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I'm an MSc student in IT/software engineering, and I am a practicing and believing Roman Catholic. Some of the main reasons for this is - having recognized th

I'm an MSc student in IT/software engineering, and I am a practicing and believing Roman Catholic. Some of the main reasons for this is - having recognized that the teachings are consistent with my embedded worldview and ethical code - a perception that living according to these teachings is much more beautiful, much less likely to hurt others or get hurt myself, mostly free from anger and bitterness, etc. The often repeated opinion that "God gave you your life and his teachings are the owner's manual" seems to hold true for me.

azaras 12y ago
Do you believe in Mary's perputual virginity?
- marczellm 12y ago
  Based solely upon the Bible, I wouldn't. But for some reason the Church teaches it, and I guess they have very good reasons for that. Because of the issue having IMO absolutely no implication for my everyday life or prayer, I never felt the need to research what the Church has to say about it. Just like using a software library without reading the source code.
- burkesquires 12y ago
  Check out #499 here: http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/epub/index.cfm# http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/c... As Catholic we also understand that not everything that Jesus said was written in the Bible, thus the Catholic Church, which Jesus Christ instituted, also includes sacred Tradition. thus we believe not in sola scripture (the Bible alone) but sola verbum Die (the word of God alone) which includes sacred Tradition. The Bible actually mentioned that not everything Jesus said is in the Bible: John 21:25 "But there are also many other things which Jesus did; which, if they were written every one, the world itself, I think, would not be able to contain the books that should be written"
xdissent 12y ago
Absolutely no offense intended, but doesn't your worldview (and the perceived benefits) stand alone, whether or not a God exists? I guess my question is, how do you rationalize the ritual if it has little bearing on the outcome?
- marczellm 12y ago
  I simply figured that the Church might know more than I do, given that my personality is still forming. I should maybe mention that by embedded worldview, I meant more like little seeds. By no means do I have a complete ethical, philosophical, moral system which explains EVERYTHING in the universe. I think philosophy is the job of philosophers, theology the job of theologists, etc. But Catholic teachings were a very logical next step from the way I feel about certain things.
DanBC 12y ago
> much less likely to hurt others The Catholic rules on abortion are cruel and cause very great harm to women. A woman was raped in her home country. She left that country and sought asylum in Ireland. She discovered that she was pregnant and sought an abortion. Abortion is only possible in Ireland if the mother's life is at risk. She was suicidal, and the two psychiatrists needed agreed that her life was at risk. The third doctor, an obstretician, disagreed about the mental health status of the patient and so she could not get an abortion. She went on hunger strike, intending to kill herself or kill the unborn child. She was subjected to forced naso-gastric feeding to keep the fetus alive until it could be delivered. She agreed to a caesarian section at about 25 / 26 weeks. This is 2014 in a developed European nation. And this is under their "liberal" new law, introduced in 2014 after the death, in 2012, of Savita Halappanavar. The Catholic church spent considerable effort to prevent contraception being made available in Ireland. This delayed the availability of contraception for years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contraception_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contraception_in_the_Republic_... This cruelty is a direct result of Catholic teachings.
- marczellm 12y ago
  Do you have a link to the story in your first paragraph? I would like to read it in detail. Sexual orientation and contraception are two very serious issues which I feel greatly underqualified to form global opinions about. The situation in Ireland seems to me like a misunderstanding of the Catholic teachings, given that AFAIK the teachings are meant to be followed in one's personal life because of one's personal faith, and not by forcing them on others by means such as state laws. The only comment I can make is by following the teachings in my own life and not having sex outside marriage, I don't conceive children* with women whom I abandon later, therefore - I don't hurt women by making them take contraceptive pills with unknown side effects, - I don't hurt women by forcing them to carry out a child they do not want, - I don't hurt children by causing them to grow up without a loving family, - I don't hurt women by forcing them to go to abortion, - I don't hurt children by conceiving them and then killing them in abortion before they are born. Most of the above happened in my family, and I want to avoid the hurt caused by or to my family members in these situations. * AFAIK no contraception is 100% effective.

azaras 12y ago

Do you believe in Mary's perputual virginity?

marczellm 12y ago
Based solely upon the Bible, I wouldn't. But for some reason the Church teaches it, and I guess they have very good reasons for that. Because of the issue having IMO absolutely no implication for my everyday life or prayer, I never felt the need to research what the Church has to say about it. Just like using a software library without reading the source code.
burkesquires 12y ago
Check out #499 here: http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/epub/index.cfm# http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/c... As Catholic we also understand that not everything that Jesus said was written in the Bible, thus the Catholic Church, which Jesus Christ instituted, also includes sacred Tradition. thus we believe not in sola scripture (the Bible alone) but sola verbum Die (the word of God alone) which includes sacred Tradition. The Bible actually mentioned that not everything Jesus said is in the Bible: John 21:25 "But there are also many other things which Jesus did; which, if they were written every one, the world itself, I think, would not be able to contain the books that should be written"

xdissent 12y ago

Absolutely no offense intended, but doesn't your worldview (and the perceived benefits) stand alone, whether or not a God exists? I guess my question is, how do you rationalize the ritual if it has little bearing on the outcome?

marczellm 12y ago
I simply figured that the Church might know more than I do, given that my personality is still forming. I should maybe mention that by embedded worldview, I meant more like little seeds. By no means do I have a complete ethical, philosophical, moral system which explains EVERYTHING in the universe. I think philosophy is the job of philosophers, theology the job of theologists, etc. But Catholic teachings were a very logical next step from the way I feel about certain things.

DanBC 12y ago

> much less likely to hurt others The Catholic rules on abortion are cruel and cause very great harm to women. A woman was raped in her home country. She left that country and sought asylum in Ireland. She discovered that she was pregnant and sought an abortion. Abortion is only possible in Ireland if the mother's life is at risk. She was suicidal, and the two psychiatrists needed agreed that her life was at risk. The third doctor, an obstretician, disagreed about the mental health status of the patient and so she could not get an abortion. She went on hunger strike, intending to kill herself or kill the unborn child. She was subjected to forced naso-gastric feeding to keep the fetus alive until it could be delivered. She agreed to a caesarian section at about 25 / 26 weeks. This is 2014 in a developed European nation. And this is under their "liberal" new law, introduced in 2014 after the death, in 2012, of Savita Halappanavar. The Catholic church spent considerable effort to prevent contraception being made available in Ireland. This delayed the availability of contraception for years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contraception_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contraception_in_the_Republic_... This cruelty is a direct result of Catholic teachings.

marczellm 12y ago
Do you have a link to the story in your first paragraph? I would like to read it in detail. Sexual orientation and contraception are two very serious issues which I feel greatly underqualified to form global opinions about. The situation in Ireland seems to me like a misunderstanding of the Catholic teachings, given that AFAIK the teachings are meant to be followed in one's personal life because of one's personal faith, and not by forcing them on others by means such as state laws. The only comment I can make is by following the teachings in my own life and not having sex outside marriage, I don't conceive children* with women whom I abandon later, therefore - I don't hurt women by making them take contraceptive pills with unknown side effects, - I don't hurt women by forcing them to carry out a child they do not want, - I don't hurt children by causing them to grow up without a loving family, - I don't hurt women by forcing them to go to abortion, - I don't hurt children by conceiving them and then killing them in abortion before they are born. Most of the above happened in my family, and I want to avoid the hurt caused by or to my family members in these situations. * AFAIK no contraception is 100% effective.