Eastern Orthodox (and far as I know Coptics) are against birth control, and while they allow for divorce (though there’s a thrice-time limit) it has to be put under review by the Church before it is allowed. In other words, it’s not a case of, “We wanna get a divorce, and that’s all there is to it” like in so much of our society today. All of this is true for the more conservative branches of Protestantism.The Catholic Church seems to have the strictest view towards multiple-marriages. Am I wrong? I believe that there are many, who are former Catholics because of this. Does this mean that the Church is wrong? I don’t think so. For example, birth control was forbidden in every denomination, up until about 40 years ago and now, today the Catholic Church stands alone on that issue and I believe that got that right as well.
Your thoughts?
I don’t believe that it’s abused as much as you think and I have seen News stories, recently where the Pope “un-did” the annulments of some public figures. Call a Catholic Church with a prior marriage, or talk with a Catholic priest and try to have your marriage “blessed”; get married in the Church and tell me how that goes. It’s not as widespread as you might think.Given the widespread use of the annulment system (whether it is a case of abuse or not, its use is endemic) I think it is hard to argue that the Catholic Church is the strictest.
My experience has been that most of those stories come from non-Catholics or former Catholics with multiple-marriages and they usually involve a parish “back-East”, “30 to 40 years ago”… where they, “know a guy…”… Don’t believe everything you here.Given the widespread use of the annulment system (whether it is a case of abuse or not, its use is endemic) I think it is hard to argue that the Catholic Church is the strictest.
Hello Byzantine_Wolf,
I quoted it in reference to the problem of annulment abuses, which was what Nine Two was talking about. The pope would not have to come out and say this if there wasn’t such a problem that existed, and as one of the article stated there are as many annulments in America as there are in the rest of the world. In other words, this isn’t a case of “I heard someone who heard someone that someone got an easy annulment,” this is a case that have some numbers behind them, and which required the top Roman Catholic official to come out and say, “Hey hey, guys…take it easy with the annulments now.”Hello Byzantine_Wolf,
I can appreciate what you are saying here but The title of the article - "**Pope urges annulments crackdown ‘at all costs’. **And, the first paragraph of the article (below), prove my point. The Catholic Church has a strict view towards multi-marriages. Give me an example of a Protestant, non-Catholic, non-Orthodox (Catholic) denomination, with the same stance on marriage.
"Pope Benedict XVI has urged church tribunals to work harder to encourage couples to stay married and not resort to granting annulments “at all costs.”**
I understand that. However a “problem of annulment abuses” in Catholicism cannot, somehow be compared to most other non-Catholic denominations, which have little or no standards when it comes to the issue of re-marriage. There are over a billion Catholics world-wide. I followed the stories on this issue and there was a prominent case involving a Kennedy that got the Pope’s attention in the first place…I quoted it in reference to the problem of annulment abuses, which was what Nine Two was talking about. The pope would not have to come out and say this if there wasn’t such a problem that existed, and as one of the article stated there are as many annulments in America as there are in the rest of the world. In other words, this isn’t a case of “I heard someone who heard someone that someone got an easy annulment,” this is a case that have some numbers behind them, and which required the top Roman Catholic official to come out and say, “Hey hey, guys…take it easy with the annulments now.”
That’s avoiding the point Nine Two was trying to make, which was then demonstrated in the articles cited. It is difficult to make the case that a church is strict on marriage based alone on the fact it has certain rules or makes certain statements, yet is facing a problem related to marriage so serious that their leader had to come out and give a warning. It’s a bit like stating, “Baseball has tougher codes on drugs than any other sport in the world, which means it handles it the best,” then responding to the widespread and reoccurring problem of steroids and other substances - verified by leading players and officials - by repeating, “You don’t understand…baseball’s got these rules.”I understand that. However a “problem of annulment abuses” in Catholicism cannot, somehow be compared to most other non-Catholic denominations, which have little or no standards when it come to the issue of re-marriage.
The Church is not wrong to teach that matrimony is exclusive and for life, even though there are lapsed Catholics due to not liking the teaching. An annulment is a declaration that a sacramental marriage did not occur, that is, what makes a sacramental marriage was not present at the time of the celebration.The Catholic Church seems to have the strictest view towards multiple-marriages. Am I wrong? I believe that there are many, who are former Catholics because of this. Does this mean that the Church is wrong? I don’t think so. For example, birth control was forbidden in every denomination, up until about 40 years ago and now, today the Catholic Church stands alone on that issue and I believe that got that right as well.
Your thoughts?
No, it’s not difficult to make the case. I’ve been a Catholic for almost fifty years now. I come from a long line of Irish Catholics, both sides of my family and I know how strict the Church is on the issue of re-marriage. Are you somehow implying that the Catholic Church, the Church that doesn’t allow you to participate in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, if your marriage is not in order, is not strict when it comes to the issue of re-marriage? If so, then you are not as familiar with Catholicism, as I once thought you were, based on other posts, on other threads here at CAF. The Catholic Church takes marriage very seriously and to imply otherwise would be wrong. I can’t tell you how many Catholics that I have met over the years who have “self-excommunicated” themselves, for lack of a better term, based on their marital status.That’s avoiding the point Nine Two was trying to make, which was then demonstrated in the articles cited. It is difficult to make the case that a church is strict on marriage based alone on the fact it has certain rules or makes certain statements, yet is facing a problem related to marriage so serious that their leader had to come out and give a warning. It’s a bit like stating, “Baseball has tougher codes on drugs than any other sport in the world, which means it handles it the best,” then responding to the widespread and reoccurring problem of steroids and other substances - verified by leading players and officials - by repeating, “You don’t understand…baseball’s got these rules.”
Excellent post! Thank you!The Church is not wrong to teach that matrimony is exclusive and for life, even though there are lapsed Catholics due to not liking the teaching. An annulment is a declaration that a sacramental marriage did not occur, that is, what makes a sacramental marriage was not present at the time of the celebration.
I order of strictness:The Catholic Church seems to have the strictest view towards multiple-marriages. Am I wrong? I believe that there are many, who are former Catholics because of this. Does this mean that the Church is wrong? I don’t think so. For example, birth control was forbidden in every denomination, up until about 40 years ago and now, today the Catholic Church stands alone on that issue and I believe that got that right as well.
Your thoughts?
So far, I like your list of five… Why stop there?I order of strictness:
Blessings
- Catholic Church
- Oriental Orthodox Church
- EO - original four Patriarchates
- EO - Patriarchates within the former USSR
- Protestants
Aren’t we just talking about Christians?So far, I like your list of five… Why stop there?
Hello mardukm,Aren’t we just talking about Christians?
Blessings