Promiscuous Priests
DISCLAIMER - In the unlikely event that this blog is actually viewed by someone lured in by the blog’s references to apostles and saints, I feel I should not let their journey be totally in vain. What follows is my obligatory post on religion. Although obligatory, it's not without considerable interest to me.
On November 29th, 2005 the Vatican plans to release a document outlining who can and who shouldn't be allowed to join the seminary. At the top of the not allowed list are "sexually active homosexuals". Huh?!? or, perhaps D'uh! Roman Catholic priests are supposed to be celibate, so how does sexual orientation even play a role here? It's like the Vatican is accepting the fact that vows of celibacy are a joke, so now the message is, when you do break those vows...and we know you will...you better break them straight! Compromising the faith or perhaps not?
Personally, I think Catholic priests have it rough. I feel the scandals you hear about are rare exceptions and not the norm, caused by a few pervs who slip through the cracks, but I don't want to get into that here. Rather, I want to discuss the underappreciated majority...the noble, good guys and the sacrifices they've made. For any normal man in today's society, devoting one's entire life to prayer, study and helping others is difficult enough, but the added feature of lifelong celibacy is the breaking point. As if
the temptations of the outside world weren't great enough, Catholic priests face it daily in their own sanctuaries. Can you just imagine the erotic, kinky stories people share at the confessional booth...or the raging pheromones emitted by a young bride at the altar, eagerly awaiting what's to come later that night? It's the priests who are manning these front lines, yet never seeing any action themselves, so it's understandable if they occassionally crack. As long as they persue discreet and consensual encounters, outside their role in the church, they deserve a break. Once satiated, they can return to their flocks with a clear mind, and concentrate on the job they set out to do, for all the right reasons.
posted by Desiderius1979 @ 12:25 PM
15 Comments:
Hmmm...I wasn't going to comment on this one so as not to have you think I have to give my 2 cents about EVERYTHING . . but I have 5 cents on this one! I totally disagree with you. I think the celibacy think is a crock. Sex is a natural thing and denying it from oneself makes for an incomplete person. This is the reason there are so many scandals; because the priests have been made to feel relations with women are wrong but they find themselves having to satisfy themselves somehow. And I definitely don't agree that priests should just be allowed to have sex to get it out of their system so they can go back to "prayer, study and helping others". I don't understand why a man with a family cannot do all of these things, and do them as well or better. Does sex prevent them from reaching some sense of enlightenment? And why is it that celibacy is what makes them the ultimate "good guys"? Fine, if they don't enjoy or want sex, that's acceptable. But to say they are soooo tempted and yet they don't give in and that makes them good is bullshit. All they did was make a choice. Everyday other people make lots of difficult choices and give up things they really love. No, a strong well rounded man can pray, study religion, use what he has learned to help others while still having a close relationship with a woman. Please don't get me wrong, it isn't that I don't respect priests because I really do and I admire many of them. What I can't stand is that this blog was written only about the men who serve God and not the women. Either you think woman cannot do it was well, or if they do they do not NEED an outlet for their sexual feelings. Afterall, that would just make them whores, right? :P :) ;)
Absolutely not. The same applies to Sisters. In Anne Rice's book the Body Thief, a nun found herself so distracted by thoughts of being with a man, she could no longer perform her duties...so she took a break, had an encounter, and later returned to her work as devout as ever. I guess she realized us men aren't all that.
The whole tortured, convoluted statement on homosexuality in the seminaries is in the end intentionally vague. Any form of genital sexual expression is already forbidden for seminarians. No one knows what "deep seeded homosexual tendencies" and supporting "gay culture" mean in practical terms.
I think the priest's purpose of celibacy is not to fortify the priest's relationship with us as is mentioned above, but to strengthen the priest's relationship with God. As is my understanding, it's done as a symbol of sacrfice to show God their devotion and commitment to him.
And when they show this devotion and commitment, what happens to them? Does God love them more because they sacrificed their sexual desires? Have they made the world, God's world, a better place? I'm not sure who mentioned that celibacy fortifies a priest's relationship with people, but my point was that in God's eyes, celibacy may not be a priority ... I want to believe He wants us to love and help one another ... the rest is entirely up to us.
I'd be interested to see what an actual priest has to say on this matter!
Sex is an instinctual function YES and an enjoyable one no doubt! Author suggests that the act should therefore be a natural entitlement and I agree, but only if we were purely instinct-driven creatures! ‘Unfortunately’, we are also tempered with reason, therefore one must understand the 'catch' associated with sex to see why it is both impossible and wrong for a priest to be allowed to dabble in the ‘low-down’ business!
Sex has the potential to be encompassingly powerful! It isn't quite like most other indulgences or urges that you may dip in and out of willy-nilly and then get help for to overcome when things don’t go as expected! And if you have not yet stumbled upon this fact …. wait a while! Life has a way of teaching us value and virtue through our folly!
