RE: Ask a Catholic
June 20, 2015 at 3:31 pm
(This post was last modified: June 20, 2015 at 3:32 pm by Longhorn.)
Ok, that was very in depth. Thanks.
I didn't mean it was contradicting the scripture, but thanks for clarifying that.
The problems I see with celibacy:
~it is applied to people who are supposed to be an authority in terms of marriage and family.
It seems to me that priests aren't qualified to speak as an authority on people's personal lives if they haven't got the experience needed to give advice.
I know you will say that they derive what they teach from the bible-fair enough. But there are still matters which aren't addressed in the bible, as they became problematic with changes in society. I don't think that what applied to Bronze Age Jews can be applied to today's families and marriages.
For instance, there's a lot about striking your son with a rod. Metaphorical? I'd believe it, if it wasn't mentioned so many times.
I think there are a lot of issues married couples and parents might have that priests can't comment on.
~it's unhealthy
I am certainly not denying there are people who would gladly be celibate and feel no ill effects of it. But overall, to many it may be damaging.
Those who abstain (wilfully, might I add) from sex have a death rate twice as high as those who don't. Having sex reduces risk if heart disease, depression and improves the immune system.
Repression of sexual urges, even wilful, leads to higher risk of aggression and crime. There is a link between it and insensitivity.
~it attracts the wrong kind of people
To a sexually repressed individual, celibacy appears tempting. Many who become priests are already involuntarily sexually repressed. This may lead to incidents such as sexual harassment or even child abuse in the case of sexually repressed pedophiles. Of course this in no way applies to all celibate priests, but it is an issue.
That's all I can think of right now, off the top of my head.
(June 20, 2015 at 2:48 pm)Randy Carson Wrote: Now, I fully understand that you are not a Catholic, not a Christian and not even a theist. However, what I have just shown is that Catholic thought on the subject of celibacy is consistent with with the Bible which Catholics believe to be the inspired Word of God. Consequently, the discipline of celibacy is consistent with the teachings of scripture. Is it your opinion that the Catholic Church is being inconsistent in any way?
If not, are there any other objections you have to priestly celibacy freely accepted as a gift by those to whom it is given?
I didn't mean it was contradicting the scripture, but thanks for clarifying that.
The problems I see with celibacy:
~it is applied to people who are supposed to be an authority in terms of marriage and family.
It seems to me that priests aren't qualified to speak as an authority on people's personal lives if they haven't got the experience needed to give advice.
I know you will say that they derive what they teach from the bible-fair enough. But there are still matters which aren't addressed in the bible, as they became problematic with changes in society. I don't think that what applied to Bronze Age Jews can be applied to today's families and marriages.
For instance, there's a lot about striking your son with a rod. Metaphorical? I'd believe it, if it wasn't mentioned so many times.
I think there are a lot of issues married couples and parents might have that priests can't comment on.
~it's unhealthy
I am certainly not denying there are people who would gladly be celibate and feel no ill effects of it. But overall, to many it may be damaging.
Those who abstain (wilfully, might I add) from sex have a death rate twice as high as those who don't. Having sex reduces risk if heart disease, depression and improves the immune system.
Repression of sexual urges, even wilful, leads to higher risk of aggression and crime. There is a link between it and insensitivity.
~it attracts the wrong kind of people
To a sexually repressed individual, celibacy appears tempting. Many who become priests are already involuntarily sexually repressed. This may lead to incidents such as sexual harassment or even child abuse in the case of sexually repressed pedophiles. Of course this in no way applies to all celibate priests, but it is an issue.
That's all I can think of right now, off the top of my head.