Identify a common misconception about the Catholic church and defend it. Make sure to use at least one quote from the bible and one from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Read every single entry. Comment on two.
With the recent Supreme Court decision of making gay marriage legal in all 50 states, the Catholic Church's view on homosexuality has been a well-debated topic. In such discussions, one very common misconception is often made. Many non-Catholiccs seem to believe that Catholics "hate" gays. That misconception is simply untrue. The Catechism of the Catholic Church clearly refutes this misconception. Paragraph 2358 of the Catechism states "[Homosexual persons] must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided." It has been said that Catholics discriminate against gays, however, that statement shows that any discrimination on the part of a parishioner is going against the teachings of the Church. Pope Francis has shown nothing but love for people of every sexual orientation. When confronted on the issue of legal gay marriage, Pope Francis simply said that only God should make judgements. " He who is without sin may cast the first stone." Jesus made it clear in his time that we are to love and respect every part of God's creation because everything He creates is perfect. Were not many of Jesus' greatest followers prostitutes and tax collectors? As the Ten Commandments state, "Love thy neighbor as yourself." Jesus said this was the greatest commandment, how could we go against every teaching of the Church, Jesus, and the Bible?
It is true that some Catholics have broken these teachings in violence and discrimination toward gays, but in those acts, they sin as well. I recall seeing assemblies of Catholics shouting the Bible quote " You shall not lie with a male as with a woman, such a thing is an abomination." Is it not also an abomination that we make hasty and crude judgments against God's creation? People who act with such unkindness taint the reputation of the Church. Those assemblies lead people to make hasty generalizations that all Catholics "hate" homosexuals.
While Catholics do not condone discrimination or unkindness towards homosexuals, they also do not condone gay marriage. The reasoning behind that decision relates to sexual relations. The Catholic Church does not allow gay marriage due to the fact that they cannot procreate. Procreation was God's intention for marriage, and homosexual couples cannot carry out that intention. Therefore, only heterosexual couples may be married in the Catholic Church. In accordance with that logic, homosexual couples may not have sexual relations. Heterosexual couples are not to have sexual relations outside of marriage, so why would the rule be any different for homosexuals? That rule expresses the complete equality between heterosexual and homosexual couples.
Your blog brought to light how regardless of sexual orientation, the church loves everyone. Your blog could have included more on if the church thinks that gay marriage should be a civil right and not a church right, or neither. While Catholics don't believe in gay marriage, what do they suggest the law do about it? Also, you could have included how Catholics believe that the calling of homosexual men and women could be towards priesthood, sisterhood, or other callings. The Catholic Church has a place for everyone, and they want everyone to achieve eternal happiness through God.
Jenna: You did a nice job explaining the argument brought upon the Catholic Church. I think the reason that your argument was so strong was because of the way you used your quotes. All of them had great meaning and served a wonderful purpose. I think you should have included that although Catholic's do not oppose gay people we do oppose gay "actions", if you will. Overall, your blog was well constructed.
Jenna, I really enjoyed your blog. I think everyone should look into this because there is a lot of controversy with gay marriage today. Also you put in really good quotes. Good job!!
Jenna, First off I chose to comment on yours because I was looking to do this topic before you had claimed first. We had many of the same ideas and concepts because I had the topic "same sex marriage." As you had in your blog, I too commented on now we need to treat all gays with respect and dignity they deserve. The Catholic Church makes this a bug emphasis when talking about this issue. You also did a great job with incorporating the bible quote and expanding on that with further discussion on what God's plan is for us as human beings. Great blog and I really enjoyed reading it and comparing my ideas to your ideas!
Catholics today are criticized for their beliefs on a daily bases by ex-Catholics, Protestants, atheists, and other religious groups alike. Many of these groups that criticize the church do so about subjects that they actually are not very educated on. These common misconceptions steer many people toward disbelief of the one true God and hatred for Catholics in general. One of the most important and perhaps unfortunate of these misconceptions is against Mary the Mother of God. Some believe that she is not in fact the mother of God, some believe that she is not pure and free of sin, and some believe regardless of her importance, praying to her is idolatry. Many people believe that Mary is not in fact the mother of God. This is not true, as there are many instances where the bible plainly states that Jesus is the son of Mary. And because Jesus and God are one, Mary is the mother of God. One of the first times we hear of this in the New Testament is when Mary visits Elizabeth shortly after her conception. Elizabeth says "Why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me” (Luke 1:42-43). The Catholic Church ratifies this in part one, section two, chapter two in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It reads:
"Called in the Gospels "the mother of Jesus", Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the mother of my Lord". In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God" (Theotokos)."
This quote from the New Testament relates directly to the Book of Samuel, which talks of the Ark of the Lord. Further more, the bible mentions Mary as Jesus' mother as he lay dying on the cross. It says "Standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, His mother's sister, Mary the wide of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple He loved standing there, He said to His mother, 'Woman, here is your son.' Then he said to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' And from that hour the disciple took her into his home." (John 19:25-27) Non-Catholics tend not to understand what Catholics call the Immaculate Conception. The Immaculate Conception refers to the event of Mary being born without sin. Many people refute this idea, saying that Jesus was the only one who was sinless, and that the bible does not state Mary was sinless. When the Angel Gabriel came to Mary, he said the words that she was 'filled with grace'. These words come from the Greek term kecharitomene, which more accurately translates to "perfect in grace." These words are very strong, and make it almost impossible to believe the Mary has sin. If you believe that Mary is perfect in grace, which is what the bible says, then it is impossible for her to be perfect in grace yet have sin. One of the most widespread misconceptions about Mary is that Catholics worship her, which is idolatry. This is simply not true. Catholics pray in reverence to Mary, but not in total adoration, which is reserved for God. Many Catholics pray to Mary because through her intercession they come to God. As the mother of God, Mary has this power to bring to attention all of the prayers of the people. Additionally, Protestants in particular believe that it is also unholy to pray on your knees in front of a statue of Mary. Praying in front of a statue is not worshiping that statue, or putting any divine value on it where there is none. This is the same way that the bible is treated with respect by the Protestants because of its wisdom but not because of its material quality. A statute made in the likeness of Mary is an act of respect and reverence.
