in a debate.

It's also easy to argue ad-hominems because, after all, the poster doesn't have to look you in the eye.

OTOH, one wonders if FR doesn't reflect reality more than the courtesies we extend each other in person.

If it does, then I'm glad that this is all I have to see of some people who post here.

[in the Arena]

Well done guys...

[Burkeman1]

There is something demeaning to me in this "anti Catholic" crap. It is almost as if some Catholics want to adopt the minority grievance status of the Left wing PC crowd.

Did anti Papism in this country take on stupid and ugly forms in 19th and early 20 centuries? Yes. But does that make any Prostentant critique of the Catholic Church to be "hate"? No. When I make observations about how all protestant churches seem to drift into atheistic humanitarianism sooner or later am I being an "inquisitor?"

[berned]

You are wise, my friend. You have my respect.

[Burkeman1]

Then try to convince them otherwise. Don't call them "anti Catholic" like you are some "minority".

[Poohbah]

I have tried to do so. What do you call someone who is unrecondite in knowingly spreading falsehoods about you and your faith?

[Burkeman1]

A liar.

[katnip]

A liar.

Ta Da!!!

[Angelique]

First of all, you have not offended me, and if you inferred such, please know that was not my implication.

Not one statement on this thread speaks of denying you of your faith. Second, I have never denounced my faith by recognizing that others have a different path.

Last, do you really believe that God only allows Catholics to His kingdom?

[Poohbah]

True enough. But I find it useful to explain what motivates him to lie--and that is anti-Catholic bigotry.

It's calling a spade a shovel.

[Burkeman1]

I won't speak to how or why people are admitted into heaven. My sin is pride but I won't even go there. But I will say this. Unless you believe your faith is truth and the only truth then it is not faith. Things are true or they are not. The curse of this age is that we have been taught to believe that opposites can be true at the same time and everything has a "viewpoint". Relgious faith is a deeply held truth. You either believe it or you don't. There is nothing in between. Christianity in the west is in a crisis of faith- even the Catholic Church.

When the Edict of Nance in France called for tolerance of Protestants it did not call for "understanding" of them. It merely called for an end to persecution based on religious belief. Catholics still felt they were wrong and the Church condemned them. Nowadays "tolerance" means we must change our own beliefs so as to not "offend" others. Wrong and I resist.