Not sure if you were raised Catholic or not.
Yes, and allegedly excommunicated. You may recall that discussion.
I take all your points. But if Kerry et al want to risk their eternal souls by not adhering as strictly as you do to the Church, that's their choice. You can judge them for their sins and treat them accordingly, but if the Church doesn't enforce, on earth, it's standards of membership, these folks are still Catholics right up until the time that St. Peter determines otherwise. Maybe not good Catholics, but Catholics nonetheless.
Some groups have membership criteria and others not. Political parties don't have any membership criteria. People self-declare. Anyone can call himself a Republican. Other groups are exclusive--you have to be accepted for membership and there are procedures for removal.
Everyone baptized a Catholic and hasn't been excommunicated and declares himself a Catholic can do so, to the best of my knowledge. Even lapsed Catholics are still Catholics if they so consider themselves. Until and unless the Church changes it's approach, that's the way it is.
I assume that the Church hierarchy has carefully considered the option to be more exclusive but has decided against it. They most likely prefer a larger membership, one foot in the door, to a smaller, orthodox membership. There are certainly disadvantages to the status quo, confusion being one. And the frustration of members such as you who would prefer more orthodoxy is another. |
