[RobbyS]

And I would argue that history shows that the burden of celibacy is not unbearable. One can admit that the married clergy of the Greek or the Anglican Churches --just to stick to the episcopal churches--have great good work with denying the extraordinary deeds of monks and friars and nuns. The demoralized corps of Catholic priests of the last 30 years. is not typical. Indeed, it can be pointed out as an example of the occasional periods of decadence. More often than not, these periods were charactized by the usurpation of Church offices by particular families. But the periods of growth in the Church are charactized by the resurgence of monasticism. Europe was converted to Christianity by a relative handful of monks, an event that would not have been possible except for the strength of the institution that sent them forth. Now that is the "relgious." Secular priests were brought under the rule of celibacy, and that gradually and only in the Latin Church, because of the perceived superiority of that state, and because of the advantages of maintaining the independence of the Church.

[DallasMike]

And I would argue that history shows that the burden of celibacy is not unbearable.

I'll stick with what God's Word says -- He had a specific reason for permitting married clergy and we would be unwise to ignore it. Even if only one priest is hurt by imposing the unbiblical doctrine of clergy celibacy, that is one priest too many.