What are the reasons I should (or shouldn't) become Catholic?

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Mickey said:
Alexander Solzhenitsyn once said that what has happened in Russia, is coming to the West.
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He said it in 1975. Quite a lot of water has run under the bridge since then.

I don’t think we are in any danger of Communism. But we may be in danger of something equally bad.

Edwin
 
Contarini said:
I don’t think we are in any danger of Communism. But we may be in danger of something equally bad.
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Do you think that modernism, secular humanism, and materialism could be a somewhat mutated form of communism?
 
Mickey said:
Do you think that modernism, secular humanism, and materialism could be a somewhat mutated form of communism?
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I think that’s an odd way of putting it, since arguably Communism arose out of these things. Communism is not the root of all evil–it’s just one manifestation, whose day appears (thank God) to have largely passed.

Edwin
 
Contarini said:
I think that’s an odd way of putting it, since arguably Communism arose out of these things. Communism is not the root of all evil–it’s just one manifestation, whose day appears (thank God) to have largely passed.
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If communism arose from these things, then they are related. Let us hope that communism in the forms we have witnessed is never manifested again–the soil is there.
 
Communists in theory wanted equal distribution of goods. In its philosophical concept it was anti-materialistic and was egalitarian. Of course this did not work. Greed took over and an elite appeared.
An economic theory which stresses that the control of the means of producing economic goods in a society should reside in the hands of those who invest their labor for production. In its ideal form, social classes cease to exist, there is no coercive governmental structures, and everyone lives in abundance without supervision from a ruling class. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels popularized this theory in their 1848 Communist Manifesto.
www.ilstu.edu/class/hist127/terms.html
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The threat of this age is Fascism:
“A philosophy or system of government that is marked by stringent social and economic control, a strong, centralized government usually headed by a dictator, and often a policy of belligerent nationalism.” (From The American Heritage Dictionary)
www2.truman.edu/~marc/resources/terms.html
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The name comes from the Latin fasces – a bundle of rods with a projecting axe, which was the symbol of authority in ancient Rome. The term was applied by Mussolini to his movement after his rise to power in 1922. The Fascists were viciously anti-Communist and anti- liberal and, once in power, relied on an authoritarian state apparatus. They also used emotive slogans and old prejudices (for example, against the Jews) to bolster the leader’s strongman appeal. …
www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/browse/glossary.html
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A social and political ideology with the primary guiding principle that the state or nation is the highest priority, rather than personal or individual freedoms.
www.chgs.umn.edu/Educational_Resources/Curriculum/Witness_And_Legacy_-_Teacher_R/Glossary__Teacher_Resource_Boo/glossary__teacher_resource_boo.html
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Contarini said:
Nazi racism was based on the belief, held and promulgated by many scientists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, that certain races are superior to others (and certain individuals within those races superior to others), and that members of a superior race have not only the right but the duty of dominating inferior races and guarding the purity of their own race in order to ensure future progress.
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The use of science only reinforced what was already there (racism).
Contarini said:
Premodern monarchies had very little direct control over people’s lives. That’s one reason why they so often resorted to rule by terror–killing people in a public and nasty way every so often was one of the ways to ensure that people would respect your authority when you weren’t around to enforce it. With modern bureaucracy and technology, it became possible for the state to control how people lived as never before.
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So it was just a difference in efficiency?
Contarini said:
How? That’s quite a sweeping and dramatic claim–feel free to share your justification for it.
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karl marx suffered as a jew. his family’s solution was to convert to christinity. karl’s solution was to become an atheist.

OH I REALLY GOTTA GO! HALO 3 here i come!!!
 
notself said:
Communists in theory wanted equal distribution of goods. In its philosophical concept it was anti-materialistic and was egalitarian. Of course this did not work. Greed took over and an elite appeared.:
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Communism is anti-materialistic? I don’t agree with that, it’s suprememly materialistic. In the Communist systems it’s all about material goods. There is certainly no place for the transcendent in their philosophy.
The threat of this age is Fascism
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Just keep in mind Fascism is not the opposite of Communism. Sure, they have different underlying philosophies, but for all practical purposes life under either of these political systems would be about the same. They are both totalitarian and they both deny people basic human rights. So whether Communism or Fascism is the latest threat, it makes little difference to me. They both require intrusive governments and severely limit people’s freedom. I’m not sure the people living under these regimes would be able to tell the difference.
 
Janet_S said:
Communism is anti-materialistic? I don’t agree with that, it’s suprememly materialistic. In the Communist systems it’s all about material goods. There is certainly no place for the transcendent in their philosophy.

