[daesthai]

Yay! It took several edits, but I think I understand the quote system better now.

Its possible to like, aspect, and be part of an organization while not agreeing with its every directive. Do all republicans think the Patriot Bill was a good thing?

Keep in mind that the Catholic church is defined by a very specific set of beliefs and expectations. I think its a miscalculation to use the republican party as a parallel here. Republicanism is a broad Category with many subdivisions - not specific enough. Republicans can be subdivided into moderate and ultra-conservative beliefs just to name two - then there are special interests. Protestants could be Lutherans, Baptists, or any of several other belief systems (and yes, they're all Christian, but can be of very different dogmas - just compare Lutheranism to Mormonism.) Catholics, on the other hand have one set of beliefs. It's even recited at mass every week - "I believe in one holy, Catholic, and apostolic church." (Before someone gets upset - yes, there are Eastern and Western Rites Catholic churches, but the differences are in heirarchy of the bishops and the liturgy - not the beliefs and teachings. The dogma for both is the same.) So in answer to your question about if it's possible to respect and belong to a group but not hold all of its ideals (paraphrased), I have to say in the area of religion - no. You either believe in the religion's teachings, or you don't. Not good or bad, not right or wrong...just yes or no.

In point of fact, according to the strictest of sexual guidelines, any form of sex other than straight missionary is taboo. But im willing to bet more than a few very catholic people out there that enjoy a hummer now and again.

I can't speak on this one too much because I'm not familiar with who's guidelines these are. Evidently someone stricter than the Catholic church. Humanae Vitae spells out that the only specifically physical requirement of sexual relations is that all encounters "must be open to the transmission of life" (plus the stress on the couple being husband/wife, of course). As long as that requirement is met, the hummer you refer to is perfectly allowable. An appetizer, so to speak.

...nobody can follow all the guidelines all the time, thats why we are humans and there has only ever been 1 Jesus Christ. And yes i recognize that there is a difference between succumbing to temptation and conciously differing in policy from the guidelines of the church...

Agreed. It's impossible to be perfect. But as you stated, there is a difference between "slipping up" and outright defiance.

... but if you think about it the guidlines of the church HAVE been wrong before ...

Which brings me back full circle to my original point. If a person feels that a belief system is incorrect in one of its basic and heavily touted precepts, why would that person claim to share that belief system?

[ July 28, 2004, 00:26: Message edited by: daesthai ]