Sure. I mentioned theology in a discussion of philosophical conceptions of the nature of God, in which it was twinned with Plato's. I think in such a context (next to Plato) what is intended is the concept as understood by philosophers/intellectual articulators of the religion, not the lay practitioner. This is an extreme example since Catholicism is highly hierarchal and articulated to the point of being arcane, but "Catholic doctrine" is the stuff in the Catechism, not what Bob My Catholic Neighbor Catholic thinks.
--- On Thu, 2/19/09, Dennis Claxton <ddclaxton at earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> Last night I saw Amarcord on the big screen. I mention it
> because in a recent thread there was discussion about
> differences between "Classic Christian
> meditations" you were presenting, while others were
> saying they don't always jibe with individual experience
> of Christian/Catholic upbringing and teaching.
>
> At one point you said people need to read more theology. I
> think if you want a better understanding of what your
> interlocutors were saying you should see Amarcord,
> especially the schoolroom and confession scenes.
>
> There you see very funny disconnects between a teacher in
> religion class and sleepy eyed students aroused more by fart
> jokes and involved classroom pranks than by the mysteries of
> the trinity. In the confession scenes the priest asks a
> series of boys "do you touch yourself." One of
> them says no while we hear and see the fantasies he's
> keeping to himself, introducing each one with "what
> does he know about [insert fantasy].
>
> Both these scenes are on youtube. There are no subtitles
> but it's Fellini so who needs them really?
>
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCBlEE-kx7c&feature=related
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMvGTiU1o0o&feature=related
>
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