Many of my history classes involve religion simply because the Catholic Church is intimately involved. I've taken a class on the Catholic Church in America, and am currently taking a class on the History of Christianity. This class has some teeth.....I will be learning more details of how the church shaped European history.
The Church is surrounded by the smell of corruption. It is not only the priests that abuse their position for sex. It is much more than that, but right now that is the smoke in the air.
The idea that priests are unable to marry is based in canon law. Since Jesus wasn't married (as far as we know) and Paul (one of the 12) who called on all priests to celibacy (and we see how that is going) and to "abstain from civil affairs" ~ or marriage.
The Church has made some small strides toward modernity (very small, lol) it seems unlikely that priests will be able to marry in the near future. However, I think it is prudent to mention that Jesus never called for the leaders of his church to remain unmarried. As many of the books of the Bible were written after the fact, many of the "words of Jesus" were likely manipulated by the author's own spin. But I digress.
I suppose that if the church did allow priests to marry, then there would be the double standard for gay priests. Can you imagine the outcry? And yet, it is a contradiction within the tenets of the church, for all the love and acceptance they purportedly preach. And the truth is, I doubt seriously that allowing priests to marry would solve the problem in it's entirety.
I would have to conclude by stating that in our modern world with the access we have to news and social media, it is very difficult to maintain the "secret" that there are priests (and many of them) that are not upholding the rules of their ordainment. The biggest problem the church has is a shortage of priests, which is why they prefer to sweep the ugly truth under the rug. If they had to expel all the priests accused, who will man the pulpit? In order to solve the problem, the church must find a way to encourage men to enter the priesthood ~ the age old conundrum. I'm sure there are men that feel the calling to serve, but decide they can honor their Church without entering such a cesspool. I know if it were me, I'd think the same.
However, the Church will persevere as they have for 2 thousand years. Civilizations rise and fall, and the Church is still here, limping along admittedly, but still here. It will be interesting to see what P. Frances will do ~ although this morning a cardinal (can't recall who) made public a letter he had written to Frances in 2013(?) about abuses at the hands of his priests and he did nothing. Too bad, because I kind of liked him.
Love, 365
I believe that priests were allowed to marry for many years until there was an issue with the church not controlling property. Lots of problems with organized religion because people are fallible, on the whole, I think "The Church" (all churches) has been more positive to the world than negative.
ReplyDeleteJosh, I’m not sure about that. Nothing confuses me more than a church community that spends millions on a beautiful building they go to each Sunday when the need of the poor is as high as it’s ever been. A modest building with a community that puts people in need first is what I’d like to see. But that’s just me.
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ReplyDeleteSorry about above. I realized this topic is not for me to comment on. :-)
ReplyDeleteOkie dokie.....we all have those buttons, don’t we?
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