Catherine: This argument you chose was a good one. I enjoyed reading this, as I was not exactly sure how I would respond to such a question asked to me. You did a nice job defending the church's stance on Mary, the mother of God. I like how you broke up the 3 main stances people have on Mary and back each of then up with church teachings. You used excellent passages from the bible to support your argument. My favorite was the part about the Angel Gabriel and how you explain how she was full of grace. I was impressed with that. Very nicely done.
Catherine, You did an excellent job defending a Catholic's belief in Mary. The stories and quotes you took from the Bible really aided your argument. The connection to the Immaculate Conception also created a great argument to defend the Church.
Catherine, I enjoyed reading about your topic because I don't have much knowledge on the subject. You seemed very informed on your topic. You organized your blog incredibly logically. Without much knowledge of the subject, it is difficult for me to find a criticism, so great job!
Catherine, To be honest I did not know that this topic has that misunderstood, and it really opened my eyes to this important idea. I think your blog was wonderful and it fully incorporated bible quotes and the CCC.
A common issue many people, including Catholics, have with the Catholic Church today is that priests are required to live a life of celibacy. For those who are not familiar, this means a priest may not get married and may not have any sexual relations. First of all, I will mention that this is not s church doctrine, rather a discipline. In other words, Pope Francis could wake up tomorrow and allow priest to marry (but I'm confident he won't do that). Many people think this rule is awful and actually keeps many men from the priesthood because of it. Often times, we will hear a priest say he has "surrendered his life to God." In a sense, this is what priest does as they take vows as they are ordained. As the priest gives his life to God, why should a woman be part of his life in that way? Priests are called to a life of celibacy because they are already married, as a common title for them is "the Bride of Christ". Catholic priests are married to the church. They are our spiritual fathers. The duty of Catholic Church priests is to lead us to heaven. This "us" is the church and everyone who makes up the church. The reason a priest is called to stay celibate is because as a father, husband, grandparent, etc. they would not be totally engaged in the family of faith. Would that be their fault? Of course not. As a father of husband it is ones duty to provide for the needs of your family and put effort fourth to help them. If a priest was married, he would have to serve two roles of a father of his intimate family, as well as father of the church. The bible puts this perfectly, "For he who is without a wife is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God. But he that is with a wife, is solicitous for the things of this world, how he may please his wife; and he is divided" (1 Cor 7:32-34). We also should keep in mind that the priest is serving in the role of Jesus Christ. Jesus lived his life as a celibate man, therefore the priests should too. Saint Pope John Paul II tells us in his work "Theology of the Body" that marriage "is only a tentative solution to the problem of a union of persons through love." So by living celibate, Saint Pope JP II explains that priests are skipping the sacrament of marriage in anticipation of the "Marriage of the Lamb." The CCC puts this in similar terms, "All the ordained ministers of the Latin Church, with the exception of permanent deacons, are normally chosen from among men of faith who live a celibate life and who intend to remain celibate "for the sake of the kingdom of heaven." So instead of looking at the celibate life in a bad way, we need to look at and see the beauty in the sacrifice our priests make for us. They are surrendering their lives to God for reasons greater than love of a woman. They give up the ability to be a father to little children and a husband to a beautiful woman so that they can look after us, the church, and lead us to eternal life.
Gabe, You did a great job defending the Catholic Church's teaching on the issue of priestly celibacy. The connection you made to the priests serving in the role of Jesus Christ really helped add to the logos in your argument.
I loved how in your blog you said that celibacy should be looked at as something beautiful and wonderful, rather than a forced and awful experience. Your mention of Theology of the Body in addition to bible and Catechism of the Catholic Church quotes established ethos well. Great Blog!
Gabe, I agree with the priestly celibacy. You're right, the priests are married to the church and should be giving their whole soul to God, not a woman as well. And if being celibate turns men away from the priesthood, then they weren't meant to become a priest anyways.
Gabe, You did a really good job on your blog. I understand completely why priests are not allowed being married to a women. If they were then they wouldn't be putting their whole heart into the church.
