The Roman Catholic Church

[Orfuln]

Following the death of Sinead O'Connor.

Obviously the acts and crimes of this church are vast and can't be contained to one place. But in honour of a great woman, if you find it in yourself, give your testimony here.

Mine : my father was institutionalised, brutalised and brainwashed in childhood by the Catholic organisation who schooled him following the death of his father. He was an unhappy and violent man who didn't understand family relationships and consequently my own childhood was blighted with violence and misery. I did however learn my catechism very well. I now absolutely reject it.

I can't say, apparently. But I'm not going to get a straight answer out of that particular poster anyway.

They are not ‘well-placed’ to influence.

Many politicians with far less power are often berated for not being representative of the population. Old, white, males, with no money concerns, who don’t have employment as most experience it, who have never run a household, been in a partnership, or had families of their own etc. should not even be commenting on female reproductive issues let alone issuing edicts about it.

As someone raised Catholic I always remember “go in peace to love and serve the Lord” at the end of mass. Yet, I’m often amazed at the frankly venomous replies of some posters who would have you believe they are good Christians; I guess it’s just an hour a week and then being mean the rest of the time that qualifies someone as that.

So many 'good christians' are venomous, vicious pigs. There are of course lots of good actually christian people but as long as the others are tolerated, people will be alienated from the church.

I'm sorry to burst your bubble but the Church (and I use that word loosely to encompass all Christian denominations) is a hospital for sinners not a church for saints.

There are no 'good Christians' -we are all flawed.

The idea of being Christian is to grow into the best person you can be - not to be a perfect person. So the question to ask is - has a person's belief made them better than they would have been without it?

Goodness, someone is very zealous with the report button. I guess I'm not allowed to post clarifying that the Archbishop of Canterbury is not the C of E equivalent of the Pope!

I don't agree with that tbh. There are lots of very nice people who are christian. Lots don't agree with the hideous actions of the church. Not bad people. But still won't dissassociate from the church despite the scandals. It's as if they're hostages.

I would say, you will know them by their fruits.

Okay fine. You're advocating for the church to be "well placed to influence" policy that affects everyone including non Catholics. So 'don't like don't join' doesn't really work.

@Chickenkeev I don't agree with that tbh

Your prerogative.

So do you think that Christians should be perfect people?

You misunderstand,

We live in a democracy. So while there may be a different opinion being voiced, by many different groups, at the end of the day it comes to a majority vote by politicians.

My great uncle was a priest. He molested my auntie and many of her female cousins. My granny refused to contemplate it was happening, my granda ended up in a mental asylum getting shock therapy for suggesting it was happening. The rest of the family stopped talking to one of the aunties for believing her child who said she was abused by him. The priest was moved around to various different parishes in Ireland until he was moved to Japan and remained there for the last 15 years of his life. My dad didn't know or understand until my auntie told him about 20 years ago what had happened and then it all fell into place for him. He hasn't been back to mass since and it cemented my certainty that I was nothing to do with this institution.

So are people who keep voting for the same political party (despite the scandals) being "held hostage" as well? 🤔

Well yes, if they disagree with policies but keep voting for the same then there is some sort of mental thing that is holding them hostage. I'm not saying it's right, but it is what it is.

That's awful. But so Irish sadly. The story is so common.

So you don't think the church should have a role in politics?

.

No. Never. They can have opinions etc which they will no doubt extoll from the pulpit. Fair enough. And their constituents will vote that way should they so decide. They should not be given a platform on national television for their very biased views. That is not right.

What do you mean by "a role"?

What about the scandals, do they turn a blind eye to those as well?

Whatever you meant when you said "play meaningful roles at all levels of politics: local, national, and global. "

So by the same token the National Secular Society shouldn't be on TV or involved in lobbying either?

Oh and BTW I've never known any priest send a political message from the pulpit.

Historically the Church did (and still does), take a crucial role in the protection of civil society during communist and authoritarian right-wing rule.

In addition it takes an active role in promoting democracy and religious pluralism.

Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/aug/26/scottish-catholics-campaign-gay-marriage

The Catholic Church has also taken an active role in genocide