Let's be honest: It's a lack of faith

Let's be honest: It's a lack of faith: Bishop Thomas Tobin responds to NCR Young Voices column: All of these reasons so often cited for dropping out of the church — are they reasons or just convenient excuses?

MGB:_Masses were packed in prior generations because the belief in a belief in God was common. Whether true belief ever existed is always questionable. As for sexuality, yes they largely disagree with the Chruch’s treatment of homosexuals (they are correct, but I wish they would stay and fight), on abortion they are mostly pro-life, but when they become sexuality active, they learn to keep this to themselves. It is being sexually active where they disagree with the Church. They see neither a casual hook-up or a live in relationship as wrong, nor masturbation or pornography. The clerical obsession with sex and the need to confess them simply seem backward to them. If the Church would treat these matters as inadvisable rather than evil  (raping drunk girls-being the exception) because they complicate life and go against the natural inclination to more permanent connection, it would have better luck. Even St. Paul condemned fornication as a sin against oneself, not as an insult to God, who cannot be insulted. Only the pietous are insulted. They need to get over it or people will continue to stop coming.