I no longer live in Manila. But I find it sickening to see in the newspapers or in churches a newly wed couple getting 12 pairs of sponsors, 10 pairs of which are politicians who they hardly know and a bunch of famous actors/actresses.
For example, isn't it sickening to see a sponsor list composed of a former president, a current vice president, 3 senators, 3 congressmen, and a sprinkling of other local officials and a b-movie star.
If the catholic church, which claims to have 85% of the population as part of their religion, wants to be a pro-active and positive force towards cultural and systemic change in the Philippines, it can probably do the future generations a big favor by not encouraging this patronage system and instead help revive the true significance of a "sponsor" to a wedding, baptism, or confirmation.
Right now, as it stands, this whole sponsorship thing in the catholic church makes a mockery of the true meaning of a "sponsor" (someone who will be a true guide, a role model, someone who will take care of your kids, etc.) and indirectly contributes to the padrino/padrina/patronage politics in the Philippines.
When I was younger I had to take confirmation classes at the Catholic church every Sunday for 1 1/2 years. They had a assignment for the end of the class that required you to get 40+ hours of community/volunteer work. I didn't really want to go every Sunday or do any volunteer work because I just wanted to stay in and relax before having to go to school the next day. Whenever I did volunteer/community work for the church I would do 1-2hrs of work and when it was time to tell our teacher how many hours we did , I would lie and say I did an extra hour or 2 each time I volunteered somewhere. The teachers would have to write their signature on our volunteer papers so we couldn't forge it or just simply write 40+ hours done. I finished confirmation and I felt good I finished it and I think it's necessary to go to heaven or something but I feel guilty, like I'm going to hell because I lied about how many hours I've actually done and I feel like I should tell the priest next time I go to church. Should I or am I just overthinking it too much?
My mother is making me be confirmed (its happening this Sunday). I heard its possible to leave the Catholic church by submitting a type of form. Can you do this after being confirmed (if you care, I will be doing it once I am an adult).
Thanks
Christians believe in depravity. It's commonly thought of as a protestant teaching, but Catholics believe in depravity, just in a more nuanced way.
If you take your kids to a place where everyone believes they are inherently depraved, don't be fucking surprised when depraved shit occurs.
Your kids are not safe in church. Perhaps you should stop fucking taking them.
One could say he was cannonized.
1,000 victims just in PA.
Imagine that number if every single state did a similar grand jury investigation. Imagine all the other cover ups.
Imagine that number if it goes worldwide.
People who protect child predators are not men of god, and they should be shamed in society until they fucking change.
I mean, it's a cultural center, right, to celebrate and preserve the native Hawaiian dances and costumes etc. But mormonism destroys culture and requires conformity to US 1950's era values.
Mormonism does not value polynesian tattoos or immodest styles of clothing, they SHUN it. Mormonism does not allow Hawaiian flower neclaces to be worn in church, we had a Hawaiian family in our ward and they used to bring those for missionary homecoming talks etc but the church put a stop to that, I distinctly recall the fuss made when our ward was reprimanded for those being inappropriate for sacrament meeting. Mormonism does not allow traditional Hawaiian songs or musical instruments to be played in sacrament meeting, it's piano/organ and violin/flute or get the fuck out. Mormonism does not allow men to wear colorful floral shirts, you wear a white shirt and tie or you can't pass the sacrament because American Jesus wants white shirts and ties. In fact, many of the polynesian center costumes worn by LDS performers are complete violations of the BYU-H honor code.
You cannot be a Hawaiian at mormon church, you must conform to mormon standards during church because mormonism requires you shed your culture at the front door.
Simply googling any combination of "Religion" and "Pedophilia" will net a lot of know cases of child abuse in the Catholic Church specifically, sadly enough, but curiously not a lot (if anything) comes up for other religions.
I was educated in a Catholic run private school in my elementary and high school days, and I distinctly remember in my religion class the seminarian claim people who attempt suicide are committing a mortal sin and that these people will go straight to hell.
I wonder how things have changed now in terms of what the Roman Catholic Church teaches, in light of people's awareness of mental illness. Makes me wonder how many suicide victims and their families have been persecuted/ discriminated against before people have accepted the reality of mental illness and depression.
Can anyone share their experiences and thoughts?
