General Discussion

alarimer

(17,146 posts)

52. What is the point of belonging to a religion when you don't follow ALL of the teachings?

Sun Mar 17, 2013, 01:35 PM

Mar 2013

Why do it then? I do not get why people are Catholics, knowing that using birth control (which many do, despite the church's teachings on that) will send you to hell. Or any number of other times when what is convenient for the individual is wrong, according to the church, anyway. It makes no sense to me.

Of course I believe critical thinking inevitably leads to atheism, as a logic outcome. Once you start questioning the teachings of any religious because they fail any logical test, the only possible final outcome is atheism.

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Catholics are Not the Problem [View all] MineralMan Mar 2013 OP

Thank you for making it so clear. Sometimes I try on DU to explain why am still a catholic and southernyankeebelle Mar 2013 #1

I have no brief at all with Catholics. MineralMan Mar 2013 #2

Thank you anyway. Sometimes people who really do say things on DU that are not nice against southernyankeebelle Mar 2013 #7

Double amen. CurtEastPoint Mar 2013 #3

you sound like a good Catholic and a good person liberal_at_heart Mar 2013 #27

I want to be. But our church makes it hard to be at times. I hate to say it but I've become a southernyankeebelle Mar 2013 #34

Almost everybody is a cafeteria Catholic, pnwmom Mar 2013 #46

Heck I even question that he is a real catholic. He has lost the basics of the catholic teachings southernyankeebelle Mar 2013 #98

I would venture to say to you that the Skidmore Mar 2013 #72

Well you might be right. I do like tradition. There was a time I wouldn't even go to a girl that southernyankeebelle Mar 2013 #97

Without Catholic parishioners, there would be no Catholic behemoth... SidDithers Mar 2013 #4

... Apophis Mar 2013 #5

For many reasons. knitter4democracy Mar 2013 #9

My husband was a catholic and changed to the Eastern Orthodox church. Your comment is true. southernyankeebelle Mar 2013 #39

I was Nazarene and converted after college. knitter4democracy Mar 2013 #54

Yes he is the same way. southernyankeebelle Mar 2013 #96

That is completely inaccurate. Drahthaardogs Mar 2013 #15

"I wish Protestants would quit writing..." SidDithers Mar 2013 #59

I cannot answer your question. MineralMan Mar 2013 #16

Human nature... defacto7 Mar 2013 #88

because they are conditioned to do so, mostly by family Skittles Mar 2013 #102

Every Catholic I know rejects the church's teachings on those items jsr Mar 2013 #6

If I contribute money that supports the ideas of the Tea Party, jerseyjack Mar 2013 #8

What makes you think they contribute money? knitter4democracy Mar 2013 #10

I am one who no longer gives to the church. I give to the local DHS. They have a list of many southernyankeebelle Mar 2013 #41

if you want to get married, go to Catholic School or baptize your kid, etc.... bettyellen Mar 2013 #92

Many have stopped giving, as you cite. knitter4democracy Mar 2013 #94

but if you want to participate with your family, it's not optional- no sacraments are given, no bettyellen Mar 2013 #100

Wow. I've taught in Catholic schools and not seen that. knitter4democracy Mar 2013 #103

I had no idea either (except that they were monitoring my attendance) The office admin explained bettyellen Mar 2013 #104

I think that only applies to parish schools. knitter4democracy Mar 2013 #105

Do you send money to politicians? onpatrol98 Mar 2013 #13

That really is an oversimplification. Tom Rinaldo Mar 2013 #14

Stop with this fucking stupid ass comparison... Humanist_Activist Mar 2013 #17

Read my entire post then Tom Rinaldo Mar 2013 #20

Again, voluntary versus involuntary, and the involuntary allows for some of my input... Humanist_Activist Mar 2013 #21

No analogy is perfect because reality isn't based on cloning Tom Rinaldo Mar 2013 #31

Your argument falls apart in this regard... Humanist_Activist Mar 2013 #43

We probably don't disagree as completely as it might seem Tom Rinaldo Mar 2013 #60

I'm not even asking them not to hold true to their faith, just don't donate to the Church itself... Humanist_Activist Mar 2013 #73

The Bible requires tithing. merrily Mar 2013 #62

The Bible does, the Catholic Church doesn't. n/t Humanist_Activist Mar 2013 #64

The Church requires obedience to the Bible. merrily Mar 2013 #66

Well, technically, but it isn't fundamentalist in its reading... Humanist_Activist Mar 2013 #69

Are you saying that is a teaching of the Catholic Church? merrily Mar 2013 #76

That is what I was taught in PSR, though my memory may be fuzzy. Humanist_Activist Mar 2013 #77

As best I know, the giving must be to the Catholic Church or Catholic related charities. merrily Mar 2013 #79

