If a priest takes a vow of celibacy, why don't they just become eunuchs?
144822
cos then they would not have much left to play with!!!!!\n\nand we all no how much priests like to play with things even when they dont belong to them
273705
Sacred Scripture repeatedly attests to the great value of a celibate life:\n\n[His] disciples said to him, "If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry." He answered, "Not all can accept [this] word, but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it."  Mt 19:10-12.\n\n"So then, the one who marries does well; the one who does not marry will do better." 1 Cor 7:38.\n\nJesus Christ mainfested this in his own life.  It is on this fact that the Catholic Church bases her mandate of priestly celibacy as the Catechism clearly states:\n\n"All the ordained ministers of the Latin Church, with the exception of permanent deacons, are normally chosen from among men of faith who live a celibate life and who intend to remain celibate "for the sake of the kingdom of heaven." Called to consecrate themselves with undivided heart to the Lord and to "the affairs of the Lord," they give themselves entirely to God and to men. Celibacy is a sign of this new life to the service of which the Church's minister is consecrated; accepted with a joyous heart celibacy radiantly proclaims the Reign of God."  CCC # 1579.
378534
why not....most clergymen are paedophiles anyway...
980194
That's a tough one. The priest that will conduct the ceremony, will have to cheat (in essence), because it is against the rules of the doctrine (as far as I know) so that is why one of the two in the couple usually submits him/herself to the demands of the other's doctrine (he will have to be baptized orthodox Christian, in your case). There are exceptions but always in a personal level, and with the fear to get everybody in trouble. I live in an officially greek orthodox country and I grew up as one too (but I don't consider myself as one anymore) so I've heard many occasions like this. I can recall few marriages like the one you're seeking to have, but they are very rare and the couples said afterwards how kind the priest was (so, you see it gets personalized) that he did not demand anything like being baptized. Good luck
799032
The reason is that during the feudal era of europe, sons inherited their father's title and posessions.  Because of this, priests' sons were assuming their father's role as priest and laying claim to the land.  This meant there were priests who had no idea what they were doing, lacking the required education, and the church was losing its lands.\n\nBy forbidding marriage, they effectively forbade legitimate heirs to priests and thus ended the theft by inheritance.\n\nHowever, there is no reason Biblically for it, and actually reason that Bishops should be REQUIRED to be married (in the Bible, Bishops are required to be married with children and in good standing in the community to prove that they could manage the house of God).\n\nSince the feudal concept of inheritance no longer applies, there is nothing that prevents the Vatican from overturning the married requirement.  Some ministers of other faiths who are in close communion with the Roman Catholic Church who convert to the RCC are given special dispensation to practice as Roman Catholic Priests despite being married.
720713
First, Judeo-Christian tradition has always held that single people be celibate. This is taught by Judaism and Christianity from before the Scriptures were written down.\n\nThe question should be: Why can't priests marry?\n\nThis idea came from the Jews, John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostle Paul.\n\nThe Jews. The Talmud argues that a person whose “soul is bound up with the Torah and is constantly occupied with it” may remain celibate (Maimonides, Laws of Marriage 15.3). This argument could certainly have been based on the biblical example of Jeremiah, a celibate prophet who was ordered by Yahweh not to marry (Jeremiah 16:1-4). Moreover, the Essenes was a group that was active in Jesus’ time that practiced celibacy and thought by most scholars to be the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls.\n\nJohn the Baptist and Jesus are both believed to have been celibate for their entire lives. Some scholars believe that either or both Jesus and John the Baptist were influenced in their celibacy by the example of the Essenes.  \n\nThe Apostle Paul is explicit about his celibacy (see 1 Cor. 7). There is also evidence in the gospel of Matthew for the practice of celibacy among at least some early Christians, in the famous passage about becoming “eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:12).  \n\nThe concept took many twists and turns over the years and will probably take a few more before Christ returns in glory.\n\nWith love in Christ.
577293
Nobody knows if Jesus was celibate or not. For the Church to claim that people are now cynical about its claim regarding Jesus being celibate because of their interest in the Da vinci code is a good thing. People need to continually question their beliefs in order to reaffirm them or dismiss them as nonsense. The church is equally cynical about the claim that Jesus and MM were an item. Nobody knows the truth. There is not enough supporting evidence either way.