G-Baby Your blog was great and I really enjoyed the statement you used about the priest being already married to the church and can not marry a women. I also did not know that the pope could change this issue anytime he wanted. It was a great blog
The Bible tells us the story of Moses delivering God's Ten Commandments to His people from Mount Sinai. Each commandment teaches us how to love God and love one another. The Fifth Commandment states that, "you shall not kill." This commandment teaches us that we shall not kill our neighbor, and it also instructs us to not kill ourselves. Several misconceptions have been made about the Catholic Church's teaching on suicide. Many people believe that suicide is a grave sin that only leads to Hell. The Catholic Church, however, teaches that suicide is a mortal sin because it breaks the Fifth Commandment, but God is able to forgive those who have committed suicide. The Catechism of the Catholic Church informs us that those who commit this offense are not in a proper state of mind, therefore, their sin is forgiven by God. "Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide" (CCC, 2282). The Catechism also teaches that we do not own our lives, God does, and we are not permitted to end our lives because God has trusted us with them(CCC, 2280). Those who are not Catholic may also wonder why the Church teaches that it is sinful to commit suicide if God will forgive those that have taken their own life. Anyone who has committed suicide has committed a sin, and anyone who has not attempted to aid a suicidal person has also committed a sin. The CCC also tells us that we are to honor our lives and receive them with respect. We are failing to honor our lives, the lives of others, and the living God when we allow another person to commit suicide(CCC, 2281). We must do everything in our power to aid those who feel hopeless and without God. We must inspire those who are willing to end their lives to find God in life. The Catechism also teaches us that, "we should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance" (CCC, 2283). As members of the Church, we must pray for those contemplating suicide and the victims of suicide.
Hailee, This was interesting. I was always under the impression that a person that committed suicide went straight to Hell, but I guess I was under the wrong impression. Cool blog
Hailee, You described the Catholic Churches stance on suicide very well. I was not aware that it was also considered a sin if a person did not help a suicidal person, but that makes a lot of sense. You did a great job of synthesizing your sources, but I think your argument would have been stronger if you included more ideas or quotes from the bible. You did a great job covering every counterargument. Great job!
The introduction with Moses delivering the Ten Commandments to God's people transitioned well into your main topic. You identified the misconceptions and countered with Catholic Church teachings, and therefore successfully defended them. A minor problem with your blog, in my opinion, was the repetition of quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I understand we were supposed to incorporate the CCC, however, I think you should have balanced your sources more efficiently.
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1031: The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire: As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come. Purgatory is the "waiting room" on the way to Heaven. It's the stage that most "normal" Catholic people have to go through before entering the kingdom of God. Some people are sent down to Hell to burn in flames for eternity, and the others that have sin in their soul are sent through purgatory to be cleansed from sin before seeing God for the first time in his great Kingdom of Heaven. Once in Purgatory, you are destined for Heaven, there's no possibility of Hell at this point. When a person dies, the are either destined for Hell, or Heaven. Most people destined for Heaven need to go through the process of purgatory for cleansing before witnessing God. Except in some cases, where the dying are given last rites, which cleanses their soul completely before they die and prepares them for the Kingdom of God. "Nothing unclean shall enter Heaven" - Revelation, Chapter twenty - one: Verse twenty - seven. A persons soul must be pure to see the Lord, which Purgatory makes the purification of souls possible.
Your blog was concise but well explained at the same time. You should have done a more competent job in terms of using in-text citations when quoting the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. However, I like how you described Purgatory as a "waiting room to Heaven." That was a great analogy. Overall, you described the process after death very fluently, but you never really addressed critics or opposers of this stage, which ultimately did not allow you to technically "defend" Purgatory.
Infallibility is defined as "the fact that somebody or something is never wrong or never fails."
When this is translated to Papal Infallibility, the most common misconception is that the Catholic Church itself supports the notion that the pope is never wrong, that the Holy Father is incapable of failure. Those in opposition of Papal Authority often attempt to form the foundation of their argument with this idea. However, the fact of the matter is that they are mistaken, which can be a result of mere ignorance or unfamiliarity with history and doctrines of the Church.
First of all, infallibility does not mean that the pope is perfect or unable to sin. After all, the pope is a human being and therefore united to man's original fallen state. The Catholic Church also teaches that all people have the right to exercise free will. If God deemed the pope as infallible, technically He would be denying him his free will. Confusion arises with regards to what the pope can and cannot do as well. Papal Infallibility does not entail the ability to alter Church doctrines or generate new ones; it simply allows the pope to reiterate or clarify what the First Teacher, Christ Himself, taught us. As Sacred Scripture tells us, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). In addition, critics claim that Papal Infallibility represents the pope's divine revelation from God. That is not the case. The pope, just like any other religious minister, must actively and thoroughly study the faith; knowledge is not naturally instilled in him through God as some may think. The First Vatican Council taught that for a papal announcement to "infallible," the pope must speak from the Chair of Peter, the decision must be binding on the whole Church, and it must be a matter of faith or morals. Recall from Scripture, "You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church" (Matthew 16:18). The Pope is the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth as commanded by Jesus through Peter, the first Pope, and the continuation of apostolic succession. His infallibility is not won or lost, but rather his authority remains constant according to Church doctrine that was instituted by our Savior. The Catechism of the Catholic Church confirms this: "The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter's successor, is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful. For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered" (882). Ultimately, Jesus Christ established an infallible Church, and it endures today, under the guidance and leadership of the Supreme Pontiff. Those who reject the infallibility of the Pope in this sense, reject Jesus Himself.
