But it’s ok for you to use hyperbole, I gather.

Joe,

Narrative like yours drives me mad. Am I the only one who feels like this is a classic non sequitur? If God loves us soooooooooooooo much that he became one of us and suffered for us, then why would God allow allow horrible things happen to us. The older I get (I am 33 now) the more I feel Christian talk is all hyperbole.

It’s something that, frankly, boggles me because it’s not on the Catholic radar (we’ve got other problems). But from what I’ve seen, it’s men who are telling women to be submissive; men who are angsting over their ‘headship’ and are they properly leading their families; an example I think Michael gave in an earlier post about a father lamenting that his daughter wanted to be an EMT instead of – as he conceived it – a proper Christian wife and mother who would stay at home and raise her family (what the girl is supposed to do in the interval between leaving school and landing a husband, I don’t know).

Marcia, I won’t give you any advice about what you should have/could have done. I’ll just say that Scripture can be manipulated by jerks to put other people down and make the jerks look good because they’re ‘Godly’ folk living by ‘God’s word’. That ain’t necessarily so.

I have neither a blog, nor anything written about the whys of what I (and others) have observed.

I do have some guesses. Frequently, the term “social Justice” tends to indicate whether a group is more concerned about liturgy and worship or about people and their needs. If there is more concern with people, of course they will tend to be friendlier. If the parish tends to be more God orientated, then less friendly.

Personally, there needs to be a balance, but I haven’t seen it in practice. (The social aspects are the biggest thing that I miss from the Baptist Church. )

I have heard this from many. I wonder why? If you’re reading Michael, I’d love to see you blog on it (or maybe direct us to something you’ve already written).

Marcia, I am not sure how I offended you, but I do apologize. I wish this wasn’t off topic or inappropriate for this website, because I would love to read more of your story and dialogue with you. Alas, these pesky sidenotes (yours with f-bombs and angry stereotypes and mine with piper-isms) simply don’t work as well as I would like. My heart breaks, and I genuinely wish you the best.

~Chris

If you find one, please let all of us know. I’d still like to find one myself. I’m a better fit theologically where I am now, but have found different problems. Confusion between Catholic culture and Catholic teachings (I’ve actually been accused of not being Catholic because I don’t pray the rosary); a problem that the friendlier places tend to be flakier in theology and liturgy, etc.