The Catholic Church

[Rick-Parker]

@Smallcald

Do you think it would force the pedophiles out of hiding if the priests were allowed to marry and have families? These sexual deviants seem to use the celibate environment of the priesthood as a smokescreen or long grass to behind. Some say the presence of child-molestors has nothing to do with the sexual frustration of celibate priests. I still don't know if the Church is an environment that produces pedophiles or just appeals to them. Thoughts?

I believe that it has to do with who/what is really behind the CC than anything else.

[OneLight]

We have our share of sex scandles in the Protestant churches as well involving married Pastors, so I don't think it is fair to blame their rules that a Priest remain single for all their troubles.

1Co 7:9 but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

I don't blame all the sex scandals on enforced celibacy,but do you think it would as prevalent if priests could marry?

Tell them the Catholic Church is wrong to insist a priest be unmarried and this wrong teaching may have something to do with the bad fruit we see in this area.

Nobody is forcing them to become a Priest. If they want to marry, they should not enter the priesthood.

Agree..or.....men should be allowed to marry if they desire and this should not disqualify them from being,or becoming,a priest.

Ya, but it's not our denomination, so it really doesn't matter what we think on this issue, does it?

Yes it does. There is supposed to be unity in the body of Christ, the church. If they claim to be brothers, and serving the same Lord, then we are part of the very same body as them, and their issues that plague their church also plague us. Eph 4...

To "stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel" is what we read in PHILIPPIANS 1:27. The trouble is that man has created doctrine by taking a verse from scripture and added their "understanding" to it, twisting the true meaning. Yes, to remain unmarried does allow one to fully concentrate on what God would have them do, but that does not disqualify them from being a priest, for scripture tells us we are all priests. 1 Peter 2:4-5 "Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

Are you agreeing with me .

Yes. Does it sound like I did not?

[~candice~]

Just checking Alan, I didn't read it right first go...

[Rick-Parker]

We have our share of sex scandles in the Protestant churches as well involving married Pastors, so I don't think it is fair to blame their rules that a Priest remain single for all their troubles.

1Co 7:9 but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

I don't blame all the sex scandals on enforced celibacy,but do you think it would as prevalent if priests could marry?

Tell them the Catholic Church is wrong to insist a priest be unmarried and this wrong teaching may have something to do with the bad fruit we see in this area.

Nobody is forcing them to become a Priest. If they want to marry, they should not enter the priesthood.

Agree..or.....men should be allowed to marry if they desire and this should not disqualify them from being,or becoming,a priest.

Ya, but it's not our denomination, so it really doesn't matter what we think on this issue, does it?

Yes it does. There is supposed to be unity in the body of Christ, the church. If they claim to be brothers, and serving the same Lord, then we are part of the very same body as them, and their issues that plague their church also plague us. Eph 4...

We are talking about the correctness of them being able to marry or not. This is an issue for Catholics to resolve, and it doesn't matter what we think about it. That is my point.

[OneLight]

We are talking about the correctness of them being able to marry or not. This is an issue for Catholics to resolve, and it doesn't matter what we think about it. That is my point.

I agree that this is about whether or not a man should marry and still be a leader of a church, but to say it is not an issue we should be concerned with is incorrect. We should care every time we hear false teachings.

[Rick-Parker]

We are talking about the correctness of them being able to marry or not. This is an issue for Catholics to resolve, and it doesn't matter what we think about it. That is my point.

I agree that this is about whether or not a man should marry and still be a leader of a church, but to say it is not an issue we should be concerned with is incorrect. We should care every time we hear false teachings.

But it isn't false teaching. It is a choice, without salvation implications, that the CC has decided it would adhere to. As has been pointed out earlier, Priests were allowed to marry at one time. The Church may be misinterpreting Scripture, but they can site Scripture to support this particular choice. And since we are not Catholics and it is not a salvation issue, what business is it for us to judge?

[EricH]

We are talking about the correctness of them being able to marry or not. This is an issue for Catholics to resolve, and it doesn't matter what we think about it. That is my point.

I agree that this is about whether or not a man should marry and still be a leader of a church, but to say it is not an issue we should be concerned with is incorrect. We should care every time we hear false teachings.

But it isn't false teaching. It is a choice, without salvation implications, that the CC has decided it would adhere to. As has been pointed out earlier, Priests were allowed to marry at one time. The Church may be misinterpreting Scripture, but they can site Scripture to support this particular choice. And since we are not Catholics and it is not a salvation issue, what business is it for us to judge?

I agree