So abortion is wrong no matter what and you’re going to Hell right? Wrong, not only does the church offer forgiveness, There are some form of “abortions” that are considered acceptable by the Catholic Church. All and all’ abortion is wrong. You cannot take the life of a human being no matter what age or stage of life. Even in the womb, a fetus is life and that makes it killing or homicide. As we all know this goes against the 5th commandment of the Catholic Church, “you shall not kill”. By the catholic standards killing is a sin, and sins must be forgiven. To some extremist, a sin such as abortion has no ability to be forgiven and the mother will be sent to hell with no chance of redemption. That is where the largest misconception amongst the church and abortion lie. To reiterate what was stated in the first line, there is forgiveness. There is always forgiveness in God. He is almighty powerful, but forgiving as well. If Saint pope John Paul II was able to forgive the man that tried to assassinate him, then any human should be able to forgive a human for killing another human. In the creed Catholics profess the forgiveness of sins. This means all sin, no matter how grave or severe, as long as you are truly sorry. So yes, all sins can be forgiven, but that doesn’t mean all abortions are sins. An intended abortion or purposely killing a fetus is a sin. This not always the case. In terms of medical safety the mother comes first. In the case of an ectopic pregnancy, an abortion is considered acceptable. An ectopic pregnancy is when the embryo gets lodged in the fallopian tube. In this case the mother will have major complications and the baby has no chance of survival. In this case the procedure is acceptable because to kill one life that won’t survive is more beneficial then taking that life plus the life of a person currently living. Another case is in the presence of uterine cancer. To treat uterine cancer the whole womb is taken out. A women with uterine cancer has no chance of delivering a child and she is at risk of dying. Again the safety of the mother comes first. This is why one person cannot condemn a person who had an abortion. The person made a mistake and later on feels the guilt and wants to accept God’s forgiveness. Only God can condemn and forgive people. In the Catholic Church it is not considered a mortal sin to have an abortion under certain circumstances. Though just one of the many misconceptions in the church. It is one of the most debated and now is clarified in this response.
Kira, I like how you started out with a rhetorical question and answered it with the obvious answer to show emphasis of your argument. Also I like how you stated several times that there is forgiveness. No matter what we do, God forgives us if we are truly sorry and strive to do better. I was quite interested in reading about the acceptable abortions that are allowed by the Catholic Church. Despite the great blog, I would have liked to see direct quotations from the Catechism of the Catholic Chruch and Bible. I don't doubt that pieces of information are in there, but you could have done a better job making that a bigger part of your paper to help with your stance on abortion. Overall, good work.
Same sex marriage is labeled as unorthodox and wrong to many of us. We know this because most of us grew up in a Catholic based community and environment. Personally, I have an experience with this right before my eyes. I have a cousin who lives in Philadelphia who is married to a member of the same sex. As a Catholic, I know this is wrong due to my faith. When I first experienced this at a young age, I had very mixed emotions. Do I ignore it? Does my faith say I need to act? I knew very little about what my faith said regarding this issue other than that I knew this wasn't God's plan for marriage. As I look back, I wish I would have confronted my parents about this topic so they could clarify what our teaching says to do. As I grew as a person and Catholic, I began to understand what the Catholic Church teaches, and I am still learning today. Regardless of what my faith allows, the Church strongly proclaims that all people, including those participating in same sex marriage, are treated with dignity and respect. This exact sentence answered my question I asked to myself when I experienced my cousins marriage. It helped me understand that Catholics do not judge, we just follow our beliefs. This experience really helped me come closer to God and understand what he wanted for us. He wants us to have a partner, but he wants that partner to be of the opposite sex. This was the way he intended and meant for. Catholics do recognize same sex marriage as disordered, but we show great compassion for those who suffer from this disorder. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states "Men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies . . . must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity." People often wonder why same sex marriage matters if it brings them happiness? Why are Catholics so opposed to this? The reason for this is that it is what our faith teaches us. This was not God's intention. The guide to our faith, the Bible, mentions God's intention for a partner. "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him" (Gen. 2:18). As a result, "a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh" (Gen. 2:24). Some may forego the good of marriage to serve a higher calling (cf. Matthew 19:10-12). The thing is God doesn't call everyone to marriage. We each have a special vocation to God, whether it is marriage, single life, or religious life. This is often labeled as a misconception in the church, especially in today's society. This issue is continuing to grow, and as Catholics all we can do is stick to our beliefs and defend our faith by following God's plan to marriage in which he intended.
In the bible it allows slavery, so everyone should have slaves today. Actually in Leviticus 25:44-46 slavery was originally allowed, but afterwards in 1Timothy 1:10 slavery was outlaw. The bible quotes states this "and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching," In the bible it does not specially say slavery is wrong, it just states that anything that is against sound teachings. In today's modern world we all think of slavery as a race issue, but back in the times before Christ slayer was an everyday occurrence, and it was not just Mexicans or Chinese people it was anyone in debt or conquered people. People say well because Jesus did not say it was wrong it must be ok and we should all practice the act of slavery. Well, actually, the Catechism of the Catholic states that, "2414 The seventh commandment forbids acts or enterprises that for any reason - selfish or ideological, commercial, or totalitarian - lead to the enslavement of human beings, to their being bought, sold and exchanged like merchandise, in disregard for their personal dignity. It is a sin against the dignity of persons and their fundamental rights to reduce them by violence to their productive value or to a source of profit. St. Paul directed a Christian master to treat his Christian slave "no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, . . . both in the flesh and in the Lord." The central portion of our faith is that Jesus came down from heaven to save us from our sins and "free us" form our spiritual slaver and allow us to enter into heaven. If we believe that slavery is something that we should all practice, then you are contradicting to greatest part of our faith.
