Ask a Catholic

[Meriweather]

They kind of are. Yes, we are the sum of our choices. The question is are we going to block people from communing with Christ because they are flawed human beings. I can promise you that no one in the Church believes everyone is free of sin when they take communion. In fact, I would expect those to be rare individuals.

We all know the difference between venial and mortal sin. We all know the difference between "In your face" and respect and reverence. Again, it is a matter of what one promotes. The two mentioned are in favor of taxpayer funded abortions, and extending abortions. (They wouldn't do it themselves, but it is okay with them if you do it. They will even help you!)

 

[ding]

They kind of are. Yes, we are the sum of our choices. The question is are we going to block people from communing with Christ because they are flawed human beings. I can promise you that no one in the Church believes everyone is free of sin when they take communion. In fact, I would expect those to be rare individuals.

We all know the difference between venial and mortal sin. We all know the difference between "In your face" and respect and reverence. Again, it is a matter of what one promotes. The two mentioned are in favor of taxpayer funded abortions, and extending abortions. (They wouldn't do it themselves, but it is okay with them if you do it. They will even help you!)

Is there a distinction made for taking communion? Isn't the standard to be in good standing with the Lord? I guess that's why I feel as I do. Aren't the people that need Jesus the most the sinners; the people not in good standing with the Lord. I don't know about anyone else but when I take communion I'm feeling pretty dang humbled and joyous at the same time. That would seem like not something we should be using for political leverage. Anyway, those are my thoughts. I'm done.

 

[BreezeWood]

They kind of are. Yes, we are the sum of our choices. The question is are we going to block people from communing with Christ because they are flawed human beings. I can promise you that no one in the Church believes everyone is free of sin when they take communion. In fact, I would expect those to be rare individuals.

We all know the difference between venial and mortal sin. We all know the difference between "In your face" and respect and reverence. Again, it is a matter of what one promotes. The two mentioned are in favor of taxpayer funded abortions, and extending abortions. (They wouldn't do it themselves, but it is okay with them if you do it. They will even help you!)

Is there a distinction made for taking communion? Isn't the standard to be in good standing with the Lord? I guess that's why I feel as I do. Aren't the people that need Jesus the most the sinners; the people not in good standing with the Lord. I don't know about anyone else but when I take communion I'm feeling pretty dang humbled and joyous at the same time. That would seem like not something we should be using for political leverage. Anyway, those are my thoughts. I'm done.

.

We all know the difference between venial and mortal sin.

Aren't the people that need Jesus the most the sinners ...

.
not to be, though a need surly grew exponentially beginning in the 4th century ... without the least amount of progress if not ever deeper into the oblivion. christianity, the three desert religions. not a need rather for their own deficiencies. the sinners.

the difference - - > in sin ... does black turn colors ...

 

[ding]

I get the difference. I still think there is an incongruity. And I still think it's the wrong message and given that I don't see politicians or doctors being excommunicated in numbers, it would seem the Church agrees with me.

How many politicians and doctors are in the news promoting abortion?

Dunno. I don't watch much TV. I can't imagine they are promoting abortion. I think that might be how you are seeing it. Are you suggesting the Church should begin wholesale excommunications?

 

[Meriweather]

Are you suggesting the Church should begin wholesale excommunications?

You misunderstand. President Biden and Speaker Pelosi are denying a core belief of the Catholic faith by promoting abortion. They are in favor of and are working towards making abortion (takin a life) easier. They do not want any restrictions. They want taxpayer money to pay for this.

Where it appears you and I disagree is that you are in favor of making abortion easy and taxpayer funded--that those against abortion won't have an abortion and those who want one, well that's their choice. As taxpayers we have to support this and pay for their choice to take a life. As a Catholic I can't agree with one cent of my money being used to fund the taking of an innocent, helpless life.

For the Catholic Church to tell Catholics they should agree to allow their taxes to fund abortions is horrifying and pure hypocrisy. The Church needs to draw the line. Catholics promoting unlimited abortions funded by taxpayers steps over the current line.

 

[Meriweather]

Is there a distinction made for taking communion? Isn't the standard to be in good standing with the Lord? I guess that's why I feel as I do.

No one guilty of a moral sin is supposed to receive communion until after repentance and confession. Note that each Mass begins with a communal confession and forgiveness of lesser sins. Mass prepares each of us to receive the Eucharist. If we are still out of step with our brother and the community, we are to leave our gift at the altar and make things right, and then to return.

I don't know about you or anyone else, but with communion I ask Jesus to strengthen my resolve to overcome my shortcomings. Perhaps like you, I know I need Jesus' help to accomplish this. However, I don't recall even once where I am out promoting abortion and funding abortion or any other murderous sin for that matter. That's the line that blocks any union between God and me because I am working for something evil and it is my intent to continue to promote this evil. Asking Jesus to assist in my evil is like spitting in his face.

