What people here who demand Catholics leave their church don't understand.

[backscatter712]

13. I keep seeing this false disconnect...

"The crazies and child-molesters in the hierarchy have no effect on my local parish with the nice pastor and great community."

Bullshit.

That pastor, while he's a nice guy, got put there by the diocese, and the hierarchy can reassign him whenever they want. He has to do what he's told, and follow orders from Francis on down. If Francis (or previously, Maladict) orders he condemn homosexuality, he's going to condemn homosexuality. If Francis says tell women to submit to men, he's going to tell his parishioners that.

Furthermore, people think that what they put in the collection plate stays in the parish. While most of the money raised from offerings goes to upkeep of the church, and to various charities, a piece of it goes upstairs to the diocese hierarchy - maybe 8% or so, depending on the parish. How do you think that anti-gay-marriage initiatives across the nation got funded? Sure, some of that may have come from wealthy right-wing donors, or from RCC investments. But some of that money came from parish collection plates. Sure, there are lots of left-wing Catholics who support GLBT and women's rights, but when they put money in the plate, that money is used to push the opposite agenda. Remember, When you put money in the plate, you're bankrolling hate.

OK, but what about the charities. First of all, why can't you donate to them directly and bypass the church? Second, what do we see from Catholic charities in particular? Hospitals that get nasty towards GLBT patients or their families, or get ugly with women exercising reproductive rights or try to get an abortion, even for medical reasons. Adoption agencies that would rather see children parentless and institutionalized rather than let them be adopted by a same-sex couple. Are these the kinds of charities you want your money funding?

If you want to associate yourself with the world's biggest conservative organization that promotes anti-GLBT bigotry and discrimination against women, that's your choice, but don't expect me to shut up about it.