Atheists, tell me, a Roman Catholic: why should I become an atheist?

[Jehanne]

Francis is, of course, trying to push things into a more  progressive direction, but as he does that more and more, then you have the problem of the so-called infallible Church contradicting itself on its so-called "infallible" teachings.  I am a former traditional Catholic, also, but as I posted earlier in this thread, I left the Church for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was all the contradictions that occurred between one Pope and another.  It just got too silly to believe in it, and the "smells & bells" were not enough to keep me interested.  In the end, I was faithless, that is, without a faith!

As much as I love Pope Francis as a guy (he's really cool) -- let's not exaggerate how progressive is reforms have been. He is completely opposed to LGBT equality (anti-marriage rights, anti-adoption), is against abortion/contraceptives in all cases, hasn't budget on ordaining women, etc. I really feel like he would be the kind of person who would be in favor of these things but he is constrained by his faith.

He has already contradicted his predecessors on the issue of the divorced and civilly remarried receiving the Sacraments, the Holy Eucharist especially (note:  not that any of that stuff is real to begin with!), and so, if he can change the Church's so-called "infallible" teachings on that, he or his successors can change any teaching:



And, so, everything, for Francis, is on the table; maybe not in his lifetime, but certainly, over the next several centuries.  Francis does not want a formal schism within the Church; that is why he is moving slowly, inch by inch.  Most Catholics could care less; for them, Catholicism is kind of a "pro forma" religion that they were born into, and so, they go through the motions and/or indoctrinations.

As for me, I have better things to do with my time and money and don't buy any of it anymore.  In fact, with Francis, I think that Catholicism is a joke, which means that it always was a joke, even when nearly all of Europe took it seriously.