[IncredibleHulk]

It has taken the Church a 1000 years to think up all that bunk Kirsten has just blessed us with but the truth is far more simple. The priesthood was pasted from father to son for centuries and they built up large holdings. The more successful families collected tithes and offerings from large areas and became enormously wealthy. They had so much money and power that they could tell the Pope where to go and make it stick. To get all the money and regain central power, families were outlawed and the Church appointed priests to the various posts rather than have family holdings.

It was just a greedy power grab.

[Valin]

It was just a greedy power grab.

Riiight < /sarcasm>

[RobbyS]

To get all the money and regain central power, families were outlawed and the Church appointed priests to the various posts rather than have family holdings. It was just a greedy power grab.

But of COURSE it was ;-]. The Church SHOULD be a monopoly of the landed nobility and/or its lapdog. But, wait, wasn't that once cause of the French Revolution?

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Amongst other things, familiarize yourself with Canon XXXIII of the Council of Elvira, 295-302 AD. I'll bet you used to sleep a lot in school, didn't you? Maybe you went to one of those alternative joints that let you determine your own curriculum.