Should we be pro-active in the 10 Commandments debate?

[Padraig18]

I'm wondering, frankly. As we all know, our Church is opposed to them being displayed in government buildings, etc., and has even filed an amicus curae brief in the instant US Supreme Court case. As 'people of faith', we are often lumped in with every other Christian group, so would this be a good issue for us to become active about in GD? How about the capital-punishent threads?

Your thoughts?

:hi:

[pelagius]

1. I think it is always...

...useful to point out when a policy of the Church is the same as a typical liberal would hold on any given issue. The ignorance of Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular here on DU is astounding. The whole spectrum of Christian thought and practice tends to be reduced to what a few outspoken radical Protestant clergymen who can grab media attention say.

The trick is state the facts simply, provide a supporting link where possible, and not get sidetracked with the nonsensical comments that get thrown out anytime the Church is mentioned. You're not trying to reach the reactive anti-Catholic bigots; just those who are genuinely uninformed, but open-minded.

I've always said that, if you set aside contraception and abortion, the social policy statements of the US Council of Catholic Bishops look like a liberals' dream agenda!

[Hans Delbrook]

2. Wow - great idea

With all the "bad press" Catholics get on DU, we need all the "good press" we can get.

Any ideas on how to publicize this?

[pres2032]

3. let's work up a message here

and then someone presents on behalf of all of us over in GD

[AngryOldDem]

6. That is ONE excellent idea

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

On EDIT: Love the dog pic! (But he's not yours, am I right?)

[etherealtruth]

4. Why not respond with our own heartfelt reply...

... adding that this is not only our opinion but it is also the belief our church.

Rabid anti-Catholics (or the rabidly anti-religious) will never be swayed---True, but I don't believe most people are that hateful. I believe we can make a difference (albeit slowly).

[DemBones DemBones]

5. DU has always had a certain set of

posters who rag on Catholics, and even if some leave, others replace them. I don't see any hope of that changing, but I keep trying to get the truth out about us and our Church whenever possible. I always figure someone may be learning from what I post -- someone who isn't a hard core anti-Catholic.

It's always good to post positive facts about Catholic actions. Others will post the negative for us. Repeatedly!

It's best to ignore the people who only want to argue/criticize. Following my own advice here, I've gone back to using an Ignore list to help keep me from being distracted by them. It's lovely to click on one of those threads and see that most of the replies are Ignored. ;-) Even lovelier is the knowledge that I'm not even seeing many of those threads -- any thread started by someone on my Ignore list is completely invisible to me. If you're not using the Ignore function, give it a try.

[pelagius]

7. Here's a couple of statements from the USCCB website...

...on labor rights and social security:

http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/laborday99.htm

http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/laborday2001.htm

I think these statements are probably too "radical" to get into the current Democratic Party platform. You want "progressive", go to the bishops!

Does the average DUer know that the bishops have called for an end to the embargo against Cuba?:

http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/cubamay2000.htm

Are many Democratic politicians are out in front on this issue? Nope -- gotta go to the bishops again.

And, finally (for this post at least!) where do you go for comprehensive approaches to crime and punishment that account for the human worth of both victim and criminal? Another "tough on crime" DLC Republican Lite politician? Hell, no! You gotta go to the bishops:

http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/criminal.htm

I'm not a member of the Catholic Church (I'm an Episcopalian), but let me just say that Catholics have a great progressive vision to share and needn't feel defensive about their Faith or Church.

The issue is not how do we (if I may count myself among you as a friend) respond to Catholic-baiting or one or two wedge issues, but how do we communicate God's universal call to justice and mercy in a sin-sick world?

[etherealtruth]

8. Thank you----- this is exactly what I've been talking about

I know you all have been "at this" here a lot longer than me; but, I am an eternal optimist.

[Beer Snob-50]

9. regarding the ten commandment debate

i think the message we should give people is that these are not just religious edicts, but basically the basis of all laws (well except for the first three commandments) think about it! we would just be a better society if everyone just followed these laws. coveting is the source of many of the problems in our world.

[Maeve]

10. Where would our consumer culture be without coveting?

Or Sunday sales...
And the "no false witness" bit just DESTROYS talk radio...

(feeling puckish this morning)

[Beer Snob-50]

11. i'll slap that puckishness out of you!! lol

i have always loved the idea of no sunday shopping. my father worked his entire life in retail (and i did for a number of years)and sundays was the day that we did things together. sunday working destroyed that for families. saying that, i have never been keen on the idea of youth sports traveling teams playing on sundays because again, it destroys the idea of family. my wife works in a hospital and has to work every other sunday. her weekends off, we try to do things as a family.

coveting is the idea of wanting something more than anything else in the world. i think it is a sin when you want that new car more than anything in the world and sacrifice everything to get that new car.

[Maeve]

12. I worked for JC Penney back in the days when they switched to Sunday sales

I also grew up with some stores closing half-a-day during the week to allow their employees to take care of errands. (Maeve nears 50)

I really think the emphasis we've put on "family time" with our four kids has enriched their lives and prepared them better for the future.

When you want "more, more, more", you are already in deep trouble. A lot of folks sacrifice family time/life, financial security and their retirement savings (quaint idea, I know--"savings") in pursuit of the biggest, shiniest, newest can't-live-without doo-dad. But if we stop shopping, the terrorists win!

[Beer Snob-50]

14. First off this Pirate also nears 50!

next, I was talking about this same subject with my wife this morning. Neither of us can understand why someone would put themselves into massive debt for some new really cool object.

[pelagius]

13. What about the six commandments Jesus taught?

Matthew 19:16-22

Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”

“Which ones?” the man inquired.

Jesus replied, “ ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Gregg Easterbrook quoted this passage in an article in the WSJ (http://www.opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=110006250) proposing a compromise on the public display of the commandments issues. While I quibble with his thesis a bit, he does make the interesting observation that the commandments as quoted by Jesus exclude the four that have to do with formal religious observance and focus instead on those that deal with personal conduct.

Might be a bit of useful information to pull out when discussing the commandments.

[Beer Snob-50]

15. excellent article!!!

[DemBones DemBones]

16. You know that many people would complain about

the six commandments Jesus emphasized as being moralistic.

"What do you mean I can't commit adultery? Keep your nose out of my business!"

"I'll lie whenever I want, you get over yourself!"


Many people want the Ten Commandments re-named the Ten Suggestions That No One Has to Abide By Unless They Just Want To.