FFRF ad encourages "liberal and nominal Catholics" to quit the Church

[9-10ths_Penguin]

A full page ad recently ran in the New York Times from the Freedom From Religion Foundation in the form of an open letter in which they encourage "liberal and nominal Catholics" to leave the Catholic Church:

FFRF ad

Highlights from the letter:

If you think you can change the church from within - get it to lighten up on birth control, gay rights, marriage equality, embryonic stem-cell research - you're deluding yourself. By remaining a "good Catholic," you are doing "bad" to women's rights. You are an enabler. And it's got to stop.

The Church that hasn't persuaded you to shun contraception now wants to use the force of secular law to deny birth control to non-Catholics.

You're better than your church, so why stay?

What do you think? Are the letter's points valid? Should the FFRF be taking this approach?

Edit - Catholics: how do you feel about the "liberal and nominal Catholics" who the FFRF is trying to reach?

[dyanaprajna2011]

I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I don't have any reason why a person would or should leave their religion of choice/birth religion. But, that's only if they understand that said religion isn't the only valid world view. On the other hand, the catholic church has inspired and perpetrated some pretty heinous acts, as well as attempting to stop progress, both human and scientific. So, it's a catch-22, in my opinion. But, if someone is a liberal or nominal catholic, then it seems odd to me that they would want to be associated with a religion that has, and seems to perpetrate, such atrocities in the first place. We have to remember, their list of committing heinous acts didn't stop in the Dark Ages with the Inquisition. It has continued to this day. So, I guess I would say it would be better for liberal and nominal catholics to actually decide on another religion. But ultimately, that would have to be their personal and conscientious choice. They shouldn't feel pressured into doing so. But they should be made aware of the facts.

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Do you agree with their argument that people who disagree with Church positions but remain affiliated with the Church anyhow are "enablers" of those positions?

[dyanaprajna2011]

Originally Posted by 9-10ths_Penguin

Do you agree with their argument that people who disagree with Church positions but remain affiliated with the Church anyhow are "enablers" of those positions?

In such a case, yes. I don't see why a person, who for all intents and purposes, does not agree with the church doctrinally or spiritually, would want to stay with such an organization. You might as well be the one carrying the weapons, even if you don't use them.

[sojourner]

Leaving the church would constitute passive resistance. Which is good.
Staying with the church and trying to effect change constitutes active resistance. Which is good.

[Kathryn]

Originally Posted by sojourner

Leaving the church would constitute passive resistance. Which is good.
Staying with the church and trying to effect change constitutes active resistance. Which is good.

My sentiments exactly.

The letter is a non issue to me. If I were a liberal Catholic, it probably wouldn't make much difference to me one way or another. I would have already thought about all that and made my own decision.

Hey, wait, that's what happened to me already. I was a liberal Catholic! I mean, liberal in some ways. I did leave the RCC because of doctrinal differences of opinion.

[dyanaprajna2011]

Originally Posted by sojourner

Leaving the church would constitute passive resistance. Which is good.
Staying with the church and trying to effect change constitutes active resistance. Which is good.

Realistically, how much would active resistance within the church actually change it? This is a church that is hard-wired to stay the same as it has always been. There have been minor changes, especially at Vat II, but for the most part, they don't really change, and instead, generally excommunicate those who do try to change it from within, like Martin Luther.

[Tarheeler]

While I understand what they're trying to say, I think they're wrong. And I think they are forgetting one major factor: while liberal Catholics might stay with the church, they vote like liberals in elections.

Granted, I'm not intimately familiar with the Catholic church, but I see the situation as being similar to that of political parties.

If all of the liberal thinkers leave the group, then it is assured to become even more dogmatic and restricted. Most groups only change when there is enough internal opposition to cause them to do so; if you remove that opposition, you remove any motivation to change.

[dyanaprajna2011]

Originally Posted by Tarheeler

While I understand what they're trying to say, I think they're wrong. And I think they are forgetting one major factor: while liberal Catholics might stay with the church, they vote like liberals in elections.

Granted, I'm not intimately familiar with the Catholic church, but I see the situation as being similar to that of political parties.

If all of the liberal thinkers leave the group, then it is assured to become even more dogmatic and restricted. Most groups only change when there is enough internal opposition to cause them to do so; if you remove that opposition, you remove any motivation to change.

For most groups, whether political, religious, or something else, this is the case. The catholic church almost stands alone as a group that does not work in this manner. Their change comes only from the Pope, who doesn't listen to human "invention", but only what he feels god to be saying to him. Which is why it has changed very little in the last 1500 years.

[Tarheeler]

Originally Posted by dyanaprajna2011

For most groups, whether political, religious, or something else, this is the case. The catholic church almost stands alone as a group that does not work in this manner. Their change comes only from the Pope, who doesn't listen to human "invention", but only what he feels god to be saying to him. Which is why it has changed very little in the last 1500 years.

But the Pope comes from the people. Yes, change is slow, but it does happen. And it will happen faster if people who want change take up positions of leadership within the church. Over time, they can have a tremendous effect.

There is always the chance that a mass exodus will trigger radical change, but history shows us that it isn't usually the case. Losing members in droves often forces groups, both religious and political, to revert and "get back to basics" to rebuild the base.