@fancullo Sure it's do-able. Look at the saints. To get this love in you, ask for it. It's a grace. And then practice it, even when you have no emotional inclination in that direction.

Really like how you defined love "to will the good of the other" it makes the definition much more real and practical, than the vague explanation that the secular world gives us. I've always said when i asked what i believe Love is,is that it is totally caring for someone, that you just selflessly care for them, that is real love. Jesus said it perfectly when he said " No man has greater love for his friend than to lay down his own life for him" so in other words to want good for them even at the expense of yourself. This goes for all love, romantic, familial, and friendly. great videos Fr. Barron i could listen to you all the time

@coryburns1905

4 жыл бұрын

In the Bible 1st Corinthians chapter 13 Verses 4 and 5 love is patient love is kind it does not envy it's not proud love does not boast it does not dishonor others it is not self-seeking is not easily angered love never records wrongs

@darthlinathegreat7489

4 жыл бұрын

I believe in what my church teaches! Period!

"When you ignore doctrines love begins to disappear." Thanks for that thought. One example of removing doctrine resulting in disaster is the thought that there is nothing moral wrong with abortion.

@avreden27

2 жыл бұрын

Amen!!

Fr. Barron, I've been searching for this argument for years. Thank you very much.

@Livi0213

4 жыл бұрын

Amen, thank you Bishop! Peace exudes from everything you share!🙏😇

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who was imprisoned in the Gulags for nearly a decade for criticizing Stalin, after having interviewed hundreds of people wrote the following: "More than half a century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of older people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened. Since then I have spent well-nigh fifty years working on the history of our Revolution; in the process I have read hundreds of books, collected hundreds of personal testimonies, and have already contributed eight volumes of my own toward the effort of clearing away the rubble left by that upheaval. But if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous Revolution that swallowed up some sixty million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened." Taking God out from the equation is not just some trivial thing: rather, it is taking out the main nucleus of human existence and the results, as history has shown us many time, has very dire effects and many corpses in it's wake!

@sharonseesink6163

3 жыл бұрын

Melesio. You have hit the nail right on the head. It is the laities fault completely. 👌🏻

Thank you for that. And God bless you and your entire Bible study group.

Kant says that all that matters is staying dry when it rains. So long as there is a roof or an umbrella, you're fine. But he ignores the fact that someone built that roof, someone must maintain that roof, and not everyone has their own umbrella.

Keep them coming Fr. Barron. I just love all of your posts. Thank God for you and praying for you and all priests. Amen.

Father Barron, thank you for helping me articulate in my discussions with my Protestant family and friends.

Thank you, Father. I appreciate you responding to individual comments like this..

If we divorce ethics from doctrine based on faith, how do define what is good or who is good? There is no point of reference beyond subjective choices,this is the key point. A Jew hater in Nazi Germany was considered a good person, service to the regime was considered the highest ethical standard-a great illustration when we remove God revealed through Christ as the source of Truth and Good. Death and hatred are the hallmarks of a society that rejects God. Excellent videos.

@maxanguiano6935

9 жыл бұрын

Poignantly stated!

@myopenmind527

7 жыл бұрын

steve nuttall "We tolerate no one in our ranks who attacks the ideas of Christianity … in fact our movement is Christian." Adolfo Hitler Oct 1928.

@davidalexander5495

7 жыл бұрын

I am always struck at how naive those involved in politics are. Whatever else may be said of Hitler, he was a good politician and a good politician tells people what they want to hear. Hitler did precisely this. The historian Alan Bullock goes into detail in how Hitler appeased certain groups in order to be elected. However, once in power, Hitler changed his tune. "Its [Christianity] teaching, he [Hitler] declared, was a rebellion against the natural law of selection by struggle and the survival of the fittest." Notice the atheistic language used by Hitler, sounding very much like Richard Dawkins.

@wrybreadspread

6 жыл бұрын

+My OpenMind Hitler said a lot in those early days to get his movement legitimatized. and a lot of Christians ended up in the camps as time went on. like Maximilian Kolbe. and Corrie Ten Boom. I personally think that the analysis of the Kantian dichotomy between Doctrine and lifestyle is a lot more incisive than uncritical acceptance of the idea that Hitler's bland disclaimer can be taken at face value of how Nazism is meant to be characterized

@ryanjones5367

5 жыл бұрын

y'all mind if I *Revelation 3:9*

@JAEKIM10 The reasoning would go something like this: abortion is wrong because it is the taking of an innocent life; innocent life is to be protected because each human being, created and redeemed by God, is of infinite worth. Take God out of that equation, and you'll see pretty quickly what happens: tens of millions of abortions based upon the view that morality is a private matter.

