[Shaddim]

Not all are hypocrites, the vast majority are decent, moral, and caring people. Tearing down the entire priesthood over a, comparatively, few number of men is rather disingenuous.

I'm no fan of the RCC, they have a terrible track record for atrocities over the centuries. However, the priests themselves aren't the bad guys so many people make them out to be.

[lpkmckenna]

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna

Technically, the Catholic church only holds the pope, church doctrine, and the Bible to be "infallible" on matters related to salvation. They can otherwise be in error, in matters such as science or history.

Originally Posted by peeb 

This is not true.

Is that so? Which part?

[Graviton]

I'm currently at war with leprechauns.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

They shouldn't be. Really and truly, they are just ordinary people. They screw up, like anyone else and they have mental illnesses, like anyone else.

Personally, I think most of the people cat-calling are the ones who enjoy seeing a "holy man" get pulled down. It makes for better drama and target practice.

I don't think they should be either, but they are and have been for centuries. Intentional or not, both the Church and society set them up to be, for lack of a better term, saints.

[OldManMac]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

I'm no fan of the RCC, they have a terrible track record for atrocities over the centuries. However, the priests themselves aren't the bad guys so many people make them out to be.

Who was it who participated in these atrocities over the centuries? Oh wait, it was the priests, who follow church doctrine. The Catholic Church's history is anything but clean, and it includes Popes who were gay, who sold indulgences for money, who anointed marriages between feuding kingdoms for political expediency, and some of whom were known for throwing elaborate orgies, and other sordid tales, all the while preaching their righteousness and keeping the peasant masses underfoot, so as not to spoil their lavish lifestyles and control. It is nothing less than a cult that feeds off the ignorant. It's hard to imagine anything as repulsive as an 80 year old geezer having the kind of control he does, dressing like a clown and making his pronouncements as if they were somehow divined by a mythical supernatural being.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

What a ridiculous bit of news. If people want to keep funding these idiots so be it.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by OldManMac 

Who was it who participated in these atrocities over the centuries? Oh wait, it was the priests, who follow church doctrine. The Catholic Church's history is anything but clean, and it includes Popes who were gay, who sold indulgences for money, who anointed marriages between feuding kingdoms for political expediency, and some of whom were known for throwing elaborate orgies, and other sordid tales, all the while preaching their righteousness and keeping the peasant masses underfoot, so as not to spoil their lavish lifestyles and control. It is nothing less than a cult that feeds off the ignorant. It's hard to imagine anything as repulsive as an 80 year old geezer having the kind of control he does, dressing like a clown and making his pronouncements as if they were somehow divined by a mythical supernatural being.

and you're slinging sh*t at the administration, and I agree with that position.

My point is that I know quite a few RC priests and they're all decent gents. They do more for charity and the underprivileged than any 20 non-religious people I've ever met. One in particular has been working and running a soup kitchen 14-16 hours /day for over 10 years. The man makes $250 /wk as his salary but he always gives it away to help his parishioners buy clothes. They keep trying to make him a bishop but he does all he can to avoid it. These fellas in the trenches are the ones I applaud, they finally got me to stop disliking the Romans in general.

Edit: I'd be damned before I'd write a check to the RCC, but I send this particular guy $150 /month to help his shelter. He's a hero.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by nonhuman 

I don't think they should be either, but they are and have been for centuries. Intentional or not, both the Church and society set them up to be, for lack of a better term, saints.

Some are saints, and some are sinners. It's up to each person to discern the character of an individual.

[lpkmckenna]

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna 

Is that so? Which part?

I'm still waiting on a reply for this.

[Weyland-Yutani]

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES 

What a ridiculous bit of news. If people want to keep funding these idiots so be it.

That's what I always say about Scientology.