Reply #7: Got a mouse in your pocket? [View All]

[sandnsea]

We, please, use something else because 'we' aren't universal on the views you expressed. Homosexuality, in particular, has not always been viewed as a clear sin. Rather, there was a time when the Church appeared to be leaning towards the acceptance of homosexuality; that people were born homosexual and the understanding of the difficulty in living a life without sex. I've read studies that estimated around 30% or more of priests are homosexual. After the pedophile scandals, it seems to me the Pope reacted by blaming homosexuality instead of understanding pedophilia. It seems to me that that is when he made his strongest statements against homosexuality.

As to abortion, I think there is scriptural evidence that life doesn't begin at conception. It's pretty simple to me, Mary spoke of her pregnancy at quickening and the world recognized the Savior at the birth, not the conception. I don't think there's anything that would prevent the Church from saying the Spirit doesn't enter zygotes, just as the Spirit doesn't enter animals or plantlife. Seems to me some of our most revered saints have said as much in the past.

Part of Catholicism is thinking and developing an informed conscience. Knowing what Church teaching is, but not being required to swallow it without full thought and comprehension. It is a shame most priests won't allow Catholics the full freedom of our faith. The Church is in real danger of becoming exactly what Jesus came to destroy, a set of rules to follow that doesn't allow for people to develop any genuine belief.

And that is why a Catholic can be a Democrat, because we still follow the basic tenet of the faith, the freedom to develop our own conscience based on the teachings of Christ.