@einsteindarwin8756

3 жыл бұрын

I wish my Mother had aborted me.

@icewallowcome69_fazegregpa4

3 жыл бұрын

can you be my dad

This is possibly my favorite video on KZread, I just keep watching it over and over again.

Spot on, Bishop Barron. Many thanks for your clarity.

Bishop Barron made this video 9 years ago, and we can see this playing out right now in 2021.

Thank you Bishop Barron 👏 God bless you 🕊️✝️🌹

Beautiful argument and description.

Cannot agree with this video more! Great work

@pez7313

3 жыл бұрын

He's giving us the truth in plain site, The Bible God and Jesus are a hoax just like space and dinosaurs🤮🤮🤮🤮

out of curiosity, i started watching your Catholicism series. as a cradle catholic, it opened my eyes to the beauty that is the faith i had taken for granted. thank you so much for your beautiful series. God bless you, Father Barron.

Prayer offered, friend.

Thanks be to God Who is our daily Bread of Life and for the mission He commanded of His one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church in 33 A.D. 🎉

So well explained. Thank you Father. I am so glad I came across the channel.

Our bible study group, here in Japan, just completed the Catholicism Series and I wanted to say how much I enjoyed it. It has renewed my joy in our faith on so many levels and I thank you for the enlightenment.

Blew me away! So great teaching

Amazing video...thank you for your wonderful apostolate!!

This hit home. One of the best videos.

"Doctrines matter precisely because we want to be people of love." Well said, Father Barron. Thank you.

Beautiful explanation!

How I wish I could send this to my friend without being snapped at and being told I'm acting like I know everything

Clearly explained as ever, very helpful and important. Many thanks Bishop Barren 🙏🙂

This is wonderful. Very clear and direct.

St Francis last 3 rules 1. Love your brother and sister 2. Love Poverty 3. Love the Catholic Church

@reniaesaddler8632

4 жыл бұрын

Him Bike On the surface, these rules are easy onto reject as being so obvious the need not be said, like “Duh. We already KNOW this!” And I think why so many fail to see their importance. It is hardest to love these three things, and unless we are doing so intentionally, consciously, we probably aren’t.

@PInk77W1

3 жыл бұрын

@Rune Age Mage What u said and what I said Have nothing in common. Yes St Francis was poor.

@PInk77W1

3 жыл бұрын

@Rune Age Mage Glad u asked St Francis goes into great detail what love of poverty is in his talk with Brother Leo. Basically this Jesus is God. Jesus was in heaven Jesus decided to come down to earth And be killed for the sins of the world. Jesus told us to imitate HIM. so St. Francis did imitate him. I was poor growing up. I never starved ? Yes we worried about having a roof over our heads. Life goes on. There is no such thing as “Safe” Presidents get killed Nicole Simpson lived in Brentwood and she got killed. I got divorced and was ordered to pay child support. I lived in my car for 8yrs and never missed a payment and never felt sorry for myself. Poverty is not only material it is also mental and spiritual.

@PInk77W1

3 жыл бұрын

@Rune Age Mage what country u ? Don’t they have social services ? My parents were poor but they believed in asking for help from the govt. st Maximilian was starved to death in Nazi camp. He died with joy because he knew Poverty. Also St Maximilian was a Franciscan so he knew a lot about St Francis

@PInk77W1

3 жыл бұрын

@Rune Age Mage ok, I am not familiar With UK. I rode my bicycle from London to Paris to Rome But my stay in UK was very brief

oh yeah sing it Bishop Barron! I agree and accept. I'm just not so great at living it. Lord have mercy.

This man is so brilliant. Thank you for him.

@johnpro2847

Жыл бұрын

he is brilliant in one belief system..not necessarily the truth

Wow, from 1:57 to 3:56 is *such a powerful* distinction between the Enlightenment-sourced Western "goodness" that we see believed and understood throughout today's modern society, and the goodness of God, the love of Christ.

