Calling Oneself Catholic While Rejecting Church Teaching

[Selah]

Since I've been here I have not seen one Orthodox minded poster be consistently mean or uncharitable. There as been the occasional heated remark here and there, but nothing huge. There have been times of compassion and correction, which imitates Christ who neither condemned Magdalene nor tolerated sellers in the the Temple.

 

I think the victim card had been played by some without warrant and as a tool to be indifferent toward heretical thinking.  I personally think this is BS.    

 

All I am saying is, we do not know her story, or why she reacted the way she did...at least, I don't, reading through her posts.

 

Sometimes people are very defensive, and need to be treated with gentleness. It's hard to know why, especially over the internet because it's so impersonal. Sometimes people just need to be loved and prayed for. Even when they shout and say offensive things.

[Nunsense]

Yes, we should be courteous and kind no matter how other people behave.  But we should not beat ourselves up for having normal human reactions to rude and insulting people.  We can not go back in time.  

 

 

All we can do is say "I fell short of the ideal.  I will try harder next time." [emphasis mine]

 

I don't think it's necessary to 'beat ourselves up" but perhaps we can try to control our 'normal human reactions' if at all possible, especially if they are likely to lead us into being less than courteous or kind. After all, it is Jesus Himself who asks us to do this - or at least to try.

 

 

And the mea culpa at the end of your post is certainly a step in the right direction. 

[Credo in Deum]

All I am saying is, we do not know her story, or why she reacted the way she did...at least, I don't, reading through her posts.

 

Sometimes people are very defensive, and need to be treated with gentleness. It's hard to know why, especially over the internet because it's so impersonal. Sometimes people just need to be loved and prayed for. Even when they shout and say offensive things.

 

I wasn't speaking about anyone specific in this thread.  Just the behavior I've noticed on this site in general. 

 

With orthodoxy, charity and humility, phatmass will infiltrate the entire planet earth with Catholic propaganda. The “phat” in phatmass stands for “Preaching Holy Apostolic Truth”

[Nunsense]

To be fair (IMHO), it is impossible to express constructive criticism without causing offense on the interwebs.

 

 

I've heard it said that there's no such thing as constructive criticism, but I get your point. I don't think it's impossible to correct someone online kindly, but it takes an amazing amount of effort and patience over a period of time, and probably will involve some form of regret during the course of the discussion for hurt feelings on either or both sides. Not a job for the faint hearted huh? :)

[Nunsense]

I wasn't speaking about anyone specific in this thread.  Just the behavior I've noticed on this site in general. 

 

With orthodoxy, charity and humility, phatmass will infiltrate the entire planet earth with Catholic propaganda. The “phat” in phatmass stands for “Preaching Holy Apostolic Truth”

 

 

Well, speaking from my opinion only, I have seen a lot of Catholic propaganda on here, so we are meeting that criteria ok. And for the most part there is orthodoxy too, but when there are differing opinions in some areas, we sometimes lack the charity and humility part as a group.That doesn't mean that we aren't doing a good job, just that perhaps we can always try a little harder?  Otherwise the Holy Apostolic Truth part of phatmass gets lost in the translation....

 

Edited for typos.

Edited June 25, 2014 by nunsense

[Nihil Obstat]

Sometimes uncomfortable truth is accused of lacking charity. But to fail to oppose error is truly uncharitable.

Phatmass seems to be experiencing a period where error is becoming more prevalent, or at least much louder. It is important always to respond to this error with truth, and even more important when these errors become more strident.

[Perigrina]

Well, speaking from my opinion only, I have seen a lot of Catholic propaganda on here, so we are meeting that criteria ok. And for the most part there is orthodoxy too, but when there are differing opinions in some areas, we sometimes lack the charity and humility part as a group.That doesn't mean that we aren't doing a good job, just that perhaps we can always try a little harder?  Otherwise the Holy Apostolic Truth part of phatmass gets lost in the translation....

 

Edited for typos.

 

Sometimes there are differing opinions on what the orthodox position is.  But there should not be differing opinions on whether we need to be orthodox.  

[Credo in Deum]

I'm sure most of us are aware of the saying; "The truth hurts."

Edited June 25, 2014 by Credo in Deum

[Nunsense]

Sometimes uncomfortable truth is accused of lacking charity. But to fail to oppose error is truly uncharitable.

Phatmass seems to be experiencing a period where error is becoming more prevalent, or at least much louder. It is important always to respond to this error with truth, and even more important when these errors become more strident.

