[Destro]

It is easy. Ask any Catholic scholar - did the Council of Nicea allow married clergy (Pope voted yes on it)? Yes. End of story.

PS: I find it funny that Catholics trot out the Bible and get all Protestant Sola Scriptura like on this subject and in this case ignore tradition the ecumenical council rulings. Words alone can be twisted around and made to mean many things. That is why the Church fathers rejected Sola Scriptura and created the Ecumenical Councils to debate create the canons of the Church. Married Clergy was thus confirmed as acceptable up to a point by the Apostolic successors.

[saradippity]

I did a Google search and found that the information you are using is subject to dispute. Just hit on a couple of references on the Council of Nicea. I input the name of the council and then followed it with celibacy,continence and pulled up some interesting articles that show it is not quite as you relate it.

Regards the reasons scriptures are used by Catholics to argue celibacy;when arguing with Bible only Christians they could or would not argue except by using biblical references. To continue the debate it was necessary.Going to scripture turned out to be the very easiest argument for celibacy imaginable.

Just goes to show you how "spot on" Pope John Paul II was in his encyclical Fides et Ratio. He starts out by saying faith and reason are two wings carrying us to Truth. Powerful encyclical ,you should read it.

[bigcat00]

And, lest we lose sight of the original discussion, celibacy does not cause someone to molest kids.