Right on Father! You hit the nail right on the head! I may not be Catholic but I agree with everything that you just said. If only mainstream society could agree. haha

I love your videos. Thank you for sustaining Catholicism

You have hit the nail on the head. In my own work of apologetics I have allways said that people will allways do what they believe. people lie because they believe in the lie in someway in that its reult will benifit themselves. Not at all loving. Keep up the good work.

Absolutly Bishop Barrón! I was needing most Jesús Christ

Yes.

father thank you so much for this video. the world makes a little more sense to me today.

WE LOVE YOU BISHOP ROBERT BARRON

Some extremely key comments and thinking here on the specific functional philosophical issues of our culture's slide into ... well, the ways in which people (even Christian people) sort of accidentally form their world views, leaving God out of the thought process, the footing for ethics and action. So important for keeping the Christian standing firm on God and not being more influenced by the world's ways. St. Paul was able to contend with the thinkers at the Areopagus because of his firm foundation. We're called to no less and therefore need no less of a God-kind-of-love foundation. Thanks, Bishop Barron.

As always, you have some fascinating insight into modern culture. Thank you for making these very interesting videos!

Excellent explanation. It makes so much sense.

Again, a very good vid. This is the big stuff and it is wonderful to listen to you. Thanks so much.

Really appreciate this video.

Great points!

One of his best videos.

@mrandquist Well those are not as central as our common beliefs in God, creation, incarnation, etc. But they do indeed make a difference. The key is finding common ground and then having a good, vigorous discussion. God bless you!

@wordonfirevideo Father Barron... I loved what you did here. I think you've touched on the central dilemma for atheists, most of whom want to have their cake and eat it too. They want to deny God and yet enjoy a love that is beyond utilitarian self-interest. But if this unselfish love that we yearn for is real then so is God. Father, please continue to do what you you. I work with young Catholic kids and see first hand what the world does to them. God bless you.

Great video Bishop!

I agree with absolutely everything you said, Bishop Robert Barron. I am a devout Catholic. in fact, I encourage everybody to listen to the Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias. He was asked why cant someone simply be a good person without believing in the True God? He responded by saying how do I decide that i am a good person, and that it's a very dangerous move to call oneself good if you don't believe in absolutes, as it had a relativistic term. More to it, he adds, there are people who love their neighbours, and others who eat them. Yet both of them think they are good people. That's the danger: without the True God and His moral absolutes, everything goes, everything is relative.

@johnstewart7025

3 жыл бұрын

It is dangerous both way.

Food for thought always.

Not to mention marriage was simply all business. Perhaps the greatest thing the church did. Putting the love in marriage.

This is so helpful!

Incredible video.

Hi Father Barron, this remind me of this one quote from the movie "Kingdom of Heaven". Orlando Bloom, the main character said he "lost his religion". Then a fellow knight told him, "you don't get anything if you put your bet on religion; what matters is what's up here (the knight points at his own forehead) and what's down here here (the knight points at his own heart). Basically saying, you just need to be a good person.

My mother was raised Baptist and my Father was raised Catholic. I chose Catholisium when I got older, with out my Dad having much to do with it. When my mother started noticing me paying more attintion to the difrent teachings of The Church and all the Doctrents. She became upset to see me folowing them, espesholy when they whent aginst what she belives. She would say, "Be carfule with Religeus Doctren! It maters more what is in your hart." Thank you Fr. Barron!

