Religious Freedom

[MariaTS]

Why are so many Catholics opposed to religious freedom? Many are so fixated on the false belief that Catholicism is the one true religion of the one true God that they are unable to accept other religions. Many think Catholicism should be the national religion of the USA. The reason why the USA is so great is because it has no official national language or national religion. Catholics, Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, they all have one God, it’s most likely that it is the exact same God. They both have faith in God/Allah/Yahweh. Even the religions that believe in no God or multiple God’s should be tolerated. There are many different ways into Heaven or into the Spirit World and all should be cherished and respected.

 

[pigtown]

I had no idea that Catholics were opposed to religious freedom. This is completely new to me. I thought that we, as Catholics, respected all religions. I also thought that we in the USA have a national language and that is English. I know that almost everything here is now also written in Spanish so I guess that will eventually become our national language (I hope not!). Guess I’ve learned a couple of things from this thread.

 

[tabbey48]

There are many different ways into Heaven or into the Spirit World and all should be cherished and respected

In another post today you said:

I simply do not believe that there is a God, I believe that there is a Goddess

I think what you are saying is that you do not agree with the Catholic Church (The real one; not the one you seem to wish existed).

I do not believe that most Catholics are opposed to religious freedom. In fact, I believe most Catholics have a generous attitude toward other faiths. But we KNOW who JESUS is… And we know which Church HE established…and we know who speaks with authority given to him by our Lord. And THAT is why we are Roman Catholic.

 

[Rascalking]

I had no idea that Catholics were opposed to religious freedom. This is completely new to me. .

Um-yes, I agree.

OP, you got me on this one. I’ve heard rumors that Catholics where against Religious freedom, but I just dismissed them as anti-Catholic rubbish.

I don’t think most Catholics are against religious freedom. Yes, you can find some Catholics who are.

You can also (probably) find Catholics who believe that Kennedy was shot by a wild turkey.

 

[kimmielittle]

In another post today you said:

I think what you are saying is that you do not agree with the Catholic Church (The real one; not the one you seem to wish existed).

I do not believe that most Catholics are opposed to religious freedom. In fact, I believe most Catholics have a generous attitude toward other faiths. But we KNOW who JESUS is… And we know which Church HE established…and we know who speaks with authority given to him by our Lord. And THAT is why we are Roman Catholic.

:clapping::clapping:

Also posted by this poster

Why do you oppose stem cell research? I mean seriously, only a small minority of stem cells are embryonic. It makes no logical sense for catholics to be openly opposed to all stem cell research. Most stem cells come from cord blood. Stem cells from cord blood cannot create a baby, that is biologically impossible.

 

[St_Francis]

Why are so many Catholics opposed to religious freedom? Many are so fixated on the false belief that Catholicism is the one true religion of the one true God that they are unable to accept other religions. Many think Catholicism should be the national religion of the USA. The reason why the USA is so great is because it has no official national language or national religion. Catholics, Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, they all have one God, it’s most likely that it is the exact same God. They both have faith in God/Allah/Yahweh. Even the religions that believe in no God or multiple God’s should be tolerated. There are many different ways into Heaven or into the Spirit World and all should be cherished and respected.

Suppose I go to the doctor, who tells me that I have dangerously high blood pressure and am at risk for a stroke, and that my triglicerides are dangerously high, putting me at risk for a heart attack, and that my sugar levels are such that I am about to enter into full-blown diabetes if I don’t change how I eat.

I go home and say, That doctor is such a scare-monger! I feel fine–there can’t be anything wrong with me if I feel ok. I do not believe that there is anything wrong with me.

Would my lack of belief in what the doctor has to say make me well?

In the same way, we can *believe *whatever we want, but that does not make what we believe correct. I met many women who said they believed in a goddess instead of God Himself, but did their belief change the nature of God? I have met atheists; did their belief make God disappear?

The reality is that there can be only one truth. Our task is to examine the claims of those who say they hold the truth for *reasons to believe them over others. *

All the religions subsequent to Christ’s founding a church were founded by men: Mohammed, Luther, Knox, etc. Why would I believe Luther over Joseph Smith? Why would I believe Mary Baker Eddy over John Wesley?

One man claimed to be the Son of God. Are His claims reasonable to believe? if so, then what did He say? Is it reasonable to believe what He said?

As Catholics, we believe what we believe *not *because we like it, but because of all the competing claims out there, Catholicism is the most reasonable and makes the most sense. It has been tested by much greater minds than yours or mine and has not failed the test.

You list yourself as a Catholic. if you actually believe things other than what the Church teaches, then why do you call yourself a Catholic?

 

[gamewell45]

I had no idea that Catholics were opposed to religious freedom. This is completely new to me. I thought that we, as Catholics, respected all religions. I also thought that we in the USA have a national language and that is English. I know that almost everything here is now also written in Spanish so I guess that will eventually become our national language (I hope not!). Guess I’ve learned a couple of things from this thread.

I could be wrong, but I don’t think there is actually any so-called “national language” although a majority of the inhabitants of our country speak english as a rule and the language is taught in most public schools. There are areas where some areas may have bilingual signs, but that depends on what part of the country you live in. In NYC you can find areas where all signage is in Spanish, chinese, italian, greek, etc.

