instruere...inlustrare...delectare Disputations

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Do I have to draw you a picture?

Since several people have wondered what I have against good Catholics -- in particular, against them wondering what would make them bad Catholics -- allow me another post to make my point.

The following is a model of the sort of reasoning some people seem to employ and advocate when it comes to reading statements by bishops, episcopal conferences, Vatican officials, and (at least occasionally) popes:



If you think this oversimplifies things, all I can say is, I hope so!

In this model, "Is this statement dogmatically binding?" is the "Does this make me a bad Catholic?" question (in reverse). I hope it's evident why, in this context, that's not the right question to ask.

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