Showing posts with label Catholic Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Catholic Church. Show all posts
Rick Santorum And First Principles
Molly Worthen has written an article in the New York Times exploring the essence of Rick Santorum's theology.
Catholic Doctrine And Your Health
Austin Cline has posted a lengthy but important piece on the extensive impact the Catholic Church is having on healthcare in the USA.
Concrete Beats Abstract
Mano Singham has posted on the reality that, in politics, concrete beats abstract.
Religious Liberty: Do The Catholic Bishops Have It Backwards?
Valerie Tarico has posted on the recent controversy regarding the Catholic bishops' claim that their "religious liberty" is being infringed upon over health insurance coverage of contraceptives.
What If It Were The Jehovah's Witnesses?
This post is further commentary regarding this blogger's recent post entitled Catholics, Conscience and Health Insurance
Catholics, Conscience and Health Insurance
This blogger recently posted on the controversial decision by the Obama administration to require all employers to pay for health insurance that covers birth control.
The Catholic Church And Children
Hemant Mehta has posted on the effect on children of Catholic morality.
Whitewashing The Whitewash?
Jerry Coyne has posted on the latest report of the US Catholic hierarchy regarding the child abuse scandal.
The Catholic Church, The Jews And Hitler (Part 2)
The American Humanist Society continues its analysis of the Catholic Church's activities during World War II and thereafter.
The Catholic Church, The Jews And Hitler (Part 1)
The American Humanist Association has posted the first of two articles analyzing the activities of Catholic Church leaders in Poland during Hitler's reign. I wonder why some of this information was not discussed during the Beatification of Pope John Paul II ceremonies last week?
The Catholic Church And Evolution
Jerry Coyne has posted a fairly detailed piece on evolution and the Catholic Church.
Catholicism And Truth
This blogger has experienced the full force of Catholic dogma as a "cradle' Catholic. Unfortunately, for a major part of life, it included belief in the infallibility of the Church on matters of faith and morals. As reality finally set in, the fact that reality, truth and morality can, indeed, be misinterpreted by this authority was a major reason for accepting an alternative worldview. Here is a brief but important post by Jerry Coyne regarding Catholicism and truth.
If god is real and has revealed himself to humanity through Jesus and his Church, why is it that so many good Catholics do not accept ALL of the Church's teachings? As anyone who knows this blogger, there was NOBODY more accepting of the Church's teachings. For Catholics, intellectually and morally, if you TRULY believe that the creator of everything around us speaks through the Catholic Church (and you KNOW that is the teaching), why do most of you not accept its teachings? This blogger accepted the truth. Why do you persist in the playing the "cafeteria" game? Either the Church is right or it is wrong. This blogger has made the logical choice.
Subjective Validation
Austin Cline has posted on the problem of seeing patterns and connections that aren't really there, so-called Subjective Validation.
As a former Catholic, this blogger can say that the phenomenon of praying to St. Anthony when looking for something that is lost falls into this category of false thinking. This blogger believed that it was due to the effect of this prayer that items that were lost were then found. Many, of not most, of my Catholic friends still strongly believe in the St. Anthony prayer. By the way, if you think that is crazy, how about burying a statue of St. Joseph upside down in the back yard to help to sell a house!!
As a former Catholic, this blogger can say that the phenomenon of praying to St. Anthony when looking for something that is lost falls into this category of false thinking. This blogger believed that it was due to the effect of this prayer that items that were lost were then found. Many, of not most, of my Catholic friends still strongly believe in the St. Anthony prayer. By the way, if you think that is crazy, how about burying a statue of St. Joseph upside down in the back yard to help to sell a house!!
Why Does The Catholic Church Deserve Respect?
PZ Meyers has posted on the recent revelation of a Vatican letter. Below is the post, without any further comment from this blogger except that this is immoral and disgusting.
Agreement Among Christians
As you may know, this blogger regularly follows a local (but widely-recognized) Christian apologetics blog. The following comment on a posting regarding "Do the Creeds matter?" seems to clearly show the difficulty in determining "authority" within Christianity:
The Catholic Church claims its authority from Scripture, Tradition and the teaching Magisterium. Over the centuries, many people have rejected this authority in good conscience and have viewed Christianity in many alternative ways. Protestantism, the main branch of those who reject this authority, has a problem with their "Sola Scripture" (Scripture Only) authority, as can be seen above.
Is there any wonder that there are approximately 38,000 denominations of Christianity in the world, all claiming "the truth"? If the Christian god is true, his method of communication needs a little work.
For, if the creeds can’t be authoritatively correct because they aren’t scripture, how do you know your interpretation is correct and authoritative, and by what authority do you judge differing positions to be wrong? After all, your interpretation isn’t scripture.
If this argument is used AGAINST the argument that Sola Scripture can’t be true…then how do we know the Creeds are a correct interpretation, and why is THEIR interpretation any more correct than anyone else’s? Inherently, we have to determine what something means, otherwise what is written has no meaning at all. The sentence “the dog ran to the fence” has absolutely no meaning at all, unless we interpret what a dog is, what running is, what a fence is, and the prepositions that go along with it. Interpretation is REQUIRED for us to understand. You yourself said that’s what you believe the creeds are – “correct interpretations of scripture contained in short statements of faith.” If you believe the creeds are authoritative, then you inherently, based on your own definition, believe that interpretations CAN be authoritative. If that’s the case – why can’t MINE be authoritative? Why can’t yours? Why can’t anyone’s?
