This post is actually sort of a response to one of your posts on There goes your gun's LJ, in response to her Repent America rant, but I didn't want to post a lengthy rambling on her space, so I took it here, because it's a question for you. If Catholics believe that natural disasters and earthly misfortunes are not punishment for sin, do they also believe that earthly prosperity is, or is not divine reward? My question is sincere, because that is one of the things that has, frankly, revolted me about most of the religious people that I've known: the unspoken, complacent belief that rich (or comfortable) white people deserve everything they have, because they're Christians and God loves them, and the inverse, that the rest of the world suffers because maybe they should (or because they really don't matter). Now, my exposure to religion has been here in South Carolina, and I don't think SC is the only hypocritical place on earth. But, I haven't been exposed to many people of religions other than Protestant (Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians) You are the only staunch Catholic I've ever met. I do know some Catholics, but they are different than you. Most of them hate Catholicism. I know that I don't agree with everything you believe, but, I think I like the way you believe. I actually have more to say, but I am too tired to focus; if I continue it will make no sense and will be dumb.