Catholic Concepts: Do they stand the test of reality?

What then? It is rational to continue holding on to the beautiful concepts when their realities are ugly? What is right and proper to do with both concepts and realities prove to be in fact antithetical? 

In his latest post, ex-CBCP President Oscar Cruz criticized the concepts of party representative, Sanguniang Kabataan, and Truth Commissions, saying that these are good in theory but not in practice.

I agree with Oscar that it is a good idea to question the ideological basis of an establishment when it results in ugly realities, and I commend him for challenging the status quo.

But I think he should apply the same critical thinking to the Roman Catholic Church.

Realities such as the suffering caused by complications during pregnancy and the spread of HIV and AIDS should cause people to re-examine the doctrine on contraception.

The global child abuse scandals and cover-ups should justify re-examining the doctrine of celibacy and the Old-Boy’s club culture the Vatican has been practicing for too long.

The discrimination of homosexuals, especially the recent suicides of at least 8 gay boys in the US, and the findings of scientists — and medical professionals around the world — should cause Catholics to question the what the Vatican says about homosexuality.

There are many such examples, but there would have been much more if people had ignored harsh realities and avoided criticizing the religious ideologies behind them: Slaves would still be suffering, women and black people would still be second-class citizens, and homosexuals would still be put to death (in Uganda and other parts of the world, this is still the case).

We don’t need to look far to see suffering caused by the status quo — bad realities caused by bad concepts. In Oscar’s case, I wish he’d start looking in his own backyard. ~Red