I want to commend the Editorial Board for such a fine editorial on Monday regarding how rumors and falsehoods should not guide our understandings of other faith-traditions. As a Catholic it is unfair for me to assume that I could explain the faith-tradition and history of any faith not my own. We only perpetuate bigotry and prejudices by doing so.
This said, I was disappointed to read in David Roberts’s column that the
teachings of the Catholic Church were not in alignment with the Bible. To my
knowledge Mr. Roberts is not a Catholic. I have yet to find anything in my 20
years as a Catholic that is contradicted by the Scriptures. As a Catholic, I
have been taught to regard the Bible as divinely inspired.
Mr. Roberts writes
that the Church required peasants to buy their relatives into Heaven. It is
indisputable that some Catholics, including priests and bishops, did some awful
things at the time of Reformation which the Bible condemns. These actions were
condemned also by the Church. False assumptions, especially by journalists,
perpetuate misunderstanding that in no way furthers our relationship with God
and community.
Robert Stalzer
philosophy sophomore