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To: NYer

Being a Protestant, I'm not going to criticize the Catholic religion for their wanting their clergy to remain celibate and unmarried. Just a couple of observations.

First, being our clergy are allowed to be married I feel because they have the same problems in marriage that their congregational members have, they can understand these problems and are better able to give guidance based on actual experience.

Secondly, and this problem is not restricted to the Catholic church, but does appear to be more prevalent (could be the press just makes a bigger deal of it) but the sexual abuse of young children that are in their congregations. Could marriage of the clergy lower these instances. I can't answer that, but when you look at publicized cases maybe it would. I do believe the actions of these priests reflects unfavorably on the Catholic religion and it shouldn't. The actions of a few shouldn't reflect on the majority who are God fearing people.


11 posted on 12/14/2004 3:51:55 AM PST by MadAnthony1776
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To: MadAnthony1776

Nope.

First off, a homosexual predator won't "solve his problem" by marrying a woman.

Secondly, you and I both know that married clerics also hop into adultery quite regularly.

It's a matter of self-control, just like you tell your children (I hope...)


25 posted on 12/14/2004 5:17:37 AM PST by ninenot (Minister of Membership, TomasTorquemadaGentlemen'sClub)
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To: MadAnthony1776

On the surface it sounds like a good argument, that married clergy can relate better to their married congregation, but than what about all the singles?
As a Biblical counselor we do not counsel from our experience but from the principles throughout the Bible.
Therefore, you don't have to be married to show what God says about the institute of marriage.
Also, married people sexually abuse children. Celibacy is not the problem.


42 posted on 12/14/2004 5:41:34 AM PST by California Brown Girl
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To: MadAnthony1776
First, being our clergy are allowed to be married I feel because they have the same problems in marriage that their congregational members have, they can understand these problems and are better able to give guidance based on actual experience

*Must they have used heroin to counsel addicts?

86 posted on 12/15/2004 3:14:00 AM PST by bornacatholic
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