Why the Church Needs Bad Catholics

7 posts

Niccolo and Donkey
Yes, there is no force to sin but what makes a bad Catholic a Catholic is his realization that his sin is a sin and that it is wrong and that no rationalization can make it right nor even mitigate it. This is perfectly in line with Catechism and is not in opposition to it whatsoever especially because we have the Sacrament of Confession with the Act of Contrition and Penance to go along with it.

That's Perkunos, not me. That should have been clarified by myself in my post above.
Cornelio

I cannot understand your position. Personally, I see the possibility of receiving confession and taking up a life in tune with catholic values and worldview perfectly open before me. I am a conservative man and I'm sometimes tempted to return to the Church. But in the end I don't believe in the personal God christianity offers; also I consider the Church, in its current corrupt and effeminate manifestation, an anti-traditional force. Therefore I do not join the Church. But believing and trusting the Church and not following its commandments... sorry, it makes no sense to me.

perkunos

Most famous Catholics lived lives which certainly didn't "follow (the Church's) commandments." Michelangelo and Leonardo were flamboyant cornholing gayboys, as was Evelyn Waugh, yet they managed to create great Catholic art. Do you think Mel Gibson is a good Catholic? He abandoned his wife and family for a Russian slut. Yet, he remains a noteable Catholic. Franco, was he a Catholic? Was Dante a Catholic? He lampooned the pope and obviously led a very worldly life. What about Benedict IX, Urban VI or Sergius III ? Are they better or worse than the present corrupt and effeminate Church?

As for being Catholic while remaining more or less agnostic, or even atheistic: plenty of Jews manage this, and nobody questions it. People like Kipling have said as much: "All sensible men are of the same religion, but no sensible man ever tells."

Cornelio
All the names you mention (with the possible exception of Leonardo) were sincere believers who were doing all they could to comply with the commandments of the Church.

What we are talking about here is bad catholics, ie people who actively refuse confession or following the most basic moral precepts with regards to sexuality or charity.

My point is that believing in the catholic God necessarily implies doing absolutely everything you can to follow his commandments, with the guidance of the Church . Doing otherwise you would be defying an omnipotent being who throws his enemies into hell for all eternity, and that would be insane. No, no true believer in his right mind would disobey God. Only someone who doesn't believe in Him would.
perkunos
Every single person I mentioned above disobeys the Catholic God, and remains very Catholic. Are your ancestors Presbyterians or something? This is not a difficult concept for normal Catholics to understand.
Cornelio
Sorry, I am not going to waste my powerful intellect with some idiot who thinks you can reject God's existence and still be a catholic.
perkunos
Have you spoken to a priest about this?