April 20, 200521 yr ATLANTA (CNN) -- Nearly three-quarters of American Catholics say they are more likely to follow their own conscience on "difficult moral questions," rather than the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI, according to a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll. At the same time, most of those polled said they did not know enough about the new pope to form an opinion about him. The poll was conducted with 616 U.S. Catholics, hours after Pope Benedict XVI was named the successor to Pope John Paul II. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Seventy-four percent of the respondents said they were more likely to follow their own conscience on tough moral questions, while 20 percent said they were more likely to "follow the teachings" of the new pope. About two-thirds of those polled, 65 percent, expressed confidence in Pope Benedict XVI's potential ability to handle sexual abuse scandals, although 26 percent said they didn't have much confidence in him on that issue. In addition, more than half of those polled, 56 percent, said they were bothered by the pope's opposition to birth control. Meanwhile, nearly three-quarters, 72 percent, said the age of the 78-year-old pope didn't bother them. Asked their opinion about the new pope, 60 percent said they did not know enough about him, while 31 percent said they had a "favorable" opinion and 9 percent said they had an "unfavorable" opinion. Nearly half of those polled, 48 percent, said they were unsure what direction he would lead the Church. Thirty-nine percent said they felt he would move the Church in the right direction, compared to 13 percent who said he would take it in the wrong direction. Sixty-one percent said they felt he would "unite the Church," while 19 percent said they felt he would "divide the Church." http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/04/20/us.cathol...poll/index.html
April 20, 200521 yr This seems to be the mos timportant question asked About two-thirds of those polled, 65 percent, expressed confidence in Pope Benedict XVI's potential ability to handle sexual abuse scandals, although 26 percent said they didn't have much confidence in him on that issue. The sex abuse scandal needs to be dealt with and people feel b/c of Benedict's past dealings with teh scandal, he'll be mor elikely to crack down on abuse.
April 20, 200521 yr The Vatican is way behind the times. I can understand why Europe and the U.S. have left them behind, they still don't believe in something as simple as contraception. Imagine how many deaths could have prevented from AIDS if the Vatican had created programs to encourage safe sex in Africa. Unless this pope suddenly changes his views, a great majority of Catholics around the world will continue to pull away from the church.
April 20, 200521 yr The Vatican is way behind the times. I can understand why Europe and the U.S. have left them behind, they still don't believe in something as simple as contraception. Imagine how many deaths could have prevented from AIDS if the Vatican had created programs to encourage safe sex in Africa. Unless this pope suddenly changes his views, a great majority of Catholics around the world will continue to pull away from the church. 748987[/snapback] the vatican does encourage safe sex. it's called no sex before marriage, no sex out of it
April 20, 200521 yr The Vatican is way behind the times. I can understand why Europe and the U.S. have left them behind, they still don't believe in something as simple as contraception. Imagine how many deaths could have prevented from AIDS if the Vatican had created programs to encourage safe sex in Africa. Unless this pope suddenly changes his views, a great majority of Catholics around the world will continue to pull away from the church. 748987[/snapback] the vatican does encourage safe sex. it's called no sex before marriage, no sex out of it 748991[/snapback] They are ignorant of the fact that abstinence is hardly the majority belief anymore, and sex is much more accepted socially than it was 100 years ago or more.
April 20, 200521 yr The Vatican is way behind the times. I can understand why Europe and the U.S. have left them behind, they still don't believe in something as simple as contraception. Imagine how many deaths could have prevented from AIDS if the Vatican had created programs to encourage safe sex in Africa. Unless this pope suddenly changes his views, a great majority of Catholics around the world will continue to pull away from the church. 748987[/snapback] the vatican does encourage safe sex. it's called no sex before marriage, no sex out of it 748991[/snapback] They are ignorant of the fact that abstinence is hardly the majority belief anymore, and sex is much more accepted socially than it was 100 years ago or more. 749001[/snapback] so you are saying that the church should forget about its moral values and doctrines in order to satisfy the people? let's see. people are shooting each other nowadays, so let's legalize it and encourage citizens to walk around using a bullet proof vest. your argument doesn't make much sense.
April 20, 200521 yr Author The Vatican is way behind the times. I can understand why Europe and the U.S. have left them behind, they still don't believe in something as simple as contraception. Imagine how many deaths could have prevented from AIDS if the Vatican had created programs to encourage safe sex in Africa. Unless this pope suddenly changes his views, a great majority of Catholics around the world will continue to pull away from the church. 748987[/snapback] the vatican does encourage safe sex. it's called no sex before marriage, no sex out of it 748991[/snapback] They are ignorant of the fact that abstinence is hardly the majority belief anymore, and sex is much more accepted socially than it was 100 years ago or more. 749001[/snapback] so you are saying that the church should forget about its moral values and doctrines in order to satisfy the people? let's see. people are shooting each other nowadays, so let's legalize it and encourage citizens to walk around using a bullet proof vest. your argument doesn't make much sense. 749011[/snapback] What doesnt make sense is to compare the act of sex to the act of murder. Are you telling me the church has never changed its moral or central principles to adjust to changing times? Are they the same church they were 1000 years ago? Why has the church abandoned its principles and reached out to Jews and Protestants?
April 20, 200521 yr no, the church is not what it was 1000 years ago, it's not what it was 100 years ago even. but there are things that unchangeable, things that define the church for what it is and those will never change, or else it won't be the catholic church anymore, it will be something else.
April 20, 200521 yr no, the church is not what it was 1000 years ago, it's not what it was 100 years ago even. but there are things that unchangeable, things that define the church for what it is and those will never change, or else it won't be the catholic church anymore, it will be something else. 749022[/snapback] the catholic church allowed married priests in the beginning.
April 20, 200521 yr no, the church is not what it was 1000 years ago, it's not what it was 100 years ago even. but there are things that unchangeable, things that define the church for what it is and those will never change, or else it won't be the catholic church anymore, it will be something else. 749022[/snapback] the catholic church allowed married priests in the beginning. 749234[/snapback] that's right. and there was a prudent change made. nobody is saying the church can't change. also, priests marrying or not i don't think is a core value of the church.
April 20, 200521 yr no, the church is not what it was 1000 years ago, it's not what it was 100 years ago even. but there are things that unchangeable, things that define the church for what it is and those will never change, or else it won't be the catholic church anymore, it will be something else. 749022[/snapback] the catholic church allowed married priests in the beginning. 749234[/snapback] that's right. and there was a prudent change made. nobody is saying the church can't change. also, priests marrying or not i don't think is a core value of the church. 749238[/snapback] so if its not a core value then why should we care if priests are married or not?
April 20, 200521 yr no, what it means is that is one of those things that weather it changes or not is irrelevant.
April 21, 200521 yr The Vatican is way behind the times. I can understand why Europe and the U.S. have left them behind, they still don't believe in something as simple as contraception. Imagine how many deaths could have prevented from AIDS if the Vatican had created programs to encourage safe sex in Africa. Unless this pope suddenly changes his views, a great majority of Catholics around the world will continue to pull away from the church. 748987[/snapback] the vatican does encourage safe sex. it's called no sex before marriage, no sex out of it 748991[/snapback] They are ignorant of the fact that abstinence is hardly the majority belief anymore, and sex is much more accepted socially than it was 100 years ago or more. 749001[/snapback] what's your point? do you think the catholic church (and basically every other christian sect) should revise its stance on pre-marital sex because most people (well, in the western world) don't follow it?
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