652023
a big thank you thank you, this is what i have been trying to get through to ppl. Its an mental illness that affects people from all walks of life. Not just a catholic priest. Only reason they pick on the catholics about this is because the church doesn't allow the priest to get married. so there  is where they come up with this bs. My point is if  that is the case. then whats  the excuse of all the others that do this  and are married?
564508
As I understand it, a critical division is obedience to the Pope, and therefore the various rules the Catholic Church has because of Papal Bulls.  Things about divorce and birth control, for example, and about priests being celibate while Lutheran ministers get married.  A lot, really.  Martin Luther had 95 Theses, among them the concept that one can get to heaven on faith alone, and not necessarily by good works.  Also, Catholics have never approved of individuals reading the Bible (only priests), while Luther recommended it.
260126
I most certainly thirecognizee a priesthood Vatican 111 there are so many problems within our church that drasticawomeneed Ironing out 1.Should Priests be allowed to marry I say Yes, this is a man made law not God's\n2.Should a married man be able to be Pope? No because the day to day working load of the pope would take up all 0f his or her time  this also goes for Bishops.\n4. Should we ordain women to the preisthood? Yes we are so drastically short of priests world wide certainly call womwn to be priests\n3 Should the church recognise homosexuals, Yes God made each and everyone of us in his own likeness, People do not PICK TO BE Homosexuals they are truly born this way, we must learn to love respect and welcome them all as friends, I love my Lord and God and do not agree that he would turn his back on these people, Do you know any they are usually nice patient loving souls.
310679
If a Catholic were to become weak, and in that moment of weakness commit a sin, then the church would forgive him when he asked for it.  If he were to become weak, and in that weakness stop going to the church, then the members of his church would come looking for him.  If he were to become weak, and in that weakness have sex, and in that act create a child, and in fear or a knowledge of the concequences allow for an abortion, the church turns his back on him.  THe catholic church is wonderful at having back up plans for everything, but their priorities on sex are squewed.  A condom is a backup plan.  In case I'm weak, I have this.  It's the same as having the number for a cab when you go to a bar.  In case I'm weak, I have this.  They will forgive a rapist, but a teenager who gives in to temptation is on their own.  Abstinence is hard in todays society, especially for those who don't have the self confidence to stand up to peer pressure.  Give them a back up plan!  In case they're weak...
641093
>>>I currently don't have a wife or girlfriend (although I most positively AM straight) and was giving serious thought to being single for the rest of my life so I could pursue spiritual and humanitarian goals<<<\n\nWhy not?  Catholic bishops, priests, brothers, and nuns have been doing this for centuries.  \n\nEven if you're not a Catholic priest or nun -- or even if you're not Catholic -- it's entirely possible to do this.\n\nJesus spoke of those who "made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom" and He gently challenged people to accept this lifestyle if it were within their abilities (Mt 19:12).  \n\nSt. Paul writes about how the single man can be more devoted to God -- though he didn't denigrate marriage at all, saying that marriage too was a bona fide Christian vocation. \n\nI think it's great that you're seeing the single state as an opportunity to "pursue spiritual and humanitarian goals" when a lot of the rest of us would see it as the opportunity to turn life into a big party.  \n\nAnd who knows?  You can live this life for a certain period of time, and then later on meet a woman and ... well, you know.
726914
Naturally. Not that any major religion is asking for everyone to be celibate. They'll talk of abstinence before marriage, perhaps, but they allow marriage, and of course they're OK with married folks tossing sexual abstinency out the window. At any rate, you'll hear Catholics, among others, argue that the more secular an industrialized society gets, the lower the birth rate goes. Many leaders of the faithful want higher birth rates ... so you'll have trouble linking faith and universal celibacy.
1028805
No, they can even be mothers and if they are widowed they can be a nun. They are celibate, devoted to Jesus and are married to the church per say when they enter.
106456
He is basically the captain of the priests in his diocese.  He ordains them, disciplines them, assigns them, and assists them with any problems in their parish.\n\nIn the alternative:  It moves only diagonally on the chess board.
328792
I think it is possible, but really difficult.\n\nPaul told Christians not to marry if they could avoid it, but I think it was mostly because of the coming persecution.\n\nI don't see any Biblical basis for having a celibate priesthood.  Peter was married.  Jesus healed his wife's mother.  Matthew 8:14
799950
The vast majority of Catholic priests are not child molesters.  \n\nAnd the vast majority of child molesters are not Catholic priests.  \n\n.