This is exactly why Kant is my favorite philosopher (at least who was not primarily a theologian). It is not because he was exactly right, but because he was so authenticly poignant, that even when he missed the answer, the standard he proposes leads to the truth. "Religion Within the Limits of Reason Alone" is by no means the best attempt to map Christianity to what can be proven without divine revelation (that title easily falls to Aquinas), but it takes on a broader scope in defending faith from empiricism on empiricism's own grounds. In a classic Kantian move, he is accomplishing multiple things at once here, simultaneously making a rational argument for belief, giving a practical definition of faith even a staunch atheist cannot deny, and setting up Christianity (and I would argue, unwittingly, Catholicism). Barron's summation of Kant's point is spot on, "religion comes down to ethics...Doctrines, dogmas, liturgies, and all that are fine in the measure that they contribute to good, ethical behavior." What is easy to miss here is that Kant's "wedge," if read literally, is not a simple logical division of practice and ethics but a worldly burden of proof a faith must hold to. To use the common Catholic term, it's not "either, or" but rather "both, and." To stand up to empiricism, a faith must be internally consistent (which is to say, live up to all its own standards) and then ADDITIONALLY be able to say that everything it demands of its adherents will contribute to them being better people. After all, if a religion is only asking for arbitrary supplications, then there is something problematically capricious about it. And I don't deny that Kant eventually concludes that much of the practices of religions are unnecessary for the individual, and for most faith's it's hard to argue that they're at best indirectly beneficial, maybe making someone feel better about themselves so they are more prone to doing good, for instance. But Barron perfectly argues for why Christianity passes Kant's test of directing people toward virtue and I can't help but feel like Kant left that door open intentionally, wanting Christianity to easily make that cut (as he all but argues himself). Where I was a little surprised Barron didn't go (perhaps due to time constraints) is where Kant's limited belief fails to take him: to the power of grace. I have long held that when properly read, Kant's writings have a clear hole in them, one in which the Holy Spirit fits as snugly as a puzzle piece. Take the above as an example. The Catholic Church shouldn't take the claim that their doctrines, dogmas, and liturgies as much of a challenge but rather a self-imposed definition. We do not receive the eucharist simply out of tradition but because it brings Christ into us in a real, tangible way that empowers us to be converted people. We do not confess our sins merely to feel better about them but to be free of them so we can dedicate ourselves to "go forth and sin no more." We don't hold papal authority as a bureaucratic matter but as a bastion of certitude implemented by Christ, Himself. If a single one of these Traditions is not efficacious, then the Church is a liar! So the real issue with Kant's wedge is not his assessment, but rather that he did not put the right faith to its test. I'll give one final example of this and maybe the most famous ethical debate between Kant and other moral philosophers beyond the above, his strict stance that lying was never justified. In the classic example, we find the subject with a friend sheltering their friend from a murderer and then being asked by that murderer if their friend is hiding within. The obvious best possibility seems to be to lie to protect your friend (which may or may not succeed). But Kant disagrees, seeing even a well-intentioned lie as its own evil. It is worth noting that the Church almost agrees. While it might not go so far as to say a lie committed in order to save a life is a sin, it does hold that the origin of sin was settling for a less perfect good, which is what Kant is exclusively interested in: the perfect good. So, is there a more perfect good in this terrible situation than trying to save a life? Of course there is; trying to save a soul as well. While there are even saints who faced this test in real life and found the best they could do was lie (see all those who forged papers to protect Jews during the Holocaust), there are also countless stories of those, both in and out of Catholic tradition, who have stood up to someone threatening them and/or others and found the right thing to call them successfully to conversion. And almost without exception, those who did so said their words were not their own but were channeled through them by God. Do we have any doubt that this is how Christ, Himself would have handled such a situation? And so, even by Kant's own perfect standard of morality and virtue, "the summum bonum," the goal of all human endeavor, we can obviously never hope to attain it on our own. For Kant, this meant perfection had to wait for a time beyond death and yet he doesn't accept that as an excuse not to seek it on Earth. All of this seems like folly, like something is clearly missing from the equation, and yet when you plug the Holy Spirit, through Grace and divine revelation, into that gap, Kant comes alive as a ringing endorsement of the sacremental Church.

Bishop Barron yeah yeah 👌

Absolutely wonderful truth

Wow,....thank you

Love is wanting the good of another even if it hurts you

@slickrick75150

3 жыл бұрын

@Rune Age Mage nope, masochism is getting sexual gratification from being mistreated. Please look up things before commenting them in the future.

@slickrick75150

3 жыл бұрын

@Rune Age Mage it's virtuous to love and put someone else's needs and desires before your own. Clearly you don't have any children lol.

@slickrick75150

3 жыл бұрын

@Rune Age Mage cleary you have not talked to a priest about your concerns. You are absolutely incorrect about everything you have stated. It seems you been watching too many anti Christian video and getting 100% of your information from them. I suggest talking to a priest for your catholic questions and preachers for other non catholic Christian questions. I was once like you and convinced Christianity was a joke used for control but then I talked to a priest who suggested a RCIA class to learn what catholics actually believe. Now I'm a confirmed catholic and laugh at the nonsense I used to believe of them. If you have any questions I can try to answer them for you as long as you keep it civil.

Thanks.

Bishop Barron, I always appreciate your thoughts. I also love pointing out all the flaws in your logic. Love, logic and morality have existed outside our church in many ways and forms. Without works, hollow expressions of faith make hypocrites out of many of us. Jesus was not a big fan of hypocrisy. Please read the epistle of James and the gospel of Mathew for a basic understanding of Catholic doctrine. Jesus did not tell anyone where to go to church. He said love as I have loved you. The sermon on the mount is pretty straight forward actually. It has served our church well when we actually follow it.

