Hurting the Church

Someone commented that my blog was hurting the church and everyone's faith who read it.  Two thoughts on this.  The church is not the hierarchy, but the people of God that includes the hierarchy.  I tend to write for that part of the church that feels left out of the mix by the hierarchy part.  We all agree on dogma or else we are not really in the church.  But there is a lot that is "taught" that is not dogma, but rather opinion of some clergy and people that think it is dogma because they hang around with those who agree with them.  This brings me to my second point.  People who are offended by "teachings" contrary to their own, tend to hang around with people like them, to read all the same books, and feel safe and secure.  Religion is not for security or else there would be no cross.  I try to spend some time with people who disagree with me.  It is how I learn and maybe even open myself to a wider world than my own in my religion.  If people would just read some good history of religion, The Catholic Church history, they would see how much we have changed over the years and how much debate/discussion there is between clergy and hierarchy on various issues that are no way etched in stone.  Sadly, you won't get that kind of adult ed in most parishes.