With the recent Supreme Court decision of making gay marriage legal in all 50 states, the Catholic Church's view on homosexuality has been a well-debated topic. In such discussions, one very common misconception is often made. Many non-Catholiccs seem to believe that Catholics "hate" gays. That misconception is simply untrue. The Catechism of the Catholic Church clearly refutes this misconception. Paragraph 2358 of the Catechism states "[Homosexual persons] must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided." It has been said that Catholics discriminate against gays, however, that statement shows that any discrimination on the part of a parishioner is going against the teachings of the Church. Pope Francis has shown nothing but love for people of every sexual orientation. When confronted on the issue of legal gay marriage, Pope Francis simply said that only God should make judgements. " He who is without sin may cast the first stone." Jesus made it clear in his time that we are to love and respect every part of God's creation because everything He creates is perfect. Were not many of Jesus' greatest followers prostitutes and tax collectors? As the Ten Commandments state, "Love thy neighbor as yourself." Jesus said this was the greatest commandment, how could we go against every teaching of the Church, Jesus, and the Bible?
ReplyDeleteIt is true that some Catholics have broken these teachings in violence and discrimination toward gays, but in those acts, they sin as well. I recall seeing assemblies of Catholics shouting the Bible quote " You shall not lie with a male as with a woman, such a thing is an abomination." Is it not also an abomination that we make hasty and crude judgments against God's creation? People who act with such unkindness taint the reputation of the Church. Those assemblies lead people to make hasty generalizations that all Catholics "hate" homosexuals.
While Catholics do not condone discrimination or unkindness towards homosexuals, they also do not condone gay marriage. The reasoning behind that decision relates to sexual relations. The Catholic Church does not allow gay marriage due to the fact that they cannot procreate. Procreation was God's intention for marriage, and homosexual couples cannot carry out that intention. Therefore, only heterosexual couples may be married in the Catholic Church. In accordance with that logic, homosexual couples may not have sexual relations. Heterosexual couples are not to have sexual relations outside of marriage, so why would the rule be any different for homosexuals? That rule expresses the complete equality between heterosexual and homosexual couples.
Jenna,
DeleteYour blog brought to light how regardless of sexual orientation, the church loves everyone. Your blog could have included more on if the church thinks that gay marriage should be a civil right and not a church right, or neither. While Catholics don't believe in gay marriage, what do they suggest the law do about it? Also, you could have included how Catholics believe that the calling of homosexual men and women could be towards priesthood, sisterhood, or other callings. The Catholic Church has a place for everyone, and they want everyone to achieve eternal happiness through God.
Jenna:
DeleteYou did a nice job explaining the argument brought upon the Catholic Church. I think the reason that your argument was so strong was because of the way you used your quotes. All of them had great meaning and served a wonderful purpose. I think you should have included that although Catholic's do not oppose gay people we do oppose gay "actions", if you will. Overall, your blog was well constructed.
Jenna,
DeleteI really enjoyed your blog. I think everyone should look into this because there is a lot of controversy with gay marriage today. Also you put in really good quotes. Good job!!
Jenna,
DeleteFirst off I chose to comment on yours because I was looking to do this topic before you had claimed first. We had many of the same ideas and concepts because I had the topic "same sex marriage." As you had in your blog, I too commented on now we need to treat all gays with respect and dignity they deserve. The Catholic Church makes this a bug emphasis when talking about this issue. You also did a great job with incorporating the bible quote and expanding on that with further discussion on what God's plan is for us as human beings. Great blog and I really enjoyed reading it and comparing my ideas to your ideas!
Catholics today are criticized for their beliefs on a daily bases by ex-Catholics, Protestants, atheists, and other religious groups alike. Many of these groups that criticize the church do so about subjects that they actually are not very educated on. These common misconceptions steer many people toward disbelief of the one true God and hatred for Catholics in general. One of the most important and perhaps unfortunate of these misconceptions is against Mary the Mother of God. Some believe that she is not in fact the mother of God, some believe that she is not pure and free of sin, and some believe regardless of her importance, praying to her is idolatry.
ReplyDeleteMany people believe that Mary is not in fact the mother of God. This is not true, as there are many instances where the bible plainly states that Jesus is the son of Mary. And because Jesus and God are one, Mary is the mother of God. One of the first times we hear of this in the New Testament is when Mary visits Elizabeth shortly after her conception. Elizabeth says "Why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me” (Luke 1:42-43). The Catholic Church ratifies this in part one, section two, chapter two in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It reads:
"Called in the Gospels "the mother of Jesus", Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the mother of my Lord". In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God" (Theotokos)."
This quote from the New Testament relates directly to the Book of Samuel, which talks of the Ark of the Lord. Further more, the bible mentions Mary as Jesus' mother as he lay dying on the cross. It says "Standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, His mother's sister, Mary the wide of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple He loved standing there, He said to His mother, 'Woman, here is your son.' Then he said to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' And from that hour the disciple took her into his home." (John 19:25-27)
Non-Catholics tend not to understand what Catholics call the Immaculate Conception. The Immaculate Conception refers to the event of Mary being born without sin. Many people refute this idea, saying that Jesus was the only one who was sinless, and that the bible does not state Mary was sinless. When the Angel Gabriel came to Mary, he said the words that she was 'filled with grace'. These words come from the Greek term kecharitomene, which more accurately translates to "perfect in grace." These words are very strong, and make it almost impossible to believe the Mary has sin. If you believe that Mary is perfect in grace, which is what the bible says, then it is impossible for her to be perfect in grace yet have sin.
