I'm going to hell for sure, so I might as well question everything?

[Minimalist]

I don't even know what the "catholic culture" would be.

Molesting children and covering it up seems to be a big part of it.


Anyway, here you go Alei. Enjoy George Carlin's thoughts on the issue.

[Erinome]

My culture is American. It has nothing to do with religion. The parts of my family who are catholic are culturally indistinguishable from any other American. The strange thing is, I'm a lifetime black sheep. I've never fit in, culturally. Everyone who knows me, knows that. Some find it endearing, others can kiss my liberal atheist ass. My sense of humor is similar to my grandfather who is a devout catholic, but he would never blaspheme. I do.

[Shell B]

But you can't provide any examples. I'd say she falls into a rather standard Southern US culture.

You have to admit, that standard includes Christianity, even if it is later dismissed, to a large degree. Just an general observation.

[thesummerqueen]

Yeah, but which Christianity?

[Whateverist]

How does someone who is faithless have faith? I don't even know what the "catholic culture" would be. I was brought up going to church. I don't go anymore. Catholics drink all the time, even at church parties. I don't drink. Catholics believe crazy shit. I'm not sure I ever really believed any of it. I know I don't now. I have almost nothing in common with Catholics.

Once again, mehmet, you don't know what you're talking about. It's okay. I've come to expect as much.

I'm going to have to take Mehmet's side on this one. This shit is insidious and can permeate you in ways you can't imagine, regardless if you belief any of the factual claims.

Besides we all have faith in something. We have faith that there is a reason to get up in the morning and do what we do. (Of course keeping the lights on does partly explain that one.) We have faith that other people really do have thoughts and feelings of their own and aren't just here for our amusement (hopefully). We have faith that we will be able to make sense of the world. We have faith that the ones we respect will respect us. Faith is good.

It's just too often wasted on religious crap. Christians are the worst. I find the few who have faith in God without placing their faith in the bible to be rare and special. Most have faith only in the bible. It's like their contract with God. They have faith -certainty really- that God will live up to His end of the contract. Faith isn't needed where certainty exists. Therefore bible-brained Christians have no faith.

Oops .. did I just go off on a rant.

[Erinome]

I have faith in things that matter like my kids and myself. I have evidence that we're worthy of such.

[Shell B]

Yeah, but which Christianity?

Does it matter?

[thesummerqueen]

Well, he said Catholic - my original question had only to do with how that's going to be displayed. What defines a Christian culture from a non Christian one?

The nearest a few guys and I could get at it was using the concept of guilt for an example. We joke about Jewish guilt and Catholic guilt, and they're not quite the same thing. Catholics have an internal "you are always sinning" sort of guilt, and Jews absorb theirs from external sources because there's a gentle "culture" of complaining - let them know they did well, but not too well. You're never too good or too busy to call your mother. Sure, he's a doctor but has he written any articles lately? What, do you call these lox? Who died and made you god? No no no, I don't want to be a bother.

See?

So I'm just wondering what the markers for a Christian culture are. Just general American culture? So much of Americana has been taken from actual countries (and for holidays, a lot of their pagan roots) and not from Christianity.

[Shell B]

Well, he said Catholic - my original question had only to do with how that's going to be displayed. What defines a Christian culture from a non Christian one?

I'm sure such things would be subtle. Bottom line is, you are raised a certain way and you embrace it or reject it. Even rejection is a subtle sign of how you were raised.