Great points throughout! Also, fascinating insights as to what we Americans actually live out versus what the founding fathers believed as explained on his bonald.wordpress. A lot to think about (including his Catholic Monarchy explanation of 3 branches of gov't: the traditional / repository (nobles), the lawmakers/legislature, and the executive/ministry). Thanks for sharing!
‘There are indeed virtues associated with open-mindedness: the ability to recognize one’s own commitments and prejudices (without thereby renouncing them), the ability to dispassionately analyze opposing beliefs, the ability to disagree charitably and to debate cordially.’
The Catholic Church claims authority over truth about God.
Becoming Catholic requires complete submission to the truth as told infallibly by the clergy. However, the clergy are men as flawed as the rest of us. It seems the clergy lack the virtues quoted and it would be impossible to debate with them about what the truth is because they believe the truth is with them rather than above them.
Thomas Aquinas furthered the Church’s understanding of truth, which begs the question: In what other truth is the Church’s understanding partial? Aquinas also gave more acceptance for man’s senses, GK Chesterton describes the sanctification that Aquinas gave to man’s mind “If a man feels that all the movements of his own mind are meaningless, then his mind is meaningless, and he is meaningless; and it does not mean anything to attempt to discover his meaning.”. The conservative seeks meaning through subordination, but if the mind is subordinated then so too is meaning.
No, the mind doesn't make meaning - it discovers meaning. And the clergymen aren't infallible. Only the Pope is and only in very specific circumstances. Tradition, Scripture and the Magisterium are the three legs of the stool. If you take any one of them away, it falls.
Am I therefore able to be in the Church and hold a contrary understanding? Such as, hell doesn't actually exist after death but is a significant illustration of a truth.
No. But not for the reasons you gave in your comment. Read the Catechism if my reply didn't make sense. If you have a problem with authority and want autonomy, there's always Protestantism. It's liberalism in religious form. Some sects don't even say Christ is divine. You can actually start your own sect if you want.
Great points throughout! Also, fascinating insights as to what we Americans actually live out versus what the founding fathers believed as explained on his bonald.wordpress. A lot to think about (including his Catholic Monarchy explanation of 3 branches of gov't: the traditional / repository (nobles), the lawmakers/legislature, and the executive/ministry). Thanks for sharing!
‘There are indeed virtues associated with open-mindedness: the ability to recognize one’s own commitments and prejudices (without thereby renouncing them), the ability to dispassionately analyze opposing beliefs, the ability to disagree charitably and to debate cordially.’
The Catholic Church claims authority over truth about God.
Becoming Catholic requires complete submission to the truth as told infallibly by the clergy. However, the clergy are men as flawed as the rest of us. It seems the clergy lack the virtues quoted and it would be impossible to debate with them about what the truth is because they believe the truth is with them rather than above them.
Thomas Aquinas furthered the Church’s understanding of truth, which begs the question: In what other truth is the Church’s understanding partial? Aquinas also gave more acceptance for man’s senses, GK Chesterton describes the sanctification that Aquinas gave to man’s mind “If a man feels that all the movements of his own mind are meaningless, then his mind is meaningless, and he is meaningless; and it does not mean anything to attempt to discover his meaning.”. The conservative seeks meaning through subordination, but if the mind is subordinated then so too is meaning.
No, the mind doesn't make meaning - it discovers meaning. And the clergymen aren't infallible. Only the Pope is and only in very specific circumstances. Tradition, Scripture and the Magisterium are the three legs of the stool. If you take any one of them away, it falls.
Am I therefore able to be in the Church and hold a contrary understanding? Such as, hell doesn't actually exist after death but is a significant illustration of a truth.
No. But not for the reasons you gave in your comment. Read the Catechism if my reply didn't make sense. If you have a problem with authority and want autonomy, there's always Protestantism. It's liberalism in religious form. Some sects don't even say Christ is divine. You can actually start your own sect if you want.
Thanks for setting me straight on this Knowland. Throne and Alter was very helpful.