 

 

Responding to error with truth is necessary and good, but sometimes how a thing is said (or written) is almost (or even more) important than what is being said - at least in the initial stages. Maybe it comes back to that Mary Poppins song about how a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.

 

St Francis said to preach the Gospel always, and when necessary to use words. Well, since we have only words here on the Internet, we need to use those words in a way that will entice and enlighten, rather than condemn and cast out. If we are using the word 'propaganda' as part of our title -- we need to think back to what what we want that word to mean...

 

Propaganda is a form of communication aimed towards influencing the attitude of a population toward some cause or position.

 

We can hardly influence those who run away because they feel harsh or condemning attitudes by those trying to do the propagating.... just a thought.

 

 

 

I'm sure most of us are aware with the saying; "The truth hurts."

 

 

So does an injection, but there are ways to make it less painful (speaking as an ex nurse).

[Nunsense]

Sometimes there are differing opinions on what the orthodox position is.  But there should not be differing opinions on whether we need to be orthodox.  

 

 

I'm sorry but this doesn't make any sense to me.

 

Edit: I am open to further explanation to help me understand what you are trying to say though!

Edited June 25, 2014 by nunsense

[Credo in Deum]

 

So does an injection, but there are ways to make it less painful (speaking as an ex nurse).

 

:) I love the response, but I must advise you there are those who have a phobia of needles and no amount of gentleness will change their mind. 

[Nunsense]

:) I love the response, but I must advise you there are those who have a phobia of needles and no amount of gentleness will change their mind. 

 

 

Then you give them a tablet instead. :p

[Credo in Deum]

Then you give them a tablet instead. :P

 

Phobia of tablets and needles!    LOL!

[Nunsense]

Nunsense- just read a few of the comments you've posted recently. Just wanted to express gratitude for your posts and what you said.  Prayers for your vocation explorations also :like2:

 

 

I propped this just to say thank you for your support. 

[Nunsense]

Phobia of tablets and needles!    LOL!

 

 

Srsly? You must be one of those 'no pain, no gain' advocates? You must miss the Inquisition.  :bash: 

[Credo in Deum]

Srsly? You must be one of those 'no pain, no gain' advocates? You must miss the Inquisition.  :bash: 

 

No, but I do believe a lot of Catholics have become soft. 

[Nunsense]

No, but I do believe a lot of Catholics have become soft. 

 

 

I have no idea what that means and it sounds like you might even be more Catholic than the Pope, but I don't have time to go into all that in detail - work awaits. Perhaps if I return, I can get some clarification as to what kind of softness has seeped into Catholics that worries you so much. It's been fun but bye for now. :)

[Credo in Deum]

I have no idea what that means and it sounds like you might even be more Catholic than the Pope, but I don't have time to go into all that in detail - work awaits. Perhaps if I return, I can get some clarification as to what kind of softness has seeped into Catholics that worries you so much. It's been fun but bye for now. :)

 

Feel free to replace the word soft with any of these other choices. 

 

unconcerned, uninterested, uncaring, casual, nonchalant, offhand,uninvolved, unenthusiastic, apathetic, lukewarm, phlegmatic, blasé,insouciant; unimpressed, bored, unmoved, unresponsive, impassive,dispassionate, detached,

 

 

 

Edited June 25, 2014 by Credo in Deum

[KnightofChrist]

More Catholic than the Pope? Can this be said of those that call themselves Catholic but reject Church Teaching?

[Perigrina]

I'm sorry but this doesn't make any sense to me.

 

Edit: I am open to further explanation to help me understand what you are trying to say though!

 

It was a reference to an earlier point in the thread.  Perhaps it was before you started participating.  I said:

 

"Sometimes there are differing opinions on what the orthodox position is.  But there should not be differing opinions on whether we need to be orthodox. " 

 

I'll try rephrasing it.  We should all share the same basic assumptions about how we know what is true, i.e. through Revelation and the teaching authority of the Church.  We might disagree about what the Church actually teaches about a certain issue.  In that case, people could make supporting arguments by citing magisterial teaching. 

 

But when we do not share the same assumptions about the role of the Church's teaching authority, a person can show that something is indeed Church teaching and the other dismisses it with "So what. I don't care.  I think for myself."  That attitude cannot exist within orthodoxy.  

 

Orthodox Catholics might have different views on what the Church actually teaches, but not about her authority to teach.  There can not be different views over whether it matters whether the Church has taught something.