Are you guys cynical?

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YHWH_Christ

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Please don’t take this the wrong way, my intention here is not to offend. As an outsider I’m just curious to know if many lay Catholics are becoming cynical of the clergy, the priests and the bishops, after all the scandal. I’ve noticed a lot of Catholic media is very cynical of the clergy lately it seems, conservative and more liberal ones. Does it seem like this to you guys in the Roman Catholic Church? Because in the Orthodox Church I feel like we’re starting to experience something similar, with different jurisdictions of the Orthodox Church getting wrapped up in political scandals and controversies lately, such as with the whole Ukraine thing (which I don’t even want to get into because some Orthodox have very strong opinions on this topic).
 
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I get cynical, but it’s bad for me so I try to focus on the truths in the Church rather than all the political wrangling. It just seems so… unChristian and crazy.
 
I came into the church at the height of the scandal. Priests are just like the rest of us: sinners. They are doing the best they can even if we might wish they did things differently. Pray for them.
 
Hi! Good question. Cynical happens when you first catch on to what is going on these days, both in society and in the church. All of this should come as no surprise to anyone, as what we are experiencing now has been baking in the oven for quite some time. Where it came from and when the seeds were planted almost doesn’t matter.


Christ himself warned us this was coming. Every time of the church seems to come with it’s share of storms. This is our time.
 
YHWH_Christ said:
I’ve noticed a lot of Catholic media is very cynical of the clergy lately
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Yeah. I’m more cynical about media than anything else. I’m not so much more cynical about clergy though.
 
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YHWH_Christ said:
I’ve noticed a lot of Catholic media is very cynical of the clergy lately it seems, conservative and more liberal ones. Does it seem like this to you guys in the Roman Catholic Church?
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I am not cynical of the clergy. I think they are doing great and holy work.

I am very cynical about the “Catholic” media.
 
I think a large number of Catholics were raised from youth to believe (maybe not directly, but indirectly) that clergy are different from laity in terms of temptation or human concupiscence, and so events like the abuse scandal hit them harder than what it would the average person.

And then when you’re deeply shocked, it can produce an extreme reaction, like cynicism, and then bad things start happening, like pre-judging random priests trying to perform their office.
 
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I used to be cynical in general. It was kind of a defense mechanism. I guess.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve worked pretty hard to lose my cynicism.

Regarding the Church, however, I’m less cynical than ever, because I’ve seen the good people fight back, I’ve seen the truth and beauty emerge in the midst of the evil.
 
Cynical?

Yeah, right…:roll_eyes:

Oooops. My bad.

Babies are not cynical. Something happens along the way. As part of the concupiscence from which we suffer, and living in an age of false promises, cynicism has become a spiritual cancer.

Lately, the counsel of Thomas á Kempis has helped me to counter my tendency toward cynicism.
 
No I am not cynical of the clergy. I respect those lay people who are close to abuse scandals and feel angry, but that has never been a reality anywhere close to me.
 
Are you talking about the Imitation of Christ? I’m dealing with cynicism…Do you have any particular passages in that book that have helped you with cynicism?

Thanks.
 
I’m pretty sure Eastern Catholics can be cynical too. I’m not so much cynical as I am annoyed. Whether it’s by reactionaries or liberals. I think going too far in either direction is never a very good idea.
 
YHWH_Christ said:
I’m just curious to know if many lay Catholics are becoming cynical of the clergy, the priests and the bishops, after all the scandal.
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I’m not, but I know people who are. Then again, those folks are cynical about other things as well so this isn’t the root cause of their cynicism—for them, it’s just one thing among many.
YHWH_Christ said:
I’ve noticed a lot of Catholic media is very cynical of the clergy lately it seems, conservative and more liberal ones. Does it seem like this to you guys in the Roman Catholic Church?
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I’d call it “critical” rather than “cynical,” and I certainly don’t think it’s “a lot.” Much of what I have read or seen that fits the “critical” description comes from sources that seem to be looking for a stick to beat the Catholic Church with, which doesn’t fit my definition of “Catholic media.”

Whatever the source, Catholic or not, I don’t easily allow the media to tell me how I should feel about anything. :woman_shrugging:t2: It happens sometimes, but I try to avoid it.
 
YHWH_Christ said:
Please don’t take this the wrong way, my intention here is not to offend. As an outsider I’m just curious to know if many lay Catholics are becoming cynical of the clergy, the priests and the bishops, after all the scandal. I’ve noticed a lot of Catholic media is very cynical of the clergy lately it seems, conservative and more liberal ones. Does it seem like this to you guys in the Roman Catholic Church? Because in the Orthodox Church I feel like we’re starting to experience something similar, with different jurisdictions of the Orthodox Church getting wrapped up in political scandals and controversies lately, such as with the whole Ukraine thing (which I don’t even want to get into because some Orthodox have very strong opinions on this topic).
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I would just say,

Looking back in history, what era didn’t have problematic individuals causing scandal, regardless of rank?.

AND

Turning this around,

What do priests think after hearing all the confessions of people, THEY HEAR, confessing all kinds of terrible sins, and forgiving them, sometimes over and over again with the same individuals? Do they get discouraged with the “faithful” in return?

No question, the ordained are held to a higher standard. But that doesn’t let the rank and file off for our failings either. Just being realistic
 
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