When I noticed the headline, Catholic iPhone app condemned, I thought, oh good, there's an article on the misrepresentation of the app in the NZ media, where it was thought that the app itself could absolve a person from their sins rather than needing a priest. I was hoping to see some sort of article clarifying that the app only helps a person through what they need to be saying in Confession, in person to a priest. But no, even though that is the presumption in the article, the condemnation comes from another group.
Dear Wayne, any sexual activity outside of true marriage is deeply sinful (ie mortal, leading to spiritual death, leading to hell). If it is purposefully missed out in Confession, it makes the Confession invalid. It's very important, if one is doing an examination of conscience, to be thorough with all mortal sins. The app merely reflects a Catholic theology of sin, so condemning the app is very much just shooting the messenger.
Related link: Catholic iPhone app condemned ~ NZ Herald
Among the questions users are asked is: "Have I been guilty of any homosexual activity?"
Wayne Besen, executive director of Truth Wins Out, a group that campaigns on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people, accused the app of "helping to create neurotic individuals who are ashamed of who they are".
Dear Wayne, any sexual activity outside of true marriage is deeply sinful (ie mortal, leading to spiritual death, leading to hell). If it is purposefully missed out in Confession, it makes the Confession invalid. It's very important, if one is doing an examination of conscience, to be thorough with all mortal sins. The app merely reflects a Catholic theology of sin, so condemning the app is very much just shooting the messenger.
Related link: Catholic iPhone app condemned ~ NZ Herald
The Herald has a potted version of what appeared in the Guardian a day ago.
ReplyDeleteThe Guardian has this quote
"This is cyber spiritual abuse that promotes backward ideas in a modern package," said Besen. "Gay Catholics don't need to confess, they need to come out of the closet and challenge anti-gay dogma. The false idea that being gay is something to be ashamed of has destroyed too many lives. This iPhone app is facilitating and furthering the harm."
Of course everybody needs to confess but nobody has to.
With free will operant you choose to or not as the case may be, there will be consequences for the choices you make of course.
And if you don't think your sin is actually a sin you can leave it out in your confession - you may be lying to yourself, or even worse to God but there is nothing to stop you doing it.
They critics don't need to buy the IPHONE app, and it is certainly something I wouldn't use if there was an Orthodox version - seems gimmicky but if it leads people to the Sacrament who am I to criticize.
Whats the difference between "marriage" and "true marriage"?
ReplyDeleteExcludes those who call their relationship "marriage", but have impediments, such as they are already validly married to another person, or the other person is of the same sex. Those are the most extreme examples.
ReplyDelete