Precisely; as long he's consistent I can respect his position whether or not I agree with it (conveniently, I do agree on these issues, but that has zero bearing on doctrine). What's frustrating is when good Catholic friends fall back on canon law to oppose abortion but completely ignore doctrine when defending capital punishment.
What Catholic doctrine is that, pray tell? The Pope's opinions are dogma, unless stated ex cathedra, and so far as I know, capital punishment is officially acceptable in principle.It was only a couple months ago that I made a similar comment about dogma to a Catholic friend, only to be informed (basically) that dogma has equal standing with doctrine. I'm no priest, but since he has two brothers who are, I'm inclined to accept that assessment until I see a strong counter-argument.

There's nothing wrong, in principle, with cherry picking which parts of Catholic doctrine you accept; there's even a word for it: Protestantism. 
Agreed. Nancy Pelosi & most of the Kennedys spring to mind here...
Some of us consider that a selling point....

Applying the same rule when it suits you and then ignoring it when it doesn't though is just basic hypocrisy, IMHO, and I believe most Christian denominations are pretty clear that's unacceptable.
Yeah, I seem to recall hearing something about how Pope Benedict gets annoyed at you US Catholics for precisely that reason.
Yet it often seems to me that US Catholics do a better job than most at balancing conflicting obligations there. Bottom line is Pope Benedict has as much right as anyone to his opinion, though the Spanish government has an equal right to dismiss it. Famous people are still people.
Where's Franco II when you need one?Yeah, I seem to recall hearing something about how Pope Benedict gets annoyed at you US Catholics for precisely that reason.
Yet it often seems to me that US Catholics do a better job than most at balancing conflicting obligations there. Bottom line is Pope Benedict has as much right as anyone to his opinion, though the Spanish government has an equal right to dismiss it. Famous people are still people.I can't think of a time when I or anyone other decent person needed the first one, so I'm not sure what we'd need with a second. If even Franco himself thought that a good idea the answer would be "reigning as Juan Carlos".
Honorbound and honored to be Bonded to Mahtaliel Sedai
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!

LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
This message last edited by Joel on 13/11/2010 at 10:47:51 PM
Pope criticises gay marriage and abortion at cathedral consecration in Spain
- 07/11/2010 08:18:06 PM
1423 Views
Can't wait to see what he says about sanctity of life next time he's in TX....
- 07/11/2010 08:51:41 PM
1267 Views
You know, next time you tell people to not reopen certain debates...
- 07/11/2010 09:28:21 PM
1122 Views
Does Spain distinguish between secular and sacramental marriage?
- 08/11/2010 01:10:47 AM
993 Views
I would assume so, but can't say for sure.
- 08/11/2010 10:27:01 AM
929 Views
Well, that's the out then.
- 08/11/2010 11:00:14 PM
1010 Views
I'm more looking forward to how the Texans affirm their support for the institution like Spain
- 09/11/2010 11:36:16 PM
806 Views
The Catholic Church as a whole is opposed to capital punishment, and is fairly vocal about it.
- 09/11/2010 11:55:18 PM
7265 Views
But that's personal issues of the clergy and whatnot involved. It's not doctrine
- 13/11/2010 02:20:38 AM
924 Views
Spain doesn't have to deal with Fourteenth Amendments Equal Protection Clause.
- 10/11/2010 12:25:05 PM
1171 Views
Re: Spain doesn't have to deal with Fourteenth Amendments Equal Protection Clause.
- 13/11/2010 02:25:01 AM
1015 Views
Well, I'm no seminarian, let alone a priest.
- 13/11/2010 10:46:55 PM
1178 Views
Now that is the way to protest against the Pope. I wish people had thought of that here. *NM*
- 07/11/2010 09:02:51 PM
391 Views
The girl on girl kissing? Hell, yeah.
- 07/11/2010 09:23:17 PM
895 Views
you must have the Ugly lesbian Club in your area
- 07/11/2010 09:28:02 PM
966 Views
- 07/11/2010 09:28:02 PM
966 Views
Re: you must have the Ugly lesbian Club in your area
- 07/11/2010 10:05:58 PM
997 Views
- 07/11/2010 10:05:58 PM
997 Views
she's lesbian.
- 07/11/2010 10:32:37 PM
898 Views
Re: she's lesbian.
- 08/11/2010 01:14:32 AM
902 Views
lol sorry. I wasn't trying to come off all offended or like I was trying to spoil your joke
- 08/11/2010 01:26:54 AM
903 Views
- 08/11/2010 01:26:54 AM
903 Views
Referring to the 1930s and then talking of re-evangelization is a rather painful gaffe, I must say.
- 07/11/2010 09:13:19 PM
924 Views
dang. how big and fancy is this cathedral going to be? *NM*
- 07/11/2010 09:28:44 PM
487 Views
Huge, but mostly it's just been built very slowly for financial reasons.
- 08/11/2010 10:23:32 AM
1011 Views
Uh yeah because Franco was worse than the communists....
- 08/11/2010 03:43:55 AM
898 Views
- 08/11/2010 03:43:55 AM
898 Views
Was he worse? We'll never know, seeing how he was the one that came out on top.
- 08/11/2010 10:17:10 AM
988 Views
Re: Was he worse? We'll never know, seeing how he was the one that came out on top.
- 08/11/2010 03:31:45 PM
1071 Views
Re: Was he worse? We'll never know, seeing how he was the one that came out on top.
- 08/11/2010 10:28:01 PM
933 Views
Re: Was he worse? We'll never know, seeing how he was the one that came out on top.
- 09/11/2010 10:24:38 AM
1210 Views
Ah, classic communist logic.
- 09/11/2010 08:17:48 PM
874 Views
I wouldn't expect anything less of him. *NM*
- 08/11/2010 02:28:36 AM
426 Views
Yeah, wouldn't it be hilariously awesome if he was, like, "Dudes, gay marriage ain't so bad." *NM*
- 08/11/2010 02:58:48 AM
479 Views
Again: The Pope doesn't oppress anyone.
- 08/11/2010 03:40:19 AM
945 Views
Awesome, except he's attacking people leaving, too. *NM*
- 08/11/2010 04:30:02 AM
427 Views
I would too.
- 08/11/2010 05:08:37 AM
885 Views
well fine, but you're telling them to leave, and attacking them for doing so.
- 08/11/2010 07:18:45 PM
781 Views
And here come the ad hominem attacks.
- 08/11/2010 09:32:23 PM
949 Views
No, it's more like a boss firing an employee and then bitching about them leaving. *NM*
- 08/11/2010 10:43:56 PM
493 Views
Did you hear the Church have stopped approving applications for people to officially leave,
- 08/11/2010 07:13:15 PM
869 Views
Not at all.
- 08/11/2010 09:29:29 PM
907 Views
Yeah, I'm with Dragonsoul on this one
- 08/11/2010 09:39:13 PM
795 Views
It makes a difference when they use your name as part of a statistic
- 09/11/2010 12:28:51 AM
1121 Views
Re: Pope criticises gay marriage and abortion at cathedral consecration in Spain
- 08/11/2010 05:24:46 PM
742 Views
This is funny.
- 09/11/2010 08:42:52 PM
813 Views
I often wonder the same thing, think about the sheer quantity of proven pedophile priests, then...
- 13/11/2010 11:07:39 PM
886 Views

