Posted on 11/18/2014 10:28:50 AM PST by Dr. Thorne
As I said, I don’t keep a source list for this topic, mostly because it has been talked to death.
It only keeps coming up because it is an easy topic to get people whipped up. No matter what has happened, how it has been corrected, or anything else, some people just take glee bringing it up.
To clarify, I have no doubt that some men sought refuge from their sins in the safety of the monastic orders where they were removed from their earthly temptations. Even today I am sure there are some men who are burdened by sin who find their refuge in the monastic orders. And God bless the Catholics for having institutions like these because there are no such equivalents in the Protestant denominations.
But God really doesn't bless believers removing themselves out of society and holing themselves up in their isolated communities.
Matthew 5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Our Lord would not have us go out of the world (1 Corinthians 5:10). We aren't to conform to this world, but we are not to remove ourselves out of it. We are called to be witnesses. We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvellous light.
There are no blessings that come from such institutions, unless you mean that they are to function as prisons to keep unbelievers and criminals away from society.
There's a saying that a church is a hospital for sinners. If so, then a monastery or a convent can be a place of refuge for those who deem themselves either tempted by society or a threat to it. If you wish to see them as prisons that house the self-incarcerated then so be it. But better these people should choose a life of isolation than they should be a threat to children.
But it is not what they (the sodomite infiltrators) did. They joined churches which allowed them to interact with altar boys and other young people of the parish. And looping back to the beginning of this thread - the 'leaders' of the church just shuffled them around to other parishes to prey on other young people.
But even if we pursue this tangent - the monastery and ascetic life is antithetical to the life of a Christian. He is to be a light in the world and not cover himself with a bushel. He is not to propagate the gnostic heresy by claiming the flesh is inherently evil. Weak yes, but not evil unless given over to follow the evil one.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.