Do Christian Parents Abuse their Children?

[Catholic_Lady]

Personally I'm in favor of same sex couples getting all the same legal benefits, etc. Though as far as getting married in the Church goes, I agree that it should be reserved for one man and one woman who weren't previously married and who went through all the pre cana preparations and were approved by the pastor.

I had a friend who knocked up his girlfriend and they immediately tried to get married in the Catholic church. The priest made them wait until after she had the baby before he agreed to marry them, just to make sure their intentions for marriage was a legitimate, well thought out decision to want to be together for life, and not something they were just rushing into bc they were expecting. That's how seriously we take marriage in the church.

Appreciate your getting the details right on that.

Additionally, I'd note folks that aren't too concerned about that "weren't previously married" part have proven they do not have sincerely held religious beliefs.

If a divorced person wants to remarry in the Church, they have to apply for an annulment and get it approved.

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I see your point. An unethical action WILL NOT happen unless it is preceded by violent or malicious thought. I agree that the best case scenario is to basically be locked in the room with Buddha.

I just find it hard to hold people accountable for their thoughts. The causes of their thoughts often have to do factors outside of their control (upbringing, treatment by others, environmental factors, etc.) In your line of thinking, a person who has a violent thought but then counters it with a nonviolent thought has behaved unethically. I disagree. I think he has behaved ETHICALLY, despite his having had the thought.

As I said before, I agree with you that cultivating benevolent thinking is GOOD. I just don't see having a malicious thought as BAD.

I'd say daydreaming about doing horrible things to other people is pretty bad.

Thoughts just pop into our head I'm not sure we have any control over that, whether the consciousness has some kind of veto power over that, or if it's just another thought that's popped into the head I'm not sure. Either way if it's the good and not the bad that is done and has precedent then I agree no ethics have been broken.

I would agree CL, daydreaming about nasty things happening to that particular person who irks you is best avoided if possible.

Yeah, thoughts that pop into your head are involuntary and therefore you can't be held accountable for them, even if they are bad thoughts. It's when you choose to start actively feuling that bad thought that it becomes wrong.