Is it better to Live as a Bad Catholic, or a Good Pagan? The Answer is Rooted in “The End”
Is it better to be a good pagan or a bad Catholic? This is an interesting question inspired by someone I follow on Twitter, who appeared frustrated with his progress in the faith. It may seem irrelevant to you because my readers would generally consider themselves “good Catholics,” and you probably are. But what’s a “bad Catholic,” and how does it contrast to a good pagan? Which is the better condition?
First, let’s address what I think makes a bad Catholic. I would offer that there are two categories of bad Catholics; Those who are immoral and those who are non-practicing. The first is a baptized Catholic who willfully lives a sinful life, while the second is a baptized Catholic who strives to live morally but never practices the faith (i.e., attends mass). The immoral Catholic is not living the Law of God, while the non-practicing (but otherwise moral) Catholic is not living the will of God. They have distinctiveness from each other, but they also have something in common with each other: They both fail to live to the full potential of their being. And that’s where the answer to this question lies.
What about good pagans? In my personal life, I’ve known several “good” pagans. They were very lovely people who were kind to others, pleasant to be around, and interesting to talk to. Some would try to mirror the moral model of what they observed in the natural world. That can be a problem, too, but let’s not go too deep down the rabbit hole. However…
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