The Catholic Church is really a mess. I'm still a Catholic and will remain one, faithfully, but the Catholic Church needs a lot of change.

 

99% of my extended Irish Catholic family has this mindset so I've learned to accept and respect it, but I honestly don't understand it. I see courage in members of denominations who recognize problems and try to effect change from withing (see the US Episcopal Church rift over gay ministers). In contrast, I see Catholic family and friends sort of personally assessing which Vatican edicts to accept and which ones to quietly dismiss (e.g., birth control).

I think the main thing that bugs me here is the fact that she is 9! Lets look beyond the rape and the health of the mother and go right to the age. Does the Catholic Church really believe that a 9 year old is ready to handle this? Even if she ends up giving the children up for adoption, the mental toll of pregnancy and childbirth would be devastating to a 9 year old. What if she gets post-partum depression? This would ruin her for life (if it hasn't already).

 

The Catholic Church is wrong here. I do understand why they did it (see: Texsox post), but I absolutely and completely disagree with them.

I think the main thing that bugs me here is the fact that she is 9! Lets look beyond the rape and the health of the mother and go right to the age. Does the Catholic Church really believe that a 9 year old is ready to handle this? Even if she ends up giving the children up for adoption, the mental toll of pregnancy and childbirth would be devastating to a 9 year old. What if she gets post-partum depression? This would ruin her for life (if it hasn't already).

 

The Catholic Church is wrong here. I do understand why they did it (see: Texsox post), but I absolutely and completely disagree with them.

 

I don't and never will.

I don't and never will.

 

To me the Catholic Church has become a group that is more worried about preserving the Catholic Church that the values it was founded on.

I don't and never will.

 

'Understand' was the wrong word to use. I don't either, I meant to say, I see why they did it. Protecting the values of the religion. But, it's definitely wrong.

To me the Catholic Church has become a group that is more worried about preserving the Catholic Church that the values it was founded on.

Yes. There is a difference between the church, and the faith (or beliefs). The church is made up of people, flawed people who do not always represent the best interests of the church's membership.

 

To be fair though, there are still plenty of good people and good priests in the catholic church. It needs some reforming, no doubt, but that is not outside the realm of possibility.

Yes. There is a difference between the church, and the faith (or beliefs). The church is made up of people, flawed people who do not always represent the best interests of the church's membership.

 

Its interesting, becaue if you study the bible, and especially the new testament, Jesus warns us to beware of false prophets and the like. Just because people preach the word of God, doesn't make them men of God. I could go on, but I doubt anyone really wants a theological talk here.

To be fair though, there are still plenty of good people and good priests in the catholic church. It needs some reforming, no doubt, but that is not outside the realm of possibility.

I agree with BearSox.

 

Yup, I said it.