Musket, when I was a kid in the 1950s, social pressure required people to belong to a church and to attend services regularly. There were a lot of people in church who didn't want to be there, and their unwilling presence and empty participation detracted from the spirit of the congregation. That social obligation to belong to a church no longer exists, and I think that has done a lot to improve the spirit of congregations at church services. The rituals are no longer empty, because the people in the pews are there because they want to participate. Churches have reemphasized the original meaning of their rituals, and often require education before a sacrament is given to an individual. And yes, sacraments are refused to people who are unwilling to make a faith commitment. You want it to be the 1950s again, when you could take advantage of religious practices when they were appealing to you, without making a religious commitment.

And what, specifically, is this "picking and choosing" you accuse me of? That I reject simplistic misconceptions of Catholic teachings? That I, as a Catholic with a theology degree, take a stand on issues that are debated within the Catholic Church instead of waiting to be told what to think? What is it?

-Joe Offer-