One of the most widespread misconceptions about Mary is that Catholics worship her, which is idolatry. This is simply not true. Catholics pray in reverence to Mary, but not in total adoration, which is reserved for God. Many Catholics pray to Mary because through her intercession they come to God. As the mother of God, Mary has this power to bring to attention all of the prayers of the people. Additionally, Protestants in particular believe that it is also unholy to pray on your knees in front of a statue of Mary. Praying in front of a statue is not worshiping that statue, or putting any divine value on it where there is none. This is the same way that the bible is treated with respect by the Protestants because of its wisdom but not because of its material quality. A statute made in the likeness of Mary is an act of respect and reverence.
Catherine:
DeleteThis argument you chose was a good one. I enjoyed reading this, as I was not exactly sure how I would respond to such a question asked to me. You did a nice job defending the church's stance on Mary, the mother of God. I like how you broke up the 3 main stances people have on Mary and back each of then up with church teachings. You used excellent passages from the bible to support your argument. My favorite was the part about the Angel Gabriel and how you explain how she was full of grace. I was impressed with that. Very nicely done.
Catherine,
DeleteYou did an excellent job defending a Catholic's belief in Mary. The stories and quotes you took from the Bible really aided your argument. The connection to the Immaculate Conception also created a great argument to defend the Church.
Catherine,
DeleteI enjoyed reading about your topic because I don't have much knowledge on the subject. You seemed very informed on your topic. You organized your blog incredibly logically. Without much knowledge of the subject, it is difficult for me to find a criticism, so great job!
Catherine,
DeleteTo be honest I did not know that this topic has that misunderstood, and it really opened my eyes to this important idea. I think your blog was wonderful and it fully incorporated bible quotes and the CCC.
Priestly celibacy? How awful, right?
ReplyDeleteA common issue many people, including Catholics, have with the Catholic Church today is that priests are required to live a life of celibacy. For those who are not familiar, this means a priest may not get married and may not have any sexual relations. First of all, I will mention that this is not s church doctrine, rather a discipline. In other words, Pope Francis could wake up tomorrow and allow priest to marry (but I'm confident he won't do that). Many people think this rule is awful and actually keeps many men from the priesthood because of it. Often times, we will hear a priest say he has "surrendered his life to God." In a sense, this is what priest does as they take vows as they are ordained. As the priest gives his life to God, why should a woman be part of his life in that way? Priests are called to a life of celibacy because they are already married, as a common title for them is "the Bride of Christ".
Catholic priests are married to the church. They are our spiritual fathers. The duty of Catholic Church priests is to lead us to heaven. This "us" is the church and everyone who makes up the church. The reason a priest is called to stay celibate is because as a father, husband, grandparent, etc. they would not be totally engaged in the family of faith. Would that be their fault? Of course not. As a father of husband it is ones duty to provide for the needs of your family and put effort fourth to help them. If a priest was married, he would have to serve two roles of a father of his intimate family, as well as father of the church. The bible puts this perfectly, "For he who is without a wife is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God. But he that is with a wife, is solicitous for the things of this world, how he may please his wife; and he is divided" (1 Cor 7:32-34). We also should keep in mind that the priest is serving in the role of Jesus Christ. Jesus lived his life as a celibate man, therefore the priests should too.
Saint Pope John Paul II tells us in his work "Theology of the Body" that marriage "is only a tentative solution to the problem of a union of persons through love." So by living celibate, Saint Pope JP II explains that priests are skipping the sacrament of marriage in anticipation of the "Marriage of the Lamb." The CCC puts this in similar terms, "All the ordained ministers of the Latin Church, with the exception of permanent deacons, are normally chosen from among men of faith who live a celibate life and who intend to remain celibate "for the sake of the kingdom of heaven."
So instead of looking at the celibate life in a bad way, we need to look at and see the beauty in the sacrifice our priests make for us. They are surrendering their lives to God for reasons greater than love of a woman. They give up the ability to be a father to little children and a husband to a beautiful woman so that they can look after us, the church, and lead us to eternal life.
Gabe,
DeleteYou did a great job defending the Catholic Church's teaching on the issue of priestly celibacy. The connection you made to the priests serving in the role of Jesus Christ really helped add to the logos in your argument.
Gabe,
DeleteI loved how in your blog you said that celibacy should be looked at as something beautiful and wonderful, rather than a forced and awful experience. Your mention of Theology of the Body in addition to bible and Catechism of the Catholic Church quotes established ethos well. Great Blog!
Gabe,
DeleteI agree with the priestly celibacy. You're right, the priests are married to the church and should be giving their whole soul to God, not a woman as well. And if being celibate turns men away from the priesthood, then they weren't meant to become a priest anyways.
Gabe,
DeleteYou did a really good job on your blog. I understand completely why priests are not allowed being married to a women. If they were then they wouldn't be putting their whole heart into the church.