Very good, excellent

Eucharist for Life I believe as you as once I was Baptist, till one day a woman came to my home, she was doing volunteer work for single mothers who had handicap children. guess what. She was a Catholic who knew her faith and showed me in Bible Matthew 16 18 John 6 51 55 John 20 19 23 I was surprised. I found out 7 books were missing in KJB. That I had a guardian angel and Mary was my spiritual Mother. She showed me many truths. I had been a Sunday school teacher no Baptist preacher teaches on these truths of Jesus or Marriage not to remarry unless first husband has died. It leads many good people astray.

Love your videos! God Bless. :-) Vincent

@JAEKIM10 Where do those objective moral values come from? I would suggest that they are like the objective intelligibilities ingredient in the cosmos. What is the likelihood that such goodness and intelligibility are just dumbly there?

I. Not a good person. I’m a sinner. Saved by grace. Through faith in Jesus.

That was all largely debunked in the 19th century. The closer you look, the more the dissimilarities emerge. The basic difference is this: the Gospels present themselves as history, while the myths present themselves as, well, mythology. The difference between "once upon a time" and "while Quirinius was governor of Syria" gives away the game.

I strongly suggest that this video be sent to the present Pontiff. His profound effect on people is derived from his "ethical Gospel" approach. On controverted questions, he seems closer to indifferentism, unwilling to teach the truth in a robust manner. He has undoubtedly placed catechesis on the back burner in a strategy to win over the unchurched.

"Without God, nothing works."-Prince

Don't forget everybody, Father Barron's series ''Catholicism'' starts today at 9PM on EWTN in America, and tomorrow at 9PM local on EWTN in UK.

God calls on us to love one another as He loves us. That is a doctrine of the Church.

Thanks for this video, Bishop Barron. I would like to ask some questions that I struggle with. How do we explain the capacity to love by other people who do not subscribe to our doctrines (i.e. Rahner's notion of Anonymous Christians)? What accounts for the ethical actions of non-Catholics/Christians when they do not necessarily agree with the doctrines of the Church? And on the other hand, there are those who are well indoctrinated Catholics, and yet the way they treat others speak differently about their Catholic beliefs (i.e. 'split-level' Christian [term of Bulatao, SJ]). How do we deal with these issues while maintaining the doctrine-ethics interrelationship position? I look forward to your clarification. Thank you very much!

The theory of evolution is scientific proof that we are not equal, nor endowed by our creator with inalienable rights. When Jefferson first wrote those words, he called these truths sacred rather than self evident. He got it right the first time.

The question I have about doctrine, though, is that... okay, the seven letters to the seven churches in Revelations imply that some churches have fallen away from God, and are no longer teaching God's truth, either that, or they do, but only in half-measures. In light of that idea, in light of the thought that some modern-day churches have fallen, then, who gets to decide which doctrines should and shouldn't be followed? I think we can agree that a good Christian should not be expected to participate in a fallen church, as I believe that participation in such a church would run counter to a person's spiritual health. The difficulty becomes, in figuring out which churches remain in good standing and continue to reflect God's truth, and figuring out which doctrines remain worth following, remain spiritually true. Because, in this day and age, a vast majority of churches and denominations rely not only on the Bible itself, but a miasma of material created solely by humanity, by church authority alone, of man-created works that reflect values not necessarily from God, but worldly values, that prize things that humanity, in our societies value, but that God doesn't, necessarily. It's difficult to find a good church, a trustworthy church, when you take into account the idea that some churches may have fallen.

I'm reminded of a university chaplain of mine who spent some time in Japan studying Buddhism and got angry about Western self-styled Buddhists who "treat Buddhism like it's a denomination of Christianity." That is, they would talk in glowing terms about how Buddhism is all about love. No, it's not. It does talk about benevolence, but the metaphysical structure proposed by Buddha is strikingly different from that of Judeo-Christianity and does not particularly involve love.

idk why bishop barron isnt more famous by now. these days we need way more intellectual christians!

@JAEKIM10 Not necessarily, for that person might not act on what she knows at all.

