This is exactly true. I too am a Catholic Christian...born raised, attended an all Catholic school from grades 1-8 and survived! HA!Originally posted by Pam
... If I was in a church I didn't care for I would just leave and find another. My two cents too.
I agree, I don't think it's right to not punish someone appropriately for the crime they have committed. Be it priests, celebrities, or the "common man". They should all be treated equally when it comes to paying for a crime they have committed.
It is wrong and sick and shouldn't be tolerated. However, this whole thing didn't help the way people view the Catholic church. I have noticed that a lot of times, when people find out I'm Catholic, they react like I have the plague. They think the Catholic church is still stuck in the midieval times when bad things were happening. However, the church has changed with the times, you just have to find the right one for you.
For me, church was always a litte boring, and something my parents always dragged me to...never missed a sunday or holiday or holy day. When I moved to Cincinnati (for that brief period of 6 months) I found the absolute best Catholic church I had ever been in. I have never been to one like it before, and I haven't found one that is as good since then. My husband was not Catholic when we married, but it was his decision to convert. So, after we got married in June of 1999 and we moved to Cincinnati we found a Catholic church nearby that had RCIA (A class for people that want to convert to the Catholic religion offered by the church). I can tell you, I was much impressed with this church, and the RCIA classes were so interesting that I attended with my husband as support. We talked about a lot of the issues that the Catholic church had in the past and it is true that different churches view things differently. This church (it was called Good Shepherd) seemed to be a very open-minded church, as they put it...they have changed with the times. They said that a lot of people stray from the church because they don't like it, or rather, they just didn't feel they fit in with the church they attended. It's ok to "shop" around for the right church and atmosphere that fits your needs. The Good Shepherd even had groups for parents of gay children, gay couples groups and events, abortion support groups...etc...usually things that the "stereotypical" Catholic church would have supposedly frowned upon...or would it have? Good Shepherd didn't judge. Not to mention, the mass was spectacular every Sunday. I was very sad to leave that church behind when I moved to California.
Anyway, my point is...I'm saddened when people judge an entire group (religious, ethnic, whatever...) by a few of the bad seeds. They're everywhere...no matter where you turn, no matter what race, religion, gender you happen to be. Yes, I'm Catholic, but I believe in what I believe in...and it may not fit to a tee with what the Catholic church may or may not believe in, but it's a foundation for me.
My look on life is to live and be happy with what you have. Believe in what you want to believe in and accept those who are different. Don't be quick to judge and always ask questions of things you don't know, but want to know and understand. Only then, can we all live in harmony.
**hugs**
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