G-Baby
DeleteYour blog was great and I really enjoyed the statement you used about the priest being already married to the church and can not marry a women. I also did not know that the pope could change this issue anytime he wanted. It was a great blog
The Bible tells us the story of Moses delivering God's Ten Commandments to His people from Mount Sinai. Each commandment teaches us how to love God and love one another. The Fifth Commandment states that, "you shall not kill." This commandment teaches us that we shall not kill our neighbor, and it also instructs us to not kill ourselves. Several misconceptions have been made about the Catholic Church's teaching on suicide. Many people believe that suicide is a grave sin that only leads to Hell. The Catholic Church, however, teaches that suicide is a mortal sin because it breaks the Fifth Commandment, but God is able to forgive those who have committed suicide. The Catechism of the Catholic Church informs us that those who commit this offense are not in a proper state of mind, therefore, their sin is forgiven by God. "Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide" (CCC, 2282). The Catechism also teaches that we do not own our lives, God does, and we are not permitted to end our lives because God has trusted us with them(CCC, 2280). Those who are not Catholic may also wonder why the Church teaches that it is sinful to commit suicide if God will forgive those that have taken their own life. Anyone who has committed suicide has committed a sin, and anyone who has not attempted to aid a suicidal person has also committed a sin. The CCC also tells us that we are to honor our lives and receive them with respect. We are failing to honor our lives, the lives of others, and the living God when we allow another person to commit suicide(CCC, 2281). We must do everything in our power to aid those who feel hopeless and without God. We must inspire those who are willing to end their lives to find God in life. The Catechism also teaches us that, "we should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance" (CCC, 2283). As members of the Church, we must pray for those contemplating suicide and the victims of suicide.
ReplyDeleteHailee,
DeleteThis was interesting. I was always under the impression that a person that committed suicide went straight to Hell, but I guess I was under the wrong impression. Cool blog
Hailee,
DeleteYou described the Catholic Churches stance on suicide very well. I was not aware that it was also considered a sin if a person did not help a suicidal person, but that makes a lot of sense. You did a great job of synthesizing your sources, but I think your argument would have been stronger if you included more ideas or quotes from the bible. You did a great job covering every counterargument. Great job!
Hailee,
DeleteThe introduction with Moses delivering the Ten Commandments to God's people transitioned well into your main topic. You identified the misconceptions and countered with Catholic Church teachings, and therefore successfully defended them. A minor problem with your blog, in my opinion, was the repetition of quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I understand we were supposed to incorporate the CCC, however, I think you should have balanced your sources more efficiently.
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1031: The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:
ReplyDeleteAs for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.
Purgatory is the "waiting room" on the way to Heaven. It's the stage that most "normal" Catholic people have to go through before entering the kingdom of God. Some people are sent down to Hell to burn in flames for eternity, and the others that have sin in their soul are sent through purgatory to be cleansed from sin before seeing God for the first time in his great Kingdom of Heaven. Once in Purgatory, you are destined for Heaven, there's no possibility of Hell at this point. When a person dies, the are either destined for Hell, or Heaven. Most people destined for Heaven need to go through the process of purgatory for cleansing before witnessing God. Except in some cases, where the dying are given last rites, which cleanses their soul completely before they die and prepares them for the Kingdom of God. "Nothing unclean shall enter Heaven" - Revelation, Chapter twenty - one: Verse twenty - seven. A persons soul must be pure to see the Lord, which Purgatory makes the purification of souls possible.
Ben,
DeleteYour blog was concise but well explained at the same time. You should have done a more competent job in terms of using in-text citations when quoting the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. However, I like how you described Purgatory as a "waiting room to Heaven." That was a great analogy. Overall, you described the process after death very fluently, but you never really addressed critics or opposers of this stage, which ultimately did not allow you to technically "defend" Purgatory.
Infallibility is defined as "the fact that somebody or something is never wrong or never fails."
ReplyDeleteWhen this is translated to Papal Infallibility, the most common misconception is that the Catholic Church itself supports the notion that the pope is never wrong, that the Holy Father is incapable of failure. Those in opposition of Papal Authority often attempt to form the foundation of their argument with this idea. However, the fact of the matter is that they are mistaken, which can be a result of mere ignorance or unfamiliarity with history and doctrines of the Church.
First of all, infallibility does not mean that the pope is perfect or unable to sin. After all, the pope is a human being and therefore united to man's original fallen state. The Catholic Church also teaches that all people have the right to exercise free will. If God deemed the pope as infallible, technically He would be denying him his free will. Confusion arises with regards to what the pope can and cannot do as well. Papal Infallibility does not entail the ability to alter Church doctrines or generate new ones; it simply allows the pope to reiterate or clarify what the First Teacher, Christ Himself, taught us. As Sacred Scripture tells us, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).
In addition, critics claim that Papal Infallibility represents the pope's divine revelation from God. That is not the case. The pope, just like any other religious minister, must actively and thoroughly study the faith; knowledge is not naturally instilled in him through God as some may think. The First Vatican Council taught that for a papal announcement to "infallible," the pope must speak from the Chair of Peter, the decision must be binding on the whole Church, and it must be a matter of faith or morals. Recall from Scripture, "You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church" (Matthew 16:18). The Pope is the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth as commanded by Jesus through Peter, the first Pope, and the continuation of apostolic succession. His infallibility is not won or lost, but rather his authority remains constant according to Church doctrine that was instituted by our Savior. The Catechism of the Catholic Church confirms this: "The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter's successor, is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful. For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered" (882). Ultimately, Jesus Christ established an infallible Church, and it endures today, under the guidance and leadership of the Supreme Pontiff. Those who reject the infallibility of the Pope in this sense, reject Jesus Himself.
Grammatical correction: The First Vatican Council taught that for a papal announcement to be* ...
DeleteSo abortion is wrong no matter what and you’re going to Hell right? Wrong, not only does the church offer forgiveness, There are some form of “abortions” that are considered acceptable by the Catholic Church. All and all’ abortion is wrong. You cannot take the life of a human being no matter what age or stage of life. Even in the womb, a fetus is life and that makes it killing or homicide. As we all know this goes against the 5th commandment of the Catholic Church, “you shall not kill”. By the catholic standards killing is a sin, and sins must be forgiven. To some extremist, a sin such as abortion has no ability to be forgiven and the mother will be sent to hell with no chance of redemption. That is where the largest misconception amongst the church and abortion lie.