Never heard of the restriction being that severe... Humanist_Activist Mar 2013 #81

You are totally incorrect. Ikonoklast Mar 2013 #99

I would suggest a little less offensive approach to the discussion. MineralMan Mar 2013 #26

Problem is that its a tired and thoroughly discredited argument, I get sick of hearing it. n/t Humanist_Activist Mar 2013 #45

Then counter it. There's no need for the MineralMan Mar 2013 #47

Yes, you would be, since it is purely a political organization. MineralMan Mar 2013 #18

How do you know it doesn't go beyond the local parish? Humanist_Activist Mar 2013 #23

Individual Catholic can decide to donate or not to donate. MineralMan Mar 2013 #25

Doctor's without Borders(just throwing it out there)... Humanist_Activist Mar 2013 #49

I can find objections to all of those, frankly. MineralMan Mar 2013 #51

But, generally speaking, parishioners have little control, and again, without legal obligations... Humanist_Activist Mar 2013 #55

I harbor no ill will toward individual Roman Catholics Cirque du So-What Mar 2013 #11

There is nothing unique about some Catholic priests MineralMan Mar 2013 #19

I disagree with the assertion that it is not unique Cirque du So-What Mar 2013 #22

You're incorrect. Such behavior on the part of church leadership MineralMan Mar 2013 #24

Your experiences are different from mine Cirque du So-What Mar 2013 #28

I'm sure they are. We all have our own experiences. MineralMan Mar 2013 #40

Wrong. Zoeisright Mar 2013 #56

Until there is evidence Lordquinton Mar 2013 #95

The Catholic clergy doesn't have any higher incidence of offenders than men in other pnwmom Mar 2013 #53

I've witnessed those somersaults of logic firsthand Cirque du So-What Mar 2013 #58

So have I -- with the relatives of a woman I know who was molested by her family member. pnwmom Mar 2013 #61

Regardless Cirque du So-What Mar 2013 #71

I saw plenty of hero worship among the people involved in the Penn State case. nt pnwmom Mar 2013 #78

And that further reinforces my case Cirque du So-What Mar 2013 #85

No, it reinforces my case. pnwmom Mar 2013 #90

We could do this all day Cirque du So-What Mar 2013 #91

Most of my Catholic friends... socialindependocrat Mar 2013 #12

Individual Catholics tend to believe those same things though BellaLuna Mar 2013 #29

That is not true overall, frankly. MineralMan Mar 2013 #33

You are confusing what people believe with what they support BellaLuna Mar 2013 #42

You made a choice. Everyone does that. MineralMan Mar 2013 #44

To extend my original post. MineralMan Mar 2013 #30

Bingo. "The Roman Catholic Church as an organization...is the problem"..... OldDem2012 Mar 2013 #32

It can, indeed be applied to any organization. MineralMan Mar 2013 #36

The majority of Catholic people, no, BUT HockeyMom Mar 2013 #35

When it comes to politics, I look at individuals, not the organizations MineralMan Mar 2013 #38

Nailed it. we can do it Mar 2013 #37

I'm sorry, but StarlightGold Mar 2013 #48

Oops... StarlightGold Mar 2013 #50

What is the point of belonging to a religion when you don't follow ALL of the teachings? alarimer Mar 2013 #52

It makes no sense to me, either RT_Fanatic Mar 2013 #89

Catholic parishoners are also not part of the solution either... Bennyboy Mar 2013 #57

Nothing? Catholics are SUING them. jsr Mar 2013 #67

the plaintiffs who were directly harmed ... but the rank and file? Bennyboy Mar 2013 #70

Is anyone aside from the direct victims doing anything? bettyellen Mar 2013 #93

I don't think it is that simple. merrily Mar 2013 #63

Just as I voted for President Obama in 2008 even though he opposed gay marriage at that time, Nye Bevan Mar 2013 #65

True, but the Church opposes "cafeteria Catholics." merrily Mar 2013 #75

In reality there is nothing they can do about it jsr Mar 2013 #80

I would say that every Catholic DUer is a "cafeteria Catholic". Nye Bevan Mar 2013 #83

"Power tends to corrupt, absolute power corrupts absolutely." Lord Acton Tierra_y_Libertad Mar 2013 #68

Any organization that doesn't treat women as equals is bound to fail Cleita Mar 2013 #74

The Catholic Church is a theocratic sulphurdunn Mar 2013 #82

You have to blame the leadership of an organized religion. Rex Mar 2013 #84

in my discussions here i've tried to be clear.. Phillip McCleod Mar 2013 #86

Yes they are part of the problem... MellowDem Mar 2013 #87

DIng, Ding, Ding, Ding... Very eloquent... Bennyboy Mar 2013 #101