The Catholic teachings on freedom (especially gender roles)?

Question

There a catholic saying, something like "freedom isn't the right to do whatever you want, it's the ability to do as you should."

I've heard varied interpretations of this, and many atheists believe it's oppressive because it's saying there is only one right way to do things. for example, with gender roles, even though women have the freedom to do whatever they like, they SHOULD be staying at home.

But other people say it's purely moral and advocates equality, so even if you theoretically could harm someone else you should still treat them well. (I prefer this meaning)

So, what does it mean to you?

(this is mainly for catholics but if anyone else knows the origins of the saying or would just like to share their thoughts please do so.)

Answer 1

Fr. John Corapi mentions this a lot when he preaches on various topics because freedom is the key to understanding God's love for us.

“Freedom isn’t the ability to do whatever we please, but the power to do as we ought to do.” Freedom is the power to do as we should.

One example Fr. Corapi gives on freedom is the following:

"The serpent asks Eve, “Did God say, `You shall not eat of any tree of the garden'?” And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden;” The freedom God gives us is broad. However, Eve goes on to say, “but God said, `You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.... Our freedom is broad, but it is limited!" Take and eat whatever you want from the entire garden, but not from that one tree in the center of the garden. We are not restricted as some would suggest when living a life of faith by the limits God places on us in his laws.

To answer your question. In all things we do, we use our judgment because we are free. Take your example of the mother. There is nothing sexist about being a 'stay at home mom.' Most mothers I know would rather stay at home with there children but they can't afford it. To suggest that women should work to be taken seriously is pretty shallow. In some cases these feminists discriminate more against women than men do, making stay at home moms feel bad for wanting to raise their child (Getting off topic.. my bad). In an ideal world both parents would stay home with the child, but then how would anybody pay the bills.... therefore you got to do what you ought to do, you have to work to feed your child.

When it comes to moral questions, then without a doubt you should do as you ought to do, doing what is right. People say that given a situation they would do what the wouldn't normally do because it can be permitted given the right situation. However, the ends do not justify the means, doing what we should do regardless of the situation or ramifications is what matters. Being saints when we are never tempted doesn't hold much weight, being saints when it is easy to get away with murder does speak volumes of one's character and the morals they live by.

Answer 2

It was Pope John Paul II who made that statement, during a visit to the US in 1995, and it was addressed to all Americans.  The quote, in context:

"The basic question before a democratic society is: 'how ought we to live together?' In seeking an answer to this question, can society exclude moral truth and moral reasoning? Can the Biblical wisdom which played such a formative part in the very founding of your country be excluded from that debate? Would not doing so mean that America's founding documents no longer have any defining content, but are only the formal dressing of changing opinion? Would not doing so mean that tens of millions of Americans could no longer offer the contribution of their deepest convictions to the formation of public policy? Surely it is important for America that the moral truths which make freedom possible should be passed on to each new generation. Every generation of Americans needs to know that freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought."

It has nothing to do with "gender roles".  It has everything to do with the value of each and every person in a free society.

Here's the entire text of the address:

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_p...

Answer 3

Or as Fr Corapi is fond of saying Freedom does not mean license to do as you please.  To mean it means that we have an obligation to do what is right as opposed to doing what we want.  As for gender roles, to me it means that even though we have different roles, we are still equal, because there are things men can do that we can't do, and things women can do, that men can't do.  In today's society though, a lot of women have to take on both roles, which can be detrimental to the family unit.

Answer 4

That's a tricky question. Would you do something good for a person, even if you knew it would do harm to them?

Answer 5

Pipahh gave a good logical and moral answer and I fully agree.

God bless.