 

[ding]

Are you suggesting the Church should begin wholesale excommunications?

You misunderstand. President Biden and Speaker Pelosi are denying a core belief of the Catholic faith by promoting abortion. They are in favor of and are working towards making abortion (takin a life) easier. They do not want any restrictions. They want taxpayer money to pay for this.

Where it appears you and I disagree is that you are in favor of making abortion easy and taxpayer funded--that those against abortion won't have an abortion and those who want one, well that's their choice. As taxpayers we have to support this and pay for their choice to take a life. As a Catholic I can't agree with one cent of my money being used to fund the taking of an innocent, helpless life.

For the Catholic Church to tell Catholics they should agree to allow their taxes to fund abortions is horrifying and pure hypocrisy. The Church needs to draw the line. Catholics promoting unlimited abortions funded by taxpayers steps over the current line.

I understand what their political position is. I don't see that as promoting abortion like you do. How is the Church telling Catholics they should agree with their taxes being used to fund abortions?

 

[ding]

Is there a distinction made for taking communion? Isn't the standard to be in good standing with the Lord? I guess that's why I feel as I do.

No one guilty of a moral sin is supposed to receive communion until after repentance and confession. Note that each Mass begins with a communal confession and forgiveness of lesser sins. Mass prepares each of us to receive the Eucharist. If we are still out of step with our brother and the community, we are to leave our gift at the altar and make things right, and then to return.

I don't know about you or anyone else, but with communion I ask Jesus to strengthen my resolve to overcome my shortcomings. Perhaps like you, I know I need Jesus' help to accomplish this. However, I don't recall even once where I am out promoting abortion and funding abortion or any other murderous sin for that matter. That's the line that blocks any union between God and me because I am working for something evil and it is my intent to continue to promote this evil. Asking Jesus to assist in my evil is like spitting in his face.

So would you like for the Church to excommunicate Catholics who are politicians that promote abortion?

 

[frigidweirdo]

The issue here is whether there is intelligence or not. There are trees that can detect when they're being attacked and then communicate with other trees in the neighborhood and they all start producing stuff to protect themselves. Is this intelligence?

There is intelligence, and there are reflex actions. Sneezing, blinking, automatically brushing away insects are examples of reflex actions in humans. I suspect all life, including trees, have reflex actions. I would hypothesize that what you describe in trees as a reflex action, but I don't know. Even if it is a reflex action, there is still the question of does a tree have both reflex actions and intelligence? I don't know.

It's not just reflex actions. It's all actions.

Have a little experiment. You have to go against what you were inevitably going to do.

Perhaps put two hands on a table. You can choose to pick up one hand or another. But you have to change the course of history by picking up the hand you wouldn't have picked up.

The reality is, whichever hand you pick up is the hand you would have picked up. You can't change that. It's called predestination.

The reason you do things is because of the drugs in your body, your experiences, your interactions with others and your genes (maybe more, but we'll keep it simple).

Those experiences are based on interactions with others, genes and the drugs in your body.

Interactions with others are based on their drugs in their bodies, interactions with others, their experiences and their genes.

Everything you do is based on a biological reason. It's at a higher level than trees perhaps, but still, it's biological.


Just like women are pre-programmed to want to look after children (for the most part), humans are pre-programmed to believe we have control over our bodies. When in reality we just get to feel the pain and pleasure and boredom of life.

 

[Meriweather]

How is the Church telling Catholics they should agree with their taxes being used to fund abortions?

It is the politicians who want taxpayer funding for abortions. The Church should take a firm "No" stance on this. You seem to think it is quite all right for Catholic politicians to be arguing for taxpayers to fund abortions.

 

[Meriweather]

So would you like for the Church to excommunicate Catholics who are politicians that promote abortion?

Yes. There is a difference between the political stand of allowing people to choose to pursue abortions on their own and helping people secure and pay for their abortions. Do you believe people should be helped to secure and fund their abortions?

 

[Meriweather]

It's not just reflex actions. It's all actions.

Have a little experiment. You have to go against what you were inevitably going to do.

Perhaps put two hands on a table. You can choose to pick up one hand or another. But you have to change the course of history by picking up the hand you wouldn't have picked up.

The reality is, whichever hand you pick up is the hand you would have picked up. You can't change that. It's called predestination.

The reason you do things is because of the drugs in your body, your experiences, your interactions with others and your genes (maybe more, but we'll keep it simple).

Those experiences are based on interactions with others, genes and the drugs in your body.

