Saw a bumper sticker "You can't be for free choice and be Catholic".

[old mark]

One good reason I'm no longer Catholic, I guess.

Are they weeding out the Liberals, too?

mark

[DesertFlower]

1. i left the catholic church a long time ago.

[old mark]

2. I really did when I was about 12, and still in Catholic school.

They still offend me 50 years later. Bunch of fascists.

mark

[DesertFlower]

4. i find it interesting that so many people

who were raised catholic become "born again christians".

[pnwmom]

6. I don't know any. But lately, I've seen plenty of others --

Gingritch, etc., -- going the other direction.

Yuk.

[TorchTheWitch]

7. same with me

And it was the misogyny, sickening corrupt wealth and treating the followers as though they were stupid that offended me so much. If more Catholics would leave the church when they don't believe as instructed the church would have to change.

[old mark]

8. I doubt the church is interested in changing - they are still making a lot of money

here and in South America, not so much in Europe any more - mostly off real estate and business investments there.

mark

[AngryOldDem]

19. The Church in Europe is basically dead.

Has been for a long time. Cathedrals are nothing more than tourist stops.

Even in Mexico and Central America, they're losing people to the fundies.

When I'm not outraged by the shit Rome spews, I remind myself that these are the last gasps of a desperate and dying institution.

[saigon68]

9. A Corrupt Criminal enterprise out of control

Talk about needing the RICO Act to jail a few of these out of control sodomy loving enabling child molesters

[Kolesar]

10. And the bishops and cardinals look the other way during those crimes

Makes me suspicious that the hierarchy are pederasts, too

Why else would they conceal the crimes and move the criminals out of the country? I doubt that it is because they don't have enough priests to fill the pulpits.

[saigon68]

15. Cardinal Law of Boston comes to mind

A lot of Disgusting Law came to light from Law


Grassroots public advocacy groups like Voice of the Faithful focused on Cardinal Law after documents revealed his extensive role in covering up incidents of sexual misconduct of his priests. For example, Cardinal Law moved Paul Shanley and John Geoghan from parish to parish within the diocese despite repeated allegations of molestation of children under the priests' care. Under questioning, the cardinal stated that, when a priest committed a sex crime, the cardinal said his practice was to seek the analysis of psychiatrists, clinicians and therapists in residential treatment centers before deciding whether a priest accused of sexually abusing a child should be returned to the pulpit.

As a result of the lawsuits, the Archdiocese of Boston lost millions of dollars in fines and settlements. It also funded the legal defense of accused priests. The archdiocese slipped into large financial deficits. The Archdiocese closed sixty-five parishes before Cardinal Law stepped down from service.

The SOB is now like convicted Sex Criminal ROMAN POLANSKI beyond the reach of Criminal and Civil process.

After his resignation, John Paul appointed Law to a post in Rome, putting him in charge of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, with the title of Archpriest.

[Kolesar]

17. The Republo-catholics organized intensely to defeat John Kerry

I live in the heart of Catholic Ohio. Operatives were dropping campaign literature in the breakrooms at work. They got the message out through their existing channels at the "temples". They denigrated a good man.

Thanks for the summary of Law. I didn't know that. I forever think of the 2004 election when I think of papist Catholicism.

The last few decades of my life when I didn't have the voice of godly guilt in my head have been my best. Catholic leaders abuse their children mentally, too.

[Tailormyst]

20. There is a special place in hell for Cardinal Law

I despise him, The Arch- Diocese of Boston and the criminals in Rome. I'll leave it at: I have family in Bellingham, MA where all the boys were alter boys.

[Ichingcarpenter]

3. 'You can't be free and be a Catholic"

Martin Luther saw that years ago.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

21. Yeah, being the freedom-loving dude he was.

:sarcasm:

[pnwmom]

5. Millions of pro-choice Catholics prove that's not true. n/t

[Pharlo]

11. I'm an American pro-choice Catholic

and my response to that is "You can't be anti-choice and be American"

[rug]

12. I guess Adam and Eve were not Catholic.

[mdmc]

13. ya can't be for the death penalty and be Catholic?

:shrug:
I saw a give war a chance bumpersticker once..

[Cirque du So-What]

14. I see that bumper sticker as a condemnation of Catholicism - not as praise

It seems directed more toward Catholics who have started thinking for themselves - and that's one of the biggest challenges to the church in existence. The term 'free choice' could be applied to the entirety of Catholicism, and if parishioners actually put on their thinking caps, they'd bolt from the church & never look back. That bumper sticker is a message to other Catholics to shut up, get with the program & stop thinking so much.

Disclaimer: I don't intend this to be construed as Catholic-bashing by any means. It could be said of any other Xian denomination on the face of the earth as well, although not all of them have such an efficient, time-tested indoctrination & enforcement system.

[pipi_k]

16. They forgot the second line... But you CAN be a pedophile priest and still be a Catholic

bastards!

[AngryOldDem]

18. Yes, you can.

And why not have a bumper sticker, "You can't have an open mind and be Catholic"? Just as offensively broad-brushed as the choice crap, but I'm afraid much more accurate.