Cafeteria Catholics

[the_rev]

I think it woudl be better to be a cafetria catholic, than not catholic at all!

[littleflower+JMJ]

well thats why we must pray that they may embrace all of the Church's teachings....

its what Jesus calls us to do

[Homestarlover85]

Hmm..when I read the posts I get mixed feelings. I think the problem with the idea of being a cafeteria catholic is that when you choose what you want to believe you close doors to the understanding that God will grant you. Actually he doesnt even ALWAYS grant understanding. Blessed are those who have not seen, and still believe. But I believe and have experienced a peace. And that is something is better than any understanding i could ever get. For me its impossible to say that I accept all of the catholic teachings, simply because i dont know them all. Plus, honestly to accept just because is contradictory to how I have lived out my faith. But I must say my prayer, most recently, has been, "I do believe, help my unbelief." My natural instinct is to want to understand. Bu something tells me that there is no way that this mind could possibly understand the workings of the trinity. Like I said I have mixed feelings.

[littleflower+JMJ]

[quote name='Homestarlover85' date='Mar 21 2004, 05:47 PM'] Hmm..when I read the posts I get mixed feelings.  I think the problem with the idea of being a cafeteria catholic is that when you choose what you want to believe you close doors to the understanding that God will grant you. Actually he doesnt even ALWAYS grant understanding. Blessed are those who have not seen, and still believe.  But I believe and have experienced a peace. And that is something is better than any understanding i could ever get. For me its impossible to say that I accept all of the catholic teachings, simply because i dont know them all. Plus, honestly to accept just because is contradictory to how I have lived out my faith.  But I must say my prayer, most recently, has been, "I do believe, help my unbelief."  My natural instinct is to want to understand. Bu something tells me that there is no way that this mind could possibly understand the workings of the trinity. Like I said I have mixed feelings.  [/quote]
it sounds like your on the rigth track.

many times it is impossible to understand every aspect of our faith so we're not called to be experts nor claim totally understanding....

but as catholics we recognize Her teachings as truth, and a obligation to embrace it, to follow it, to submitted to it and most importantly LIVE IT.

as catholics we are called to obey.

and yes with prayer....comes understanding

+JMJ

[marielapin]

I don't think any of us here knows everything there is to know about the Church except for a few who are truly Church scholars. But even though I don't know everything the Church teaches, doesn't mean that I don't accept what the Church teaches to be true. To say that I believe what the Church teaches in terms of faith and morals to be true is that I know that God will not lead His Church into the netherworld (as He promised), and therfore I trust in the Church and Her teachings, whatever they may be. This does not mean I don't try to learn all the teachings, but I have still placed faith in the fact that 2000 years of compounded teachings of the disciples of Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit against heresy have more weight than my own understanding.

[thicke]

[quote name='the_rev' date='Mar 21 2004, 05:34 PM'] I think it woudl be better to be a cafetria catholic, than not catholic at all! [/quote]
At least some non-Catholics have invincible ignorance in their defense. Cafeteria Catholics do not....As long as you include that they [b]choose[/b] not accept some teachings of the Church.

[ilovechrist]

[quote name='Lounge Daddy' date='Mar 19 2004, 08:28 AM'] I have found this to be a very common one. [/quote]
very true around our parish, unfortunately.. its crazy what some people think, receiving communion, and yet taking part in so many non-Catholic things, such as birth control, abortion, etc.!

[Lounge Daddy]

[font="Courier"]I work with a woman, who teaches CCD, and in conversation in the break room she has talked about how she believes that contraception is ok and priests should all be married and (the big slap in the face for me) she does not believe in the Real Presence of The Holy Eucharist …
I have known this person for sometime now, she is a nice well meaning woman - but how is someone who does not even believe in a basic (and powerful) Catholic belief, the Blessed Sacrament, teaching children Catholic Christian Development.

I bite my tongue because she does teach her students what the Church teaches, and hides her personal views - however…
There have been a few times that I have wanted to ask her, “wouldn’t you be more comfortable as a Lutheran?”[/font]

[Dave]

[quote name='Lounge Daddy' date='Mar 22 2004, 11:51 AM'] [font="Courier"]I work with a woman, who teaches CCD, and in conversation in the break room she has talked about how she believes that contraception is ok and priests should all be married and (the big slap in the face for me) she does not believe in the Real Presence of The Holy Eucharist …
I have known this person for sometime now, she is a nice well meaning woman - but how is someone who does not even believe in a basic (and powerful) Catholic belief, the Blessed Sacrament, teaching children Catholic Christian Development.

I bite my tongue because she does teach her students what the Church teaches, and hides her personal views - however…
There have been a few times that I have wanted to ask her, “wouldn’t you be more comfortable as a Lutheran?”[/font] [/quote]
You ought to tell her she has no business receiving the sacraments if she doesn't accept all the Church's teachings -- especially not if she doesn't believe in the Real Presence. It's a mortal sin for a Catholic to deliberately disagree with Church teachings -- it's called heresy. And of course, receiving Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin is another mortal sin.