Catholicism Doesn't Work For You?

A female co-worker once said to me: “Catholicism may work for you, but it doesn’t work for me.” Having heard this before I got to thinking about it. It is a rather curious statement. I may not think it wise, but I can understand someone saying that they do not want to go to church, or that they refuse to practice the faith. But unless you live in the wilderness, totally separated from civilization, you cannot really say that Catholicism does not work for you.

Catholicism is not just some obscure religion that people practice in private. The Catholic faith has had a profound effect on the world around us. For instance, until Jesus and the Catholic Church came along women and children were the property of men. I assume the present status of women and children works for my female friend. Before the Catholic Church came along superstition ruled the day. Taking their cue from Scripture, Catholic monks began to study science. Judging from her use of modern technology I think I can also assume that science works for her.

The Catholic Church established the first hospitals in response to the Biblical mandate to care for the sick. Large charitable organizations were organized to feed and clothe the needy, again in response to the dictates of Scripture. This had never been done before. The Church was instrumental in the development of Astronomy, Mathematics, Banking, Chemistry, Architecture, Economics, Culture, and Art. Pope Sylvester II is responsible for the Christian world throwing out Roman Numerals in favor of the Hindu-Arabic numbers that we use today. He also invented the clock so that we would no longer have to rely on sundials.

In the 12th century the Church began to develop its system of canon law. This would eventually provide the foundation for Western Law. Western Law was based on rules of evidence and rational procedures. Later, in the 16th century, and in response to the mistreatment of natives in the New World, Fr. Francisco de Vitoria established the basis for international law. This reflected the biblical teaching that all men are created equal (Galatians 3:28). And the list goes on.

Catholicism not only benefits society in general, it also benefits individuals in their everyday lives. The Pew Research Center found that religious people tend to be happier than non-believers. And the “British National Happiness Index” shows that Christians are among the happiest. That should work for anybody.

Common sense tells us if a church produces results that are of great value to humanity, it deserves serious consideration. Rejecting the Church while embracing what it produces is like saying: “I like peaches, but I don’t like peach trees.” If we can set aside our fears and prejudices, we may discover what thousands of former skeptics have, that the Catholic faith is the true source of freedom here on earth and a path to eternal bliss. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Next Week: Is Christianity a Crutch for the Weak?