I wonder what a liberal Roman Catholics lurking on this site must think of all these posts.

[gollygee]

106. I hate a great number of things about the Catholic Church, and yet

I know a great number of wonderful people who are Catholics. Liberal people. In Michigan, historically anyway, a lot of unions were made up largely of Catholics (at least where I am) and a lot of Catholic people have remained liberal. I think liberal Catholics are in a bad place. I know a great number who hate the rules in their church about sexuality, birth control, abortion, etc. And yet they go. I don't know what all is behind it as religious beliefs like that are beyond me. I guess if you really feel you need to take communion every week in order to go to heaven (or whatever the belief is) you keep going, and if you disagree with some things about the church, you hope those things will change.

I think the Catholic Church is in danger of becoming even more of an anachronism than it is, which will be hard to do, but I'm sure they're up to the challenge. And yet, I have fondness for a number of really good people who are Catholic.

So I don't know. It's a complicated issue. I admit I'm glad I wasn't raised in that church, and I understand why some people lash out at Catholics, but at the same time feel bad for the hit liberal Catholics are taking here. I am torn. I see the point about financially supporting a group that has such a hurtful message about the LGBT community and women. And I don't understand what makes people believe in a church so much that they are able to get past that. But my lack of understanding about religion, and the example of liberal Catholics I know in my life, make me step back and try to understand what they're feeling.