Steamin' Willie says:

But you know Joe, if awful deeds were being committed in the name of my religion and I felt strongly that my religion was still relevant, my anger would be inward looking rather than pointing out the shortcomings of we heathens.

Well, yes, Willie....and no. I certainly acknowledge that an appalling number of Catholics have done awful things in the name or or under the guise of my Catholic religion. I do what I can to combat that sort of thing - and yet it continues. And yes, I do get very angry when I encounter such things in my church.

But does the fact that I belong to a religion that has some bad people, mean that I have no right to speak out against other injustices when I see them? I think my country's immigration policies are unjust; and I think there is unjust treatment of homeless people in Sacramento, where I do volunteer work in a center that serves poor women. I think capital punishment is immoral, and I am a pacifist and don't believe in warfare.

If I belong to a church which has priests who abuse children, does that mean I forfeit my right to seek justice for people who are mistreated by my society? And does it also mean that I have no right to object when people make generalizations about my church that simply are not accurate?

We're all flawed. Not one of us is perfect. Nonetheless, I think we're all obligated to speak out against injustice and to do what we can to stop it.

But I don't call homosexual marriage and most aspects of sexual behavior an injustice, so I don't think churches should interfere with that sort of thing.

-Joe-