# It's time to liquidate the Catholic Church **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 27, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305 "2003-12-27T21:02:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![spectrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@spectrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spectrum)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/21 "2003-12-29T22:41:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aeschines \* > \*\*Catholicism is bullshit; I’m saying it straight up with no chaser. \*\* Cite? What is your evidence that the doctrines and teachings of Roman Catholicism are bullshit? What is your proof? IE, where is your chaser? (Note: I am not a Roman Catholic) ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/22 "2004-04-08T11:23:16Z")
It’s time! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/23 "2004-04-08T11:50:03Z")
If you outlaw Catholicism, only outlaws will be Catholics! ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/24 "2004-04-08T11:51:58Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > If you outlaw Catholicism, only outlaws will be Catholics! It’s time to liquidate the practice of resurrecting aged posts when you have naught but two short words to add. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/25 "2004-04-08T12:06:29Z")
> [@Brutus](#): > > It’s time to liquidate the practice of resurrecting aged posts when you have naught but two short words to add. Absolutely, but this is something I didn’t do. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/26 "2004-04-08T12:23:35Z")
> [@Brutus](#): > > It’s time to liquidate the practice of resurrecting aged posts when you have naught but two short words to add. Jesus was resurrected, and what did _he_ add? ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/27 "2004-04-08T12:26:03Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > Jesus was resurrected, and what did _he_ add? A helluva lot more than you, even assuming he is a myth. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/28 "2004-04-08T12:56:26Z")
This OP was a waste of electrons four months ago, and it is a waste now. Why did you bump it? Do you have anything real to add, or do you just like annoying the hamsters? When come back, bring coherence. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/29 "2004-04-08T14:38:36Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > This OP was a waste of electrons four months ago, and it is a waste now. > > Why did you bump it? Do you have anything real to add, or do you just like annoying the hamsters? > > When come back, bring coherence. > > Regards, > Shodan STFU, B. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/30 "2004-04-08T14:55:27Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Absolutely, but this is something I didn’t do. I think **Brutus** hit reply on the wrong post. Notice his comment about “two words”, a clear reference to **Aeschines** “bump” post. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/31 "2004-04-08T15:10:00Z")
> [@](#): > > STFU, B. ooooooh! How clever! ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/32 "2004-04-08T15:26:56Z")
**Aeschines** > [@](#): > > STFU, B. [Moderator Hat ON] It’s STILL an insult if you use abbreviations, and you STILL can’t do that here. Quit it. [Moderator Hat OFF] ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/33 "2004-04-08T15:32:02Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > The Catholic Churches in my area are doing fine and last time I checked, France and Italy were predominately Catholic. > > I don’t understand the point of your post. I wouldn’t know for sure concerning Italy, but France is predominately catholic in the sense that the wide majority of people are baptized, and go to church for funerals and marriages (and for touristic purposes). People regularily attending chuch services are a small minority. There are much more who think themselves as catholics in various blurry ways while not practising, though. And there’s definitely a shortage of priests over here. In the countryside, a priest usualy serves several parishs, and there’s a service in any given church only once in a while. The number of seminarists is ridiculously low, too, so retiring/dying/resigning priests can’t be replaced. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/34 "2004-04-08T15:36:41Z")
Okay. My misqtake. As usual, I jumped on the “reply” button, and didn’t notice it was an old resurected thread. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/35 "2004-04-08T15:51:31Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Okay. My misqtake. As usual, I jumped on the “reply” button, and didn’t notice it was an old resurected thread. Jesus forbid that we should actually use old threads to continue discussions when we can start 15 news threads a day on the same topic. Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/36 "2004-04-08T16:04:46Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > Jesus forbid that we should actually use old threads to continue discussions when we can start 15 news threads a day on the same topic. Sheesh. Jesus forbid that you should open an old thread, contribute nothing new to it, and continue to fail to answer questions you were asked three months ago: > [@](#): > > Cite? > What is your evidence that the doctrines and teachings of Roman Catholicism are bullshit? What is your proof? IE, where is your chaser? ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/37 "2004-04-08T16:48:10Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > I think **Brutus** hit reply on the wrong post. Notice his comment about “two words”, a clear reference to **Aeschines** “bump” post. Yep. There, proof that even I, The Great and Terrible **Brutus** , can _occasionally_ make a mistake. Not as large a mistake as the OP, mind you. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/38 "2004-04-08T17:22:58Z")
This is another of those “all humanity is divided into two camps” posts. In this case, all humanity is divided into two camps: Those who are firmly convinced they have the Truth, and that everything should run according to the way they think it should; and those who are content to respect other people as people who can generally make their own decisions. The Catholic Church in the past has been famous for falling into the first camp. And I have some definite problems with the top-down methodology under which it operates. However, our esteemed OP is doing the exact same thing. Since **he** has problems with Catholicism, and presumably justifiable complaints about it, the obvious thing to do is to get rid of it entirely. On another forum, I know several dozen sincere and devout Catholics who do _not_ want change, most of whom attend Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and say their Rosaries. And several of them have the theological skills to debate intelligently why they believe as they do with other Christians and with skeptics. They are, of course, scandalized by the pedophile-priest problem – and quick to point out that the Church is now reacting rapidly and firmly with regard to it. **Aeschines** is of course free to call for what he feels to be the right thing to do – but so are they. IMO, the best move is to expose corruption wherever it is found, and defend the rights of everybody – devout Catholics and **Aeshines** among them – to do what they list. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/39 "2004-04-08T18:03:08Z")
Hey, why stop with the Roman Catholics? The Episcopalian Church in the U.S. is right in the middle of a schism over the issue of gay clergy. Obviously a church divided against itself can not stand, so why don’t we do everyone a favor and give it the final nudge? Other old line protestant denominations – Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, the United Church of Christ, etc. have been seeing their enrollment drop for decades. Clearly their business model is so bad that they can’t attract enough replacement customers to cover their losses, so out they go! Don’t stop there. [http://www.adherents.com/rel\_USA.html](http://www.adherents.com/rel_USA.html) Did you know that fewer than 2% of Americans define themselves as Jewish, and only .5% as Islamic – and both those religions are divided into different sects? The marketplace has spoken. You’re fired! And before the nonbelievers get too smug, fewer than 2 million Americans identify themselves as atheist, agnostic, humanist or “new age.” Granted, the numbers are increasing, so we’ll put you on probation. But if we don’t see some truly significant numbers by 2010 – at least the same number as call themselves Buddhist – you’re going to have to join a church. ---
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305/40 "2004-04-08T18:08:21Z")
Don’t forget - most Americans don’t vote - I think it is clear that our Republic is not working. We should nix that and just make a monarchy. Why is this thread alive? It is a blatant rabble rousing attempt and general assault against organized religion, nevermind a violation of freedom of religion and the religion’s rights to independently exist. It has as much right to exist as you do, and I’m sorry that your blatantly counter-culture poser values are insulted by something that you don’t agree with on principle, but that’s how life is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-liquidate-the-catholic-church/221305.md?page=3)