General Chat

Why not let them marry ? Where does it say in the Bible that priests were not allowed to marry? Were all the apostles unmarried/celibate? very unlikely in Palestine. We are not even sure if Jesus did not have a girlfriend, e.g. Magdalene. He was a young man around 30, in his culture men would marry.

El_Tigre, I am a member of the Church of Scotland and for their ministers to marry is common place, and I am in favour of everyone no matter what faith they belong to having the right to marry.

It is in our nature to be highly sexual, hooked on drugs and other stimulants, agrressive towards our neighbours, liars, cheats etc. That is "natural" man.

Civilisation teaches us rules of conduct to survive. To love, to help - but usually in a reciprocal way. If you are nice to me, I will be nice to you. Also, prison eventually awaits unless wilder instincts are curbed. And your mother!!!!!

The love of a priest or a nun for Christ should become an absolutely pure love (agape). And usually it is just that and I have met literally hundreds of lovely leaders within the Roman Catholic church who just shine with goodness. Celibacy is something they feel is absolutely right for them and their all-consuming vocation.

God bless Cardinal O'Brien and all the other great Roman Catholics. And I am a simple non-conforming Protestant :-)

SueMaid - I am talking of sexual abuse against minors from all sources, not just priests

"It is in our nature to be highly sexual, hooked on drugs and other stimulants, agrressive towards our neighbours, liars, cheats etc. That is "natural" man."

it's most certainly not in my nature or in the nature of anyone I know

The other ancient branches of the Christian church are the Coptic church in Egyt, Iraq and other parts of the Middle East and the Russian/Greek/Armenian Orthodox churches spread out from Mostar to Vladivostock.

90% of the priests in these branches are married and as with the Anglican church the priest's family are a lynch pin of the community.

The Catholic church is disintegrating and on of the reasons is the adherence to tired custom with no religious justification. Of course RC priests should marry - it would be far better than the current "housekeeper" arrangements.

Unfortunately in his years at the top of Vatican admin Benedict has packed the Cardinals with ultras determined not only that nothing should change but the wheel should be set in reverse. The current West African Cardinal who is one of the favourites is also one of the most rigid in his thinking.

Sic transit gloria mundi.

and contraception will not be allowed

It is not the natural position of human beings to lie, cheat and behave badly even for English men 20-30 years of age. Still less that they need religion to adhere to some reasonable ethics.

The natural and instinctive action is love and cooperation which all anthropological research confirms.

That is how our ancestors came out of Africa.

"JohnLovesCocoa Report 23 Feb 2013 11:14
It is in our nature to be highly sexual, hooked on drugs and other stimulants, agrressive towards our neighbours, liars, cheats etc. That is "natural" man."

WHAT? You can't honestly believe that as a believer in God surely? Either God gave us the innate 'kindness to strangers' as a given trait from Himself...in his image , or he didn't ,and we are just a bundle of hormones and unrestrained urges...frightened into 'submission' by 'self interest', prison, popes and mothers!

well said Rollo ( I was too annoyed to be as coherent as you lol).

OneFootInTheGrave,
thank you kindly for your reply. and I agree with you entirely. :-)

Benedict was quite liberal 30 years ago for a Cardinal. Probably the institution of the Vatican knocks that out of senior Catholic clergy. Even if they appoint the youngish Filipino to the role ( I stil think it will be Oullet, the Candian) he will be embedded into the Vatican within a short time.

Bit like Jim Hacker discussing change with Sir Humphrey.

I would like the wealth of the Vatican to be used to prop up the Italian economy and all priests rely on charitable arms from church members to survive. That would show great Christian humility - but I doubt they would be happy to lose their worldly power and wealth. We all like a bit of that in our own lives.

On a lighter note - Paddy Power the bookmakers has trimmed their odds from 40/1 into 33/1 on Cardinal Keith O'Brien from Scotland being the next Pope, I might just have a flutter ;-)

Yes, I think the time has come for RC priests, if they so wish, to be allowed to marry.......but, if there are those who still wish to take the vow of celibacy then that should be respected.


Mind you, it can't happen overnight - it would be a major upheaval and reform of the RC church as a whole.


I'm not sure the Anglican vicars are quite the lynch pin of society that they used to be though Rollo. At one stage yes, definitely, the vicar and his wife were held in respect and, more often than not, they worked together as a team with the wife often acting as the 'unpaid curate'.


Nowadays, many clergy wives are working and prefer of their own lives - not wishing to get involved in parochial matters.


It will be interesting to see how the RC church handle this - should it ever happen.


:-D :-D :-D

so John - no comment on the following

It is in our nature to be highly sexual, hooked on drugs and other stimulants, agrressive towards our neighbours, liars, cheats etc. That is "natural" man.

which at least three of us vehemently disagree - give us some fact from your extensive knowledge

Rose, I think John is galloping around the point of Original Sin - which is still a doctrine within Christian theology.

Wiki has quite a good article on the varying points of view. :-D

well perhaps he'd like to come back and explain for himself

Oh I know what he's galloping around Cynthia :-D Unfortunately he's not looking where he's putting his hooves ;-)

Ann, I'm not sure that would be a good idea to be honest. He would only be putting himself up for more ridicule, criticism and contempt which, even if some of it is deserved, only serves to stir up discontent and disharmony on the boards.


Of course, I realise that there are several members who are willing to goad him and wish to jump down his throat as soon as he opens his mouth, but there are also those who do not wish to be a part of such behaviour and just move gently round any offending comments with courtesy.......and a smile. :-)

Rose.......the words 'foot and mouth' come to mind. ;-)

Off to climb a tree :-D ( lol no that's not some subtle reference to primitive ancestors I'm going to see if I can help on the WDYTYA board ) :-D