Is it true that people who attend Roman-Catholic or Orthodox churches disagree with many of the teachings?

Question

of the church, yet still attend it? Is this hypocritical, or is it alright to not follow everything a church teaches?

Answer 1

I know that many Catholics do not agree with the church's position on birth control, divorce, abortion (especially in case of rape of incest), etc. I feel this is hypocrtical. You either belong to a religion and follow its teachings, or you don't. I was sitting with some co-workers, all practicing Catholics. One disagreed with the church about pre-marital sex, the next about birth control, and the third was divorced. I said, "I hate to tell you this, but you're all Protestants." If that's how they feel, they need to switch churches.
I had some Catholic training as a child and I'm an atheist now, but at least I'm not claiming to be part of a religion and then deciding which parts I want to follow and which I choose to ignore.

Answer 2

The word Catholic has two meanings and in a certain sense they are contradictory.

The first is "all embracing," the second is "according to the whole."

Now, to embrace all is to embrace an enormous amount of diversity. The Catholic Church only requires affirmation of core beliefs. Some beliefs while true are not considered to rise to the point of affecting your salvation. So, for example, the Church teaches Mary was a virgin. If you do not believe that, you are rejecting a church teaching, but on the other hand, is that important enough of a disagreement that God will not let you into Heaven?

So to embrace in love all people is to embrace people who do not quite see the world as the apostles did.

The second meaning is "according to the whole." This means the Church pronounces as true only those beliefs held at all times and by all Churches within the universal Church. So, for example, the Rosary is very Catholic but has not, in specific form, been used at all times and places so it is not a "Catholic" belief in the sense it is part of the universal Church. Rather, it is a local expresssion of faith in particular times. The rosary is an element of a universal prayer form, but the Rosary itself is a particular expression of that prayer form. On the other hand, beliefs about the Eucharist are clear. You cannot find a Christian writer in any part of the world at any time period, including those writers who were trained and ordained by the apostles, until Martin Luther, who would disagree. The Eucharist, or Thanksgiving Meal, is a core belief and universally held. The particular expression varies by place and time, but not much. The services in use are either derived from the services of Peter, James or Mark or from the Gallican services of the western Church.

It is imperfect understanding that creates such differences and in some cases it is hypocrasy. But then, hypocrasy is a sin and there is no better place for us sinners than Church.

It is a Protestant idea that everyone needs to hold uniform beliefs. Because of this, there are now 46,000 Protestant denominations and still just one Catholic Church. Mankind has two choices, you can love one another in charity and forgive each other their shortcommings OR you can insist you are the one who is right and only associate with those who agree with you.

Answer 3

There are Orthodox Churches that admire the Pope as head of the Church on Earth. The Russian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox for instance don't admire the Pope as Head of the Church however simplest as first amongst equals. The Greek Orthodox and Russian Orthodox have reputable Apostolic succession and sacraments. They aren't Catholic in that they're nearly countrywide Churches and aren't in Union with the Pope.

Answer 4

To be part of the Roman Catholic Church is to be part of a community of believers. It is not a club that you chose to join and get to vote on the rules. If you don't believe what the Church teaches than you are not a member of the Church. That is not a judgmental statement - it is a definition of what it means to be Catholic. The Catholic Church is the only one who gets to define what it means to be Catholic. People either accept the teaching and acknowledge themselves as Catholic or reject the teaching and choose to accept some other belief statement.

Answer 5

No it is not true. Most people who attend these Churches know very well why they attend. Jesus Christ the Lord is there. There is within the Church (just like most Churches today--take for example the Episcopalian or Methodist Church with gay clergy)a certain Liberal element that tries to undermine good doctrinee but it is not prevailing. There will not be faulty doctrin in the Catholic Church. There will be splinter groups possibly that call themselves Catholic but that is simply a case of identity theft. Jesus has said "The gates of hell shall not prevail over her"

Answer 6

Well you see, when you belong to the one true church, and you have a problem with a particular teaching, the choices are (1) remain in the church and work it out, primarily by studying the issue to make it clearer for yourself; or (2) abandon the one true Church which Jesus Christ Himself founded. For Protestants it's a lot easier. If you don't like what the minister is teaching in a particular manmade denomination, just find yourself another denomination that is preaching what you want to hear. There are thousands of them to choose from, and one of them will certainly be in line with your personal notion of the truth.

Answer 7

there are many no matter what denomination of Church who will in my opinion disagree with many of the basic doctrines. each person has their own personal idiosyncrasies and opinions. therefore these are placed aside as the needs of the whole outweigh the needs of the one. ever since the change from individual to a group based form of worship there has been a loss of a certain amount of free will in all Churches.

Answer 8

People are always going to have their own opinions. I, myself, am Roman Catholic. I don't agree with the church's stand on homosexuals, but that doesn't stop me from going to church. I go to reconnect with God. I know people who do follow every doctrine of the church, and they are scary. It is not hypocritical to have your own mind but still be strong in your faith. It's hypocritical to not believe anything about a faith and still go, or to believe in a faith and not hold any (and that means all) doctrines of that faith.

Answer 9

There are two kinds of people: The sheep, who do everything they are told and just follow a shepherd around because they don't know. And then there is the people who know and follow their own path.

Answer 10

It is something everybody in every religion struggles with. A person can only decide for themselves how strictly they follow what they are taught. It is a lifelong struggle to understand and "keep the faith".