To think some Catholics don't understand their own faith

[zombiegames]

Okay I admit a thread about a couple of other threads.

I was brought up Catholic, but am not one now - but I do understand how the way you are brought up as a Catholic gets under your skin. But it does make me angry that other people here who say they are catholics, appear to have so little understanding of their own faith.

The pope is not just someone whose opinion you can dismiss if you are a catholic. He is christs representative on earth and he is infallible - that means he can't be wrong. This is an absolute key part of the one true faith. It is not a side belief that can be conveniently ignored.

So when the pope says for example that gay marriage or using condoms is wrong, that is a belief of the catholic faith and can't just be dismissed. If you say this is wrong, you are saying that the pope is not infallible and thus you are questioning an absolute key part of catholicism.

Why does this anger me? Because a lot of people who are not and have never been catholics don't really understand catholicism as can be seen on here when non catholic parents who send dcs to catholic schools froth on here about what their dcs are being taught. Posters who post about being catholic and non homophobic, are misrepresenting catholicism to those who don't understand it. If the pope says something, then that is part of the catholic faith and is what catholics should believe.

And sorry I probably ABU as I know this is a bit of a rant, even though it is true.

I think that this thread is seen as Catholic bashing because the premise is you're a catholic you have to be homophobic. Which is simply not true. Also, the idea that all Catholics have to do what the pope says has historically been used to discriminate against them, especially in regards to holding public office.

Zombie, you say that In countries where the catholic church is still strong there is a lot of homophobia. The truth is in most countries regardless of catholic influence there is a lot of homophobia. It seems to be a global thing that fortunately is changing. Starting here in the West. I think dissent within the catholic church will facilitate this change further.

it is NOT the faith I have a problem with

That should say

I didn't say you or anyone wasn't a catholic. I said that what some catholics believed was contradictory. And I thought AIBU was all about being judgemental which is why I posted here.

So are you a catholic Kayano or are you not? Because I am not going to make apologies for being catholic to anyone, any more than i am going to make apologies to the catholic church for thinking that alot of its policies are bollocks.

Surely it isnt the faith you have issue with, rather the organisation? Those are two different things aren't they?

Dione - i wasn't saying it was because of the catholic church which is why I deliberately mentioned CofE as well.

Boringnickname - Neither actually. Didn't realise I had to be one or the other.

x posts kayano - ignore my last sentence

I think it's pretty clear that I no longer identify myself as catholic despite being raised in a very Catholic home. Don't know why I need to spell it out really, think I've been clear in my opinions.

I didn't agree with a lot of the teachings so I am no longer catholic and don't identify myself as such

Because that would be clinging to a title rather than following a faith. IMO

Zombie and Kanayo, given that you Are no longer Catholics, why do you hate the dissent of practicing Catholics? Why do you even care?

Double x posts! Sorry!

I am just voicing my opinion on a thread. Which I am allowed to do.

I don't particularly care what religion people choose to follow but it just irks me. I didn't start the thread. I could equally ask you why you particularly care to post on this thread.

The answer is: this is AIBU and we can all chip in with our opinions

Dione I said in my original post that the reason I care is that I felt some of the posts being posted by catholics on other threads, gave a very wrong impression about catholicism to non catholics and that angered me. So stuff that catholicism is all about tolerance or that anti gay stuff in the catholic church is just something that a few bad men have said.

It is a totally totally inaccurate representation of the catholic church. And i would post the same if someone here posted saying that all priests are paedophiles.

And I suppose I care because some
Of my family are
Like this. 'Catholics' who don't go to church, use contraception, actively support gay marriage etc

I just think if there is so much you disagree with why be catholic? Why not join a faith with more Leniency or one that shares your beliefs rather than cling to being a catholic

zombie, as Catholics in the UK we are describing our actual experience. How can you say that that is inaccurate? It is fact.

Cos Catholics in the uk are totally different from other Catholics

Eh?

What do you mean actual experience? Do you mean that at your school nothing anti gay was taught?

Yes. Precisely that.

Because they skim over the unpleasantness in order to keep more
People in the faith. Selective teachings etc...

ImE

So we will ignore the fact that the catholic church in the UK has actively campaigned against exemptions for catholic adoption agencies who receive state funding to not consider gay parents for adoption? That the catholic church si actively campaigning against gay marriage including asking priests to read a letter out at service in every parish and to ask teenagers to signa petition against it? Does this really over rule your personal experience at 1 school?

Isn't this as thin an argument as those who argue against the catholic church because their priest was a paedophile or because some nuns at their convent school were unreasonable?

Kayano - to an extent i feel the same as you. I am disenchanged with alot of the catholic teachings (if that is the right turn of phrase) but for the, my faith is my faith, it is based on what i grew up with, what i FEEL is right - im not going to let the fact that i disagree with the politics of it take that away from me, i feel quite sad that you have felt pushed out of the religion actually.

I do not have to adhere to every single rule if i am to continue being a catholic - i am a catholic simply because I AM. My parish priest might beg to differ, but he is BU. and id happily tell him so

err, disenchanged is blatantly not a word and i'm too tired now to decide what word i was ACTUALLY trying to type!

Oh for heaven's sake, kayano. It's like you actively want Catholics to be homophobic and simply can't conceive of a world where they might not be.

Kanayo, whether you hate it or it irks you, why does it bother you at all?

Zombie, I have read and reread your OP. You have posted your opinion that in order to be catholic one must be anti gay. As posters here have repeatedly pointed out, this is untrue. Indeed it is possible to be both catholic and gay.

This may not be your view, but it is a common experience for many practicing Catholics in the UK.

zombie, no one has denied any of those things. They have simply added to the complexity of the picture by saying that they are also catholic and they don't support those viewpoints.

Why are you focusing on the homophobia aspect? I also mentioned contraception and other issues and was just using that as an example.

And I find an institution that is against gay marriage is homophobic. Why not
Give them equal rights? The pipe has said marriage should be between a man and a woman.

Knowing that is what the Church supports, I can no longer be a member of the church as I would feel as though I was endorsing this stance.

I could also say the same about contraception being used etc etc, it was just an example

The pipe? The pope!

God it's like I've been smoking a pipe lol