To be fair, I have never said that sexual sin is OK or that it is not mortal sin. I merely pointed out that we must be careful to avoid hypocrisy. Jesus died for and forgives sin generally. To focus so ardently on only a handful of sins is to forget that “I am just as terrible of a sinner” as the next person. No one is justified before God except through Jesus. I also have never made any comments regarding drugs or other illegal activities. I have never engaged and would certainly encourage others not to as well. But, should they falter, I would try not to cast them out into the cold. Rather, I would attempt to act as Jesus did to sinners- welcoming them back with joy! Anytime our primary focus is not on salvation through Jesus and reaching out to others in his name, I believe that we have lost the true beauty of the Faith. Enshrining a focus on certain sins above others in a legal contract, at least to me, would seem to aid us in pointing out the failings of others rather than encouraging our own repentance. It also does not allow us to demonstrate God’s merciful love, without which there would be no reason for any faith whatsoever. That is all- nothing more and nothing less! As for people who say my comments should be “used against me,” I am disheartened. I will pray for Christian community on CAF.
I have to disagree. In the past, it was appropriate to remind others not to do things and to even point out the error of their ways if someone witnessed something happening in public. When I was in Catholic High School, a few boys started a fistfight in the school parking lot. Several nuns approached them and urged them to stop. Which they did. But once they were off school property, they started fighting again.
We must never, ever approve - or worse, far worse - become indifferent to public scandal. If I did wrong as a boy in public, I had neighbors who told me: “Do you want me to tell your mother what you did?” My response: No. “Then clean up this mess.”
We lived in communities and even though we all did not go to the same Church, we had community standards, and people who were good role models to young and old alike. As Pope Benedict pointed out - one of the problems facing the Church is “radical individualism.” Which means, there is no greater authority over me, there is no one, including parents and loved ones, who can tell me what to do. It’s all about ME.
In the 1970s, I watched some of my Catholic classmates accept the lies being spread. Who listened to total strangers telling them to ignore all authority and live and act like they did. What did it get them as more lies were added over the years? Nothing. Nothing good. Bad and rotten fruit. What we have too much of today. Parents who don’t want to be parents. People who want to be moral in public being called hypocrites. People who talk about God in public being called fanatics or worse. And people who want to be “good without God” getting praise. Doing good is fine, but as Catholics, we must imitate Christ. Truth, not ‘Ill make up my own version’ is what matters.
That’s why we have Confession when we fail, not something I read on a message board where I am a moderator - a new creed: “We never want to feel ashamed or sinful or guilty ever again.” So, stop feeling ashamed, forget about what sin is and reject your guilt. The Church cannot promote that. Without feeling an appropriate sense of shame then we reject the limits that God Himself has given to us. When we say we have no sin then the truth is not in us. And if we say we have no guilt about engaging in sinful activity then how are we to confess anything? Where is He in our lives?
Peace,
Ed
