MATH: "Why refer so sneeringly to the cornerstone of someone's faith (the faith of millions actually, both Jews (Torah) and Christians) as 'that book of yours'?"
Because it's a nasty, misogynist, xenophobic, dogmatic, lying piece of shit. To be honest.
I'm not sneering, I'm merely stating facts. It's your book, t'ain't mine; what about it makes it more worthy of my respect than the latest Dan Brown? The bits where whole cities are wiped out? The bit where Paul is telling early Christians that women should shut the hell up? Or the bonkers bit at the end written by a man who'd slipped a wee bit too much mescaline in his night time ovaltine?
I take it you're fully aware of the history of the Bible? Its revisions, its ommissions, its editing? It's a fascinating story as long as you're not scared of learning the hand of man did more than just scribble out what the holy voices in their heads were saying.....
"For those of you who have alleged that the Catholic Church is all about power and influence down through history, no doubt you are aware that that is the reason for continued discrimination against Catholics and continued suspicion of Catholicism in many protestant dominated countries even today? From Al Smith to JFK to Tony Blair, the old charge against the Catholic Church has been trotted out and used against Catholics aspiring to high political office. (And no, my mentioning of them does not imply any support for them as political candidates or admiration for their policies or the way some of them conducted their personal lives) It's a holdover from hundreds of years ago, probably the days of the Spanish Armada. Time to move on? It's not the 1500s any more."
No it's not the 1500s; are you seriously saying the holy mother church in Rome isn't heavily involved in power-brokery? And are you saying it with a straight face?
Discrimination's not right in any sphere of life; of course, the Catholic Church evangelises an extremely discriminatory message, but let's just gloss over that, right?
FREDDO: "Well I would in one sense agree, everyone with faith experiences doubts sometimes and being a member of the church does help bolster my beliefs sometimes (although to me it's not 'scary'!). The reason it does that is because I see so many good people and intelligent people involved in it, both today when I go to Mass and through history (saints from a thousand years ago)."
You are aware the majority of saints are fictional, either in actualite or in the deeds attributed to them, right?
"I think it's much more natural to act and celebrate as a member of group than alone, it's just human nature."
Any being that demands worship isn't worthy of being worshipped.
"Also, No, it is not all there in the Bible. That's a big mistake people make about Catholicism, we go on the bible and Church teaching (which is mostly contained in the Catechism). Church teaching has been developed by many great minds over the last two thousand years and it mainly applies and develops scripture with respect to the world we live in now. Personally, I find it a very good moral guide, I do not act on it like an unthinking sheep but I try to think about what it says properly, and usually find I agree!"
Well that's just my point (and believe me, I've been to more masses, retreats, seminaries, abbeys and convents than you would believe); everything that's not in the Bible is just made up stuff, developed from the mind of man with no holy input at all. A bit presumptious, no? To quote Bill Hicks: "I think what god meant to say....."
It's a boy's club and great fun if you're a priest (especially if you play golf and like a drink), but I am confident enough in my ability to work out what's right and wrong myself without having to have it decided for me by eldery men in Italy, ta.