I don't know if you are intentionally being obtuse about "Mother" Teresa, but I am referring to the use of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS, not the pill. Ms. Teresa went out of her way to discourage condom use as a way to prevent AIDS, making her culpable in the deaths of thousands of people who looked up to her for sound advice. As far as Catholic and Pedophiles, most people who are pedophiles do not set themselves up to be absolute moral authorities to children. And why is there far more instances of pedophilia in the Catholic church than any other? The insanity of celibacy. http://www.snapnetwork.org/news/otherstates/NYTimes_Survey.htm The sexual abuse crisis that engulfed the Roman Catholic Church in the last 12 months has now spread to nearly every American diocese and involves more than 1,200 priests, most of whose careers straddle a sharp divide in church history and seminary training. These priests are known to have abused more than 4,000 minors over the last six decades, according to an extensive New York Times survey of documented cases of sexual abuse by priests through Dec. 31, 2002. The survey, the most complete compilation of data on the problem available, contains the names and histories of 1,205 accused priests. It counted 4,268 people who have claimed publicly or in lawsuits to have been abused by priests, though experts say there are surely many more who have remained silent. Yes, secular culture can be as violent as religious. However, religion gives the jerks the absolute moral authority to do whatever they please to whomever they choose. with no care of consequences. I mean, who are we to judge what gods will is? Also, you will rarely find any war in history that wasn't strongly influenced and prodded by religion, except for wars against Communism, which is similar to a religion in of itself. Men will always have wars. My contention is that if you take the religion out of it, you have far far far far fewer wars. People are people and should work (and fight if needed) their problems out as fellow mammals, not as pretend servants and messengers of some boogedy man that no-one has ever seen or can prove exists. Sectarianism is the problem, not some "original sin" flaw in man. And how, pray tell, is the University, hospital, and gene-theory a by-product of religion? I'm not being a smartass (for once), I am interested in your answer. Also, do you honestly think that these things would not exist without religion? Didn't think so.
i think religion can be a good thing if those who follow it take it for what it is, basically the golden rule add historical characters, tales of adventure, sacrifice, and triumph and it all equals one basic thing: live a good life and treat the people well. but i'm with you usm, there's nothing worse than a person who claims to be a "good christian" judging others (i thought that job belonged to only one person and He's not here yet.) now i didn't grow up in a place that had "bible drill" so i can't tell you where you can find "judge not lest ye be judged" in the bible, but i know what it means. and i think it's something many "good christians" either forget or never fully understand in the first place. i think you found that the people who wore the WWJD bracelets (when they were popular, especially those who flaunted them) acted nothing like Jesus. at least not my interpretation of Him. Jesus is loving, compassionate, open minded, and fair. He kept company with prostitutes and tax collectors. He didn't spurn them as so many of his present day followers do their present day equivalents in His name. If Jesus was here on earth He wouldn't tell you how to vote or make a spectacle of himself for money. He'd be working in a soup kitchen, or volunteering at a hospice, or counseling those that have lost thier way. at least that's my take. what do i know, i'm a lapsed catholic.
Not using condoms has never caused AIDS in anyone. Lots of sex with many partners has. And again you are misinformed. The areas of Calcutta where the sisters of charity were active had very low rates of vaneral disease and HIV. Following Catholic moral teaching preached by Mother Thereasa would most assuredly not cause Aids. Abstinance never has. First priest are not absolut moral authorities. No Church doctrine or dogma teaches such. Christ warned us that their would be wicked men inside his church. Second only the Latin rite of the Catholic church requires a vow of celibacy. Priests of the many eastern rites are permitted to marry. Third the incidence of sexual abuse among Catholic priests is at least as low and according to some studies much lower than that in the general population. Lastly, your (and the mass media's) use of the term pedophila is incorrect. The vast majority of the sexual abuse cases were of minors between the age of 14 and 17. Sick by any means, but not pedophila. Per webstor.com: Note the use prepubertal children in the definition. Children between 14-17 are not prepubertal. The true source of the sex abuse scandal was another pychosexual disorder known as ephebophilia. Still sick, but not as scary sounding as pedophilia. Nations clashed long before religion and will continue to do so for one reason or another. I seriously doubt our history would be very different in terms of war if no form of religion existed. Modern universities and hospitals were started by the monastic orders of the Catholic church in the middle ages. Genetics was first seriously studied by a Jesuit priest. I cannot say what would have happened without religion, but I can attest to the fact that it was the Church that preserved any semblance of culture during the middle ages, and it was largely the church that financed the cultural explosion that was the renaissance.
I don't know why you have to put your faith into any concept or person. I feel pretty human when I put faith in my own abilities, not the wishes of some celestial hippy looking guy. It's incredibly liberating to realize you are here for this life only, and how that life turns out is entirely up to you, not some guy sitting in an astral throne somewhere.
most peeps have religion so deeply set and inertwined into their family and culture that to question it brings on a ton of guilt, like they are questioning the values their family stands for. that is kinda sad. i think this is the case with most of the religious folks here, the sabanfans, the sourdoughs, the saltys. and to a certain extent i respect their loyaty, but i wish they could separate out the religion from the good things about thier culture.
Well, that's the benefit to being saved. It's a done deal so you can live your life as a scumbag pervert thief and still go to heaven. Of course, we Catholics can too, but we have to log a little time in the confessional.
Anyone who is convinced that you can contact evil spirits using a mass-produced Parker Brothers board game is an idiot.
This is what I dont get about the whole saved stuff. Personally I believe in God, Christ and the whole shibang, so I'm clear? Can I go out now and cheat on my husband, steal money from work, abuse my dogs and still sleep well knowing that I'm not going to burn for eternity? As long as I believe in God I'm free and clear to sin to my hearts content?
thats the best thing about nonsense. it doesnt make any sense. please do not question it. aint you got "faith"? now apply your nonsense detector to the idea of a zombie whose dad had him killed so that your sins are forgiven, then we are getting somewhere.
Hmmm I'm going to try and figure out your post here. First of all this isn't totally true because my step father and my mother isn't as religious as you make our family seem. But on the other hand my step grandfather and some family are christians. That doesn't mean we always have gone to church or the same one either. Secondly I don't consider myself that "religious", I am careful about who I listen and support as far as religion is concerned. Me following Christ has very little to do with family, they guided me toward him but it was him who gave me a newborn experience that only a follower could understand. If that makes me a nut to some thats ok because I think other people are nuts anyway to think I am!:lol::grin: I promise you one thing though, I may be a nut but in my case you could have no better friend, you could trust me with your possessions or wife.:hihi: :lol: On top of that I have an out of this world sense of humor! Quite the opposite, My values might be quite different than if I wasn't a christian and then I might've taken a different road and treated people quite differently, I would have more guilt than I do now. Some values are the same but the results could be different when looking at christians compared to non-christians. I would need some examples of what good things are? Some things that you think are good might not be to someone else. Some things we obviously agree on but some are quite different. Values are kinda like other judgements. poor to some might not be the same, Some like Bush some don't, some like Clinton some don't, etc. I think it might not be possible to separate my values from good or bad things because my values is what determines what good things are. Religion isn't the proper word in my case anyway!
