RE: One in six clergy in holland either agnostic or atheist.
August 7, 2011 at 2:01 am
(This post was last modified: August 7, 2011 at 2:03 am by Oldandeasilyconfused.)
(August 7, 2011 at 12:20 am)FaithNoMore Wrote: Why would a person be a member of the clergy if he/she is not religious?
Well,traditionally it's been a petty lucrative and downright convenient gig.
For the poor,it meant getting fed every day,not freezing death in winter and possibly learning to read.
The aristocracy would send recalcitrant females into nunneries,with no say in the matter. As time went by, the aristocracy had a new option for the most stupid younger son:they sent him into the church. This quaint ,pragmatic custom has only recently died out.
PLUS the English universities of Cambridge and Oxford originally qualified a young man for the clergy,with a classical education.Many took the cloth and got a parish,which came with a 'living (tithing being mandatory by law)
A clergyman did bugger all, so had the time and means to follow any other interest he chose,although drinking, gambling ad whoring were frowned upon. I'm thinking of Darwin's remarkable family and the Augustinian monk Gregor t Mendel.
Today,, I would think a lack of belief would be virtually required for the infestation of con men and common thieves who give humbugs a bad name,the televangelists. Then there's clergy for a whole bushel of REALLY loopy beliefs.EG the US lunar religious right, Mormons, and of course Scientology.
One more factor no church wants you to know: Most churches lose LOT of clergy when previously naive and idealistic young people reach early middle age,start asking embarrassing questions and having regrets.
Of the good brothers who beat the living fuck out of me, a full 80% left the order. My favourite was brother Athanasius, a gentle soul who never hit anyone. At age 38,he eloped with the school librarian.
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TANGENT :Trivia:
In the Republic Of Ireland, in the 1950's there was one Catholic priest for every 200 people. Like I said,it's lucrative gig ,especially if you were poor.