Catholics do enjoy life.

And within these struggles - abstaining from sex, to not abort, to follow the doctrines of the Church - there comes great triumphs.

Those critical of Catholicism say that the faith has too many rules. Maybe so. Even if it does, it's the most balanced worldview, allowing Catholics, within good judgement, to partake in the worldliness of planet earth. I'll try to frame this post in a way that best represents some of the secular worldview on Catholicism.

1. Catholics don't like sex. 

A couple of decades ago Catholics were known to have large families, say three kids or more. Sex is encouraged and seem as something amazing - within marriage. So yes, Catholics do have sex - as seen by those Catholics who commit sin by premarital acts and out of wedlock babies (the all-female Catholic high school next to my high school alma mater was mockingly called Queen of Pregnancies due to a senior becoming pregnant every other year, though the amount of pregnancies dropped when I was in school), and as seen by Catholics who get married and have children.

2.  Catholics follow a puritanical system of beliefs.

See #1. So no. See #3. So no. Strict, yes. Puritanical, no. Keep reading #2.

I'm going to kick secular non-meat eaters between the legs because I can (it's my fallen nature). Vegetarianism abstains from eating any meat products. They believe meat is murder. Veganism goes two steps further and abstains from not only consuming meat products, but any products made from animals. This means no eggs and diary. It's encourage one to not wear clothing made from animals, so no real leather. Catholics can consume meat with no shits given unless it's Friday during Easter (or if they give up meat for Easter) or, if they truly want to, every Friday of the year. (If you haven't noticed, I have grave issues with the non-meat/sustainable/food movement bunch.)

There is debate that Christ did not want humans to eat meat, with followers of this particular belief saying it's found within scripture. This particular belief is made up of a very small minority (if we want to play the numbers game). For the most part there is no true "food movement" to abstain from any meat or animal products in the form of the secularized version of food purity. Catholics enjoy meat and they enjoy beer as well as a good cigar. Afterwards, if they're married, they can enjoy a good shagging with their opposite sex spouse. Please be aware that I did not use any male pronouns here because I truly believe that a Catholic/Christian woman can enjoy meat, beer and a cigar just as a Catholic/Christian man would. How's that for equality, eh?

3.  Catholics hate science.

This is a loaded statement. If being skeptical of climate change (read: anthropological global warming) makes one anti-science then you're full of yourself. If believing that a fetus is an actual human, and therefore the Catholic stands by the Catholic stance to be against abortion, makes him anti-science then you're an arrogant dick. If not supporting same-sex "marriage" due to natural law and just the innate reaction of "well this is messed up" makes one anti-science then you're a bigger idiot than Christian fundamentalists.


4. Religion is just something to hold on to because you're weak.

More false than true. I believe everyone is weak and we attach ourselves to secular movements to fill the gap in our life to have a purpose (see: veganism and the "sustainable movement"). Catholicism to me fulfills my thirst for truth and knowledge. That might've of made non-religious folks chuckle loudly because in their mind religion is anti-science and anti-knowledge, like "Catholics hate science" their belief is quit loaded and assumes many things. Catholicism encourages me to seek out the True, the Good, and the Beautiful. In many ways it's natural to me. Study astrology. Study the classics. Study architecture. Study sex. Study philosophy. Study different cultures. Why? Because there is truth, goodness and beauty in each. Be in the world, but not of it.

Catholicism is a complete worldview. It's the Ivy League of faiths steeped in history and culture. It's the Big Ten school with its fervent pride found within its followers. It's the liberal arts school where personal, quiet attention can be found. It's the University of Chicago where knowledge, and even wisdom, is nestled, waiting to be discovered, though many are not aware of its grandeur and uniqueness. And just as varied as these academic institutions, there are elitists, obnoxious frat boys, artsy, bohemian folks and intellectuals found within Catholicism.