How should I respond to the claim that the Catholic Church is legalistic?

Being legalistic means having laws that have to be followed regardless of its spirit and original intent, almost to the point of being arbitrary. But having laws, say, on the obligations and rights of private organisations in the church, the protocol for sex abuse reporting, how annulment is processed, those are valid laws just as in any society.

The lack of those laws only means that the religion is not organized. Any organisation with increasing size and complexity would have laws. This includes their country, thanks to whose laws they are able to enjoy clean water, fixed potholes, healthcare, etc.

So when someone calls the Church legalistic, tell them that our society has far more laws than the Church, and yet we never call it legalistic. Unless, of course, what they mean is they should be able to do what they like without any relation whatsoever to others.

/r/Catholicism Thread