Pregnant girl, 9, aborts twins. Catholic Church whines.

[The Yosemite Bear]

And my mom wonders why I refuse to go into services, at either Church or Temple after all these years. Still this kind of shit, pisses her off more because it makes reasonable Catholics look bad.

[TheKwas]

How can she say this makes reasonable Catholics look bad when it's official doctrine (ie, it's something you're supposed to believe, in order to be Catholic)? If anything, your mother looks unreasonable for claiming to belong to a religion that she fundamentally disagrees with.

It should be noted that the people in this case weren't excommunicated by some rogue bishop trying to grandstand, but rather they were excommunicated automatically by canon doctrine.

“All those who approved, promoted and performed the abortion, incurred automatic excommunication, according to code 1398 of the Canon Law.”

http://clericalwhispers.blogspot.com/20 ... ns-in.html

[ray245]

How can she say this makes reasonable Catholics look bad when it's official doctrine (ie, it's something you're supposed to believe, in order to be Catholic)? If anything, your mother looks unreasonable for claiming to belong to a religion that she fundamentally disagrees with.

It should be noted that the people in this case weren't excommunicated by some rogue bishop trying to grandstand, but rather they were excommunicated automatically by canon doctrine.

“All those who approved, promoted and performed the abortion, incurred automatic excommunication, according to code 1398 of the Canon Law.”

http://clericalwhispers.blogspot.com/20 ... ns-in.html

Although why is people so afraid of excommunications anyway? I mean it is not like you can't find a another branch of Christianity to follow.

Trying to beg for forgiveness and to be allowed back into the church when there are other church around seems pretty stupid to me.

[Samuel]

And risk eternal damnation Ray? Catholics actually believe the church.

[ray245]

And risk eternal damnation Ray? Catholics actually believe the church.

Seems like I didn't interact with Christian enough I guess. If people is damning me to eternal damnation, I would at the least start questioning my faith, or my branch of Christianity.

[Kitsune]

I was going to ask if there was any way that the Pope could have stated that while he disagrees with the abortion and it is against church law, he understands the situation. This seems to have been answered though.

At least the Mormon Church would have excommunicated the stepfather. I knew a Mormon who was excommunicated due to be a pedophile.

[Marcus Aurelius]

And risk eternal damnation Ray? Catholics actually believe the church.

Seems like I didn't interact with Christian enough I guess. If people is damning me to eternal damnation, I would at the least start questioning my faith, or my branch of Christianity.

You really do not understand the Roman Catholic mindset. To catholics the Roman Catholic Church is the only true apostolic Christian Church. You're either with it or you're a heretic, who will receive eternal damnation the same as atheists, pagans etc. Catholics do not get to choose their "branch" of Christinity.

[The Yosemite Bear]

How can she say this makes reasonable Catholics look bad when it's official doctrine (ie, it's something you're supposed to believe, in order to be Catholic)? If anything, your mother looks unreasonable for claiming to belong to a religion that she fundamentally disagrees with.

It should be noted that the people in this case weren't excommunicated by some rogue bishop trying to grandstand, but rather they were excommunicated automatically by canon doctrine.

“All those who approved, promoted and performed the abortion, incurred automatic excommunication, according to code 1398 of the Canon Law.”

http://clericalwhispers.blogspot.com/20 ... ns-in.html

Nor should we mention the termination of my potential older sister due to severe medical complications.

[Broomstick]

Although why is people so afraid of excommunications anyway? I mean it is not like you can't find a another branch of Christianity to follow.

Leaving aside the part about eternal damnation if you don't get back into good standing with the church, it used to be that excommunication used to have real-world repercussions. When the church was the leading politcal force as well as spritual and had its claws well and truly hooked into society, being excommunicated would typically mean complete social isolation. Catholics in good standing weren't supposed to associate with you, speak with you, or do business with you. You would be excluded from family and unable to do business with anyone beyond the very minimal neeed to survive. You would lose your profession. You might well lose your home, all your friends, the support of all your relatives.

Of course, since the rise of Protestantism this no longer happens. As you point out, there would be other brands of Christianity to go to, and such people wouldn't care if you excommunicated from the RCC and would continue to interact with you.

Nonetheless, devout Catholics do still have a horror of being excommunicated.

[Siege]

When the church was the leading politcal force as well as spritual and had its claws well and truly hooked into society, being excommunicated would typically mean complete social isolation.

Only in case of excommunicatio vitandus though. Excommunication toleratus meant you were still, well, tolerated by the community. I'm not entirely sure how often each form was used, though the former was most certainly a very big deal. Fun fact: the distinction was only abolished in 1983 with the introduction of the new Code of Canon Law, and these days excommunicants are still supposed to attend Mass, probably in the hope that they'll repent.

[bobalot]

Do we have anybody here from Brazil? I'm curious what the average citizen of Brazil thinks about this.

[Kanastrous]

these days excommunicants are still supposed to attend Mass, probably in the hope that they'll repent.

Good gravy, that sucks. So you're denied the imaginary comforts of their salvation, but are expected to come and waste your time on the rituals anyway?

Talk about lose-lose.