The Catholic Church is still recovering from the devastation of child molestation by priests. A new study now shows that there is widespread embezzlement of collection money. Read Time Magazine's latest issue.
What does the Church really represent?
2007-02-18 12:46:42 · 15 answers · asked by Dr. Sabetudo 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I read the Time Magazine article to which you did not offer a link: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1590435,00.html
It stated that 85% of 78 dioceses reported embezzlement cases. This seems like a lot until you recognize that the actual number of cases was not mentioned. 85% of 78 dioceses could be as few as 66 parishes. There are over 18,000 Catholic parishes in the United States. 66 out of 18,000 is about one third of one percent.
Also many of the crimes were perpetrated by lay people in positions of trust who were found out and reported by a priest.
The Catholic Church is full of sinners trying to become saints. Some are always going to fail.
Even Peter denied Jesus three times.
The mission of the Church is to proclaim and establish the Kingdom of God begun by Jesus Christ among all peoples.
A few bad apples do not ruin this mission or cancel out the faith, hope, and love of 1.1 billion Catholics worldwide.
With love in Christ.
2007-02-19 15:12:38 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
You can believe anything you want to, that doesn't make it true. Thievery and sexual deviance are present in all walks of life, and so are honor and decency. Catholics are not much different that any other group of people, it's just that they are going to heaven and the rest of us are going to hell when we die. Unless of course if we convert to Catholicism, then maybe us heathens have a chance at something other than an eternity in hell.
Just kidding odds are pretty good most Catholics aren't gonna make the cut either. Serve God, sincerely with all your heart, and you will be alright. Start judging others, and you will lose yourself.
The Catholic Church, with all it's imperfections represents an unbroken line back to Christ, starting with Peter. It is the oldest line of Christian faith, and somewhat respectable in some theological circles. The fact that they own their own bank and most of Europe doesn't hurt their credit rating either, so a few collection plates running light isn't going to upset too many of their accountants.
Do people steal and harm others? Yes. Is it right? Of course not. Priests are people too, so move on with life already. The molestation scandal that plagued the Church was obviously an attack by Satan on the foundation of one of God's Churches. One of God's Churches, there are about 12 mentioned in the Christian bible. It failed, they are still thriving and maybe some good will come out of it and the Pope will ease up on the celibacy thing. If not, such is life.
2007-02-26 12:20:59 · answer #2 · answered by blogbaba 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Im not sure how to answer this but I do know that people are imperfect even priests. Unfortunatly the Catholic religion as a whole has to pay the price. I believe that the Catholic religion will remain strong and overcome this just as they have so many times before.
2007-02-26 08:49:33 · answer #3 · answered by Princess Rach 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Can we really believe in the Catholic Church?"
No, never could.
There's even a larger problem then that. The Catholic church is the largest religion on the planet so when they do something bad people see it as a flaw with all religions. Basically there guiding everyone away from religion. There problems are mostly due to the fact they really didn't follow the bible. For centuries most people didn't have access to the bible and church leaders could make up what ever they wanted and nobody could question them. Once people where able to examine the bible for themselves they were able to see that the church hadn't been following the scriptures. They were mostly power hungry. Consider this.
How many riches has the church collected over the centuries?
How many of there followers live in poor countries and are required to give them more money?
Why do they keep getting involved with politics when Jesus said his kingdom wasn't part of this world?
Why do they feel they need to give there in put to world leaders?
EDIT
isabella Although I don't agree with homosexuality it's not the same as pedophilia.
2007-02-19 14:57:11 · answer #4 · answered by Joel C 3 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Bellow are just a few examples (emphasis on the word "few" for many, many, more could be given) showing that the Catholic Church is not the only church being rocked by scandals. A simple glance a the newspaper is enough to show that scandals can be found in the Protestant denominations as well.
The Episcopal Church has officially accepted it first openly gay bishop. (Associated Press, Wednesday, August 6, 2003)
Pastor Phil Lloyd-Side of the James Lees Memorial Presbyterian Church speaking to a crowd in support of Gay -marriages. (Associated Press, Thursday, September 9, 2004)
Rev Larry J. Davis of the First Baptist Church in cold spring, KY. was arrested for the crime of embezzling almost $800,000 of his Churches Money. (Associated Press, Thursday, June 10, 2005)
Rev. Irene Elizabeth Stoud, is a lesbian associate pastor at the United Methodist Church in Philadelphia. (Associated Press, Thursday, December 2, 2004)
A official of the local Lutheran Church named Dennis Rader, is arrested for the crime of kidnapping, torturing and killing ten People in Wichita Kansas. (Associated Press, Monday, February 28, 2005)
A 80 year old Baptist Preacher is sentenced to 60 years prison, for murder three people. (Associated Press, Friday, June 24, 2005)
The Pro-gay Katharine Jefferts is elected the 26th Presiding Bishop (the official head) of the Episcopal Church in America, she is the first Female ever elected to this position. (Associated Press, Monday, June 19, 2006)
Presbyterian Church votes on proposal to give local congregations leeway on ordaining clergy and lay officers living in guy relationships. (USA Today, Tuesday, June 20, 2006)
Presbyterian Church votes on proposal to give local congregations leeway on ordaining clergy and lay officers living in guy relationships. (USA Today, Tuesday, June 20, 2006)
2007-02-20 06:19:06 · answer #5 · answered by benito 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
The catholic church has and always will be out for power over the people, and to make the clergy rich!
2007-02-26 11:28:28 · answer #6 · answered by ger 58 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Babylon the Great. The Harlot riding the Beast. Read Revelations. The simililarity is uncanny.
2007-02-25 09:24:09 · answer #7 · answered by Starjumper the R&S Cow 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Please don't lump our entire clergy with the sins of a few men who knew better. Yes, it's very scandalous when the leaders of our faith suddenly commit these crimes, but it's also important that we recognize and keep focused on one person: Jesus.
Jesus told us to trust no man. Even when sinful men who are in positions of authority sin, we must continue to pray for them and respect the authority given to them by the church if they are allowed to continue as priests. Our job is to focus on our faith. The priests are our brothers, and they need our prayers. It's only a very small number that have done this, and it's not because of the Church. If those men had their priorities straight in the first place, they wouldn't have committed those crimes.
Holy Mother, pray for us.
2007-02-20 18:23:21 · answer #8 · answered by Danny H 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
sure we can. why would the sins of a few prove anything about what the church teaches??? the church teaches against BOTH molestation/homosexual sex and embezzlement.
2007-02-26 12:36:40 · answer #9 · answered by dsjpk55 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Catholic Church is still headed by Jesus Christ.
Corruption is a problem the church has dealt with for almost two thousand years.
God can handle it.
2007-02-18 17:51:11 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