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To: jjhunsecker
I'm not Catholic, but I would like to chime in. Let's see what the Apostle Paul has to say about this in 1st Timothy.
3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
3:5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Note that Paul doesn't say to not have more than one wife. He says you must be married to one wife to be a bishop in the church. Having a family and ruling a household is a requirement for church leadership. How can a man be tested to see if he can care for the Church if he doesn't even have a family to take care of? How can he be checked on to see if he is fit for the task?
45 posted on 04/07/2002 4:04:02 PM PDT by flair2000
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To: flair2000
Paul wasn't married. He was a celibate. Should we exclude him and his teachings regarding the Christian faith? By your logic, he's not fit to be our leader.
49 posted on 04/07/2002 5:41:54 PM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah
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