Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
What do you think it is?
1) Papal infallibility
2) Immaculate conception
3) Denying women access to the priesthood
4) Vow of celibacy
5) Purgatory
6) Taxonomy of sins
7) Impermissibility of contraception
8) Denial of Holy Communion to those deemed unworthy because of their stance in relation to the Church
1) We've had this discussion before and you have never evidenced any understanding of the doctrine at all.
2) Doesn't strike me as anything unusual. You might as well list every other article of faith held by the church.
3) The way Catholics understand the role of the priest excludes female participation in the priestly vocation. All this means is that a woman cannot perform the sacrament of the Eucharist or penance. It really is a non-issue. Women are not being oppressed. The expansion of involvement of the laity has promoted female activity in the Church.
4) The vow of celibacy is not so much Catholic. Priests in other Catholic churches, such as the Melkites, do not observe celibacy. Celibacy is, however, perceived as a higher spiritual life and in my experiences, celibate priests are more avilable to their community as well. This is why nearly all bishops of the 21st and 20th century have been celibate. The demands imposed on a bishop are difficult to negotiate with a family.
5) Again, what is so silly?
6) We categorise transgressions of law. Why not sins? The identification of different sins allows them to be anticipated and prevented in individuals. I rarely ever hear the term, "taxonomy of sins". Is this protestant language?
7) I personally do not accept the encyclical, "huminae vitae" and will agree that its stipulation of the impermissability of contraception constitutes one of the most problematic parts of Catholic morality. I don't think I am in a minority of Catholics either.
8) The denial of Holy Communion is overseen by the bishop. While different congregations in Rome might discountenance the distribution of communion to, say, rainbow sash bearers or pro-abortion politicians, the bishop can choose whether to enforce that policy over his bishopric. I myself am disapppointed that a clear majority in America have politicised the Holy Communion.
So, in the end, 7) and 8) I think are silly, but they are not inherently Catholic.