Pope Francis faces church divided over doctrine
This is a very interesting article
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/pope-francis-faces-church-divided-over-doctrine-global-poll-of-catholics-finds/2014/02/08/e90ecef4-8f89-11e3-b227-12a45d109e03_story.html
By Michelle Boorstein and Peyton M. Craighill,
Most Catholics worldwide disagree with church teachings on divorce, abortion and contraception and are split on whether women and married men should become priests, according to a large new poll released Sunday and commissioned by the U.S. Spanish-language network Univision. On the topic of gay marriage, two-thirds of Catholics polled agree with church leaders.
Overall, however, the poll of more than 12,000 Catholics in 12 countries reveals a church dramatically divided: Between the developing world in Africa and Asia, which hews closely to doctrine on these issues, and Western countries in Europe, North America and parts of Latin America, which strongly support practices that the church teaches are immoral.
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In the United States, Catholics are divided on some issues, including gay marriage (54 percent support it; 40 percent oppose it). Compared with Catholics worldwide, they are more liberal than Africa, Asia and some parts of Latin America but not as liberal as Spain. The poll mirrored ones that show U.S. Catholics support married priests, female priests, abortion and contraception.
= new reply since forum marked as read
To be sure, the smart move for most of us, is to just ignore traditional religion. However, if you're already in dialogue with it here or elsewhere, even to convince it that its wrong, then you're already partially interested or anyway involved. So let's see if we can have useful influence here, with the Church.
Amazingly there are some partial allies within the churches; many very liberal Christians often suspect that their “God” was socially constructed by human beings. And therefore they know that (intelligent) human beings can change their definitions if they want. To something more liberal.
Liberal Catholics can help therefore; and note that the present surveys suggest that about half of all Catholics are liberal in many ways. They are more liberal than traditional conservative church doctrines on abortion and sexuality for instance. (Though not so liberal not in other more important ways to be sure).
So the PEOPLE might accept much of this. But is the present Pope also liberal enough to direct SOME changes, in a liberal direction? There are many signs that he is.
So finally: how about the rest of the Catholic leadership? Many Cardinals are fairly liberal. Or if they were conservative to a degree, then note that they have had to accept Francis (realname George), under some recent pressure. Under pressure, for various reasons, the more conservative Benedict XVI (realname Joe Ratzinger), resigned. The resignation was an usual and significant thing; first time a pope resigns in 600 years. Possibly under conservative but also liberal pressure. For his as-yet undisclosed sins perhaps; (protecting pederasts; conservative theology; former links to German Warmacht activity).
So thanks to a number of developments, the Church is poised for some significant, liberal changes; liberalization.
Most likely we will see only a slight lessening of sexual conservatism; but far more significant changes are possible. Will they be enough? Is it better to some extent cooperate with the establishment, to work with it, to effect greater changes from within the system?
Personally, I'm grateful for assistance from everyone; from within, and from without, the system. Any liberalization is welcome.
Some liberalization now appears likely. Though finally to be sure, we should all watch our present situation, and watch the Vatican closely. To make sure that much, much greater reforms come about than mere sexual vacations.
Among other things, we need within a few years, many more "confessing the sins of the Church"
es). Including their many deceptions of all the people. (Who to be sure, were all-too-gullible, for far too long.)
here a couple of days ago.
