Is it ok for a priest to be an athiest?

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mattjtayl said:
I have been seriously thinking about joining the priesthood lately, there is just one problem I don’t believe in god. Is it wrong for a priest to be an athiest?
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Call the vocations office in your diocese and have a chat w/ the director. —KCT
 
mattjtayl said:
I have been seriously thinking about joining the priesthood lately, there is just one problem I don’t believe in god. Is it wrong for a priest to be an athiest?

I enjoy helping people, I enjoy using religon to make them forget about their problems and ease the reality of death. I see religion as a way to teach people morals and kindness. I really enjoy being nice to people. Everyone has a hobby, my hobby is college, I have a bachelors in computer science, an associate in nursing, a certificate in accounting, and I am currently in graduate school to be a teacher, and still I don’t know what I want to do with my life. I thought about law school, however the more I have been thinking about it for some odd reason I am obssesed with the idea of being a priest.

I would love to be a missionary and help some of these poor people in Africa.

I am sure I wouldn’t be the first priest who questioned God’s existance; in reality there are many athiest priests.
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With your education have you ever thought of the Peace Corp or other similar organizations. I’m sure you would be a big asset; as diversified as you are, you can no doubt contribute much.
 
JimmyJeff said:
Why not become a Unitarian Minister?
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Good idea - with the Unitarian Universalists, only social justice is their concern. Unfortunately, there’s a heavy liberal emphasis on issues of morality. They’re staunch supporters of gay marriage (there’s a rainbow flag flying on just about every one of their churches).
 
Why is everyone giving replies longer than three characters?

No.
 
You might try to get into the seminary, but after all is said and done, you probably could not “pass” the initital processing and “tests”. In other words,You wouldn’t get very far in your pursuit. Why not go be a Mormon missionary or a Jewish Rabbi? Since you don’t believe in God, and just want to try it out, the religious faith shouldn’t make a difference.

Love and peace,
Mom of 5
 
JimmyJeff said:
Why not become a Unitarian Minister?
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I, too, think he should seriously consider UUA ministry. If the liberal nature of the group puts him off, I suggest he give the Peace Corp a try, then become a secular social worker. If that still doesn’t cut it for him, I suggest he re-examine his disbelief. I know a fellow who was an atheist from age 13 until 17, when he finally came to believe in God. It actually started with feeling a calling to be a priest. So maybe God is working His will somehow. Either way, I think the OP needs our prayers.
 
Or perhaps he should quit being a closet-Catholic and convert already. 😉
Steppin’ out feels mighty good, I tell ya!
 
Join a monastery instead. You’d live your life doing charity and research, and you’d probably get over that “atheist” thing while you’re at it 👍
 
Jabronie said:
Join a monastery instead. You’d live your life doing charity and research, and you’d probably get over that “atheist” thing while you’re at it 👍
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Uh, joining a Catholic monastery requires discernment as well.
 
I don’t think you should approach in any way to be a catholic preist. Being a believer in god, the church, and the teachings are a must. The Apostles Creed sums it up and if you don’t believe in it, don’t live a lie. I’m sure you have good intentions on helping people but being something your not and letting these people believe you’re something you’re not wouldn’t be the right thing to do. Or maybe you could convert, but you need to use your whole heart.
 
Even Napoleon of France, when the chief bishop thereof was elected by the people from the atheists, said that the bishop must at least believe in God.
 
I don’t think you should approach in any way to be a catholic preist. Being a believer in god, the church, and the teachings are a must. The Apostles Creed sums it up and if you don’t believe in it, don’t live a lie. I’m sure you have good intentions on helping people but being something your not and letting these people believe you’re something you’re not wouldn’t be the right thing to do. Or maybe you could convert, but you need to use your whole heart.
 
I think it would be a contradiction in philosophy for an atheist to become a priest. The sacraments are all centered on worhip, honoring and abiding by the wishes of the Almighty.

All the vows and promises that you make have belief in God at its most fundalmental basis. You would be living a lie, and could very well undermine the beliefs of others. Bad enough that you are responsible for your own soul, would you wish to be responsible for the loss of other souls as well.

Everytime you said a prayer (especially the Creed), you would be lying.
 
mattjtayl said:
I have been seriously thinking about joining the priesthood lately, there is just one problem I don’t believe in god. Is it wrong for a priest to be an athiest?
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Hey dude, a priest is someone who believes in some kinda God, and follows some kinda faith - u have neither, so u can’t be a priest.
mattjtayl said:
I enjoy helping people, I enjoy using religon to make them forget about their problems and ease the reality of death. I see religion as a way to teach people morals and kindness. I really enjoy being nice to people. Everyone has a hobby, my hobby is college, I have a bachelors in computer science, an associate in nursing, a certificate in accounting, and I am currently in graduate school to be a teacher, and still I don’t know what I want to do with my life. I thought about law school, however the more I have been thinking about it for some odd reason I am obssesed with the idea of being a priest.
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A priest is someone who helps someone deepen their relationship with their faith, and God/gods depending on thereligion. U as an atheist clearly cannot do this. To go out there and pretend u can do this is to deceive urself. Worse than that is that u’ll be deceiving pple who come to u for help in a religious kinda way. That’s like pretending to be a doctor and dispensing medical advice when u r not qualified to do so. U say u like being nice to pple - how does lying to pple equals ‘being nice’?
mattjtayl said:
I would love to be a missionary and help some of these poor people in Africa.
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Yeah, u can help pple in Africa by working for the UN or a voluntary organisation. I once worked for a student org affiliated to UNESCO. So why be a priest? I think u’r trying to be something that makes u look cool or different from other pple - there are other ways of doing this without lying to other pple.
mattjtayl said:
I am sure I wouldn’t be the first priest who questioned God’s existance; in reality there are many athiest priests.
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Name one. I’m an atheist - and i’ve never met an atheist priest in my life. I think u’r just trying to justify ur decision to pose as something u r clearly not.

U cannot justify dishonesty, faith or no faith.
 
TheGarg said:
My question is why are you an atheist??

it is far easier to believe in God, scientifically or otherwise, than it is to believe in the great Randomness of it all, which had such odds, that the catholic forums servers dont have enough bits on al thier hard drives to type the number out. 🙂 something to ponder on
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Which is more complex, god or existence? How do some people explain existence, by positing something even more complex. If no deities existed, it would still be understandable that people would posit them.
 
EBSSTF4 said:
An atheist does not question God existence; he knows there is no God. A lot of people have occasional doubts. An atheist Priest would be a con-man, Praying on peoples beliefs for his own personal gain.
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An Atheist does not know that there is no God. He thinks there is no God. Big difference!
 
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