Comfortable Home for Liberals

I think a good case can be made that the politically conservative mind would have more trouble digesting my stress on Freedom of Conscience than those of liberal bent; it tends to hold on to things for dear life and anything running contrary to what Sister Stern said in the sixth grade, just has to be wrong! For the conservative adult convert, if the "instructions" received didn't mention, it "taint" so either!

It is true, that most priests and teaching nuns and brothers tend not to say too much about this teaching. It can seem almost dangerous; the fear being that laymen will take advantage of it and go off on their own without sufficient reflection. And, I confess, they have a point...a small point, but a point, nontheless. What is important is that the need to give any such decisions a great deal of study, reflection and prayer before coming to any apparently wayward conclusion, has to be stressed greatly.

On the pastoral level, it is just a lot easier for priests to simplify things and the tendency is, frankly, to rely more on fear to put people on the right path. And remember, the Contrarian Catholic does not for a moment, think that the Church is wrong in its objective teaching. He merely believes that for him and in his situation, the differing opinion must be followed. (Again, the distinction must be made between objective and subjective truth.)

For example: On the question of abortion: I believe that the Church is correct in its teaching forbidding it, and I am against it too, but I believe that it is wrong for the State to get involved in the matter, legislating against it and making the moral decision for the woman. In other words, I am both pro-life and pro-choice. If any body asked my advice, I would certainly advise against abortion (and I, unlike many, make no dicision as to the particulars...rape, incest, etc.)