Well, back here in good old Holy Roman Catholic Ireland, we once again stuck one on the religious. This being just after the SSM catholic debacle.
People self identify as "Catholic" simply on the basis of their cultural upbringing. They don't actually believe any of it. They don't actually practice it.
This is borne out by the simple facts on the ground. When I was a kid, there were at least three priests per parish. Now, there are three parishes per priest.
Nobody of my acquaintance attends mass weekly, it is a running joke that it is solely restricted to births marriages and deaths. Otherwise nobody attends at all.
The few remaining fall into a small group of categories.
My HEX-wife. Marking time because she is a school teacher and must needs be in good standing with the religiously run schools.
The aged. They are so indoctrinated the cannot see past the nonsense.
The gullible. Nuff said.
The zealots. Nothing sways those.
There may be more categories, but I don't care to enumerate them. Someone else can if they are so disposed.
Interestingly, a close friend of mine is 76 and a lifelong RCC loon. I am close to deconverting her. Simply by challenging her to think about the consequences of her beliefs.
Even the HEX-wife has abandoned weekly mass. Probably was my eldest coming out as transgender kicked that off. Suddenly she had nowhere to hide.
Frankly, I find my self defending mom against the rants of my kids against her.
But there you go. committed catholic abandoning the sinking ship. Because it is no longer financially worthwhile.
People self identify as "Catholic" simply on the basis of their cultural upbringing. They don't actually believe any of it. They don't actually practice it.
This is borne out by the simple facts on the ground. When I was a kid, there were at least three priests per parish. Now, there are three parishes per priest.
Nobody of my acquaintance attends mass weekly, it is a running joke that it is solely restricted to births marriages and deaths. Otherwise nobody attends at all.
The few remaining fall into a small group of categories.
My HEX-wife. Marking time because she is a school teacher and must needs be in good standing with the religiously run schools.
The aged. They are so indoctrinated the cannot see past the nonsense.
The gullible. Nuff said.
The zealots. Nothing sways those.
There may be more categories, but I don't care to enumerate them. Someone else can if they are so disposed.
Interestingly, a close friend of mine is 76 and a lifelong RCC loon. I am close to deconverting her. Simply by challenging her to think about the consequences of her beliefs.
Even the HEX-wife has abandoned weekly mass. Probably was my eldest coming out as transgender kicked that off. Suddenly she had nowhere to hide.
Frankly, I find my self defending mom against the rants of my kids against her.
But there you go. committed catholic abandoning the sinking ship. Because it is no longer financially worthwhile.