Growing up as Catholic and attending Catholic schools throughout my early life gave me an affinity with Catholics that has never left me...hence my perhaps at times over-exuberance in desiring their 'liberation'. I have always been intensely mindful of two things...
- Catholics do take things personally...a criticism of the system they adhere to is a criticism of themselves as they think they are one and the same. A Catholic cannot perceive (under pain of excommunication...loss of salvation...threat of hell etc etc) a separation from the church and a Christian life outside it. Such was certainly the case when I was growing up. It was what we were taught. A Catholic very rarely considers anyone outside the church as a genuine Christian. Certainly the Vatican, if honest, doesn't.
- The above being said, I cannot cease from teaching the gospel. And according to Revelation 14:6-12 that everlasting gospel includes, must include, prophetic warnings regarding Babylon, the beast, its mark, and the current political/religious movements leading to end-time events and the associated movers and shakers bringing it all about. Sometimes...nay, often, these things offend, and become the subject of at times heated discussion. I pray God I have never, and pray will never, abuse anyone personally or allow my posts to be written in a way that may be taken in a manner intended as an insult or a doubt as to anyone's salvation.
I do agree with you...Catholics have always been a mixed lot. Just like the rest of us. Funny though, growing up and hanging out with priests and rugby coaches and players alike in pubs and sports clubs guzzling beer; going to school the next week with those same priests who taught me math and geography; confessing to them the next Friday at school and attending mass afterwards and again on Sunday; I remember never doubting their Catholicity...however I found my own father, an Anglican, a much better
Christian than them all.