Ask a Catholic

[Hijiri Byakuren]

Is there any institution on the face of the earth that has inspired more people, survived so much persecution, had more people hate and utter every thing false against it, preached the Gospel to more people, and 2,000 years later remains the strongest and most influential organization on the planet?

The Jews would like a word with you.

[PickelledEggs]

What does an organization being long lasting and influential have to do with it's accuracy?

Sent from your mom

[Hydra009]

Thee Hand of God is seen in the Miracle of the Church's Durability

I guess you're converting to Hinduism, then.   

[CatholicCrusader (OP)]

I guess you're converting to Hinduism, then.   

Hinduism has no government, has no head, has little structure,  no governing hierarchy, no dogmatic or provincial councils, and is not an institution.

[Hijiri Byakuren]

Hinduism has no government, has no head, has little structure,  no governing hierarchy, no dogmatic or provincial councils, and is not an institution.

Tell that to the Hindus.

[Solomon Zorn]

The influence of the Catholic Church may seem profound to you, but the many other faiths have had equally profound influences when seen through the eyes of their believers. What you are seeing is the hand of man, not the hand of God. The Bible, like all holy books, is entirely the work of humans. As such it contains some practical human wisdom buried under a mountain of human fears, superstition, myth, prejudice, and general ignorance. Your premise seems to me to be suffering from the Bandwagon Fallacy, at the heart of it. Influence merely means popularity.

By the way, I applaud your relatively progressive attitude (for a Christian) about gays and gay marriage. But the important political question to me is, how do you feel about the separation of church and state?

[Solomon Zorn]

I would be interested to hear your take on this topic: http://atheistforums.com/index.php?topic=5488.0

[Hakurei Reimu]

Is there any institution on the face of the earth that has inspired more people, survived so much persecution, had more people hate and utter every thing false against it, preached the Gospel to more people, and 2,000 years later remains the strongest and most influential organization on the planet?

Yes. Science. It was invented by the Ionian Greeks some 3,000 years ago, survived the Catholic Church's purges, continued to be practiced in some form right through the Dark Ages, took prominence during the Enlightenment, and has lengthened the lives of everyone and eased their labor and suffering, brought us understanding of ourselves, and have handed us the keys to the universe. It's only "gospel" is the scientific method, the violation of which only brings marginalization, not death. Scientist are now the most trusted people on the planet, and form an international institution encompassing all faiths and nationalities.

[Munch]

Yes. Science. It was invented by the Ionian Greeks some 3,000 years ago, survived the Catholic Church's purges, continued to be practiced in some form right through the Dark Ages, took prominence during the Enlightenment, and has lengthened the lives of everyone and eased their labor and suffering, brought us understanding of ourselves, and have handed us the keys to the universe. It's only "gospel" is the scientific method, the violation of which only brings marginalization, not death. Scientist are now the most trusted people on the planet, and form an international institution encompassing all faiths and nationalities.

This made me happy thinking about it. Casting back though my life and all I've been though, its always been doctors and nurses who have been their for me in my time of need, from being diagnosed diabetic at age two where the discovery of insulin treatment meant my mum didn't have to see her two year old son die, to the broken bones my brother suffered, to the swelling I had at the base of my spine, to the major tooth pains, to my mums hiatus hernia, to my friends fight with HIV, to my dad having his cancer ridden bladder replaced with a catheter, and so on... all this has been because of science, no religion.

I hold science and the medical practices of well informed individuals in the highest regard. I would be died many times over by now if not for them.

Heck, I actually exist today because of science and biology, seeing how I am from an A.I.D (artificially inseminated donor) because my father (not biological father) had hereditary cancer, so i would have contracted it myself. The result being I'm now a 33 year old man and my brother is 35 and has two healthy boys himself. All because science and my mother turning to them because she desperately wanted children.

I don't just admire science, I think its bloody wonderful.

[PopeyesPappy]

In before the Catholic church gave us science...

[Johan]

The Catholic Church does not teach that it is a sin to be homosexual .

Correct. The church does not teach that it is sin to be homosexual. Instead they teach quite aggressively in some cases, that it is a disorder. They teach that homosexuals have something wrong with them.

If you're ok with that and you believe deep down that it is right and proper to teach any and all who will listen that homosexuals have something wrong with them, then please go kill yourself. Please do it now.

[Munch]

Correct. The church does not teach that it is sin to be homosexual. Instead they teach quite aggressively in some cases, that it is a disorder. They teach that homosexuals have something wrong with them.

If you're ok with that and you believe deep down that it is right and proper to teach any and all who will listen that homosexuals have something wrong with them, then please go kill yourself. Please do it now.

speaking as a gay guy myself, there was a time when I use to think that too, and yes it does still piss me off having someone preach hell and damnation against people who have a different sexuality to them.
But take into account that many atheists are people who have been raised by religious faith, and yet have developed there own sense of self and questioned the beliefs their parents and ministry forced on them.

end of the day, people can change and come around to a new way of thinking, so just asking someone to kill themselves without the chance to grow doesn't help anyone.

Unless a person causes physical and mental harm to another person in the act of religion, only then should be be brought into question if they deserve to be punished for their actions. And please, if we are aware enough to advance beyond faith rhetoric, we can think better then just asking people to go kill themselves just because they believe in something we personally disagree with. CatholicCrusader isn't here telling people to go kill themselves, so don't say it either.

[Johan]

Unless a person causes physical and mental harm to another person in the act of religion, only then should be be brought into question 

If a person is endorsing said religion, then they are by extension, causing physical and mental harm to another person. That don't hate the player, hate the game bullshit is bullshit.

As for my comment, do I expect this fuckwad to go off himself? Of course not.  But I chose those words because I think they adequately express my opinion that anyone who would seriously offer as a defense of their position, as this fuckwad did, that the catholic church ain't so bad and is in fact great because hey they don't teach that homosexuality is a sin, is someone I've got no patience for.

[Munch]

If a person is endorsing said religion, then they are by extension, causing physical and mental harm to another person. That don't hate the player, hate the game bullshit is bullshit.

As for my comment, do I expect this fuckwad to go off himself? Of course not.  But I chose those words because I think they adequately express my opinion that anyone who would seriously offer as a defense of their position, as this fuckwad did, that the catholic church ain't so bad and is in fact great because hey they don't teach that homosexuality is a sin, is someone I've got no patience for.

don't get me wrong, I don't agree with any kind of religion or its indoctrination, given how religions mask their more cruel intentions with sugared stories, I have no intention of giving respect to faiths, as someone who follows logic and reason.
but that doesn't mean we should lower ourselves to bash predictors against it either, the greatest thing is teaching others and them carrying that message over to others, not forcing it and threatening things, or asking them to harm themselves.

[the_antithesis]

 “If I was in a club, and I found out that there had been generations of people abusing children, and then that club was covering that up, I would quit the club. And I wouldn’t give them any more money.”

~ Tom Petty

Not really a question, but it does hang a question mark on why you are still part of a corrupt organization that does not have your best interests at heart despite declarations by its leadership to the contrary.