Would you confront your priest or minister about a sermon?

[bleedingheart]

I attend a Catholic Church.

I don't agree with the church on many issues, abortion, birth control, priests not marrying and the lack of women priests...etc
but..for some crazy reason..no other church appeals to me.

Now I disagree with the church on those issues but it is not on one of those issues that I want to confront the priest. You see, while I am pro choice, I am able to understand why the church is not.

...However...this month is "pro-life" month...and the priest has been sermonizing against a whole host of issues that he feels are pro-life...including abortion..divorce..taking care of children and grandparents..etc

But...I have yet to hear him speak out for a living wage and healthcare and against the war...something that actually affects the other issues he speaks about....and they are definitely pro-life issues..

So...I told my mother that I am giving him until the end of the month and if he obtusely leaves out those issues...I will ask him how they aren't "pro-life" issues...she told me I should not...but I think that he should address how it is okay for businessmen in his parish to not pay for healthcare...or to pay his workers poorly so that they can't be there for their children because they must work 2-3 jobs to just eat...

So would you do it?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

1. I Have Spoke With Ministers.

I am sure if you approach your priest in a respectful manner he will listen to you..

[bleedingheart]

3. I don't intend to be rude...but I do want to bring up those issues

[Sherman A1]

2. If you feel strongly about it, YES!

It's along the lines of writing a letter to the editor, when there is an issue of importance to you. Of course be courteous and have your facts in a row for your discussion but, you have just as much right to speak as he does (and he has a semi-captive audience). If you are really offended or don't receive an adequate answer you can probably just switch to another parish in the area. Honest, informed debate is a good thing, it's okay to disagree with the powers that be. That's what we do here in this country.

[Gman]

4. Tell him exactly what you think

I'm Catholic too and fortunately our priest is a Democrat. But you need to let your priest know that torture and unjust war are pro-life issues too. No one can make a credible argument that abortion is the most important issue and stands above torture and unjust war. Make sure that you point out to your priest that none other than JPII told Bush to his face, "If you go to Iraq, you go without God." I don't know how much clearer it could be to anyone that Iraq was an unjust war and Bush defied God.

Fortunately, our priest is a Democrat and told me when I was highly upset just prior to the Iraq war that he thinks the world is so screwed up it would take nothing short of a miracle to fix things. Neither one of us could say just what that miracle could be.

[bleedingheart]

6. our priest is new

and I can't quite get a feel for where his leanings are so far...but I do know that in one of our other parishes people walked out on a republican priest and one individual got up during the sermon and yelled..."you can't tell me who to vote for and you should be ashamed..."....and walked out

[hootinholler]

5. In a heartbeat...

I don't start out with name calling, mind you, but, it might be worth asking the questions how are these not right to life issues before the month's end. That way he has a chance to mend his ways.

When the church steps up to right to life, if it is to be moral, then it should also step up to quality of life issues also.

-Hoot

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. Actually The Catholic Church Is Pretty Progressive On Economic Issues

eom

[ContraBass Black]

8. I never have, but I should.

[jean]

9. yes. He's controlling the one-issue congregants, like my

sister-in-law. She's a Catholic and told me last night: "I'm a one-issue voter. Abortion is that issue. My priest said if you vote for a pro-choice candidate you will 'suffer' in the afterlife (burn in hell)."

She will not discuss ANYTHING beyond that. It's an easy out for those with her mindset. Their priest tells them what to do/think, releasing them from responsibility and further consideration of the issues.

(she's 50 yrs old, had a private Catholic school education, mother of three, works full time at a psych clinic and rants about 'stupid' people who vote against their own interests regarding healthcare coverage)

[zanne]

10. A priest is, after all, just a man...

A priest is not infallible in matters of religion. He's just a guy. I would think that he'd welcome the opportunity to talk to you about his sermon. Priests are like everybody else; if his mind is closed, it's closed, but if he's open minded, he won't mind talking to you.

[mmonk]

11. Yes. Your priest won't bite.

My cousin was a priest (now deceased) and he would discuss and listen to things. Remember, the church used to stand for the poor, unions, living wages, etc. before it was seduced by the darkside here in America.

