Quote:
Originally posted by abaici
I’m having trouble understanding how you can be Catholic without accepting the prevailing doctrine and beliefs. I am aware of the doctrine and beliefs of my religious group. I accept them. Does accepting them as truth mean that I always adhere to them? No. For instance, my doctrine sets forth that premarital sex is wrong. Do I believe that? Yes. Do I always adhere to that? No. However, the difference is, I am constantly trying to. I believe that we are all sinners who are constantly striving to do better.
If you do not believe in the basic doctrines and beliefs of your religion, why do you still belong to that group? Tradition?
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I think you hit on an important point - specifically that belief and adherance are two seperate things. Some would argue that belief is all that is necessary to be considered a member of a faith (well that and the rituals that may have been involved); while others hold that it is adherance that is determining factor of faith... to me you can believe, but be a "bad, lapsed, or failed" member of a faith because of lack of adherance - but you still believe and to me thats what matters.
Some of the arguements in this thread touching on doctrines and beliefs are a littled flawed - in that what is recognized as a belief, a doctrine, a practice, or a tradition may not be seen as the same by members within the RCC... herein is where the heart of the arguements and debates lie - what is a belief and what is a teaching? (believe me even with in the Church one is more binding than the other).... or as someone else pointed out what is a practice and what is a tradition?
Hybrid Mode
