No wonder Catholics are confused!

[jwashu]

No.

What’s your problem with a basic and simple approach to the lies of the devil? Must we always over-complicate issues?

Remember Satan and his intellectual pride. I would rather be a simpleton.

That’s great! Christ’s body has multiple different needs, how does the verse go about one being a hand and one being a foot and another being an eye?

For me though my experiences tell me that won’t work in the modern age where people are more educated in general. Yes we should have faith like a child but God gave us a brain, we don’t ignore medical progress to save lives, nor should we ignore psycho/social progress and understanding to help us save souls. So that is the understanding I have been given… maybe I’m a mouth while you are an ear? Who knows, that point is that we all do our best to follow His teachings and spread those teachings to others for the salvation of souls with the gift’s He has bestowed on us.

Joe

 

[ContegoFides]

Jen and Sailor, thanks for your support.

The pro-artificial birth control, pro-“choice” faction have, for too long, used specious arguments and the threat of moral brow-beating to run down anyone who takes a stand for morality. The time has come to stand and fight back, and to show that it is they who stand on the wrong side of ethics and morality and it is they who are making our societal problems worse.

Jen, I appreciate what you are getting at regarding empathetic understanding. As you acknowledge, the priest understands sexual feelings and the priest is able to study the subject and learn much - even if he does not experience it himself. Likewise, a man may never experience the physical difficulties of being a woman (monthly cycles, pregnancy), but a man does know pain and discomfort and therefore can empathize at that level. Certainly, a man can know MUCH about such issues - as evidenced by the large number of male OB/GYNs. Therefore, there is no just cause to say that a celibate man’s opinions regarding sexuality should be ignored merely because he is celibate - a point with which you seem to agree.

 

[revert_jen]

Therefore, there is no just cause to say that a celibate man’s opinions regarding sexuality should be ignored merely because he is celibate - a point with which you seem to agree.

Certainly I agree. Sometimes I am a little wordy.

What I am saying is that all a person needs to figure out what the right behavior would be in a situation in general (e.g. is it right to use ABC?) is intellectual understanding, which a celibate priest has as much ability to have as anything.

In addition, priests will have some real-life experience of sexual temptation and therefore have relevant experience as well (which some claim they lack because of being celibate).

But why say it in 50 words when you can say it in 500?

–Jen

 

[ContegoFides]

We have to remember that the Church HAS changed their teachings on sexuality many times over the past 2000 years as more information was learned. For years we taught Augustine’s teachings… no longer, some are almost laughable in the modern world.

After re-reading some of these posts, I noticed this statement. I challenge it.

Show me in an authoritative document where the Church has changed her teachings (as opposed to disciplines) on sexual morality in 2000 years. Especially show me where the Church has ever stated that artificial birth control was moral. It has always been immoral and with us; we’re just better at it with modern technology compared to hundreds of years ago.

The Church may have refined her recommended disciplines regarding certain kinds of sexual behaviors, and She might have a deeper understanding of sexuality after due consideration, but the Truth of teaching never changes because the Truth never changes.

Additionally, talking about whether or not the Church has changed on this issue, or any other issue ,as a way of hoping or thinking that the Church will change on these issues misses a key point: obediance. We have a duty of obedience to the Church through the authority that Jesus gave to Peter. Therefore, even if the Church were wrong on any issues, we are to obey.

Not that there’s anything wrong with discussing these matters. However, it is clear that right reason is on the side of the Church on sexual issues, particularly in view of the careful consideration and teachings promulagated in Humane Vitae, Dignitatus Mulieris, and other official documents of the Church. I’d also note the near prophetic vision of Pope Paul VI in Humane Vitae of what would happen if artificial birth control were to be refined and used so commonly.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

Yes, I have thought about what JP II said many times. It’s sad that he was so right about it, but maybe now we will start to listen to him.

Priests who openly go against the teachings of the Magisterium cause scandal, and lead others astray. This is easily accomplished in a world where orthodox teachings have more or less been tossed aside (my own RCIA program included). We should pray for them, but NOT support their actions.