[PA Democrat]

12. Yes.

During the 2004 election, I actually called the diocese and complained about a letter the bishop had written which basically told Catholics to vote for Bush on the basis of abortion. I canceled our subscription to the Catholic Accent, the diocese newspaper which printed the bishop's letter and told them to take our name off their list for financial solicitations. They have not received a stinking dime from us since their foray into politics. I gave them a list of the issues which the Bush administration has supported which are not "pro-life", including illegal war, cuts to programs adversely affecting the poor, the disabled, the elderly, the number of Americans who can't afford health care, etc. I don't know if it made a difference, but if enough Catholics hit them in their pocketbooks, they might start to give equal attention to some of these other issues.

[teamster633]

13. Can't help but wonder why this month,

of all months, just happens to be "anti-choice" month. I was born into a Catholic family and raised in the church. I fell away during my teen years, but started back in when I got older. Back in 2004 we got a new priest who drove around with a shrub bumper sticker on his car and started playing the whole you-can't-vote-for-a-pro-choice-candidate card during the final weeks of the campaign. I complained to our pastor, who actually was a pretty good guy, but he left it to the new guy to deal with my complaint at his own discretion. Not good enough. I walked. Haven't been back since. I would have been satisfied with nothing less than you suggest: a discussion of all the other critical considerations relevant to people of faith.

[Skidmore]

14. Priests are only men from among a group of men who have

presented themselves as knowing the mind of God. This goes for the priesthood of any denomination, faith, or creed. The priesthood sometimes needs to be reminded that they are human and not omniscient. That the wordsmithing they do sometimes has nothing to do with morality or godliness. And that, as humans also, they are not any less susceptible to error than their congregants.

Talk to him.

[seabeyond]

15. absolutely, with kindness, respect and love. have done often

and always has worked well for all involved. they TOO learn from us..... make an appt, go in and chat. he is your preist, you are a regular, what his job is....

i also feel because what you say is in line with christ, that if you dont speak out, you are not honoring, ergo not doing what is expected of you in wlaking christs lite

[William769]

16. priest and or ministers are not perfect.

I don't see a problem with confronting them about a sermon.

[Chicago1]

17. I emailed a nasty letter to a priest one time

and the next Sunday I went to church to see what he would say. HE DIDN'T COMPREHEND A WORD I SAID BECAUSE HE ENDED UP YELLING AT THE WHOLE CONGREGATION.


It was ridiculous. I stopped going to that specific church and went to another church within the same religion. The priests are out of whack as well.


START THE REVOULTION
START THE IMPEACHMENT

[leftchick]

18. I go to another church for mass

and a better message. I share your concerns, social justice is rarely mentioned at various Catholic churches I have attended here in the south. It is so much more conservative than the more liberal northern churches I grew up with.

I did find a nice parish downtown with a wonderful Vietnamese priest who has very inspiring homilies. I actually belong to another parish because it is where my children go to school. But the church has a high turnover of priests and this recent one is a lulu! His intention at a school mass ....

"for our president as he pursues peace in our world, let us pray"!!!!!! :puke:

We have been at a different parish for mass on Sundays ever since. You can not argue with a mind like that.

[flyarm]

19. yes and i have!! in fact i yelled and screamed and walked out proudly

when our Monsignor let a child beater serve at the alter when I myself had told the Monsignor how this man had beat his childen and was turned in by the school and arrested..for horrible child abuse of his 5 children...

( that week..my husband had to run across a couple lawns and pulled this 6'4 man off his 5 year old child, as this man beat the child with a tennis racket on his driveway..my husband beat the man up..and all while neighbors, all sat in their houses watching and doing nothing to help this child!)

( i soon moved from that Kansas town..when the court gave the father custody of the 5 children ..because he was a lawyer and gamed the courts!)

i was sitting on front row..and i yelled out..why do you have a child abuser serving communion...and i got no reply..so i screamed it..and still no reply..so i took my son by his hand and i screamed i will not sit in any church that supports child abusers...and i proudly held my head up and marched out the middle isle ..and while i was walking out..i was saying to people ..if you stay in this church you support child beaters...

5 other women joined me and walked out..thats all... 5 women!!

i have never gone back..and the following day the Monsignor came to my door..i opened the door,.and i screamed at him, that he is perpetrating the abuse of children..and i have no use for him or the catholic church..i said..how much abuse is the Catholic church going to tolerate or perpetrate??

he couldn't answer me..so i slammed the door in his face after telling him first to get off my property.

The only time i have been back in a catholic church is for my mothers funeral..and that was not my choice..it was my families choice..but i got out of there as soon as possible..and i demanded no long service...i said short and sweet..or i would not attend.

because my mom 100% supported my stand., long before she died.