ReplyDeleteTo reiterate what was stated in the first line, there is forgiveness. There is always forgiveness in God. He is almighty powerful, but forgiving as well. If Saint pope John Paul II was able to forgive the man that tried to assassinate him, then any human should be able to forgive a human for killing another human. In the creed Catholics profess the forgiveness of sins. This means all sin, no matter how grave or severe, as long as you are truly sorry. So yes, all sins can be forgiven, but that doesn’t mean all abortions are sins.
An intended abortion or purposely killing a fetus is a sin. This not always the case. In terms of medical safety the mother comes first. In the case of an ectopic pregnancy, an abortion is considered acceptable. An ectopic pregnancy is when the embryo gets lodged in the fallopian tube. In this case the mother will have major complications and the baby has no chance of survival. In this case the procedure is acceptable because to kill one life that won’t survive is more beneficial then taking that life plus the life of a person currently living. Another case is in the presence of uterine cancer. To treat uterine cancer the whole womb is taken out. A women with uterine cancer has no chance of delivering a child and she is at risk of dying. Again the safety of the mother comes first.
This is why one person cannot condemn a person who had an abortion. The person made a mistake and later on feels the guilt and wants to accept God’s forgiveness. Only God can condemn and forgive people. In the Catholic Church it is not considered a mortal sin to have an abortion under certain circumstances. Though just one of the many misconceptions in the church. It is one of the most debated and now is clarified in this response.
Kira,
DeleteI like how you started out with a rhetorical question and answered it with the obvious answer to show emphasis of your argument. Also I like how you stated several times that there is forgiveness. No matter what we do, God forgives us if we are truly sorry and strive to do better. I was quite interested in reading about the acceptable abortions that are allowed by the Catholic Church. Despite the great blog, I would have liked to see direct quotations from the Catechism of the Catholic Chruch and Bible. I don't doubt that pieces of information are in there, but you could have done a better job making that a bigger part of your paper to help with your stance on abortion. Overall, good work.
Same Sex Marriage
ReplyDeleteSame sex marriage is labeled as unorthodox and wrong to many of us. We know this because most of us grew up in a Catholic based community and environment. Personally, I have an experience with this right before my eyes. I have a cousin who lives in Philadelphia who is married to a member of the same sex. As a Catholic, I know this is wrong due to my faith. When I first experienced this at a young age, I had very mixed emotions. Do I ignore it? Does my faith say I need to act? I knew very little about what my faith said regarding this issue other than that I knew this wasn't God's plan for marriage. As I look back, I wish I would have confronted my parents about this topic so they could clarify what our teaching says to do. As I grew as a person and Catholic, I began to understand what the Catholic Church teaches, and I am still learning today. Regardless of what my faith allows, the Church strongly proclaims that all people, including those participating in same sex marriage, are treated with dignity and respect. This exact sentence answered my question I asked to myself when I experienced my cousins marriage. It helped me understand that Catholics do not judge, we just follow our beliefs. This experience really helped me come closer to God and understand what he wanted for us. He wants us to have a partner, but he wants that partner to be of the opposite sex. This was the way he intended and meant for. Catholics do recognize same sex marriage as disordered, but we show great compassion for those who suffer from this disorder. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states "Men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies . . . must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity."
People often wonder why same sex marriage matters if it brings them happiness? Why are Catholics so opposed to this? The reason for this is that it is what our faith teaches us. This was not God's intention. The guide to our faith, the Bible, mentions God's intention for a partner.
"It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him" (Gen. 2:18). As a result, "a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh" (Gen. 2:24). Some may forego the good of marriage to serve a higher calling (cf. Matthew 19:10-12). The thing is God doesn't call everyone to marriage. We each have a special vocation to God, whether it is marriage, single life, or religious life. This is often labeled as a misconception in the church, especially in today's society. This issue is continuing to grow, and as Catholics all we can do is stick to our beliefs and defend our faith by following God's plan to marriage in which he intended.
In the bible it allows slavery, so everyone should have slaves today. Actually in Leviticus 25:44-46 slavery was originally allowed, but afterwards in 1Timothy 1:10 slavery was outlaw. The bible quotes states this "and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching," In the bible it does not specially say slavery is wrong, it just states that anything that is against sound teachings. In today's modern world we all think of slavery as a race issue, but back in the times before Christ slayer was an everyday occurrence, and it was not just Mexicans or Chinese people it was anyone in debt or conquered people. People say well because Jesus did not say it was wrong it must be ok and we should all practice the act of slavery. Well, actually, the Catechism of the Catholic states that, "2414 The seventh commandment forbids acts or enterprises that for any reason - selfish or ideological, commercial, or totalitarian - lead to the enslavement of human beings, to their being bought, sold and exchanged like merchandise, in disregard for their personal dignity. It is a sin against the dignity of persons and their fundamental rights to reduce them by violence to their productive value or to a source of profit. St. Paul directed a Christian master to treat his Christian slave "no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, . . . both in the flesh and in the Lord." The central portion of our faith is that Jesus came down from heaven to save us from our sins and "free us" form our spiritual slaver and allow us to enter into heaven. If we believe that slavery is something that we should all practice, then you are contradicting to greatest part of our faith.
ReplyDelete