...reading books that endanger "faith and morals". But how are they supposed to know which these books are? How can one know a book is a danger without reading it? (In which case, one has surely been exposed to the danger?) Is there some taskforce of dedicated, selfless, people who risk eternal damnation by reading potentially dangerous books and warning Catholics which ones to avoid? (I'm not Catholic myself, I'm just wondering how these rules are supposed to work.) Sorry, a word vanished from my question: "The Vatican no longer uses the "Index" of prohibited books, *but* I understand Catholics are supposed to avoid..."
Religion & Spirituality - 7 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
They are evil censoring assholes that George Orwell would call Big Brother.
2 :
You know I spend an embarrassing amount of time watching movies and things on TV that I should not. I have a quote up at home from someone that says, along the lines of, why ask God to purify your heart and mind if you keep filling it with lust and perversion? I think it's human nature when someone points to something and says, "don't read that, it's filthy", to run out and buy the book, or turn on the show. Personally, I wish I had more self discipline to stay away from base things. If anyone would like to pray that for me, I'd really appreciate it. Who needs to fill their heads with filth? Whoever is taking the time to warn others away from things that are vulgar, I say, more power to them.
3 :
I don't think they have to avoid them anymore. The concern was people getting bad ideas (such as questions about the church which might lead them astray) or immoral works (such as the Marquis de Sade). There was more than one category of works on the index.
4 :
"Is there some taskforce of dedicated, selfless, people who risk eternal damnation by reading potentially dangerous books and warning Catholics which ones to avoid?" No, there are very well educated people who know what it is they are reading who do it. The gnostic gospels are a very good example of it. I can read any of the gnostic gospels without any fear of losing my faith because I understand gnosticism and I understand where gnosticism diverges from Judaism.
5 :
we ought not trust an organisation that allowed pedophilia to flourish within its ranks.
6 :
The Vatican no longer uses the "Index" of prohibited books, I understand Catholics are supposed to avoid... "New Advent" http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07721a.htm
7 :
<<The Vatican no longer uses the "Index" of prohibited books, I understand Catholics are supposed to avoid reading books that endanger "faith and morals". But how are they supposed to know which these books are? How can one know a book is a danger without reading it?>> It's possible to know the crux of any given book without actually reading it first. The back cover, the sleeves on the inside-cover, the preface, the introduction - all that contains more than enough information for the informed Catholic reader to guage whether or not the books is hostile to Faith and Morals. And even if a given book is hostile to Faith and Morals, that does not necessarily mean the Catholic can't read it. It does, however, mean that the Catholic must read with discriminating eyes (not allowing the book's anti-Catholic bias to have a negative effect on the Catholic reader). <<(In which case, one has surely been exposed to the danger?) Is there some taskforce of dedicated, selfless, people who risk eternal damnation by reading potentially dangerous books and warning Catholics which ones to avoid?>> Like I said, a Catholic can read books that are real and/or potentially hostile to Faith and Morals - so long as the Catholic reader reads the book with discriminating eyes. Someone who is strong in the Faith will not be swayed no matter how vitriolic the book's content. On the other hand, someone who's religious convictions aren't as strong may very well be swayed by the book's anti-Catholic vitriol. Therefore, those Catholics who evaluate books, to determine whether or not they are Faithfully and Morally sound are doing other Catholics a great service. <<(I'm not Catholic myself, I'm just wondering how these rules are supposed to work.)>> Now you know.
