Should priests be able to marry?

[Alfiedog]

Although I do think that the Catholic Church needs to modernize and revise some of its philosophies - abortion, birth control - I really don't think that priests should be allowed to marry. I don't have any concrete reason for this I just feel priests need to be 'pure' and make life sacrifices. I was just talking to a friend about it and she disagrees because there aren't enough priests and the conservative dogma of the church is attracting the wrong kind - pedophiles (I don't really see how one affects the other though).

Anyway, what do you think?

[Amy SF]

I could never figure out why Catholics turn to priests for advice on marriage, family and child rearing when priests have no experience in those areas.

[newstars]

What's more pure than genuinely sharing your life with someone you love and creating life(lives) from it?

[MollyCat]

I've never really understood the reasoning behind why priests can't marry. Other church leaders in different religions can marry so why not catholics? If I were catholic, I would rather have a man who's walked in my shoes as a spouse and a parent to lead me, knowing he has had similar experiences and understands the issues which most people face. I think it would put priests in closer connection with their congregation instead of separating them. How does having sex make one less holy, especially if it's within the confines of the marital union which priests preach?

[buddhadragon]

Well sure..each other.

[Amy SF]

especially if it's within the confines of the martial union which priests preach?

I hope that was a typo :p

[Thalia]

I think they are supposed to be "married" to God and thus cannot marry another.

What they decide is up to them, I guess. But there is already a horrible shortage in the US of priests.

[newstars]

I think they are supposed to be "married" to God and thus cannot marry another.

Haha, then why are they against same-sex marriage?

[buddhadragon]

Haha, then why are they against same-sex marriage?
*CAN OF WORMS..What sex is god?*

[newstars]

*CAN OF WORMS..What sex is god?*

I wouldn't know, but according to the catholic church, it's a he.

[MollyCat]

I hope that was a typo :p


...martial union

Haha! Actually, I've been married and a good Judo chop can work wonders!! :)

[shagginabit]

eh I think they should be able to get married.

[brahmacharya]

This was just getting funny and now I'm going to ruin it.

There is a concept, widely held in many spiritual teachings and religions, that sex can be draining/destabilizing/unfocussing. Brahmacharya is the yogic teaching of celibacy, which was considered an extremely important practice for anyone serious about enlightenment.

As far as experience being a husband or father goes, just to be devil's advocate, but I wouldn't necessarily take relationship advice from the person who's had the most relationships, you know what I mean? I know it's not quite the same, but the practice of love as it pertains to spiritual growth can very much impact your individual experience of a romantic relationship, and this growth can take place alone or pursuing a celibate path. You don't need credentials to offer support, or even advice. You just need to have the person you're helping at the center of your heart and do your best. I'm sure we have all known very young people who have really helped us out, with their "old souls"....if experience alone dictated the quality of assistance we could get from our fellow humans we'd be even more hurtin' for it than we already are.

The problem with the Catholic/pedophile madness is that obviously these men are not following the teachings of their God in their hearts, which is profoundly upsetting for any number of reasons...but I'm not sure it mitigates the value of celibacy in a serious spiritual context. The problem isn't the celibacy, it's that these cats aren't DOING it. [the celibacy]

[Satya]

*CAN OF WORMS..What sex is god?*
Well, sex implies biological make up and sexual reproductive organs. Gender is something different. I, personally don't think God is any particular gender.

[savewilbur]

I think they are supposed to be "married" to God and thus cannot marry another.

What they decide is up to them, I guess. But there is already a horrible shortage in the US of priests.

I think they should be able to marry...there would be fewer priest scandals...plenty of people are married and still a extreme faith in God.

[Alfiedog]

I think they should be able to marry...there would be fewer priest scandals...

I'm not sure that one has to do with the other. If priests were able to marry why would there be fewer scandals? The scandals are generally because of pedophila, not that they were having affairs with women.

[beforewisdom]

I don't think the Catholic church should allow priests to marry.

Either you believe the church has divine authority or you do not.

If you don't, there are other churches.

[Satya]

I'm not sure that one has to do with the other. If priests were able to marry why would there be fewer scandals? The scandals are generally because of pedophila, not that they were having affairs with women.
Yes, but perhaps if they were married and had a sexual outlet with their wife, they wouldn't be compelled to look to children to satiate thier desires. I think the priest pedophilia is more about sexual desire rather than the desire to have sex with children in general. I think they look to the children because they have access to them and they are vulnerable and easily manipulated. But I could be wrong.

Edit: Oops, I didn't mean homosexuality. I just read that thread and it was in my mind. I also clarified a bit....

[Thalia]

I don't think the Catholic church should allow priests to marry.

Either you believe the church has divine authority or you do not.

If you don't, there are other churches.
I'm inclined to agree. I am not sure though, what the general consensus is on how much you have to agree with the church to be a member. "cafeteria catholic" is a (perhaps derogatory) term used often enough. There are many pro-choice, pro-death penalty, pro-contraception Catholics in the US, for example. How much dissent is OK within a religion before they should just create a new religion?

[vggiegirl]

I don't think the Catholic church should allow priests to marry.

Either you believe the church has divine authority or you do not.

If you don't, there are other churches.


I agree. I am Catholic and this is how I feel as well.

[FreshTart]

I don't have my books here with me, but there is a non-religious reason why priests are not allowed to marry.

It's foggy right now (and I can't look it up), but it had something to do with a pope not wanting the church to pay marriage taxes or something...so declared they couldn't marry.

Like I said, it's foggy, but I will try to find it when I can. I remember doing it in university

[Alfiedog]

I'm inclined to agree. I am not sure though, what the general consensus is on how much you have to agree with the church to be a member. "cafeteria catholic" is a (perhaps derogatory) term used often enough. There are many pro-choice, pro-death penalty, pro-contraception Catholics in the US, for example. How much dissent is OK within a religion before they should just create a new religion?


That's how I feel . . . in terms of priests getting married.

But then when it comes to all the other issues I don't agree with the Church, but the other issues have such a direct major effect on society, whereas the "purity" of priests has much more to do with the way the Church, as an establishment, is viewed.

[Wolfie]

I think they should be allowed to. The leaders of other denominations are allowed to marry.

[catswym]

I don't have my books here with me, but there is a non-religious reason why priests are not allowed to marry.

It's foggy right now (and I can't look it up), but it had something to do with a pope not wanting the church to pay marriage taxes or something...so declared they couldn't marry.

Like I said, it's foggy, but I will try to find it when I can. I remember doing it in university


i think it had something to do with property and money going to dependents and descendants.

anyway, since peter (the rock upon which the church was founded, and the supposed first pope) was married i don't understand why they can't.

so yes, i think they should be able to. but it doesn't really matter too much to me since i'ma protestant.

[JLRodgers]

Um.... there are priests that can marry now... they always have been able to.

Some orders go for the "no marriage" thing, others don't, and other's are a "do whatever" mindset (but lean almost entirely to the no marriage).