Jake
dubya2004
Atlas Icon
Posts: 18,621
Political Matrix
E: -0.90, S: -0.35
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« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2007, 03:21:36 PM » |
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Theological
1) The clearest path to Salvation is through
[ ] The Sacraments
[X] Good works
[ ] Simple faith, like that of a child
[ ] Having a complex and intimate understanding of one's faith
2) Marian Devotion and the Saints
[ ] Mary should be seen in the role of "co-redemptrix". Not equal to Christ,
but still playing an essential role in salvation.
[ ] Mary should be adored as the Mother of God and a powerful advocate
for sinners, but lets not get carried away.
[ ] Catholics aren't supposed to "worship" Mary and the saints, but there
are plenty who don't seem to know that. We should place less
emphasis on them, less people get confused and begin to pray someone
other than God.
[X] In the modern age it is fitting for us to stress a more personal relationship with God.
Mary should be adored and the saints should be praised and looked up to, but people
should be more willing to simply “take their problems” directly to God.
3) The mass
[ ] The mass should adhere to a strict protocol. Things are done a certain way for a reason.
We should go back to a Latin format.
[ ] Keep the mass as is.
[X] The mass should be less formal. More a celebration than a ritual.
4) The Modern Church has a responsibility to
[X] Ensure social and economic justice.
[ ] Ensure the spiritual well being of its members.
5) The Church should work harder to reinforce the faith of
[X] The community
[ ] The individual
6) Christian Reconciliation
[ ] All non-Catholics are heretics, to be damned in the eternal fires of Hell. Why should we care
about reconciliation?
[ ] Reconciliation with other Christian groups, particularly Orthodox groups, is desirable.
As the one true faith, it should be on our terms, however.
[ ] The Church needs to breath with two lungs again. We should work out our differences with
the Orthodox faiths, and also seek to reincorporate the Church of England into the fold.
[X] We should not actively seek reconciliation, as it is not necessary. All Christians are brothers of
one faith, even if we don’t agree on all the specifics.
Political
1) Which should be a higher priority for the Church?
[ ] To promote a message that emphasizes protecting life and condemning modern societies trend
towards devaluing it.
[ ] To promote a sense of economic justice and basic equality for people all over the world,
condemning those who exploit the labor of others.
[X] I prefer an approach that balances the two.
2) View of globalization
[X] Globalization is an important force for promoting basic rights and economic opportunity for all
people.
[ ] Globalization exploits the weaker and poorer to the benefit of the stronger and wealthier.
3) What is your view on separation of Church and State
[X] It is the duty of any good Catholic, whether a member of the clergy or a layperson, to make
sure that the laws of their country uphold at least the most basic moral standards. The Vatican
should be vigorously involved in promoting moral standards for governments all over the world
[ ] Morality is a matter of individual choice. The clergy should work to instill high moral
standards in their parishioners, but the Church should not be involved in controlling the laws of
world governments.
4) The “West” and the “Rest”
[ ] The West is the home of Christianity and is still the base of the Christian world. The
deterioration of Christian devotion in Europe is very worrisome. How can Christianity
continue to spread if the area that fostered it is no longer Christian? We must focus on
revitalizing Christianity in the West, especially in Europe.
[X] Catholicism is blossoming in many countries that are not traditionally Christian. While we
Should not place the majority of attention on Africa and Asia, we should change are thinking
to a moral global mind set.
[ ] The West must learn to be more responsible with its power, especially the United States. All
to often, Third World countries, where many poor Christians live, are exploited by these
Westerners who have clearly lost their way to greed and materialism. Maybe we should send missionaries from the rest of the World to remind the West of what they have become. Either
way, the Church’s focus should be on the Developing World.
5)Are other faiths "valid"?
[ ] No. Catholicism is the only valid faith. Salvation can only be found
through the sacraments.
[ ] Validation comes through belief in Christ. All Christian faiths are valid.
[ ] Christianity, Islam and Judaism are valid, as they all believe in the one
God variously called Yahweh, Allah or simply "Lord".
[X] Any faith that holds true to the spirit of love and brotherhood expressed
by Jesus Christ is valid. All good people will know Christ is death, if not in
life.
Structure
1) Which most closely matches your view?
[ ] Many of the changes made by Vatican II seem to have robbed the Church of much of its moral
authority. The striping of power away from the hands of the clergy and into the hands of lay people has been, on the whole, bad for the theological and structural cohesion of the Church. It is hard for the Church to say anything without being challenged, and people have only
become more bold with their challenges. In the mean time, it hasn’t done much for Church
attendance, as many people have started to think that if “it isn’t that important, then why
bother”. Clergy, bishops and the Pope need to take back the moral authority to tell people how
it is. People need discipline and direction in faith.
[X] Vatican II was a good step towards further devolution of the Church. Faith can’t be a “one- size-fits-all” matter. People are different. Would we rather have more people feel included, or turn more people away. Lay organizations such as Parish councils also give people more stake in their parish community and helps them feel more involved in their parish and their own faith. I don’t want a Church with no authority, just one that isn’t so strictly institutionalized, one that feels less like an organization and more like a faith community.
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