Btw, from my experience, i’ve found most Catholics are not opposed to religious freedom; just that you will always have those on the extreme fringe of any religious group where it is their way or no way when it comes to certain religious beliefs.

 

[St_Francis]

:clapping::clapping:

Also posted by this poster

I wonder if she knows what a strawman argument is?

 

[JohnCS]

Every time I start to think that I can not be shocked ever again, I see something like this post … Lord God please help us all.

 

[MariaTS]

You list yourself as a Catholic. if you actually believe things other than what the Church teaches, then why do you call yourself a Catholic?

I believe what is required of the Catholic faith, nothing more. Catholics do not have to believe most Church teaching, they just have to believe the fundamental values of the Church. For example: The Vatican does not require you to be opposed to same-sex marriage nor does it require you to believe that a transwoman is not a woman, that is just current teaching. I can support same-sex marriage and I can know, in my heart, that I am and always will be a woman. Just because current teaching does not agree with this does not mean that I have to believe what they teach. I believe in the fundamentals of the Catholic Church, nothing more, nothing less.

 

[MariaTS]

I think what you are saying is that you do not agree with the Catholic Church.

I do not think you got the context of that earlier post. Also, me believing that the Christian God is female is no different than you believing that the Christian God is male. God/Goddess built us in Hir(Him/Her) image, God/Goddess has to be both male and female.

 

[Marc_Anthony]

You’re probably at least partly referring to a topic I posted about about making Christianity a required religion for new citizens. As such, I did not advocate the idea, I presented it and I listened to what people had to say about it.

 

[Marc_Anthony]

I do not think you got the context of that earlier post. Also, me believing that the Christian God is female is no different than you believing that the Christian God is male. God/Goddess built us in Hir(Him/Her) image, God/Goddess has to be both male and female.

We know Him as God the Father.

 

[MariaTS]

You’re probably at least partly referring to a topic I posted about about making Christianity a required religion for new citizens. As such, I did not advocate the idea, I presented it and I listened to what people had to say about it.

Yes, partly. Also, you may not have advocated it, but other posters did.

 

[Marc_Anthony]

I believe what is required of the Catholic faith, nothing more. Catholics do not have to believe most Church teaching, they just have to believe the fundamental values of the Church. For example: The Vatican does not require you to be opposed to same-sex marriage nor does it require you to believe that a transwoman is not a woman, that is just current teaching. I can support same-sex marriage and I can know, in my heart, that I am and always will be a woman. Just because current teaching does not agree with this does not mean that I have to believe what they teach. I believe in the fundamentals of the Catholic Church, nothing more, nothing less.

I’m pretty sure you’re wrong at least about same-sex marriage. You absolutely HAVE to be opposed to it, it is an infallible teaching.

 

[Marc_Anthony]

Yes, partly. Also, you may not have advocated it, but other posters did.

I remember most of the posters being very much against it. As such, if you wanted their reasoning, I suggest you go on the thread and ask them instead of making a generalization like this.

 

[JohnCS]

MariaTS

I am very afraid that you are being led astray by someone. The Popes are infallible when it comes to their teachings on faith and morals. Same sex sexual relations definately falls into those categories. They are very clear, as is the catechism that same sex is disordered and sinful. That is something that we HAVE to believe. We also HAVE to believe that the Catholic Church is the ONE TRUE Church that Christ founded, that She (the Church), and only she, has the FULL truth. I find it hard to believe that you have over 200 posts on this site and that you have not seen any of the forums that discuss infallibility, other religions, homosexuality, etc etc.

God bless,

John

 

[MariaTS]

I’m pretty sure you’re wrong at least about same-sex marriage. You absolutely HAVE to be opposed to it, it is an infallible teaching.

A statement/teaching can only be infallible if it is, directly, referring to Dogmatic teaching. Dogma never condemns same-sex marriage.

 

[MariaTS]

The Popes are infallible when it comes to their teachings on faith and morals.

That is simply untrue and it is very problematic that most Catholics believe it. A Pope can only make an infallible statement if he is referring to Dogmatic teaching.

 

[Dale_M]

Why are so many Catholics opposed to religious freedom? Many are so fixated on the false belief that Catholicism is the one true religion of the one true God that they are unable to accept other religions. Many think Catholicism should be the national religion of the USA…

Maria, it is true that here at CAF we occasionally get members who believe in theocracy, and would ban other religions or treat them unfavorably. But I am not convinced that such persons are a significant portion of CAF members. They are extremists who are outside of the mainstream of Catholic teaching.

Eight months ago, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Vatican’s representative at the United Nations, addressed the UN General Assembly. His speech advocated for freedom of religion in all countries, and the UN’s responsibility in making sure such freedom is available.
americancatholic.org/news/report.aspx?id=1871

To learn a bit more about the Church’s respect for other religions, you might want to read the Catechism’s sections on non-Catholic religions: 817-848
vatican.va/archive/catechism/p123a9p3.htm