Pope resigns

[armaghniac]

A very good  general principle is "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"

It is not our job to judge other people - try to help if you think they need it but leave the judging to the big guy.

Is it not also the case that for evil to succeed it is only necessary for good men to do nothing?

[johnneycool]

Is it not also the case that for evil to succeed it is only necessary for good men to do nothing?

Not sure about that one, might need to ask Sean Brady his interpretation of that!

[theskull1]

You cant run a religion without smoke and mirrors. It has to be deep, mysterious, verbose, not of this world etc etc for the masses to latch onto. Pulls people out of their own consciousness. Wheres the fun in just trying to live out a purpose driven life? No reason that mindset/philosophy if developed in schools wouldn't make for a suitable replacement to organised religion but it gives people back the ultimate control.

[Milltown Row2]

Blinding faith and things like free will seem like a cop out by those in charge. By looking back on a book that has been translated many times I'm sure there are areas that have been, well, greatly exaggerated! The Old testament is daft (but if ye have faith..) and the New testament isn't much better, as there are countless faiths that view it differently, who's right?

Religion was able to thrive years ago because of the hocus pocus that the church used to keep people involved, it served it's purpose in relaying stories of good and bad and giving people morals, I'm all for that and use that on my own kids though I don't read it from a book.

It doesn't really work in modern times and this is seen from the dropping of numbers at Mass, not just here but all over the world. It works better in countries that education and poverty is bad, no great surprise then that these religions do so well there.

[The Iceman]

I don't know how much of that skull or milltown is necessarily true.

I think the faithful can have a great purpose driven life. To love God and love others. In the eyes of the faithful, nothing else can come close or be as fulfilling. Even the folks who don't believe in God and talk about the Cosmos or the universe, gurus like Bob Proctor or Zig Ziggler all say for ultimate happiness we should live a life in service to others and in gratitude for what we have - surely that is close to the model I described?

I don't need to go to Mass for the readings or the prayers. I go to Mass for the Eucharist. If you are a Roman Catholic then you believe in the teachings on Eucharist, if you don't then you are not. I go to Mass for that. All the instructions and guidance we need are in the catechism and supported by the Bible. If Mass numbers are dropping it isn't because "smoke and mirrors" no longer work, its because people don't believe in the Eucharist, if they did, they would be there.

When we look at the "debate" as a few mentioned, there is one stark difference in both sides. Believers are debating for God to bring more people closer to Him. Non-believers are debating against God for themselves. Hoping that by changing someone's mind they justify their own life and try to fill their emptiness.

The world is changing. Evil is more apparent now than ever before. God is slowly being pushed out and evil takes over. It's happening in front of us all. The only way I can face that, for me and my family, is with God. If you can't see that or don't agree with that then I wish you all the best. I'm really at peace in life and in my faith.

[magpie seanie]

You don't need a church with bullshit rules for any of that.

[theskull1]

If Mass numbers are dropping it isn't because "smoke and mirrors" no longer work, its because people don't believe in the Eucharist, if they did, they would be there.

When we look at the "debate" as a few mentioned, there is one stark difference in both sides. Believers are debating for God to bring more people closer to Him. Non-believers are debating against God for themselves. Hoping that by changing someone's mind they justify their own life and try to fill their emptiness.

The world is changing. Evil is more apparent now than ever before. God is slowly being pushed out and evil takes over. It's happening in front of us all. The only way I can face that, for me and my family, is with God. If you can't see that or don't agree with that then I wish you all the best. I'm really at peace in life and in my faith.

In order

If Mass numbers are dropping  it isn't because "smoke and mirrors" no longer work, its because people don't believe in the Eucharist , if they did, they would be there. 

You dont see the comical irony here IM?   
So you reckon Brendan Smyth was dishing out the body of christ whilst he was dishing out abuse to kids? And god was OK with that?

Non-believers are debating against God for themselves. Hoping that by changing someone's mind they justify their own life and try to fill their emptiness.
This is the bit youre missing. There is no emptiness to fill. The searching for something which isnt there stops. The most liberating of experiences from my perspective.

Evil is more apparent now than ever before. God is slowly being pushed out and evil takes over. It's happening in front of us all.
I'd contend that is absolutely horsesh1t. Its just youve more media coverage than you ever had. And no one instills fear and control into society better than the US media.

[Hardy]

The world is changing. Evil is more apparent now than ever before. God is slowly being pushed out and evil takes over.

http://www.insidescience.org/content/mystery-new-yorks-falling-crime-rate-remains-unsolved/937

[The Iceman]

You don't need a church with bullshit rules for any of that.

You need a Church and priests for the Eucharist. There cannot be an argument on that one. No priests - no Eucharist.

[theskull1]

So you'd be better receiving the eucharist from Brendan Smyth than receiving none at all?

[trueblue1234]

Just wondering how many posters on here didn't get married in a Church?

[magpie seanie]

You don't need a church with bullshit rules for any of that.

You need a Church and priests for the Eucharist. There cannot be an argument on that one. No priests - no Eucharist.

Yeah but leave the makey up rules at the door. Just celebrate the Eucharist and help people to be good and use their talents to realise their potential. Let people live their lives, don't try to control them. Show them a good path but they must choose themselves, not be scared or threatened into it.

It's all about money and control really isn't it?

[Billys Boots]

The world is changing. Evil is more apparent now than ever before. God is slowly being pushed out and evil takes over.

http://www.insidescience.org/content/mystery-new-yorks-falling-crime-rate-remains-unsolved/937

That's very interesting indeed.

[The Iceman]

You don't need a church with bullshit rules for any of that.

You need a Church and priests for the Eucharist. There cannot be an argument on that one. No priests - no Eucharist.

Yeah but leave the makey up rules at the door. Just celebrate the Eucharist and help people to be good and use their talents to realise their potential. Let people live their lives, don't try to control them. Show them a good path but they must choose themselves, not be scared or threatened into it.

It's all about money and control really isn't it?

How is it about control? I haven't been scared or threatened into anything. Thats pre-Vatican II stuff (didn't realise you were that old )
What 'makey up rules' are you talking about?

[muppet]

You don't need a church with bullshit rules for any of that.

You need a Church and priests for the Eucharist. There cannot be an argument on that one. No priests - no Eucharist.

Yeah but leave the makey up rules at the door. Just celebrate the Eucharist and help people to be good and use their talents to realise their potential. Let people live their lives, don't try to control them. Show them a good path but they must choose themselves, not be scared or threatened into it.

It's all about money and control really isn't it?

Sadly that appears to be the case. The sex scandals have really demonstrated this, the mantra seems to be protect what the Church has at all costs, forget the children.

Added to the sex scandals is the fact that in the internet age and after a couple of generations of good education, people just don't blindly accept some of the nonsensical stuff any more.