- - - - -The Catholic Church claims its authority from Scripture, Tradition and the teaching Magisterium. Over the centuries, many people have rejected this authority in good conscience and have viewed Christianity in many alternative ways. Protestantism, the main branch of those who reject this authority, has a problem with their "Sola Scripture" (Scripture Only) authority, as can be seen above.
Is there any wonder that there are approximately 38,000 denominations of Christianity in the world, all claiming "the truth"? If the Christian god is true, his method of communication needs a little work.
Ken Miller: Is He Consistent In His Application of Science?
Ken Miller is a biology professor and vocal proponent of science in the battle against creationism and intelligent design (ID). He was the plaintiff's lead expert witness in the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District court case, challenging the school board 's mandate to incorporate Intelligent Design into the curriculum.
However, Dr. Miller is a practicing Roman Catholic and a believer in "theist evolution". According to Wikipedia, theistic evolution asserts that classical religious teachings about God are compatible with the modern scientific understanding about biological evolution. In short, theistic evolutionists believe that there is a God, that God is the creator of the material universe and (by consequence) all life within, and that biological evolution is simply a natural process within that creation. Evolution, according to this view, is simply a tool that God employed to develop human life. Thus, theistic evolutionists reject the active intervention within evolution that ID proponents claim. However, are these concepts really significantly different? They both posit an intelligent creator of the universe and everything in it.
Since there is no evidence in support of either theist evolution or intelligent design, why should someone who is educated in and accepting of science methods and principles accept theist evolution or intelligent design? He or she should not, to be consistent in thinking. However, many people do and this blogger was one of them for decades. A person may work within the parameters of science professionally, then turn off that process and believe something without evidence when in a non-professional environment. This blogger broke away from such mental gymnastics. Will Ken Miller ever make the same move toward consistency of thought?
However, Dr. Miller is a practicing Roman Catholic and a believer in "theist evolution". According to Wikipedia, theistic evolution asserts that classical religious teachings about God are compatible with the modern scientific understanding about biological evolution. In short, theistic evolutionists believe that there is a God, that God is the creator of the material universe and (by consequence) all life within, and that biological evolution is simply a natural process within that creation. Evolution, according to this view, is simply a tool that God employed to develop human life. Thus, theistic evolutionists reject the active intervention within evolution that ID proponents claim. However, are these concepts really significantly different? They both posit an intelligent creator of the universe and everything in it.
Since there is no evidence in support of either theist evolution or intelligent design, why should someone who is educated in and accepting of science methods and principles accept theist evolution or intelligent design? He or she should not, to be consistent in thinking. However, many people do and this blogger was one of them for decades. A person may work within the parameters of science professionally, then turn off that process and believe something without evidence when in a non-professional environment. This blogger broke away from such mental gymnastics. Will Ken Miller ever make the same move toward consistency of thought?
The Moral Landscape
Here are questions and answers regarding morality from Sam Harris prompted by his recent book The Moral Landscape.
The Catholic View of Evolution
In this blogger's latest post, "Theistic Evolution" was criticized. Following is a summary of an article on Catholic.org that clearly states the Catholic position on evolution. I leave it to the reader to decide if this opinion is reasonable and adequately supported.
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Pius XII insisted that regardless of the amount of research completed on the topic of evolution, Catholics must believe that 1) by virtue of man's human soul, he is essentially superior to the animals; 2) the first woman was derived in some way from the first man; 3) it is impossible that the immediate father of man could have been anything other than a human being; that is, it is impossible that the first man was the son of an animal.
Rev. Spirago explains: "The Church, through the Biblical Commission, requires us to believe in the special creation of Adam, that is, we must believe that Adam came into being through no merely natural process, but through some special intervention by God. God creates every human soul immediately out of nothing. The Church also teaches that God, by a special act, formed the body of Eve from the body of Adam" (Ibid).
Further, there are some who think that a population of humanoids evolved on the surface of the earth, and that the human race descended from that group. In other words, there is the incorrect notion that all human beings are not the descendants of one human pair (Adam and Eve). This theory is known as polygenism, and is contrary to the official teaching of the Magisterium.
Pope Pius XII declared: "it is unintelligible how such an opinion can be squared with what the sources of revealed truth and the documents of the Magisterium of the Church teach on Original Sin, which proceeds from sin actually committed by an individual Adam, and which, passed on to all by way of generation, is in everyone as his own" (HG, 38).
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Pius XII insisted that regardless of the amount of research completed on the topic of evolution, Catholics must believe that 1) by virtue of man's human soul, he is essentially superior to the animals; 2) the first woman was derived in some way from the first man; 3) it is impossible that the immediate father of man could have been anything other than a human being; that is, it is impossible that the first man was the son of an animal.
Rev. Spirago explains: "The Church, through the Biblical Commission, requires us to believe in the special creation of Adam, that is, we must believe that Adam came into being through no merely natural process, but through some special intervention by God. God creates every human soul immediately out of nothing. The Church also teaches that God, by a special act, formed the body of Eve from the body of Adam" (Ibid).
Further, there are some who think that a population of humanoids evolved on the surface of the earth, and that the human race descended from that group. In other words, there is the incorrect notion that all human beings are not the descendants of one human pair (Adam and Eve). This theory is known as polygenism, and is contrary to the official teaching of the Magisterium.
Pope Pius XII declared: "it is unintelligible how such an opinion can be squared with what the sources of revealed truth and the documents of the Magisterium of the Church teach on Original Sin, which proceeds from sin actually committed by an individual Adam, and which, passed on to all by way of generation, is in everyone as his own" (HG, 38).
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