@fancullo In all fairness, this is hard. It's hard to put aside how we feel and make a choice to love another person. For me, it didn't even become possible until a. I asked sincerely for the grace to do so and b. I began to understand that love is as much (perhaps more) a cognitive choice as it is an emotional feeling. I don't always FEEL very loving toward my spouse or children, but I can always make the CHOICE to respond/interact with love. When I do this, my love grows.

what are your thoughts on the enlightment

@VanessaTexasGal You are welcome :) Basically Eros is the love between man and woman (like in a marriage), Philia the love between friends and Agape is the most pure form of love (from which all other derive) and is the love that come from God. Of course this is just a very synthetic summary, but I hope it gives the idea.

Watch this video again, listen to what he defines as Love. It is not based off of emotion as you suggest.

Whenever God is forgotten, or downplayed it follows injustice will follow. It`s happening in our very lifetimes. Abortion is one example, terrible treatment of immigrants, refugees, the elderly, handicapped and so on and so on. I`m glad you`re a Bishop of the Church and do this amazing work but would love if you were Prime Minister of our Country

me gustaría ver este video con subtitulos en español, el subtitulo en ingles es bastante malito, parece que lo hice yo.

Jesus prayed that His followers... The Church, would be one, as He and the Father we're one. In this case, one in mind and in one accord. If the members of the Church all have their own separate beliefs , how can we be one?

Father Barron..Blessings...Love your videos. Would you consider doing a video on Hillaire Belloc in particular his book "The Great Heresies?" I was intrigued at how relevant the last chapter on "The Modern Attack" is!

Napaka galing ni God KC no4 2019..ng May boses aku narinig at 7;days .hinukay ko ung guide nakita ko ang onang stone ung black hole.no.17 hehehe ang galing now kulang naisap my brdy 7.4..1977 wow 4/7.17. wow now kulang naisip

great

Over emphasis on doctrine without ethics is a problem as well. One might argue that the Inquisition happened because the powerful Iberian re-conquistadors misinterpreted the doctrine of love thy neighbor. Doctrine is important but the ethical outflows of that depend on good scriptural interpretation.

Could you create a video that discusses "Dogma"? Similarly treated as you did here (Believing matters). But, perhaps emphasized "Matters of belief", i.e. what are beliefs? And, how Dogmas may be understood as one of the ways the Church makes true belief (and thus Intention with Spiritual Significance, such as "remembering" Christ when taking the Eucharist) possible. From my little experience, some converts struggle with this concept, if not just the word itself. They encounter the word 'Dogma' as innately in conflict with their freedom to choose their beliefs. But on the contrary- the kind of distinct clarity and intention of wording that Dogmas are created by is intended to make true freedom of belief, and thus true assent, possible. It's not an iron glove, it's helping hand.

@jontv Well I don't think the God I'm talking about is "an obscure deity." He is the creator of the universe, the non-contingent ground of contingency. It is the case that classical thinkers did not hold to a creator God, and this did indeed lead them not to recognize inalienable rights in all people. And atheism does slope toward ethical relativism, which indeed conduces to totalitarianism. When there is no objective ground for morality, the will of the powerful becomes absolute.

i didn't know it was that deep...

Hi Father Barron! I deeply admire your work. Regarding this commentary, it seems that you speak about how belief helps us love better - exactly the relationship of faith and works in Catholicism. But I wonder if it doesn't also go back to our results-oriented bias that we've inherited from Kant and the enlightenment. Is there a good reason to believe besides that it will help me do good more easily? (Help me do gooder?) Does the East offer any reflection on this? Cheers!

@lblaramark For me the definition of being faithful is adhering to the teachings of your faith regardless of whether or not you agree with them. At times I may not wish to go to Mass each Sunday for whatever deficient reason I may have but still I go. You may not at times enjoy the company of your spouse at times, but you remain married. Yes, Marian devotion is a doctrine not dogma, but the ability to do so is most certainly dogma and praise given as well. To take part however is up to you.

@CatandMaster Yes, there are lots of factors that contribute to war, persecution, terrorism, etc. Religion may be one of them (not always), but the way I see it, is as an example of a necessary condition for massive evil: having a lot of people absolutely convinced that only they are right, hence discouraging their acknowledgement that they may be wrong. As you've said, rel. can also serve to teach people to love each other and to exercise that love through ritual, but it's a double edge sword.

I would say only this: as Catholic Christians, our truly holy life invites others to believe in Revelation, if in fact, our faith and morals are truly based on Revelation first and reason second.