Question about the Catholic Church and Politics............?

[Janhoi]

Isn't it interesting that the Catholic Church's political stance and social teaching gets criticized from both the Left and Right.............?

In terms of the criticism from the Left, its obvious. The Vatican's stance on Contraception, Abortion and Gay Marriage are the lightening rod issues that anger many on the liberal side of the spectrum. This seen by the Pope's Christmas address in which he identified gay marriage as pretty much a 'threat' to culture as he saw it, and the fact that in the Netherlands, thousands of Catholics are getting de-baptized over the issue.

On the Right, the Catholic Church gets criticized often because of its stance when it comes to Capital Punishment, War, the redistribution of Wealth, access to proper medical, etc. This is displayed in a number of instance. One example is the fact that in 2003 Pope John Paul II came out and called the Iraq War a "crime against peace", a stance that put him in line to get the Nobel Peace Prize. Another example of this is the fact that Pope Benedict has recently criticized unfettered Capitalism, called for stronger financial regulation, and also called for wealth redistribution. Add to this the fact that he recently praised Obama's gun control proposals, which angered many on the Right wing.

So yeah......the Vatican doesn't seem too politically correct with either the Left or the Right . What is your thoughts?
@Anna D.......meow
@Raatz...and your evidence of that is? Show me concrete proof to back up your assertion

[Anna D]

I'm sorry...I fell asleep...what did you say?

[JosephKJV]

And the world hated Jesus Christ and HE Said,"If the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you, they shall put you out of the synagogues and he that killed thee will think that he does GOD service."
So, therefore it leaves but Straight ahead is the "Straight Gate and few there be, that enter therein."


I was working as an Master Electrician, for an Electronic Factory, It was noon, the middle of the day.
I was walking down the middle of an aisle, when the firmament of the heavens, spun into a pillar
and split into a curtain and drew up, revealing Jesus Christ, seated, intently looking at me, as
six others approach HIM, and gathered behind HIM, dressed in "WHITE GOWNS", the Glory of God
all around them, they smiled, and the heavens closed as they had opened."

[Raatz]

Why is that interesting? BTW, the Catholic Church has pretty much ended their poverty works to put all their efforts into abortion and gays.

[John S]

As a Catholic...

I've always said that the Catholic church is 'Dammed if they do... dammed if they don't"
Get involved in politics and its told to 'stay the heck out and stick to religion' -- but stay OUT of politics and be criticized for being "too far removed" or "less relevant"

I mean, it honestly can't win.

Take Pope Ratzinger's controversial statement regarding AIDS that condoms don't solve the AIDS problem in Africa, and make it worse.
He has the backing of HUNDREDS of Catholic Hospitals and a friggin' Harvard Study on the spread of AIDS in countries which publicly promoted the use of condoms -- but his comments were dismissed as coming from an "old man in a pointy hat"


Sometimes I feel like if the Pope said "the sky is blue and water is wet" -- people on both sides would disagree. hehehehehhehehe OR somehow spin it into an attempt to become more relevant and gain control, or SOMETHING like that.


As a Catholic.. it is frustrating, but also sometimes almost comical. -- ALMOST.

I also fully recognize that:
A) What comes out of the Vatican, is sometimes SOOO academic, that many people don't understand what it means
B) The media likes to sell papers, and therefore, I THINK, deliberately misrepresents, in order to sensationalize things and drum up controversy.
C) The most virulent anti-Catholic rhetoric comes out of the U.K. media, which is KNOWN for sensationalizing things to almost tabloid-esque proportions.
D) But often times the WAY in which the Vatican states things.. is part of the issue. So it can be its own worst enemy at times.

[me]

Vatican is fighting the machine. The left and right go hand in hand.