How can you be catholic when the pope sits on a golden throne...

[BudAshes]

while they preach about Jesus. How could you possibly be catholic and not have your brain explode from the irony? I know religion in general is brain exploding but Catholicism in particular seems bad. I doubt we have any Catholics here to explain but I would love someone to try.

 

[IronWing]

The gold throne I'm okay with. Those butt ugly spiral pillar thingies (Bernini's baldacchino) holding up the canopy gots to go.

This is why I can't be Catholic.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Interiorvaticano8.jpg

It's just hopelessly tasteless.


In fact, maybe it's not Catholicism I have a problem with at all, just Bernini.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Cathedra_Petri.jpg

 

[Zebo]

In all fairness Catholics give a lot in charity. Homeless missions, food kitchens, clothes, etc. Not trying to defend their largesse or religion but they are not quite Celfro Dollar/Jim Baker most priests live a life of poverty and bunk up with other priests.

 

[dainthomas]

Why not? Do you think it's any more insensitive than worshiping a god who supposedly loves everyone but allows the most horrible demented crap to happen to millions of people every day, when he's perfectly capable of stopping it? It actually seems very consistent with God's own behavior.

 

[bignateyk]

In all fairness Catholics give a lot in charity. Homeless missions, food kitchens, clothes, etc. Not trying to defend their largesse or religion but they are not quite Celfro Dollar/Jim Baker.

The amount they give to charity pales in comparison to the vast wealth of the vatican.

 

[SlitheryDee]

See I don't mind catholics so much. At least they know how to get with the times. Protestants I find infuriating sometimes.

 

[Zebo]

The amount they give to charity pales in comparison to the vast wealth of the vatican.

I don't know I've never seen the books. My wife is catholic and says they give a lot. They publish a weekly newsletter for her church and they take in $100K a week and about 25% went into charity efforts most was to pay lights, mortgage, etc. from what I remember looking at it once. Let me see if I can find a newsletter and post exact breakdown for her church.

 

[IronWing]

The amount they give to charity pales in comparison to the vast wealth of the vatican.

Not really. Catholic Relief Services is the largest aid organization in the world. On the other hand it took the Vatican centuries to accumulate all that junk. Touring the Vatican would make a great episode of Hoarders though.

 

[waggy]

while they preach about Jesus. How could you possibly be catholic and not have your brain explode from the irony? I know religion in general is brain exploding but Catholicism in particular seems bad. I doubt we have any Catholics here to explain but I would love someone to try.

i agree.

I don't mind Catholics but its the church i can't stand.

 

[Herr Kutz]

Why do you hate art, OP? I bet if the buildings were made of those overused, ugly, cheap metal sheets you would be bitching about that too.

 

[lxskllr]

Why do you hate art, OP? I bet if the buildings were made of those overused, ugly, cheap metal sheets you would be bitching about that too.

It's the thought that counts. The correct thought is you give to the needy, according to the teachings of Jesus, which is of course infallible as has been mentioned over and over. So what's the thought behind collecting worthless baubles, and hording them away in your house when people are starving? It's one thing for the non-religious to say "I don't give a shit", but what's the justification when you go against your whole reason for being?

 

[waggy]

i also have a issue with the "do not worship false idols" and i swear the reaction some people have of the pop is just that.

shrug.

 

[Theb]

The Catholic church is incredibly wealthy. Most large churches are very wealthy though.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-11-07-televangelist-probe_N.htm

 

[olds]

Uh, I am not catholic. I believe that the pope is actually the anti-Christ. He wears the mark of the Beast in his crown.

 

[IronWing]

Uh, I am not catholic. I believe that the pope is actually the anti-Christ. He wears the mark of the Beast in his crown.

What's wrong with a little competition? Should be a challenge for you.

 

[FelixDeCat]

If I let you live in a palace but you must promise to live a life of poverty and never accumalate cash or any personal posessions, live an abstinate life and be obediant to those you serve (the poor and faithful), would you do it? You must also pray and lead the prayers of others while guiding a church of almost 1,000,000,000. If you make this vow and break it, your friends will abandon you, your name will be held contempt and there will be no place on Earth to hide.

After more than 50 years on the job, the fringe benefits will include having mealy mouth detractors try to tackle you at Chrismas Eve masses to gain notoriety and hearing from other ne'er do wells (eg. Dick Dawkins) who envy your congetration.

 

[IronWing]

If I let you live in a palace but you must promise to live a life of poverty and never accumalate cash or any personal posessions,

Point of order: Popes are not required to take vows of poverty. Catholic priests in general are not required to take vows of poverty. Some specific orders do require such vows and some ordinary priests choose to take them as well but it is not a general requirement.

 

[AstroManLuca]

i also have a issue with the "do not worship false idols" and i swear the reaction some people have of the pop is just that.

shrug.

I've been to a Catholic wedding and a Catholic funeral in the past few months and I've noticed a lot of bowing to little statues and the like. It seems to me like the Catholic church practices idolatry, not just with the Pope but with all their little rituals as well.

But I see Catholics as a known quantity. The wedding and funeral services were at different churches but both were almost exactly one hour long. With other sects you never know what you're getting. Maybe it's a quick, casual thing, or maybe it's hours upon hours of arm-waving, speaking in tongues, and other ridiculous shenanigans.

 

[Zebo]

They all practice idolatry some just have less idols.

 

[yhelothar]

The extravagant catholic cathedrals were built back in the Renaissance to draw people in. These places were basically the most wondrous places a person can experience back in the day, and it gave people almost a sense of a religious experience. It worked well back in the day to give people a restored sense of faith when the morale of the Catholic church was falling low from Martin Luther speaking out against corruption in the church.

 

[Crono]

There are many compelling arguments to be made why Catholicism can't be considered Christianity.

Being a Christian implies following Christ. Jesus pronounced judgment on the hypocritical trappings of the Pharisees, and the very temple (which was indeed beautiful and impressive) which was set up in Jerusalem at that time.

 

[Insomniator]

Does anyone young actually believe or practice it anymore? Most of my friends that were brought up that way realized it was a bunch of BS by the time they finished high school.

 

[ShawnD1]

while they preach about Jesus. How could you possibly be catholic and not have your brain explode from the irony? I know religion in general is brain exploding but Catholicism in particular seems bad. I doubt we have any Catholics here to explain but I would love someone to try.

The golden throne is a bit stupid but overall I like how beautiful and complicated the design of some churches is. I'm not religious anymore and I don't go to church, but I still like to look at churches. They stand out and make the neighborhood look nicer.

 

[MotF Bane]

Does anyone young actually believe or practice it anymore? Most of my friends that were brought up that way realized it was a bunch of BS by the time they finished high school.

Coming from a private Catholic school, yes. A surprising number of atheists and agnostics and vaguely "spiritual" types, but still a saddening number of Catholics and other Christians didn't realize how much bullshit they were being spoon fed on a daily basis.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Does anyone young actually believe or practice it anymore? Most of my friends that were brought up that way realized it was a bunch of BS by the time they finished high school.

What was a bunch of BS? Faith in God? By your 5th teenage year you really dont know anything at all.