Guilt by ociation?

Apparently guilt has something to do with how many people and institutions lay between you and the leader of your church. I've heard many Catholics say they don't have to believe in every thing the Pope says or the Church does to be Catholic. They bash Obama because he "sat through 20 years of sermons." Apparently because they aren't in the room or even born when the various Popes or priests do abhorrent things, that absolves them of any guilt by ociation.