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Prodigal_Son1
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Care to provide the sources to support your opinion of, ‘Celibacy can attract a higher percentage of men with disturbed sexuality since they may feel that it will help them cure and/or hide their problem’? Without the proper research to validate your opinion, your opinion is based on your own speculation.ProdigalSon1
Code:Yes. it is true that there is no safe haven and that sexual exploitation of children and youth can and has invaded all areas of society, I continue to find that evidence suggests that the Catholic priesthood is more afflicted by this problem that Protestant clergy, and it has little to do with the fact that Protestants have various denominations. I have outlined some of the reasons for this already, including the difficulty of concealing such predators within a typical Protestant church where the clergy are usually regarded as leaders but also employees overseen and evaluated regularly (in most cases) by a lay committee of the congregation. Celibacy is a factor, too, even as the RC Church refuses to admit it. Celibacy can attract a higher percentage of men with disturbed sexuality since they may feel that it will help them cure and/or hide their problem. No one will ask why they're not married. It also fails to provide them with a healthy, God-created channel for sexual expression, which marriage does. I question the whole emphasis of Catholicism re sexuality. It seems to value perpetual virginity over normal lives that include sex. In a book of saints I have, bios of so many of the women saints begin with the one word, virgin, as though that were a major plus and qualification. Paul said it is better to marry than to burn, which should allow clergy to marry if they choose to. He also said that a bishop must be "the husband of only one wife...keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way." (I Tim. 3:2-4) That seems to have been the position of the early church, beginning with Peter who had a mother-in-law. It also is the position of the Eastern Orthodox Church, whose claim on being heir to the traditions of the earliest Christian Church is strong. Again, however, what may be even more distressing than abusive priests seems to have been the collusion of bishops and others in hiding the sexual crimes, and even reassigning predatory priests to other parishes. Protestantism generally has no such hierarchal authority in a position to do that. It is understandable why Catholics would want to show that Protestant ministers have been as guilty as Catholic priests in sexually exploitiing children, but I don't believe the evidence for that exists. Nonethess, the number of priests who have exploited children is a tiny, tiny fraction of priests. My educated guess is that there has been much, much more sexual contact between adult priests over the years. Evidence suggests that homosexuality had been rampant within the priesthood. Just how we should view that is a totally different question as it no longer is breaking the law in modern western society. Let us pray for all Christian clergy that they may be men (and women) of high standards of personal morality.
Normal lives that include sex? How many ‘normal’ lives experience a virgin birth, conceived by the Holy Spirit?
As for your ‘interpretation’ of scriptures, it appears you left out other verses that do not fit your view.
**Mat 19:12 For there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mothers womb: and there are eunuchs, who were made so by men: and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can take, let him take it.
1Co 7:8 But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they so continue, even as I.
1Co 7:32 But I would have you to be without solicitude. He that is without a wife is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord: how he may please God.
1Co 7:33 But he that is with a wife is solicitous for the things of the world: how he may please his wife. And he is divided.
1Co 7:34 And the unmarried woman and the virgin thinketh on the things of the Lord: that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she that is married thinketh on the things of the world: how she may please her husband.
1Co 7:35 And this I speak for your profit, not to cast a snare upon you, but for that which is decent and which may give you power to attend upon the Lord, without impediment.
2Ti 2:3 Labour as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
2Ti 2:4 No man, being a soldier to God, entangleth himself with secular businesses: that he may please him to whom he hath engaged himself.
1Ti 5:9 Let a widow be chosen of no less than threescore years of age, who hath been the wife of one husband.
1Ti 5:10 Having testimony for her good works, if she have brought up children, if she have received to harbour, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have ministered to them that suffer tribulation, if she have diligently followed every good work.
1Ti 5:11 But the younger widows avoid. For when they have grown wanton in Christ, they will marry:
1Ti 5:12 Having damnation, because they have made void their first faith. **