I would never tell someone else how to feel about their church..but i can never and will never tolerate child abuse..or the covering up of child abuse ..by anyone!

fly

oh and the day i walked out... the sermon was on cherishing children!

[Generic Other]

20. During the Vietnam War an old lady in our congregation

got mad at the antiwar message of the pastor, and she stood up, objected loudly and stalked out of the church. Things got very ugly in those days. The church ended up firing the minister. It was a sad example of Christian hypocrisy if ever I witnessed one. Very much shaped my thinking about war, politics and religion.

[flyarm]

21. COPY THIS AND TAKE THIS TO YOUR PRIEST AND TELL HIM

THIS IS WHAT LITTLE LORD PISSY PANTS OWN CHURCH SAYS...THIS WAS A PETITION OF *HES OWN CHURCH..AND THE METHODIST CHURCH DOES NOT SUPPORT PISSY PANTS AT ALL!!

fly


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

United Methodists Calling for Accountable Leadership

I have this in my files from Oct 19 2004

*hes church had a petition: A Letter of Complaint Against George W. Bush and Dick Cheney


http://www.petitiononline.com/tmrloc03/petition.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


To: George W. Bush; Richard "Dick" Cheney
George W. Bush, Richard "Dick" Cheney (respondents)
Rev. Mark Craig - Sr. Pastor of Highland Park UMC
Rev. Michael L. Nichols - D.S. of the Dallas South District
Bishop William B. Oden - Bishop of North Texas Annual Conference United Methodist Council of Bishops

A Letter of Complaint Against George W. Bush and Dick Cheney

We, the undersigned, do hold that George W. Bush, a member of Park Hill United Methodist Church (UMC) in Dallas, Texas, and Dick Cheney (local membership unknown) are undeniably guilty of at least four chargeable offenses for lay members as listed in 2702.3 of the 2000 Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church. These offenses are: crime, immorality, disobedience to the Order and Discipline of The UMC, and dissemination of doctrine contrary to the established standards of doctrine of The UMC. For these offenses, we the undersigned call for an immediate and public act of repentance by the respondents. If the respondents do not reply with sincere and public repentance for their crimes, we demand that their membership in the United Methodist Church be revoked until such time that they sincerely and publicly repent.

Chargeable Offenses

Crime
George W. Bush, in his role as President of the United States of America and Commander in Chief, and Dick Cheney in his role as Vice-President, led the United States into an illegal war against the sovereign nation of Iraq. In article 23 of our Doctrinal Standards and General Rules (2000 Discipline, p.65) the U.S. government is described as "a sovereign and independent nation, and ought not to be subject to any foreign jurisdiction." We hold that Iraq is also a "sovereign and independent nation" and is granted the same rights as the United States, no matter what anyone's opinion is of its former head of state. Attacking a sovereign nation except in cases of legitimate self-defense is a violation of international law. This war, and subsequent occupation, dishonored the sovereignty of the people of Iraq as world citizens and as fellow children of God, in violation of Article 23. In Article 15, on page 71 of the Discipline, we claim to believe that "…God is owner of all things and that individual holding of property is lawful and is a sacred trust under God. Private property is to be used for the manifestation of Christian love and liberty, and to support the Church's mission in the world…" With no credible army to defend themselves and no clear evidence that they possessed weapons of mass destruction, Iraq posed NO threat to our immediate national security. Our destruction of their property, murder of thousands, torture of many, and usurpation of their oil fields are unnecessary and deplorable violations of article 15 and our sacred trust under God to honor liberty, freedom, the sacred worth of human life and our mission in the world.

[mmonk]

22. Ooooo

that's nice. Thanks for that. I think I will send it to our priest.

[knitter4democracy]

23. I would and I have.

I usually do talk with them afterwards if I think they were way off base (and he obviously isn't getting the Peace and Justice message the Church teaches). I didn't with a substitute priest once, but he was only there until we got a new one, and I didn't want to get into it with him. Made me cranky for awhile though.

They're usually a little taken aback at first but then enjoy the chance to have a debate and really talk about this kind of stuff. Remember: most pastors and priests work in a vacuum but weren't trained that way. Many of them miss being able to debate with friends in class or in the cafeteria about finer points of theology or about real life aspects of faith. I'm sure your priest would like to have a chat.

[sinkingfeeling]

24. I would, because I do not place any more importance/homor/authority

in a priest than I do anyone else.