Alcoholism, drug addictions, codependent relationships, abusive relationships, casual sex, one night stands...
this is the spiral that our world has skyrocketed into in the 21st century most especially in first world countries. Patterns have developed. Now it is normal to participate in these things, and it is often considered ABNORMAL to not participate in them. In fact, the very idea that these things might "not be a good idea" (or to even go so far as to say "bad") is considered bigotry by many people.
To consider that an action might be bad is now considered by many people to be simultaneous with saying that the person performing the action is bad. Some people might just think I am playing with words here, but if you think deeply I hope you can philosophically realize that A does not automatically equate to B.
Somewhere along the way in our defensive world we have decided that it is insulting to adhere to and actually recommend following a set of directions. Democracy becomes equated to "you do you" and any "guidelines" laid out are viewed as a roadblock to a person's full self-actualization, development, and freedom rather than as a helping hand in reaching towards these things.
"Don't engage in casual sex" is not longer compared to "don't touch the hot stove" rather it is now equated to "I don't like that color on you, so change." In one of these instances the direction is given out of love because the person providing the directions knows something that the other person may not, and he or she wants to help that person to live in happiness, comfort, and safety instead of that person having to learn the lesson the hard way: through experience. In the other instance, a person has an opinion of not central or moral gravitational value that he or she wishes to impose on the other person.
A loving father doesn't watch his child touch the stove and then say, "Whelp, that's too bad." A loving father guides the child. A loving father tries to help the child learn lessons the easy way and develop into a healthy person with knowledge and understanding of healthy boundaries.
Mistakes will happen. It's a part of life. However, I don't think many of us would consider it appropriate or right for a person with an important piece of knowledge (ex: the stove will burn you or you will be hit by a car if you race across the street or you will get a stomach ache if you eat the entire cake in one night) to withhold this information from someone else and simply state, "Meh, they'll figure it out eventually."
This is what I think today's secular society does not grasp. It turns guidelines and directions into jail bars instead of into a helping hand.
This is why so much of the world is even afraid to consider the possibility that there might be appropriate boundaries to set in regard to things such as sexual engagement, cohabitation, abortion and contraception, among other things.
Having guidelines (when they are for good reason) doesn't diminish our freedom! It expands our freedom by helping us to flourish by not touching the hot stove, by waiting for things to cool, by controlling impulses to engage in behaviors at the right times under the right circumstances. It helps us avoid ending up in the rut that certain missteps lead us to.
As noted before, missteps will happen. But let's do the best we can to help each other along the road. Providing advice. Explaining ourselves. Lamenting our errors. Providing forgiveness, healing, and helpful knowledge to the one who laments and to our brothers and sisters before they come to lament.
I'm speaking about truth here. I'm speaking about helpful knowledge and guidelines. And I believe those can be found in the Catholic Church. I believe this not only because I have been raised in a Catholic family but because I have asked questions and the answers the Church has provided have made sense.
I believe that just as the man and woman came before a child, a loving Creator came before the man and the woman. And as a loving and all-knowing parent He provided us with a set of guidelines for us to live our lives to attain happiness. While this happiness does not mean living without pain, His guidelines will lead us on a path where we are likely to avoid much unnecessary pain.
From there I hope and believe that if we follow these guidelines we will grow in closeness to the One who Created us and will ultimately get to spend eternity with our Creator in the Heavenly realm once He has purged us of our erroneous ways. Then we may live in perfect peace and joy with Him.
So am I saying that the you become Catholic and "Whalla! All your problems are solved!"? No. As I noted, there will be pain, but that pain will be put towards growth and life will have meaning.
The words "answer" and "simple solution" are not simultaneous. As long as sin is in the world, we are going to experience pain. We are going to make mistakes. We are going to be tempted. We are going to be hurt. But the greatest answer we can set our hearts on is having something to HOPE in...
And in a world where people fell so hopeless, confused, lost, unloved, and desperate, that HOPE is sure something we need!
In summary, this is why I do not consider Catholicism to be bigotry. Because I believe as Catholics we are part of a family under the protection and guidance of the Church and that God is Our Father who knows all things and hands down knowledge and guidelines to His children out of LOVE with Mother Church at His side.
This is why I consider Catholicism to be attractive and joy-filled and consider it key to my living a happy and fulfilling life.
For specifics on why Catholics believe and teach certain things: ASK! Ask a Catholic friend, a parish priest, etc. etc. If they do not have the answers, you can search for them together and find someone who does.
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