New Clause in Catholicism Allows for Praying Away Gayness

It seems to me that the issue they had was that there was an issue with homosexuals prior to becoming priests while they were in seminary, going through the education process. They were in environments with all males, spending long hours, and living together. It seemed like that was the issue that concerned them.

I think they would be fools to try and blame pedophilia on homosexuality. Since priests aren't supposed to have any kind of sex, it is strange that they would be so concerned about what kind of sex the priest isn't having.

 

They mentioned tonight on NBC world news that 20% of Priests are gay ~ I wonder if they got that percentage right...

 

Well, I don't think its that politically friendly of a topic...but it's not really connected to the priest scandals...its more of a what the heck are they teaching in those seminaries any way type thing that has been bugging a lot of Catholics. Homosexual acts are pretty much a sin too. JPII was great but he was loose on seminary standards and running a tight ship. This is an attempt to correct that looseness and focus the seminaries back to their true calling, which is not one of lustful pleasure on any front.

 

Do you have to be 'free' of hetrosexuality for three years to be a priest too? Or is this just more homophobic bigotry from the Catholic Church?

 

Give it a rest dude; it's not about sex, its about vocation...

 

The vocation makes a bigoted distinction between one type of person and another. It's not appropriate to say this doesn't matter because all priests are meant to be celibate -- they have a special rule in place now requiring three years free from what? Gay sex? Gay thoughts? And no similar rule regarding hetero ones. It's bigotry.

 

Give it a break, man. Almost all religions feel that homosexuality is a sin. Why are you getting so animated about a religion making a distinction on who is to represent that religion to others? Just because its Catholicism?

I am a former altar boy. There are a lot of female altar girls (in many parishes the females outnumber the males) now but you don't see near as high of a number of females being molested as little boys. I don't think the church is trying to blame away pedophilia on homosexuality but rather they're simply pointing out that the pedophiles of the church so far have been homosexuals.

The way many of you concentrate on the "cons" of Catholicism all the while focusing on the "pros" of Islam amazes me. Can't you guys see that BOTH religions have good and bad points?

 

Batman;

I've made the church's stance perfectly clear about a million times for you...if you don't like it, write a play and see how well it does, the church's stance is not going to change.

For one, lustful thoughts on both sides are to be done away with for one entering the priesthood, but especially homosexual thoughts because they go against the Catholic doctrine of the proper use of the body. Guess what, seminarians shouldn't masturbate to heterosexual p*rn either! However, a heterosexual desire for completion with a woman is perfectly in line with the Catholic doctrine about the proper use of the body (qualified of course by being within the bounds of marriage and not deviant). The key is to understand one's vocation and work to improve spiritually. A lay Catholic man should not be lusting with his eyes for women other than his wife, or women outside of marriage; simply because it goes against the Catholic doctrine regarding marriage. A homosexual man should not be acting out on his tendencies or fantasizing about them either. Rather, he turns his thoughts towards God, towards his vocation as a priest and what the difference is in that vocation and in the lay vocation.

A homosexual urge is simply a different cross to bare, but one that has not been attended to at many seminaries. I have friends who have left the seminary that is run by my diocese and is conencted with my school who say that they couldn't believe the rampant homosexuality that was seen and practiced there. This goes against church doctrine and leads to a weakening in the church as a whole. I don't often hear stories about girls being snuck in there, so it would seem as if that problem doesn't exist, and if it does, in a very minute manner. Not to say that that is something that is good, but definitely not something that is bringing the church down.

The whole issue seems completely unconnected to the priest scandal to me though. It is wholely rooted in the issue of vocation, and as far as I know it the church doesn't advocate practicing homosexual as a spiritual vocation.If you don't try to see it through the church's eyes then you're just going to keep getting mad and calling us bigots when we have in bold letters in the cathecism that it is sinful to treat practicing homosexuals like any less of a person.

 

With all due respect, I think the enforced containment of sexual desires is a big reason why the priest scandal is/has been happening.

 

IIRC the Catholic church, albeit a LONG time ago, allowed Priests to marry. Maybe they should try that again.

 

Why is it only a problem in the past 30 years or so...right in line with the sexual revolution...? I mean to post a good long thread on this in about 3 or 4 weeks when finals and papers are done.

 

This argument is a bit misleading. We don't really know if it wasn't a problem more than 30 years ago. It was even less "accepted" then than now to come out and tell people about your abuse back then, so it may just have been kept under wraps more.

 

The argument he's making is even more untenable, allow for sexual tendencies to come to fruition? Pedophiles would be practicing even more on kids...! Or is the argument that celibacy leads to pedophilia? That doesn't do justice to the millions of people who choose a celibate life and live it well.....specious arguement if you ask me...

 

I think homosexuals and pedophiles might want to become Priests to try to escape from themselves. They might think taking a vow of abstinence for god will "cure" them. The only thing this has to do with the sexual revolution is that people are able to talk about it more knowledgeably now and that's why this is coming out. We wouldnt even be having this converstaion 40 years ago.

 

I'll just say this. Religion is stupid. That is all.

 

I did not know Catholicism prevented people from praying for something


Rocket River

 

Well, its more likely that there will be accepted gay priests than female ones, so its not totally assbackwards. I mean, a priest with boobies? blasphemy I say.