The Cafeteria Faithful

[Izdaari]

If you knew how the Catholic Church answers the question of who is a Catholic, it’s not a lie when “cafeteria Catholics” use the term Catholic in the description of themselves. They are actually the ones following Catholic Church teaching and who are not “cafeteria” on that one. It’s the ones who deny them that right who are on that point, picking and choosing from the “cafeteria”.

I think Garry Wills explained that pretty well in his book, Why I Am a Catholic. I appreciated that, and now I understand why he is able to remain a Catholic while having most of the same issues with it that I do. It opened the possibility of becoming Catholic to me, but didn’t close the deal. Now I know that I could, but I don’t see any compelling reason why I should.

 

[CopticChristian]

Lack of faith does not seem to be the issue. God is a mystery of the highest order. What mankind knows of God was revealed through the ministry of Jesus on earth. Belief in God, as defined by the early Church requires faith. My friend finds no problem in professing the Creed.

But was it really necessary to invent a whole public-sector “machine” out of such a small sliver of revelation? What’s the result of the ongoing policy of employing a full time staff of politicians, legislators and lawyers? A catechism that seeks to define every stitch of divine revelation and dispel all “mystery”?. A penal code complete with sentences, fines and bail? More lawyers to prosecutors the offenders? Where is the faith in that?

'Sakya

Kirosakya,

You claim to be Latin Catholic converting to Orthodoxy and in your OP express concern for counseling someone. Your negative view of the Latin Church should dissuade you from honestly counseling anyone. You are critical and this makes it difficult to believe that you could honestly approach anyone like this in distress. Ask her to speak to her Parish priest, get on your knees and pray for the best.