Should liberals leave the catholic church?

[mikew262]

patg:

What’s there not to understand? If there is no alternative which is anywhere near as good as the Catholic Church, why leave? Yes, I disagree with some things for what I see as very good reason but it’s still the best there is.

I disagree with my parents on many things but I still know where home is and I know I am still loved and accepted there. Why not here? Is the quality of “God the Father” somehow less than my human father? And I am certainly not affecting anyone else’s relationship with God by my thoughts on the Church.

I understand how some can just say the believe and agree with everything the church says, does, and requires - but what possible good is it to do that when one can’t rationally accept it?

Does God have a bad day if I mumble the words *“Women should be allowed to be priests…” ? *If so, I feel sorry for God…

I suspect (more or less) many Catholics agree with your position, except maybe for the “feeling sorry for God” part.

 

[buffalo]

They should at least go to confession:

Liberalism is a Sin

 

[Isidore_AK]

All I have to say to the liberals is this:

Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out!

 

[Penny_Plain]

I stay because it’s my home.

I’m not sure how my presence in the Church (liberal dissenter that I am…) affects anyone else’s relationship with God or His Church, but I’m sure somebody will explain it to me.

 

[mikew262]

Isidore_AK:

All I have to say to the liberals is this:

Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out!

Open-mindedness and understanding at it’s best.

 

[setter]

Penny Plain:

I stay because it’s my home.

I’m not sure how my presence in the Church (liberal dissenter that I am…) affects anyone else’s relationship with God or His Church, but I’m sure somebody will explain it to me.

As long as one keeps their liberal dissent to themself (and chosen confidents or confessor) this will not affect anyone else’s relationship with God or His Church in a negative way.

My question for you: How does one keep their liberal dissent (as in active dissent) from infecting the good of others in the Church?

 

[mike182d]

Let them be anathema!

 

[cathgal]

Penny Plain:

I stay because it’s my home.

I’m not sure how my presence in the Church (liberal dissenter that I am…) affects anyone else’s relationship with God or His Church, but I’m sure somebody will explain it to me.

As long as you don’t spread your liberal thoughts to ignorant Catholics, you wouldn’t affect His Church. It’s hard enough to find truth without others misguiding them.

 

[patg]

setter:

As long as one keeps their liberal dissent to themself (and chosen confidents or confessor) this will not affect anyone else’s relationship with God or His Church in a negative way.

My question for you: How does one keep their liberal dissent (as in active dissent) from infecting the good of others in the Church?

My answer is: Who would possibly listen to me over the mighty magesterium of the church? And why would they?

If my “foolish” ramblings are enough to corrupt a good conservative catholic (whatever that is) then maybe there’s a little substance to what I am saying and it’s not all just dissident drivel (or maybe one should question just how good of a catholic they are).

Now you might say you’re not too worried about adults but I could corrupt young innocent minds with this evil… Well, I’m not in a teaching position for young catholics and in my experieince, young minds exhibit plenty of dissidence on their own. I have taught modern historical-critical scripture interpretation to adults but that is probably only a venial-liberal sin (but only to conservatives).

 

[patg]

cathgal:

As long as you don’t spread your liberal thoughts to ignorant Catholics, you wouldn’t affect His Church.

Maybe having some liberal thoughts would be preferable to having no thoughts.

 

[Penny_Plain]

cathgal:

As long as you don’t spread your liberal thoughts to ignorant Catholics, you wouldn’t affect His Church. It’s hard enough to find truth without others misguiding them.

How do I determine who is an “ignorant Catholic”?

I adopt PATG’s answer to Setter as my own.

 

[mike182d]

patg:

Maybe having some liberal thoughts would be preferable to having no thoughts.

In my many conversations and dicussions, I have found that liberal Catholic thoughts are often the very product of little, or no thought.

 

[Brendan]

I wonder if any of them think the Church will change Her teachings on matters of Faith and Morals?

 

[fix]

Lazerlike42:

Why do people stay in the Church when they disagree? Whatever liberal views a person has, there is some church out there that agrees with him/her. Why do these people stay? This I will never understand.

Perhaps more than one answer applies? Often, it may be that those who reject the authority of the Church “stay” because they have a mantle of legitimacy. If they leave they no longer have a platform.

Other times perhaps folks just cannot reason enough to find that the teachings of the Church on faith and morals cannot ever change. They just refuse to accept it perhaps because it may mean changing the way one leads their life, or because it may mean they have to submit to authority?

 

[rlg94086]

patg:

My answer is: Who would possibly listen to me over the mighty magesterium of the church? And why would they?

Why would you listen to yourself over the “mighty” Magesterium? Did Jesus slip the keys to the Kingdom to you when we weren’t looking?

 

[mikew262]

fix:

Perhaps more than one answer applies? Often, it may be that those who reject the authority of the Church “stay” because they have a mantle of legitimacy. If they leave they no longer have a platform.

Other times perhaps folks just cannot reason enough to find that the teachings of the Church on faith and morals cannot ever change. They just refuse to accept it perhaps because it may mean changing the way one leads their life, or because it may mean they have to submit to authority?

Or as I stated before, they love being Catholic, but they feel the Church is just flat wrong on a particular issue. They don’t feel they need to leave, just because they disagree on something.

 

[fix]

mikew262:

Or as I stated before, they love being Catholic, but they feel the Church is just flat wrong on a particular issue. They don’t feel they need to leave, just because they disagree on something.

That “disagreement” goes to the foundation of faith. Disagreeing would intend rejecting the authority of the vicar of Christ which would seem to be rejecting Christ’s authority? Why would one reject that authority?

 

[patg]

mike182d:

In my many conversations and dicussions, I have found that liberal Catholic thoughts are often the very product of little, or no thought.

In my many conversations and dicussions, I have found that unquestioning acceptance of all church disciplines and rules is often also the product of little, or no thought.

After all, it requires no thought at all to let others think for you. If you happen to come to the same conclusions after serious thought, then that’s perfect for you.

 

[Penny_Plain]

fix:

That “disagreement” goes to the foundation of faith. Disagreeing would intend rejecting the authority of the vicar of Christ which would seem to be rejecting Christ’s authority? Why would one reject that authority?

One might, for example, feel that the vicar of Christ had overstepped its authority when it came to defining its authority.

 

[mike182d]

patg:

In my many conversations and dicussions, I have found that unquestioning acceptance of all church disciplines and rules is often also the product of little, or no thought.

Who unquestioningly accepts all Church disciplines? Or do you mean doctrine?

Doesn’t sound like you put much thought into that statement

After all, it requires no thought at all to let others think for you. If you happen to come to the same conclusions after serious thought, then that’s perfect for you.

You’re right, it takes humility. Last time I checked, pride was never a virtue.