From: zerucha@shell.portal.com (Thomas E Zerucha)
Subject: Re: directions
Organization: Portal Communications Company -- 408/973-9111 (voice) 408/973-8091 (data)
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 03:37:57 GMT

I cannot see how a split can occur.  The problem is that the day
whatever group split from the Roman Catholic Church, they would lose
their claim to the authority that is only in the church.  In short, they
would just become another of the thousands of denominations of
christianity fighting for members.

The only reason I see for being a Catholic v.s. anything else at the
cafeteria is that we have held fast to the faith entrusted to us.  We
may change expression according to popular culture, but don't change the
intrinsic message.  If all churches are equally valid, then why not
simply switch, i.e. vote with your feet?  I believe that it is because
those who don't switch still believe (while discarding nearly everything else)
in the apostolic succession and other claims of the church's authority.

What they miss is that if they cut themselves off from the base of
authority, they have nothing (stable) left to derive it from, so will
either wither or splinter.  What they want is for that authority to
change the message, so it would use the very same authority to send the
message they want.

Consider journalism.  "Star Abducted by Space Aliens" appears on the
National Enquirer, not the New York Times.  Now assume I wanted people
to believe the story.  I would have to buy or through other means
corrupt the journalistic integrity of the NYT to get the story
published.  And then I would have been less likely to have made my story
credible than I would be to have irretrievably damaged the credibility
of the Times.

If you are a woman, and want to become a priest, then join the
Anglicans (assuming it is going through), or one of the more liberal
branches here.  There is a really nice, nonjudgmental, liberal
Church down the street that will approve of your abortion.

Catholic laymen tend to dissent out of ignorance.  At least out of
ignorance of the reasons behind a different teaching.  For example,
those who use birth control will normally say that they don't want the
Pope telling them what to do, implying that it is merely a whim of the
papacy.  They aren't familiar with the arguments from scriputure
(interesting that many evangelicals, at least the bible believing ones,
are coming to the same conclusion), teachings by the church fathers (and
even early protestants), and natural law arguments. If I am doing
something that I have convinced myself isn't wrong, I am not going to
diligently look for opposing arguments, especially strong ones. I don't
think most believing Catholics would continue to disobey if a clear
message could be communicated to them.	That is the problem with
dissenters wanting authority - they oppose teaching and want that
dissent to be considered with equal authority, which confuses everyone.

There also may be many in the church for social reasons.  They like what
the Catholics are doing with the poor, or that they are a politician
that joins for the votes while ignoring the teaching.  Or that we have a
good school or convienient daycare.  In a strict sense they aren't
members of the church now, but simply "park in our lot".

---
zerucha@shell.portal.com - main email address
Thomas Zerucha / 24075 Lee Baker / Southfield MI 48075 - hardcopy
(313)594-4941 - work phone
Pax Domini sit sempre vobiscum.  St. Gabriel the Archangel, Pray for us.

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