Just keep in mind Fascism is not the opposite of Communism. Sure, they have different underlying philosophies, but for all practical purposes life under either of these political systems would be about the same. They are both totalitarian and they both deny people basic human rights. So whether Communism or Fascism is the latest threat, it makes little difference to me. They both require intrusive governments and severely limit people’s freedom. I’m not sure the people living under these regimes would be able to tell the difference.
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Communism in practice was all of those things. If you read my post again, you will note that the philosophy hypothesized no or very little government. The hypothesis did not work.

I never said that Fascism was the opposite of Communism. Communism started as a liberal hypothesis that turned into totalitarianism because of greed. Fascism begins with greed, greed for absolute control of all means of production and civil action. It is also totalitarian in nature. Communism was a threat to Democracy in the 40 year after WWII. Fascism which started WWII and went underground is now once again gaining strength. It is the biggest threat we will face in the next 40 years.
 
…continued
Contarini said:
That’s incredibly simplistic. Just for starters, the period before WWI was quite peaceful and prosperous. Then all hell broke loose. Why? People who subscribe to your view of the world would have us believe that people somehow got nostalgic for magic and mysticism and premodern irrationality, but that reeks of special pleading to me. The horrors of the World Wars came after a period when it seemed as if the Western world was progressing peacefully, and the reasons for this have to be sought squarely in modernity, because that’s when these events happened.
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it was peaceful & prosperous but it still reeked of racism, colonialism, and a complex system of political distrusts and alliances. Doesnt that remind you of a powder keg? just sitting there waiting for a tiny spark? 😃 Can you add some more? Otherwise those 3 are well rooted in past behavior.
Contarini said:
You really can’t turn the clock back, you know. The people who normally say this actually mean the opposite–they fear that turning the clock back is possible and are pleading with us not to do it. But since you really can’t, that isn’t something to worry about. What we have to worry about is what the clock is moving forward to.
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I’m not into turning clocks. What matters is the present and the future. And I’m just happy with the way things are. I can live like this forever! 🙂
Contarini said:
I’m sorry to be rude, but the ignorance revealed by that question is breathtaking. For starters, have a look at this BBC story which talks about sixteen different wars going on in 2004 (and these are just a few of the wars currently/recently going on around the world).
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i’m not that ignorant. of course i knew theres a little bit going on here and there (from afghanistan to minor rebellions in some countries). its just that the mainly major thing going on right now are those things you mentioned. right? the U.N. does make a difference. hooray for modernity! 😃
 
AgnosTheist said:
on which countries you think its gaining strength?
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Fascism is on the rise in Northern Ireland. By this I mean the skin-heads that are attacking, torturing, and killing immigrants there.

These groups are gaining strength in other areas of Europe and to some extent South America.

While I won’t say that there is a Fascist Party of any size in America, the suspension of Habeas Corpus by the Military Commissions Act and certain provisions of the Patriot Act are certainly of deep concern to me and should be to all of us.

As a nation we are increasingly willing to trade our civil rights for the illusion of safety.

Boy, have we ever wandered off topic.
 
notself said:
Boy, have we ever wandered off topic.
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yeah thanks for the reminder. What are the reasons I should (or shouldn’t) become Catholic?

In terms of Condoms & the Earth-friendliness:

For:
  • If you want to save the earth from condom waste products, DO become a catholic.
Against:
  • If you want to protect the earth from Overpopulation, DONT become a catholic.
:cool:
 
i have been a baptist a pagan and now non denominational considering catholisism but if catholic is the 1 true religion why were they involved in the cruxifiction of christ.
 
vampir2020 said:
i have been a baptist a pagan and now non denominational considering catholisism but if catholic is the 1 true religion why were they involved in the cruxifiction of christ.
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Dear vampir2020,
Code: 
Are you serious? I would recommend that you invest in a Catholic childrens bible or actually a bible for teenage level. Seriously, this is how most of us begin even as adults. Like a refresher course.
Also, I can recommend getting the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Read and study both, slowly.

I have many web sites to recommend. This one has many answers hence their name.

To answer your question with questions–
Who is Jesus of Nazareth?
Who are catholics, when and why did this religion begin?

You need to go back and learn history. I am far from an expert but can offer some basic guidance if you like. I am sure others here would assist also.

k
 
Delraek said:
You agree with this?
abortionno.org/

😦

Personally, I wish everyone who thinks abortion should be legal (even under certain conditions) would be forced to watch one!
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ack, i cant bear to watch that one. now it doesnt say there for what reasons the abortions are. its a case to case basis. so long as it hasnt yet developed a mind, its not yet a person, i can tolerate abortion for the right reasons.
 
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