Why does the Catholic Church order celibacy for priests? Should Catholic priests be allowed to get married?
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/06/national/main4995851.shtml
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M$5 Answers
The theory for this practice is based on 1 Cor. 7:32-33, where Paul argues that an unmarried person is freer to devote himself to God than someone who has the added responsibility of a wife and family. Taking the entire passage in context, however, makes it clear that Paul was not forbidding marriage or marital relations, as he says in vs. 3, “The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband” (1 Cor. 7). Rather, the criteria for an “overseer” (e.g. priest / bishop / pastor) are merely that he only have one wife (1 Tim. 3:2-4). Moreover, Paul’s writing goes on to criticize those who would forbid marriage (as well as abstinence from certain foods) as having departed from the faith (1 Tim. 4:1-4), and in other passages criticizes Christians for their superstitious beliefs (Galatians 4:8-11) and for submitting to regulations that are intended to punish or restrict the natural life of men, which “are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (Colossians 2:20-23).
Considerations of Biblical passages such as those cited above are part of the reason the protestant reformation repudiated the Roman Catholic stance on celibacy, with Martin Luther and several ex-monks and ex-nuns marrying (2).
Personally, I believe that celibacy should not be a requirement for priesthood. Sex is a natural and innate desire, and it is a mistake to forbid it altogether. If priests want to voluntarily take a vow of celibacy, that is another thing.
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I don't agree with the practice, I think that it hurts the ability of the priest to be empathetic to the parishioners, but I understand why the tradition was so important at that time.
Cambridge Medieval World History, Short Version, Volume I
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This is a good point, and it is interesting to think about what might happen if the ban was lifted. The Catholic church has the same strict, authoritarian hierarchy today that it did then, and it still has great wealth and powerful positions. If bishops were married that wealth and position might again become de facto inherited. From a piety point of view, none of the other major religions have unmarried priests, preachers, or equivalents and it is very much a stretch of credibility to claim that Catholic priests are more pious than rabbis, imams, Orthodox priests, et al. .But the Catholic church is the only one with its structure and wealth and unmarried priests may be a necessary consequence.
I have always been an avid reader of the expose of Dr. Alberto Rivera an ex-Jesuit priest that RC denied about its truth! They even trying to ban and burned the comics sold in Christian (Pentecostal) bookstores about it when it was going around. I don't mention the nation, where it's done but I can share a good link for further reading if you are intersted about it more?
1. http://www.chick.com/reading/comics/0112/albertoindex.asp?wpc=0112/albertoindex.asp&wpp=a
2. These are the comics: http://www.chick.com/catalog/comiclist.asp#alberto
3. Another source: http://www.spirituallysmart.com/alberto.html
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M$You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
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I agree 100%. Why does it matter though, isn't God supposed to forgive everyone?? And any practicing Catholic...aren't they supposed to forgive him too? Any practicing Catholic should be glad that it is an adult woman and not some child (as they have been known to get involved with).
Are you suggesting that the requirement for celibacy be removed, as opposed to the prohibition of marriage? That might be a good idea.
They should be able to be married too. All of the above! lol :-)
In my view priest has to embrace celibacy .
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