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Fortinbras Armstrong

(4,473 posts)
10. James Joyce defined Catholicism as
Tue Apr 2, 2013, 10:28 AM
Apr 2013

"Here comes everyone!"

Catholics are, all too often, lacking in humility and charity. We argue. We fight. We wrangle. But, to each of us, this faith of ours is worth fighting over. It is a major part of what we are. And, in our passions, we sometimes get so angry and so frustrated that we forget the Christian virtues that we should be practicing. For all of us, most certainly including myself, who have fallen short of the Christian ideal, I wish to apologize.

As far as leaving the Church, I am sometimes tempted to do just that. I was originally baptised into the Anglican Church, and I sometimes wonder if I would be happier there. (I hear one or two people saying "Yes, why don't you go there?&quot So why do I stay? As Tevye in the opening to Fiddler on the Roof says, "We stay, because Anatevka is our home." And the Catholic Church is my home. My favorite definition of "home" is from Robert Frost's poem, "The Death of the Hired Man":

"Home is the place where,
When you have to go there,
They have to take you in."


And where would I go if I were to leave? In John 6:67-68, Jesus asks the apostles "'Do you also want to leave?' Simon Peter answered him, 'Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.'"

The Church is my family. A large, sometimes dysfunctional, often unruly family. A family of drunks and liars, whores and advertising men (but I repeat myself), saints who make people wonder how they ever got canonized (read about Cyril of Alexandria sometime -- if you would like me to post on him, just ask).

I stay because I sometimes get glimpses of Jesus in my fellow Catholics -- enough glimpses to keep me hungering for more and also keep me convinced that this is the path that I must follow if I am to see Jesus eternally. I stay because I do find enough faith, hope, and especially love to sustain me on my pilgrimage along that path. Is it always easy? No, of course not. I often stumble. I sometimes get angry at the officious bureaucracy of the Church, who seem to be far more interested in power than they are in love. I often get angry with my fellow Christians for not living up to the ideals that they profess. I get angry with myself for the same reasons. Sometimes I get angry with God, who is the Malek Haolam -- the master of the universe --but seems to be doing a rotten job of running the place.

The Apostle Paul put it: "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!" (Phillipians 4:4) I do not rejoice always -- I have far too many demons infesting my soul to permit this -- but I rejoice enough of the time that it is worth staying the course.
"Claim" to be Catholics? trotsky Apr 2013 #1
"Cafeteria Catholic" means Catholics who pick and choose among Catholic teachings Fortinbras Armstrong Apr 2013 #4
"torture is malum in se -- evil in and of itself" trotsky Apr 2013 #6
I would say that you have a basic misunderstanding of Hell and how one goes there Fortinbras Armstrong Apr 2013 #7
Ah, the old "people choose to go to hell" defense. trotsky Apr 2013 #8
No, my answer to your question is that you don't really understand Fortinbras Armstrong Apr 2013 #14
There's nothing reasonable about your answer, because it's a cop-out. trotsky Apr 2013 #15
No, it is not a cop-out, unlike your blowing off my response Fortinbras Armstrong Apr 2013 #16
How can that be a valid comparison *at all*? trotsky Apr 2013 #17
Oh, I see Fortinbras Armstrong Apr 2013 #19
All I want is for you to explain how sending a child to their room... trotsky Apr 2013 #20
The objection is skepticscott Apr 2013 #30
If a parent EvolveOrConvolve Apr 2013 #23
Wow, this is just a bona fide evil being that you worship. Humanist_Activist Apr 2013 #25
Another person who wants to do whatever he wants without consequences Fortinbras Armstrong Apr 2013 #29
That argument has been shot to pieces already skepticscott Apr 2013 #31
I don't need a cosmic dictator to obey to behave morally... Humanist_Activist Apr 2013 #36
Wow, you just have no answers for anything, do you? skepticscott Apr 2013 #38
All Christians are Cafeteria Christians. backscatter712 Apr 2013 #11
Well the teachings that came out of Christs mouth were be nice. hrmjustin Apr 2013 #32
what about the so-called 'old testament' and pentatuech? Phillip McCleod Apr 2013 #39
That is very true that parts of the bible would not be considered moral by todays standard. hrmjustin Apr 2013 #41
still.. which bible? Phillip McCleod Apr 2013 #42
I don't see the bible as a terrible book. hrmjustin Apr 2013 #43
The article does not state they "claim" to be Catholics. rug Apr 2013 #9
What is really tiring pipoman Apr 2013 #2
What is REALLY trying Fortinbras Armstrong Apr 2013 #5
along with pipoman Apr 2013 #24
+100 demosincebirth Apr 2013 #26
So, anyone who "claims" to be a Catholic isn't really one? mr blur Apr 2013 #3
James Joyce defined Catholicism as Fortinbras Armstrong Apr 2013 #10
I think he makes the distinction very eloquently and it is an important one to make. cbayer Apr 2013 #12
Should liberal Catholics have their behavior contrasted with that of the new pope as well? trotsky Apr 2013 #13
You won't get an answer. That's a gotcha question. cleanhippie Apr 2013 #18
You and I know it very well. trotsky Apr 2013 #21
i'm paying attention.. Phillip McCleod Apr 2013 #22
I would say most liberal Roman Catholics don't worry if they don't obey the pope on something. hrmjustin Apr 2013 #33
The point is, conservative Catholics don't worry either. trotsky Apr 2013 #35
We all fall short. hrmjustin Apr 2013 #37
Did anybody else catch this line? Lordquinton Apr 2013 #27
Fascism as defined by Mussolini (who ought to know) is eridani Apr 2013 #28
I noticed it as well. hrmjustin Apr 2013 #34
yes plz. do explain.. \n Phillip McCleod Apr 2013 #40
Saying that they can't be facist Lordquinton Apr 2013 #44
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