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Almost_Catholic
Guest
What do you do with the dissenters who write and speak to the media. Doesn’t that confuse the larger community? Do you read them or shun their works? McBrien’s Catholicism was recommended to me. Thoughts?
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Tantum_ergo
Guest
I wouldn’t recommend McBrien’s Catholicism.
I WOULD recommend, believe it or not, “Catholicism for Dummies”. . .one of the priests on the EWTN site is involved with it. I picked it up to read at Barnes and Noble. Now, I’m not really a fan of the “Dummies” books, but setting aside some of the too cutesey-poo pictures and icons, the rest is SOLID GOLD.
Start there, and check out some of the references or recommended readings at the back; you’ll be on your way!
I WOULD recommend, believe it or not, “Catholicism for Dummies”. . .one of the priests on the EWTN site is involved with it. I picked it up to read at Barnes and Noble. Now, I’m not really a fan of the “Dummies” books, but setting aside some of the too cutesey-poo pictures and icons, the rest is SOLID GOLD.
Start there, and check out some of the references or recommended readings at the back; you’ll be on your way!
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Almost_Catholic
Guest
Thanks Tantum ergo,
However, I have the good stuff. The cradle, quasi catholics who suggest I read the McBrien books are the issue. Do you read or deflect? Has the Church reprimanded the likes of Greeley, McBrien?
However, I have the good stuff. The cradle, quasi catholics who suggest I read the McBrien books are the issue. Do you read or deflect? Has the Church reprimanded the likes of Greeley, McBrien?
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Tantum_ergo
Guest
I read. . .just to make sure I am not going by “hearsay” alone. . .and I deflect.
We are our brothers’ keepers. . .but we also aren’t held to the impossible.
It really is today nearly impossible NOT to be aware of both the “real” truth and the “quasi-truth” that permeates not just Catholicism but Christianity and indeed all religions, cultures, traditions, etc.
In even the most cursory surf of the web, visit to a bookstore or library, or discussion with any literate person, one is going to hear or see not just the perspective or bias, but by definition ANOTHER perspective/ bias. If we hear, “no female priests”, we’re going to go, “well, says who?”, or even “why would anyone say a female priest to begin with”. . .so, we’re going to know that there are at least two “ideologies” on this. . .and then we MUST, to have a properly informed conscience, check it out. If we believe that there should not be female priests, we need to educate ourselves as to how the teaching came about, how strong is it, etc. If we believe that there should be female priests, we likewise need to know how the teaching came about, etc. A lot of people no doubt get surprised to find out that some things which they thought were absolutely church teaching (like, go ahead and contracept, God doesn’t want you to be poor, or, go ahead and have sex if you’re SURE you really love the person, etc.) are NOT church teaching. So there’s no excuse for ignorance. If we hear, see, suspect that what we have been taught or heard is incomplete; if there is “another side” or “the rest of the story”, then it is up to us to “check it out”.
Seems like the USCCB is giving a lot of its priests and fellow bishops “plenty of rope”. (Sort of the way that they, ahem, erred on the “too charitable” side in not dealing effectively in the sex abuse cases). Some don’t like making waves, some are honestly doubtful themselves and don’t like the ideas of seeming to censor thought, some are “out of the loop”, some are honestly sure that the person will somehow “see the error of his ways”, or that the whole thing is blown out of proportion or will go away. . .
I read on another thread that someone wished the Holy Spirit to send “an enforcer Pope”. . .I must say that part of me would relish a “Popenator” who would crack the whip on dissenters. . .
We are our brothers’ keepers. . .but we also aren’t held to the impossible.
It really is today nearly impossible NOT to be aware of both the “real” truth and the “quasi-truth” that permeates not just Catholicism but Christianity and indeed all religions, cultures, traditions, etc.
In even the most cursory surf of the web, visit to a bookstore or library, or discussion with any literate person, one is going to hear or see not just the perspective or bias, but by definition ANOTHER perspective/ bias. If we hear, “no female priests”, we’re going to go, “well, says who?”, or even “why would anyone say a female priest to begin with”. . .so, we’re going to know that there are at least two “ideologies” on this. . .and then we MUST, to have a properly informed conscience, check it out. If we believe that there should not be female priests, we need to educate ourselves as to how the teaching came about, how strong is it, etc. If we believe that there should be female priests, we likewise need to know how the teaching came about, etc. A lot of people no doubt get surprised to find out that some things which they thought were absolutely church teaching (like, go ahead and contracept, God doesn’t want you to be poor, or, go ahead and have sex if you’re SURE you really love the person, etc.) are NOT church teaching. So there’s no excuse for ignorance. If we hear, see, suspect that what we have been taught or heard is incomplete; if there is “another side” or “the rest of the story”, then it is up to us to “check it out”.
Seems like the USCCB is giving a lot of its priests and fellow bishops “plenty of rope”. (Sort of the way that they, ahem, erred on the “too charitable” side in not dealing effectively in the sex abuse cases). Some don’t like making waves, some are honestly doubtful themselves and don’t like the ideas of seeming to censor thought, some are “out of the loop”, some are honestly sure that the person will somehow “see the error of his ways”, or that the whole thing is blown out of proportion or will go away. . .
I read on another thread that someone wished the Holy Spirit to send “an enforcer Pope”. . .I must say that part of me would relish a “Popenator” who would crack the whip on dissenters. . .
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Almost_Catholic
Guest
“Popenator” …that’s good. I live in CA, the state of the (name removed by moderator).
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Ahimsa
Guest
I personally liked McBrien’s Catholicism. But that’s just me. 
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