How in the hell did I wind up surrounded by such a motley crew? How did I slip into this program? Why would I join this outfit?! ...And I laugh. And I nod. And I say, "AMEN! Preach it, brothah!"
Why would I join this Church when seemingly the vast majority of the crew doesn't believe in Her teachings? Because here's a news flash for you: I'm not worried about the other crew members. ...
I became a Catholic because Truth hit me like a bolt out of the blue and knocked me on my keister ...
Because that's how Truth hit me. And that is, frankly, how little polls and whether other Cat'licks don't know their faith affects what I know to be True.
Preach it, Frank! All the way!
Folks, just keep something else in mind...the atheists & agnostics (who scored the best on that Pew Forum poll) only got a 62.5%...a D- isn't exactly the kind of grade to be proud of, know what I mean?
ReplyDeleteNo one really did well on that poll.
Actually, I got 100% on the poll, but that's only because I'm a bookworm. There were only two questions that dealt specifically with Catholicism...the rest were about Protestantism or world religions. I'm not at all surprised Catholics didn't do that well...it really wasn't Catholic focused.
ReplyDeleteI'm also not surprised Atheists did well. South Park and other atheist shows regularly parody religions. Internet memes such as this one:
http://www.tn-atheist.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/christianityexplained.jpg
do so as well.
The thing is, it's not only head knowledge. Even if a higher percentage of atheists might know that the Eucharist is the body of Christ than Catholics, but even the most cultural Catholic out there knows something that atheists don't....there's something special about the Eucharist even if they can't explain what it is.
A six year old Catholic child who'd get zero on the test knows more about Catholicism than the most learned atheist religious scholar. When we die, we aren't given a written exam, we're given a heart exam, and the more we've been given (materially or in knowledge), the more will be expected of us.
Poor and stupid? My people! :-)
ReplyDeleteConsidering the kinds of people who followed Jesus ("Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?") we're in the best company.
Now, it does drive me completely spare when people blithely call themselves Catholics and haven't the first notion of what the Faith actually teaches, but then I just have to look at my own sins and yes - knocked off my high horse immediately.
Walker Percy said he realized the Church was truly divine when he realized he was in the same club as Lawrence Welk and didn't feel too weird about it.
ReplyDeleteThat is hilarious!
ReplyDelete