Threat Of Excommunication

[Ed Normile]

Agreed, people excommunicate themselves. I doubt an official proclamation by the church hierarchy would make a difference to these people either, they would probably just find another parish where they are not know and go there. I feel a lot of these are influenced by evil thinking they are working to reform the church's views which they feel are wrong somehow. Look at organizations such as the catholic branch of G.LA.D. active homesexuals who beleive Jesus loves them any way and try to change church views on homosexuality.

ed

[Hilde]

lol old thread

[Bennn]

I agree that many people don't seem to feel threatened by excommunication anymore. Or they simply don't know that it still exists. It should also be noted that there are different grades of excommunication. I'm not too well informed on this but I believe latae sentiae is a self inflicted excommunication, by consciously opposing important Catholic truths. But there are also cases where the Pope can actively excommunicate someone or a group. He has received this power from Christ when He gave him the keys of Heaven, to bind and unbind. Such an excommunication can only be lifted by the Pope. (correct me if I'm wrong about anything)

It all may seem harsh but it is necessary in order to protect the faithful from evil and destructive doctrine on the one hand, and to inspire the sinner to repentance on the other hand. Clear lines should be drawn between orthodoxy and heresy, for the salvation of souls.

This desensitizing of moral conscience, with the result of not caring about being threatened with excommunication, has it's sorrowful origin in the denial of objective Truth and the welcoming of subjectivistic lies that play with the human mind with 'affection' as their weapon. People started believing that they can 'feel' what is right, rather than needing substantial dogma to define what is good and what is evil. This 'feel good' religion is one of the most grievous tricks the devil has ever played in human history.

Pax Domini,
Ben

[iheartjp2]

Largely, I think excommunication seems to have lost its meaning in America due to the nature of America: a free, Democratic state.

In Europe or even in the US when the church had a lot of authority and was more broadly respected, it did mean something (largely for more political reasons than for reasons of the soul).

[Jesus_lol]

and back in the day, being excommunicated basically turned you into a shunned, friendless hermit. now that the Church isnt the be all and end-all of everyones lives, excommunication doesnt have the same far reaching social consequences.

[iheartjp2]

[quote name='Jesus_lol' date='13 May 2010 - 08:18 PM' timestamp='1273796334' post='2110191']
and back in the day, being excommunicated basically turned you into a shunned, friendless hermit. now that the Church isnt the be all and end-all of everyones lives, excommunication doesnt have the same far reaching social consequences.
[/quote]

This is true...sort of.

Usually when someone in power was excommunicated, it got them to do what the church wanted them to do.

[MissyP89]

If someone gets themselves excommunicated in the first place, they usually couldn't care less about what the Church thinks. I've never known someone to be excommunicated and then go, "Gee, I should change."

It's sad, but also true.

[BG45]

[quote name='MissyP89' date='13 May 2010 - 08:41 PM' timestamp='1273797694' post='2110208']
If someone gets themselves excommunicated in the first place, they usually couldn't care less about what the Church thinks. I've never known someone to be excommunicated and then go, "Gee, I should change."

It's sad, but also true.
[/quote]

This. When I was in RCIA I was asked if I knew anyone who could be my sponsor in the parish. I didn't know anyone whose actions hadn't automatically excommunicated them, and none of those people cared.

[Bennn]

True. Here almost everyone is baptised in the Catholic Church, receives Confirmation and the blessed Eucharist, yet you will pretty much be 'excommunicated' by society here if you oppose contraception, sodomy and dare to use the term 'sin' in public. It is one thing that our views are not respected by those who are not part of the Church, I don't respect their views either. But the fact that the majority of those who style themselves Catholic (at least around these parts) accuse those who are orthodox in their faith of 'bigotry' and 'being stuck in the Middle-Ages' is very disturbing to me.

I guess it all has to happen this way for the Scriptures to be fulfilled. The world needs much prayer.

Pax Domini,
Ben