I realize the analogy doesn’t perfectly map. Having rare crazy beliefs is a bigger red flag than having common crazy beliefs.
Also, a religion has features that greatly appeal to people in a way country club membership does not and these features may lead people to become or remain members despite disagreeing with the religion’s social policy. Plus, though I don’t particularly like defending the Catholic church, they don’t refuse membership to homosexuals or revoke the membership of couples who use birth control.
Plus, though I don’t particularly like defending the Catholic church, they don’t refuse membership to homosexuals or revoke the membership of couples who use birth control.
Even the claim that “[l]eadership positions are reserved to unmarried males” isn’t entirely correct, if ordinary priesthood is counted as a “leadership position.” Latin Rite Catholic priests indeed have to be celibate, but there are other Catholic rites that permit married men to become priests, and married priests of other Christian denominations who convert to Catholicism can be accepted without having to renounce either their priesthood or marriage (see here) for more detail). On the other hand, even in Eastern Catholic churches, bishops have to be celibate (just like among the Eastern Orthodox). An interesting question is what would happen if a married Anglican bishop converted to Catholicism; I don’t think this has ever happened, but it seems like it will soon.
I tried to make the country club a version of the Catholic church that was nicer in every way. Instead of claiming you will be tortured forever if you do those things (and don’t go to confession), the country club asks you to leave.
Claiming you might get tortured forever while not doing anything materially to make sure this actually happens doesn’t seem as harsh to me as asking someone to leave a club.
Instead of claiming you will be tortured forever if you do those things (and don’t go to confession), the country club asks you to leave.
Well, but the Catholic church doesn’t implement the torture, it just tells you about it. The telling-about-it is itself a form of forceful persuasion in the right contexts (i.e. to young children), but in general it’s still roughly comparable to being denied access to the country club.
Also, a religion has features that greatly appeal to people in a way country club membership does not and these features may lead people to become or remain members despite disagreeing with the religion’s social policy. Plus, though I don’t particularly like defending the Catholic church, they don’t refuse membership to homosexuals or revoke the membership of couples who use birth control.
Jack:
Even the claim that “[l]eadership positions are reserved to unmarried males” isn’t entirely correct, if ordinary priesthood is counted as a “leadership position.” Latin Rite Catholic priests indeed have to be celibate, but there are other Catholic rites that permit married men to become priests, and married priests of other Christian denominations who convert to Catholicism can be accepted without having to renounce either their priesthood or marriage (see here) for more detail). On the other hand, even in Eastern Catholic churches, bishops have to be celibate (just like among the Eastern Orthodox). An interesting question is what would happen if a married Anglican bishop converted to Catholicism; I don’t think this has ever happened, but it seems like it will soon.
I tried to make the country club a version of the Catholic church that was nicer in every way. Instead of claiming you will be tortured forever if you do those things (and don’t go to confession), the country club asks you to leave.
Claiming you might get tortured forever while not doing anything materially to make sure this actually happens doesn’t seem as harsh to me as asking someone to leave a club.
I mean unless one resorts to magical thinking.
Well, but the Catholic church doesn’t implement the torture, it just tells you about it. The telling-about-it is itself a form of forceful persuasion in the right contexts (i.e. to young children), but in general it’s still roughly comparable to being denied access to the country club.