Difference between revisions of "Cafeteria Catholic"

Revision as of 02:40, September 18, 2008

A Cafeteria Catholic is somebody that picks and chooses doctrine to believe and what not to believe. A Catholic is supposed to believe in the entire teachings of their faith, all the bible liturgy and all church mandates.

Catholic Democrats are most often associated with Cafeteria Catholics because their party ideology believes in abortion as a right and gay marriage. This is in direct opposition to what Catholics are taught. By no means is it exclusive to Democrats. Catholic Republicans that believe in the necessity of capital punishment are also considered Cafeteria Catholics. Though, the Church teaches that the guilty put to death in no way equals the innocent death of children in the womb, an intrinsic Evil. Other examples of the pick-and-choose include Catholics who deny there is a hell or state Moses did not part the Red Sea or that Mary was not Immaculate. By Canon law, a Catholic believing other than what the Church teaches is guilty of Heresy and should not take Communion. Most Cafeteria Catholics ignore this and take Communion anyway, a Mortal Sin. The Church believes such a person is separated from the Holy Spirit even without direct excommunication from Church authorities.