Those with blind faith

[Chris_in_BC]

Do you find there are a lot of people around who have blind faith? The people who are great when it comes to goingto church and praying but when it comes to taking a stand they don’t understand whythe church is taking a stand on an issue and are going along with it because the church says so? I guess I’m bringing this up because being in Canada the church ids under attack over the issue of same sex marraiges. There are a lot of Catholics I have run into who are opposed to it because the church is opposed to it but have no understanding of why the church is opposed to it which is the fact marraige is a sacrament and when it comes to sacraments you don’t change them. Not only that but civil law has gotten the definition of marraige from cannon law and by the law changing the definition of cannon law it is in fact telling the church that the state can change whatever it wants that is the jurisdiction of the church. I guess this whole thing just really scares me because one lawyer for gay rights has said outright that any door which includes a church will be kicked down which could someday ean a priest could be sued for discrimination for refusing to marry a gay couple

 

[Caesar]

Do you find there are a lot of people around who have blind faith? The people who are great when it comes to goingto church and praying but when it comes to taking a stand they don’t understand whythe church is taking a stand on an issue and are going along with it because the church says so? I guess I’m bringing this up because being in Canada the church ids under attack over the issue of same sex marraiges. There are a lot of Catholics I have run into who are opposed to it because the church is opposed to it but have no understanding of why the church is opposed to it which is the fact marraige is a sacrament and when it comes to sacraments you don’t change them. Not only that but civil law has gotten the definition of marraige from cannon law and by the law changing the definition of cannon law it is in fact telling the church that the state can change whatever it wants that is the jurisdiction of the church. I guess this whole thing just really scares me because one lawyer for gay rights has said outright that any door which includes a church will be kicked down which could someday ean a priest could be sued for discrimination for refusing to marry a gay couple

As a fellow Canadian, I share in your fears. In fact, it has already happened to some degree- the Bishop of Calgary and various priests in his Diocese were charged (I dont know if any of the charges went through though) with discrimmination when they openly denounced gay marriage. There was that Knights of Columbus hall that was sucessfully sued when they refused to allow a lesbian wedding there. Probably more cases. Oh, and dont forget that a few years ago a gay rights group attacked the Cathedral in Montreal, throwing used condoms and empty birth control pill bottles around, and then trying to throw down the Tabernacle itself, and the Montreal police said they werent commiting a hate crime, they were just non-violently protesting the Church… what a state this country has fallen into

Anyway, you are correct in saying that we shouldnt have blind faith, as to fight injustice and immorality we must understand why we are fighting it.

Also, while it is true that the Canadian legal system (like most western legal systems) is based on Catholic canon law, the issue of gay marriage has absolutely nothing to do with this. The Sacrament of Marriage as a union of one man and one woman is an infallible and unchanging doctrine of the Church. So, the state cannot change Canon Law- as a “modern” western nation, Canada prides itself on the separation of Church and State, which works both ways

 

[Chris_in_BC]

Actually since you mention the Knights of Columbus and therefusal to rent the hall I should say that this was the event that really sparked my fears because it really hit close to home for me since I am not only a Knight but I am friends with a lot of the knights that were involved with this. Luckily in this issue the gay couple were told that we had the right to refuse them based on our religous beliefs. Unfortunately in an attempt to stay politically correct the couple was awarded $1000 saying we inconvinienced them. So in a way this battle was a victory in the sense it was determined we were within our rights to refuse them but it was a loss too because we had to pay out money

 

[Liberian]

Chris,

While it is nice for people to be informed about their faith, there is nothing wrong with blind faith per se. You will find it all over the place; how many people, for example, have any direct evidence that the earth goes around the sun, or that the moons of Saturn exist?

If the Catholic population of Canada will stand up against something simply because the Church is opposed to it, I say hooray for them. Obviously people’s opposition will generally be more robust if they know why the Church opposed it, but I don’t see anything wrong with trusting the Church.

• Liberian

 

[Chris_in_BC]

Liberian

I agree with you to an extent. there is nothing wrong with blind faith per se but when it comes to the matter of defendig the church blind faith does not work. For me I have found that if the majority of Catholics in Canada were to have blind faith on the issue of same sex marraige there would be priests across Canada that would be forced to perform same sex marraiges or risked being sued for discrimination. I have found that a lot of people who are for same sex marraige claim the only reason Catholics are opposed to it is because the church is against it. When it comes to defense of the church on this issue I personally see the best defenders aren’t priests or even rch bishops but rather well informed lay people who understand why the church is taking a stand on a particular issue

 

[Liberian]

… but when it comes to the matter of defendig the church blind faith does not work.

Chris,

On that you are absolutely and totally correct. When you are talking to somebody who does not accept the authority of the Church, saying “I say this because the Church says it” gets you nowhere.

For me I have found that if the majority of Catholics in Canada were to have blind faith on the issue of same sex marraige there would be priests across Canada that would be forced to perform same sex marraiges or risked being sued for discrimination.

I think this is a bit of a non sequitur. What percent of the population of Canada is Catholic? If they had blind faith, the virtue of obedience, and 51 percent of the vote, you’d be in great shape. But certainly if you are going to try to raise some allies in the fight, “Because Mother Church says so” is not a good enough reason.

I have found that a lot of people who are for same sex marraige claim the only reason Catholics are opposed to it is because the church is against it.

It was in graduate school that I first noticed what I call the “casual disregard for the truth” on the part of our brethren on the political left. The defenders of same-sex marriage are saying what they say because it scores them points. Besides, since when does the Church opposing something become a reason to support it?

When it comes to defense of the church on this issue I personally see the best defenders aren’t priests or even rch bishops but rather well informed lay people who understand why the church is taking a stand on a particular issue

Let me give you a hearty “Amen” to that as well.

• Liberian