Interactions with others are based on their drugs in their bodies, interactions with others, their experiences and their genes.

Everything you do is based on a biological reason. It's at a higher level than trees perhaps, but still, it's biological.


Just like women are pre-programmed to want to look after children (for the most part), humans are pre-programmed to believe we have control over our bodies. When in reality we just get to feel the pain and pleasure and boredom of life.

Aren't you making this too complicated? The issue is not about trying to go back and change anything (i.e. which hand you lifted); the issue is could you have chosen the other hand? That answer is yes. Any of us can review our lives and pinpoint places where we could have made another choice; in some cases the choice we did make was actually the more difficult one--we could have easily done that which was easier.

 

[frigidweirdo]

It's not just reflex actions. It's all actions.

Have a little experiment. You have to go against what you were inevitably going to do.

Perhaps put two hands on a table. You can choose to pick up one hand or another. But you have to change the course of history by picking up the hand you wouldn't have picked up.

The reality is, whichever hand you pick up is the hand you would have picked up. You can't change that. It's called predestination.

The reason you do things is because of the drugs in your body, your experiences, your interactions with others and your genes (maybe more, but we'll keep it simple).

Those experiences are based on interactions with others, genes and the drugs in your body.

Interactions with others are based on their drugs in their bodies, interactions with others, their experiences and their genes.

Everything you do is based on a biological reason. It's at a higher level than trees perhaps, but still, it's biological.


Just like women are pre-programmed to want to look after children (for the most part), humans are pre-programmed to believe we have control over our bodies. When in reality we just get to feel the pain and pleasure and boredom of life.

Aren't you making this too complicated? The issue is not about trying to go back and change anything (i.e. which hand you lifted); the issue is could you have chosen the other hand? That answer is yes. Any of us can review our lives and pinpoint places where we could have made another choice; in some cases the choice we did make was actually the more difficult one--we could have easily done that which was easier.

Too complicated?

Are you suggesting life isn't complicated?

Are we trying to make life fit into what we can comprehend? Shouldn't we be trying to understand what is, not what fits inside out small brains?

The point with the hand example is that whichever hand you did lift is the hand you would have lifted. You lifted that hand for a reason. For the reasons of genes, experience etc etc.

You can't lift the hand you weren't meant to lift.

 

[Meriweather]

You can't lift the hand you weren't meant to lift.

Disagree. You could have...you just didn't. That's choice.

 

[frigidweirdo]

You can't lift the hand you weren't meant to lift.

Disagree. You could have...you just didn't. That's choice.

But why do you make that choice? You see a choice. There are options you could take.

The issue here is that people will make choices based on their genes, their experience, the drugs in their body etc.

Is that "free will"?

 

[Meriweather]

There are options you could take.

That's my point. There are options. No one is forced into a choice. Now I do agree with you that we are influenced by experiences, genes, drugs, alcohol, but even those do not coerce us.

 

[frigidweirdo]

There are options you could take.

That's my point. There are options. No one is forced into a choice. Now I do agree with you that we are influenced by experiences, genes, drugs, alcohol, but even those do not coerce us.

I'm not talking about drugs as in illegal drugs, but drugs inside your body. It's how we, as biological beings, end up doing things.

Testosterone, the infamous drug, the sex drug. Without it, we wouldn't want sex.


If you didn't want sex, would you have sex? Do YOU decide to have sex, or is it the testosterone (and other stuff) that decides this?

If it's the testosterone and other stuff that decides this, then what part do YOU play in this?

 

[Meriweather]

If you didn't want sex, would you have sex? Do YOU decide to have sex, or is it the testosterone (and other stuff) that decides this?

Even with testosterone, do people, at times, elect not to have sex?

 

[frigidweirdo]

If you didn't want sex, would you have sex? Do YOU decide to have sex, or is it the testosterone (and other stuff) that decides this?

Even with testosterone, do people, at times, elect not to have sex?

Yes they do. But that's because testosterone isn't the only thing going on.

But with testosterone people have to decide not to have sex. Without testosterone they don't even make such a choice.

Why would someone with testosterone decide not to have sex? Because of other drugs. Because of experiences. Because of genes. Other things they cannot control.

Back to the hand example.

If a person makes a decision not to have sex, is this changing what would have happened, or is it merely how things would always have been?

 

[Meriweather]

If a person makes a decision not to have sex, is this changing what would have happened, or is it merely how things would always have been?

Forgive me, I am half asleep at the moment. Are you asking if it changes the big picture? For example, say I decide to have sex and a child is born. This changes my life from what it could have been. If I have sex later, then a different child is born which could well take my life into a different direction than another child may have. Fun to think about. This world is adaptable. Is this because of change or despite change? (I'll have to think about this overnight.)