Asked....and I hope answered.

 

Rhythm and Balls asks an interesting question........

Is that where Pope Francis wants to end up?

I don't know. And I respect your request for "outsiders" not interfering.

But I am curious to know what Catholics think - just because of the size and influence of their church. They're something like a third of the U.S. population. Most of the ones I know I love greatly and respect what seems to be a sense of community among them ("fellowship"?) that other sects might - again, from my admittedly poor perspective - might lack. I also notice what seems to agitate them.

But re: your question, it seems to position your impression of the Church as a way of promoting conservative values that you personally value. Would that be accurate to say? I'm just curious. Does it generally do a good job of that and has it or does it also promote liberal values, as well? Again, I'm just wondering what your take is. It's not my business so you don't have to answer but I just thought I'd see if you had a take on that.

My impression of the Church is not that it is promoting conservative values. Because I think most of those values are not liberal or conservative. Faith. Charity to the poor. Fidelity to your marriage vows. The protection of the innocent especially the unborn. None of those things should be termed Liberal or Conservative. We can all agree that the Church promotes those values in the spirit of the Gospel and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. That it should promote those values in it's teaching and it's example to the rest of society.

The easy argument that is made is that certain things are liberal and others conservative.Or at least that is the position that some people take because it is easy to hang the argument. Is fidelity in marriage a "conservative value." Or do liberals value it as well. I think they do. But they might be ashamed or reluctant to be candid because it is not "cool" or "hip" or "politically correct." So they say the don't want to "judge." Well you should judge. You should judge that infidelity and the violation of the sacred bonds of matrimony is always wrong. Without exception. The Church preaches forgiveness of sins. We are all born in Original Sin and must seek forgiveness and absolution. But you can't just ignore it before the sincere search for repentance and forgiveness. It is as though the sinner can come in and demand absolution without even being sorry for their sins. That is what I think is the difference between the "liberal" and "conservative" views.

Of course no one is all of a piece. Although I am more "conservative" than most I am against both abortion and the death penalty. I am consistent in the belief that life is sacred. Not everyone will agree. Which is fine as far as it goes. But some things have to be bedrock principles.

I am not a theologian and smarter people than me can explain it much better than me. I just know it when I see it. I see the rush to be "politically correct" and to jump on fashionable topics like climate change and same sex marriage are just wrongheaded in the extreme. There is so much pain and misery in the world. There are so many crying out for help. Persecution of Christians in the Mideast. Marginalization of Christians here in the United States. Why insist that you worry about climate change when it has always happened and always will. It is as though your house is burning down and you are worried that it is a cloudy day.

The Pope has a lot of power. The power of moral suasion. He needs to use it wisely. Not muddle it with mixed signals and secret agendas. 

At least that is how I see it.