“Catholicism’s values” are often vaguely defined and varies heavily from nation to nation. A lot of modern Catholic doctrine tends to be very pro-refugee and fairly anti-colonialism. But it’s no mystery what religion colonial France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy adhered to. Sure liberation theology exists, but that’s far from the only form Catholicism has taken.

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Anonymous #3 4d

And the coolness of some Catholic countries is sometimes independent of Catholic doctrine. Malta is super Catholic and I think they’re fantastic in terms of lgbtq rights. But that’s not due to church doctrine, in fact it goes against it. Same thing for freedom of religion or secularized democracy, which are things Catholicism officially came out against in the 1800s.

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The only way I would ever accept that premise is if liberation theology is the premiere accepted theology in Ireland

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I am inclined to agree, but we can’t imply that one form of Catholicism which has been shaped by colonialism and leftist activism is the only true Catholicism. Is it a good form of Catholicism? Yes. But the church has done bad things both in Ireland and around the world. The church isn’t anti-tyrant, it has a pope. And Ireland is continuing to secularize, and I believe it will continue to adhere to its values even as it becomes less Catholic. Ireland’s current president is non-religious.

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