C
cmancone
Guest
I’m of the opinion that one of the biggest dangers of the Catholic church is that it is a religion of rules. I contest that Christianity is meant to set us free to follow Christ (see Galatians 5, 1 Corinthians 10). This means many things, and one thing it means is that we are free from a man made system of rules. I believe that the Catholic church has instituted it’s own system of “law” much like the pharisees in Jesus time instituted rules that drew people away from God. I gave a number of examples of Catholic “rules” that grew much disagreement. This is what I said:
A rule in this sense means pretty much the same thing it does in our usual usage. So it helps to think of when we normally use rules. The answer is simple. We give children rules. We give kids rules because they don’t yet know enough to keep themselves out of trouble. They don’t know what’s good for them and what’s bad for them, so it’s our job to give them rules so that they learn. For the most part we don’t give adults rules because they are mature enough (hopefully) to determine what is and is not bad for them. Although we have speed limits everywhere, an adult shouldn’t need them because an adult knows that going too fast is dangerous. You don’t have to give an adult a bed time because we know we need to be functional for work.
Another important aspect that defines a rule is understanding. For the most part, a person given a rule doesn’t understand why it’s given. Young Children don’t really understand why they have a bedtime (well, most don’t anyway, I certainly didn’t). Most teenagers don’t understand why they shouldn’t speed. Many people don’t really understand why they shouldn’t drink and drive.
Now, let’s apply these same rules to some of my examples above. Does the typical Catholic know why they should give up meat during lent? Do they know why they can’t eat it specifically on a friday? Does anyone know why you are allowed to eat fish? Does anyone know why 50 years ago you couldn’t eat meat on any friday, but now that’s only true for lent? Is this really anything but a rule?
What about going to church on Sundays? Granted, going to church every week is a good idea, and I certainly try the best. But the Catholic church has made it a mortal sin to not go to church on sundays (at least, it used to be, I’m not sure if it still is). Again, christians go to church because they know they should go to church, not because they are told to go to church. I think that if the CC understood this fact, they wouldn’t have made it a mortal sin to skip church on Sundays.
These are just two examples of many of the arbitrary rules the CC has created. The simple fact of the matter is that christianity is not a religion of rules, christianity is about freedom. RCCism however is a religion of rules, and in making itself one it has removed itself from what Jesus intended for His Church. I think this is one of the biggest mistakes it has made.
Despite some suggestions otherwise, I contest that these are rules, nothing else. To see why first let me explain what a rule is, and why Christians shouldn’t need them.
A rule in this sense means pretty much the same thing it does in our usual usage. So it helps to think of when we normally use rules. The answer is simple. We give children rules. We give kids rules because they don’t yet know enough to keep themselves out of trouble. They don’t know what’s good for them and what’s bad for them, so it’s our job to give them rules so that they learn. For the most part we don’t give adults rules because they are mature enough (hopefully) to determine what is and is not bad for them. Although we have speed limits everywhere, an adult shouldn’t need them because an adult knows that going too fast is dangerous. You don’t have to give an adult a bed time because we know we need to be functional for work.
Another important aspect that defines a rule is understanding. For the most part, a person given a rule doesn’t understand why it’s given. Young Children don’t really understand why they have a bedtime (well, most don’t anyway, I certainly didn’t). Most teenagers don’t understand why they shouldn’t speed. Many people don’t really understand why they shouldn’t drink and drive.
Now, let’s apply these same rules to some of my examples above. Does the typical Catholic know why they should give up meat during lent? Do they know why they can’t eat it specifically on a friday? Does anyone know why you are allowed to eat fish? Does anyone know why 50 years ago you couldn’t eat meat on any friday, but now that’s only true for lent? Is this really anything but a rule?
What about going to church on Sundays? Granted, going to church every week is a good idea, and I certainly try the best. But the Catholic church has made it a mortal sin to not go to church on sundays (at least, it used to be, I’m not sure if it still is). Again, christians go to church because they know they should go to church, not because they are told to go to church. I think that if the CC understood this fact, they wouldn’t have made it a mortal sin to skip church on Sundays.
These are just two examples of many of the arbitrary rules the CC has created. The simple fact of the matter is that christianity is not a religion of rules, christianity is about freedom. RCCism however is a religion of rules, and in making itself one it has removed itself from what Jesus intended for His Church. I think this is one of the biggest mistakes it has made.
