Too legalistic at times

  • Thread starter Thread starter SacredHeartBassist
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
SacredHeartBassist said:
Not what I was trying to say. But it’s like people here don’t focus on the love at all
Click to expand...
I focus on the love. I do appreciate you making the point. As humans, we do a great job of making things way more important and complicated than they really are. Love is what matters.
 
Last edited:
Without a specific example of what point is being criticized as “legalistic”, it’s hard to know how to respond to this post.

I don’t really think of this board as a place for me to share my personal happy thoughts about my relationship with God. It’s a place to discuss the teachings and requirements of the faith, called “Catholic Answers”, not “Catholic Sharing” or “Catholic Witnessing” or any of that. By nature, a board focused on the beliefs and requirements of Catholics is going to be a bit legalistic.
 
Last edited:
Tis_Bearself said:
Without a specific example of what point is being criticized as “legalistic”, it’s hard to know how to respond to this post.

I don’t really think of this board as a place for me to share my personal happy thoughts about my relationship with God. It’s a place to discuss the teachings and requirements of the faith, called “Catholic Answers”, not “Catholic Sharing” or “Catholic Witnessing” or any of that. By nature, a board focused on the beliefs and requirements of Catholics is going to be a bit legalistic.
Click to expand...
I understand exactly what you said. However, when I think about it, I think OP has something here. Not that all posts should just be about love. But shouldn’t all posts really be about love? ☺️ ❤️. Fine to discuss all the legalistic business. I like that because it enhances my understanding. But I hope we never lose sight of the idea that love is first. Love of God, love of eachother.
 
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
Yey! Hugs for everyone 😊
 
Well, I do think that all posters on here can and should be loving to each other. Most of us including myself fall short of that mark at times.

However, it’s important to note that some of the people who are being “legalistic” or seemingly harsh are motivated out of, in their minds, love, because as they see it, they are trying to keep people from falling into error and going to Hell. They may not always be the most diplomatic about it, but a lot of them mean well. Also, at the other extreme there are folks who think any sort of laying down of the rules or the law or any statement that might “hurt someone’s feelings” is uncharitable. We cannot deny basic Church teachings on the basis that they might hurt somebody’s feelings. We can try to present them kindly, but some people think of any sort of disagreement or being told “no” as hurtful and legalistic. You don’t always get your own way in the Catholic Church, that’s just how it is.
 
To be honest I don’t really care much for super scrupulous folks.
 
Christ never said anything about birth control as one example of many.
 
According to Scripture. But the Catholic Church also holds Tradition to be Sacred and of course we know that Scripture tells we would need many books to record all the things Jesus said. But as far as birth control we do have the Didache…

The earliest reference to contraception and abortion is in the Didache, a document from the second half of the first century or early second century. Didache reads: “You shall not practice birth control, you shall not murder a child by abortion, nor kill what is begotten” (2).
Click to expand...
We know Doctrine came from Jesus. That is why it is Doctrine. Just because a Doctrine isn’t mentioned in Scripture does not mean Jesus didn’t teach anything about it.
 
If they’re “super scrupulous” they need guidance. Someone with severe scrupulousity benefits greatly from an understanding Priest and possibly a psychologist.
 
IMHO - “love” is the most highjacked, overused word in our language. What does it mean to love? We have only one word for it in our language and many if not most of the time sex is involved. Most see it as eros. Many use it as a way to validate relationships that are sinful. If that makes the Church legalistic then I’m blessed to be Catholic.

After all if loving as Aquinas has said is willing the good of the other, then we have to present the truth in charity. Saving ones soul is what is paramount.
 
Last edited:
First, we don’t know everything that Jesus said in that a lot of what He did say wasn’t written down. Some was communicated orally, for instance. And some of what He says is through the Holy Spirit (Spirit, Father, and Christ are ONE). Now if you believe that the Holy Spirit is leading us to all Truth, then you have to be open to the idea that the Christian teachings on birth control (which were held by a majority of Christian denominations until the 1930 Lambeth Council where the Episcopalians decided first to allow married people only to discern if they needed to use for life-and-death reasons like ‘the mother will die if there’s another pregnancy’ which quickly morphed into ‘sufficient reason’ which morphed into 'any person engaging in sex" etc. etc.). . ARE not “what Christ said” but what He IS SAYING as with the advances in knowledge about biology and gestation we are now capable of understanding WHY artificial birth control is so wrong.
 
As @yankeesouth wrote, just because it’s not in the Bible doesn’t mean it isn’t a sacred Tradition.

But the ban against contraception is a clear example of natural law. Sexual activity should be ordered so as to be open to life.
 
Ambrose said:
IMHO - “love” is the most highjacked, overused word in our language. What does it mean to love? We have only one word for it in our language and many if not most of the time sex is involved. Most see it as eros. Many use it as a way to validate relationships that are sinful. If that makes the Church legalistic then I’m blessed to be Catholic.
Click to expand...
Is this the way you really see the world? Sex is the last thing I think of when I think of love. Truthfully, I think of a parent 's love for a child. I think of the word “beautiful”. And I think of all those I have truly loved and who have truly loved me. The people I know who engage in sex without love are the last people who would try to dress It up by using the word love to explain it. It would sort of defeat the purpose wouldn’t it?
 
You are quite right. Too many Catholics are sacramentalized but not evangelised. Both have to go hand in hand.
 
Good response and I sense the maternal love there. I see you as someone who wills the good of the other as other. Not through egotism but for the betterment of that person. I see the world as fallen and the culture reflecting that fallenness in spades in the media, at work and in society. We all crave unity but as has been said, we look for love in all the wrong places.

Maybe b/c I’m male I see it differently even though I’m in my 60’s, I’m aware of my own ‘Libido Dominandi’ and see it all around. I’m thankful for the sacraments, and the teaching of the Church.

Are same sex relations OK since two people ‘love’ each other ?
 
Ambrose said:
Are same sex relations OK since two people ‘love’ each other ?
Click to expand...
I am fine with it. But I am agnostic, so what I think about it probably isn’t relevant here. And I don’t see the necessity for quote marks around the word love, either.
 
Last edited:
JanSobieskiIII said:
Without strict law you end up finding a way to be too tolerant of things that shouldn’t be tolerated. We are God’s children, children need clear boundaries.

Focus too much on forgiveness and you lose sense on the gravity of sin because “welp God loves me and He’ll forgive me anyway”
Click to expand...
Precisely. I’ve found myself at both ends of the spectrum. As a child, I was afraid I was doomed to hell for, among other things, killing ants. Because I was poorly catechized, I didn’t know that confession was available, and that it really got me forgiven.

Years later (perhaps out of my fear), I developed a, “Most people will go to Heaven, as long as you’re a good person” attitude. Both are harmful. Like any other matter of faith, you need to keep from going to extremes, lest you become boastful or scrupulous.
 
Well sorry to offend but thats my original point, and it seems part of your as well. People justify relationships with little children based on what they call ‘love’. See the North American Man Boy Love Association. NAMBLA

That has nothing to do with love you’re correct but in their eyes it does.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top