cafeteria Catholic
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˌkæfəˈtɪəriə ˈkæθlɪk/
- Slur
:
católico de cafetería
- Many people identify as cafeteria Catholics because they feel comfortable choosing which beliefs to follow.
Examples
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The "other" cafeteria Catholics aren't guilty of any crime exactly.
Blog text (3) -
As a cafeteria Catholic, she emphasizes certain teachings while ignoring others that do not resonate with her.
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The ambiguity frustrates the "other" cafeteria Catholic to no end, so they make up their own rules.
Blog text (3) -
Lest you think I'm writing about the "other" cafeteria Catholic as one standing in judgment, I want to give you a little backstory.
Blog text (3) -
The "other" cafeteria Catholic may be able to proof-text from the Catechism or the Scripture if you challenge some doctrine, but he hasn't gone any deeper.
Blog text (3) -
One of the commenters on The Other Cafeteria Catholic, Part I, quite rightly pointed out that lax Catholics and overly zealous Catholics often share a common background.
Blog text (3) -
He proudly calls himself a cafeteria Catholic since he embraces some church doctrines but questions others.
Synonyms
3
7.4
Not following the usual customs or rules of society
Surface Forms
Morphology
cafeteria + Catholic
The noun phrase uses 'cafeteria' metaphorically to signal a 'pick-and-choose' attitude, so a learner who knows 'cafeteria' and 'Catholic' can infer it refers to a Catholic who selects which doctrines to accept. Because this is a metaphorical and culturally marked extension (the exact nuance of selective adherence may require exposure), it is not fully predictable from the parts.
Etymology
Cafeteria Catholic comes from the image of a person in a cafeteria who fills a tray by 'picking what they like' and leaving the rest. So it describes a Catholic who accepts some church teachings but rejects others.