: Nice try, but I wasn't mocking you. I let the words speak for themselves. Obviously, I disagree with them, but to disagree is not to mock. And I was serious about the Catholic Encyclopedia (CE) providing an insight into your views, Frenchy. In my opinion, the CE is representative of a very conservative, patriarchical, arrogant, and bigoted institution, i.e., the Roman Catholic church, and frankly,
The salient question, which I believe none of us ahve asked, is, Who is the CE speaking for? Is it the word of the Pope, or is it the word of the College of Cardinals, or is it an independent publication unrelated to the RCC. If it is the word of the Pope, is he speaking ex cathedra? correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the doctrine only binding if he speaks ex cathedra? The reason I ask is because there's a movie showing in America right now which was boycotted and attemptedly censored by a group called the 'Catholic league' or something like that, for being anti-Catholic. When I heard this I said, "This movie is anti-Catholic, and I'm not going to see it or patronize such garbage." Then I hear from a Catholic friend of mine that the Catholic LEague is an independent bunch of people, unafiliated with the RCC, and they have absolutely no authority to speak on behalf of Catholicism. I feel pretty pissed off right now that the League was able to pull the wool over my eyes, implyingg that the Chruch condemned the movie, and I would like a little more information.
:Frenchy, I view you the same way. Of course, the Roman Catholic church also stands for good things, and it does good works,
Very, very much. Liberation theology, remember. I've taken to using "liberation theology" as a kind of mantra to dispel anyone's criticism of reliion in general or Catholicism in particular. Mother Theresa was a Catholic. So were Archbishops Romero and Camara. American Catholics including such figures as Father Berrigan, were instrumental in ending the Vietnam War.
:and you too have expressed dismay over the suffering of others, so I'm not throwing a blanket condemnation over you and the R.C. church. My criticism is that the good the R.C. does is not balanced well against the bad it does.
Not true. The RCC is not really any of the things you portray it as. Several Popes have gone on record as endorsing tolerance for other religions, and for recognziing that all religions have good insights. Pope John XXIII was one of teh greatest men of the century. Social welfare and charity in this country and many others were largely the creation of the Church and remain so to this day. Progressive and socialist governments all across the world have been disproportionately associated with Catholicism. Nicaragua under teh Sandinistas, which you've claimed to admire, synthesized socialism and Catholicism in their philosophy. the Catholic chruch in Brazil was a major force ofor social change and welfare. Etcetera.
Graham Greene once said that Catholicism and conservatism were incompatible bedfellkows. He also said,
"Communism is more than Marxism, my friend, just as Catholciism is mroe than the Roman Curia....Both Catholics and Communists have committed great crimes, but at least they have not stood by like an established society, and been silent. I would rather have blood on my hands than water like Pilate."
: For the record, my wife is Catholic, and she shares my view of the R.C. church.
OK.
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McSpotlight: Would the film be Dogma, by any chance?
If it is; I'd recommend it heartily; it's probably one of the most intelligent films about Catholicism ever made; and it isn't even anti-Catholic; a point lost on the American Catholics...
