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Discussion and Debate
Discussion and Debate
Ethics & Morality
Philosophical/theological problem: evil in the Church
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<blockquote data-quote="chevyontheriver" data-source="post: 71462437" data-attributes="member: 381079"><p>Imagine for a moment that God would prohibit every member of the Church from even being able to sin. The Church would thus have no problem with bad popes, greedy bishops, nasty priests, thieving televangelists, and lax lay members. Everything would be perfect. Except that the good we could do would not be our own. It would be compelled. It would not be out of love. We would be robots.</p><p></p><p>I think we have a dilemma. We are free to do good, and thus free to do evil. If that freedom is taken from us the Church would not have members do evil in God's name, but we would not be doing good freely out of love of God either. I think the freedom to do good or to do evil is absolutely necessary. The consequence is a Church that is both gloriously the Bride of Christ and at the same time full of human scandal and crime.</p><p></p><p>I look at it as a wonder that there are saints. They are the evidence of something profound that God is doing in the Church. The rest, that's just normal sinful humanity acting out as expected. If it wasn't for those saints who respond to the love of God with their own loving obedience, it would only be normal sinful humanity acting out as expected. Having existed for almost 2000 years is a proof to me that God is real and His Church is the Bride of Christ, human warts and all. Otherwise it should have collapsed long ago of it's own weight.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="chevyontheriver, post: 71462437, member: 381079"] Imagine for a moment that God would prohibit every member of the Church from even being able to sin. The Church would thus have no problem with bad popes, greedy bishops, nasty priests, thieving televangelists, and lax lay members. Everything would be perfect. Except that the good we could do would not be our own. It would be compelled. It would not be out of love. We would be robots. I think we have a dilemma. We are free to do good, and thus free to do evil. If that freedom is taken from us the Church would not have members do evil in God's name, but we would not be doing good freely out of love of God either. I think the freedom to do good or to do evil is absolutely necessary. The consequence is a Church that is both gloriously the Bride of Christ and at the same time full of human scandal and crime. I look at it as a wonder that there are saints. They are the evidence of something profound that God is doing in the Church. The rest, that's just normal sinful humanity acting out as expected. If it wasn't for those saints who respond to the love of God with their own loving obedience, it would only be normal sinful humanity acting out as expected. Having existed for almost 2000 years is a proof to me that God is real and His Church is the Bride of Christ, human warts and all. Otherwise it should have collapsed long ago of it's own weight. [/QUOTE]
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