Banned from the Yahoo Group - Catholics for Kerry...

Apparently the much proclaimed openness and inclusivity of rebellious "Catholic" groups such as this one permit no one so speak out in opposition of their positions much less to repeat what the Church teaches...

I joined the "catholicsforkerry" group some time ago to obtain a more indepth understanding of the way in which professed "Catholics" can claim to be Catholic yet refuse to assent the Church. After reviewing a few posts, I posted a couple of responses late Friday to some errors in judgement or belief with respect to the teaching of the Church. These are excerpts of posts which caught my attention.

I personally can support early abortion for the raped 15 year old. I cannot support it when a 40 year old uses it because her career is more important.

I asked: So you support the execution of innocent people? The child who may come into existence because of rape or incest is to be denied the right to live because of the sin of another? This is exactly the path to which this flawed logic leads us.

And then later I read this:

The Church has always put women in some secondary role towards men and we have taken it. If women feel called to the priesthood, to become a full sacramental member of holy Mother Church then women need to be a more active voice in the Church.

I for one will never again except any Church teaching at face value. I feel that members of the Church should use the intelligence that God gave them to see if it is from God or from man. The Holy Spirit is constantly enlightening the minds and hearts of men and women. The men of our Church, the bishops, are refusing the Paraclete's gentle instructions.

To which I responded: Apparently, then, if you reject the teaching authority of the Church, the you reject both Christ and His Church. The teaching authority given to the Apostles with Peter as the leader of the Church on earth is binding on all Catholics. The teaching authority of the Church cannot be separated from the Church - were it possible to do so, the Church would cease to exist.

Perhaps, you might want to reconsider your position? A Catholic, to remain Catholic, is obliged to assent to the teachings of the Church.

It was later after receiving a private email that I discovered this:

You have been banned from this group by the group moderator (Yahoo! ID banned: lrslattery). You may not join the group catholicsforkerry.

The messages on the catholicsforkerry group are currently public and are available for review.

Here are samples of some of the followup remarks to which I am now unable to respond:

Gosh! I'm always taken aback by these people who want to do my thinking for me, examining my conscience for me and rendering decisions on my status as a Catholic. I, for one, respectfully wish such people would stick to themselves rather than being a busybody with my soul.--Peggy

As you are a man, you have no right to even speculate abuot a women's choice.Judging a woman - any woman - is not for you to do.Leave it to God, he'll do the job correctly, with love and compassiom.--Jean R.

How does rejecting the "teaching authority of the Church" cause one to reject Christ?
Are you not familiar with the Spirit of Truth? How can the Church's "teaching authority" supersede the Master's indwelling Spirit?--Saitia

Who is this jackass? Listen, pal, I am wise to people like you. You love to point to other people's sins but you are clueless on how to examine your own conscience. Lemme put it to you straight, pal - you are a disgrace to pro-life and you are a disgrace to the Catholic faith. You don't admonish the sinner, you pummel the sinner and just as the great TV evalgelists drive people away from Christianity, you drive people away from pro-life because you could give a crap about life. It is really about your own sick self-righteousness, isn't it? Don't you kind of get off in showing people how "holy" you are?--Socrates8972

I read this crap and I understand exactly why so many people hate Catholics. Listen pal, you ought to learn the truth about what the teaching magisterium teaches. Interesting how these jackasses can thunp the teaching magisterium but when you tell them the Holy Father himself oppsed the war, they say "I don't have to obey the Pope." Listen pal, I DO know about the teaching Magisterium and you ain't it.--Socrates8972

Yeah right !! So Galileo was wrong and the earth is flat, and Christ had a vendetta against the jews so he encouraged the persecution of the jews through the centuries. Yeah and Pius the 12th (who for some sick reason is being considered for beatification) did right by looking the other way while that sick puppy Hitler exterminated 6 million jews and gypsies. Tom is absolutely right - use your intelligence - don't be led by rabble rousers. We have one now in the white house who seems to be talking with God in his sleep and thinks God has given him a mandate to resurrect the crusades!!!--jr (joseph)

Exactly Joseph :) You got it right. We should definitely follow our Church's teachings, but if it doesn't seem quite right we should question it. Our Church's leaders are human and there's nothing that says they can't make mistakes in their
interpretations. Don't follow blindly!!--Anne.

Unfortunately, as one can see from the followup remarks, there is much confusion in this group of "Catholics" who believe all sorts of lies and distortions, such as: That the Church believed the earth was flat; that Pope Pius XII was Hitler's helper, that women have a right or choice to murder the innocent. This is to say nothing of the hateful ad hominems that "Socrates" employs in his remarks.

Perhaps, with sufficient prayers, fasting, and mortifications, those who profess to be Catholic might be led toward the truth of Christ an d His Church and be given the graces to receive the virtue of humility so that they might accept those things which the Church teaches and be obedient to the will of God.