Question for Catholics

[Buddhagirl]

I'm not Catholic. Never have been and don't really understand how it all works. Anyway, what exactly does it mean to be excommunicated? What are the ramifications?

I've been keeping up with a story out of Brazil about a 9 year old girl that was pregnant with twins. She was raped by her step father. She got an abortion and now the church is excommunicaiting all that were involved.

So, what exactly does that entail?

The story is here if you're interested:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7926694.stm (Not here to argue the story or anything. Just want to understand excommunication.)

[Thundergod]

Here's a pretty good definition:

Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. The word literally means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group. Censures and sanctions sometimes follow excommunication; these include banishment, shunning, and shaming, depending on the religion, the offense that caused excommunication, or the rules or norms of the religious community.

Religious fanatics...   

SHE'S 9!!!!!!!!!!11!1!!!  AND RAPED!!!!!

[Buddhagirl]

So, basically they can't go to church or be part of the religious community anymore?  Ok.

[MaineDolFan]

SHE'S 9!!!!!!!!!!11!1!!!  AND RAPED!!!!!

Here is the problem:  In the Catholic world you can't use birth  control and be Catholic.  You can't get an abortion, under any circumstances, and be a Catholic.  There are certain things that strict - by the book - Catholic's don't condone under any circumstances. 

Crazy?  Maybe.  But that's how they roll.

[Brian Fein]

Here is the problem:  In the Catholic world you can't use birth  control and be Catholic.  You can't get an abortion, under any circumstances, and be a Catholic. 

And, correct me if I'm wrong, but you can't be pregnant out of wedlock and be Catholic, as well?

[StL FinFan]

It is not against the Catholic church to use birth control anymore.

[Househead]

And correct me if I am wrong....if you are excommunicated, that means you cannot be in touch with God as the catholic church believes that you can only have a connection with God through the church....as such, without such connection to God, you are damned to purgatory.

[Buddhagirl]

And correct me if I am wrong....if you are excommunicated, that means you cannot be in touch with God as the catholic church believes that you can only have a connection with God through the church....as such, without such connection to God, you are damned to purgatory.

This is what I'm wondering too. Otherwise, it doesn't sound like excommunication is that big of deal.

[SCFinfan]

Dammit, i just wrote a huge reply to this, but it disappeared when i refreshed the page. I'll get back to this later.

For now, I guess, settle on this: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05678a.htm

[SCFinfan]

It is not against the Catholic church to use birth control anymore.

Uh, yes it is. That teaching has never changed. I don't mind if you're wrong about the issue, but don't misrepresent.

[SCFinfan]

So, basically they can't go to church or be part of the religious community anymore?  Ok.

This is basically correct.

[SCFinfan]

Here's a pretty good definition:

Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. The word literally means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group. Censures and sanctions sometimes follow excommunication; these include banishment, shunning, and shaming, depending on the religion, the offense that caused excommunication, or the rules or norms of the religious community.

Religious fanatics...   

SHE'S 9!!!!!!!!!!11!1!!!  AND RAPED!!!!!

But she had an abortion. You are missing the point if you look at the circumstances. If a man is suffering incredible poverty, but takes a knife and mercilessly stabs a man to death and takes his money, he still has committed murder, despite the circumstances.

[SCFinfan]

This is what I'm wondering too. Otherwise, it doesn't sound like excommunication is that big of deal.

You're not automatically damned, you're just severed from the body of Christians here on earth. It's a medicinal punishment, and it doesn't obviate the effects of baptism, which is what allows one to be saved.

[SCFinfan]

And correct me if I am wrong....if you are excommunicated, that means you cannot be in touch with God as the catholic church believes that you can only have a connection with God through the church....as such, without such connection to God, you are damned to purgatory.

Not true, see above.

[SCFinfan]

And, correct me if I'm wrong, but you can't be pregnant out of wedlock and be Catholic, as well?

Depends on what you mean by can. Can it scientifically happen? Yes, obviously, of course. Is it illicit, sinful, damaging to the family structure, wounding to one's progeny, and does it add to the difficulty of one's life on earth? Yes.