Well, Steve, then I'm sorry that your experience of monks was not as positive as mine. In my experience, men and women in Catholic religious orders are quite the opposite of what you describe. However, I I will also say that there are also very rigid religious orders that fit your description very well.

Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) represents 83% of the women religious in the United States, and women in orders represented by LCWR are generally very progressive, very well-educated, and very open-minded. Of course, that's why they've being investigated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (formerly known as the Holy Inquisition).

And yeah, I suppose you can argue that most Catholics don't question doctrine. But most doctrine is stuff that is based on scripture and ancient tradition and the creed, and has been agreed on for centuries, so what's to disagree with? There's lots of disagreement about homosexual marriage and birth control and ordination of women and that stuff, but that's not really doctrine.

-Joe Offer-