Is Catholicism screwed up or a Beautiful Religion

Is Catholicism screwed up or a beautiful religion? My last commenter seemed to think both. Check out the comment left by anonymous:

I was born and raised Catholic and as I grew up I realized how screwed up it is. And with all these priests being found out about their molesting of boys, I realize I was right. It's people like you and a religion like this that will always keep this world from peace. Catholics have turned a beautiful religion about following the teachings of God, to a way to spread hate and bigotry. All the Church does is teach hate and intolerance. And yet, you wonder why people turn away from God. Look at yourself in the mirror and you'll find the answer.

I'd like to thank anonymous above for his comments. This is the first dissenting and ill-reasoned comment I've got so far. In defence and to show the flaws of his arguments and I pray his soul and mind may be strengthened by this. Now I'm a faithful Catholic so I adhere to the 1st and 2nd greatest commandments of God: "Love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, soul, mind and strength," and "Love thy neighbour as thy self." So I love anonmyous as myself. So I'm not actually spreading hate or bigotry by telling people about their unhealthy activities or scandal. I am loving them by warning them because I care for them. As Our Lord warns us "Beware of Scandal, woe to those who cause scandal" So a warning is helpful in this case.

To show how ill-reasoned this comment is just look: First he says “I was born and raised Catholic and as I grew up I realized how screwed up it is” but then he says it’s a “a beautiful religion about following the teachings of God.” Now my friend, make up your mind! Beautiful and teachings of God, or screwed up? Secondly, the priests molesting boys are homosexuals and have been influenced by the perversion of the culture around them. Priests don’t live cloistered lives. The Church does not stand for such conduct, first and foremost out of love, but also out of justice.

Next, I’m accused of disturbing the peace and creating what? Violence? War? Well Jesus Christ said “My peace I leave, my peace I give, share it with the world,” “The peace I give is not the peace that the world gives,” “I come not to bring peace but a sword” meaning that even though He meant to bring peace in His message, there would be people who didn’t like His message (the same message of His Church) and create wars and violence. They do these things because they don’t like what He or His apostles said and did (even though all of which was said and done was healthy and for the greater good). So it’s actually not people like me or the Church or this religion that keep the world from peace, but our enemies. These same types of people crucified Our Lord and martyred most of His close friends.

As for bigotry, I’d say the people who aren’t open to God and infinite have closed minds and these are the real bigots. The Church has been sufficiently open to debate and thought about her dogma, and has given 2000 years worth of creative open-spirited arguments in support of them. So only a bigot could call that bigotry.

“All the Church does is teach hate and intolerance.” Again, to be honest this isn’t really the case. To be blunt it’s ignorance and here’s why: Remember the 2 greatest commandments Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches and still teaches through the Church? And no where is the message of hate and intolerance taught. So there goes that argument out the window. Better luck next time. But actually, we are taught to always be tolerant of other people, and their sinful habits as individuals, but also give punishment when it is our place to do so. Jesus, as God, would have been in infinite pain everyday of His life on earth due to all the sin around Him. But He teaches us by example to tolerate it. Something He wouldn’t tolerate, like buying and selling in temple. So it was His place to react, and He was just and fair in doing so by violently overthrowing their tables but injuring no one. The punishment matches the crime.

So to sum it up I was presented with very poor arguments, but it seems like anonymous is still learning and has not completely rejected God and His Faith. He has my unconditional love and prayers that he may return to the Flock. I admit I am a sinner. But I would have sinned by omission if I did not warn my fellow men (such as the President of Duquesne Catholic University) of their wrongs. Remember the Church teaches we’re all sinners. So many people easily forget that we’re not perfect, but we should strive to be.

Pax vobiscum,

P.S. Thank you for your support Char while I wrote this post :-)