--- Marlon Menezes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I get the feeling that the catholic church and its most ardent followers are not willing to compromise on its core values, customs and beliefs, even if it results in a gradual loss of its population base. > Mario responds: Marlon, you don't have to rely simply on your feelings. No greater an authority than Papa Ratzi has already opined in his writings that, rather than compromise on core principles, he would have no problems with a smaller church. This from the foremost theologian in the Catholic Church today, and now the guy who is "infallible" in matters of faith and morals. No wonder the liberal wing is experiencing consternation and major heartburn.
While I think the Catholic Church will continue to grow but lose market share overall, many educated people and learned scholars see religion in a totally different light from other worldly matters. For example, no one who demands scientific proof of everything, and bases all their opinions on normal facts and logic, would ever be a Catholic. Once one accepts the whole list I gave of Catholic fundamentals that can only be taken as matters of faith, namely prophecies, miracles, the Holy Trinity, virgin birth, resurrection, two bodily ascensions into heaven, the body and blood of Christ in communion, life after death, etc. it is no longer inconsistent to accept other things that do not fit within normal and "rational" human concepts.