Sex is something that drives us should you choose that path! Now please don't misunderstand me, I don't mean driven in a nymphomaniac sort of way. Rather, it’s more a physical-spiritual necessity to re-connect with that life source (spark) that can only be achieved through sex, while we are mortals. One can only really understand this I think, if they ‘submit’ at the right time and for the right reasons of course (cliché but true!) Now if one gives in to the urge and thinks that it will have no mark on their future, on their fate on their ideas of connection and commitment and self value ... then they are spiritually and emotionally immature and not much different or satisfied than a horny dog on the street!
Author, if you honestly believe that a priest should be allowed his/her carnal gratification and then be permitted to leave without consequence to that offering ... then I think you are like the rest of most youth, full of ideas but not much wisdom! :P
If priests can do this, then the rest of their ministry is just a lie! The church is about dedication to calling and to purpose and if you choose sex ... then according to the church, your path is assigned to marriage and bearing children! If you choose the "Cloth" then your assignment is to the mission of Christ alone! You are in effect, married to Christ and to his devotion - one of spirituality not carnal distraction! Which is all occasional dabbling will be – besides what ever happened to the sanctity of sex?
Sex is HUGE ...although I don't presume to fully grasp it's magnitude of course as I’m 25 and living in the era of moral corruption therefore I am not untainted and some green perceptions prevail! Ultimately … to each his own and God help us all … whatever our calling!
You have an idealistic view of the church. Reality is not quite so peachy...still overall good, but far from perfect. Recognizing this, I criticize and credit where appropriate.
What do you think of the notion of a man and woman only becoming spiritually whole through each other? It's talked about in DeVinci's Code, but the idea pre-dates the Judeo-Christian faiths. In essence, man and woman are yin and yang, and neither capable of truly experiencing the devine, except when in union with each other.
I believe what you believe of this notion dear Desiderius! :)
I will post my detailed answer shortly. Good discussion topic!
Some of you are quite well versed on particular issues. I should really start taking notes and thinking through my responses carefully, but that sounds like work, which was the whole point of this blog, to avoid work! So, I'll do my best to elaborate, based on the sketchy info I have and conclusions I've meade.
Basically, the theory says that women play a much greater role in our relationship with divinity, spirituality, nature, chi (whatever you want to call it), than the role traditionally assigned to them by the male-centric authority (e.g. church). Instead of being almost subordinate (e.g. Eve made from Adam's rib), they are equals, complementary equals (thus the reference to yin-yang). Without women, men cannot be close to divinity/wholeness. Women are essentially recast as the link between the devine and the human. Ancient scrips (hiden by the church of course) speak of Lilith as being Adam's first wife, one made not made from his rib, but an equal individual. Jesus himself porpagated the role of women in his teachings as well, with mother Mary and Mary Magdalene (his wife according to some). The bottom-line of which is, men cannot be spiritually complete without an intense bond with a woman...their gateway to heaven.
anonymous are u male or female? curious..
There are a number of anonymous' in this set of posts...3 including you. The 2nd and 3rd comments posted under anonymous I think are clearly from a feminine perspective. I doubt a dude would call me "dear", plus few guys would share her views on sex and have such a finely tuned vocabulary and poetic flare.
This is truly a romantic notion if one considers humanity to be fragmented mortals all grasping for a portal to heaven by whatever means fits best , in this case anatomically speaking, man & woman!
It’s ironic don’t you think that if women are indeed THE gateway to heaven and have this pervading influence as the middle-man between men and their God, that the actual revelation of heaven seems quite an inconstant occurrence in everyday life ? I mean in your own experience Desiderius, has woman really proven to be your gateway to heaven?
I believe individually we are able to achieve spiritual wholeness because that is an essential part of our nature to begin with. It’s just a matter of moving aside the distractions and devoting oneself to unlocking heaven inside. For example spiritually enlightened people who have chosen a celibate path, monks, priests, nuns, etc. may be spiritually complete through other channels as opposed to the opposite sex!
I believe that I am an aspect of The Divine (as is everything in creation) made manifest to create the opportunity for the divine nature to be glorified. A concept of brilliance is not brilliant without the practice or evidence to substantiate it!
“… In the beginning there was the Word and the Word was made flesh!...” SUBSTANTIATION!
I don’t really believe that anything exists as a fraction of anything else besides the creative energy from which we all come. All elements of creation were made complete according to their purpose but I feel that we are complimentary pieces of the God-manifestation.
Having said this, I feel that a unique opportunity can be found in the union of a man and a woman, for each to actually experience spirituality in a more tangible form. Through our relationships with each other, through devotion, patience and nurturing, most importantly through our love for one another, we can make a quality of heaven manifest on the physical plane. And that isn’t just a frilly way of me saying procreation or orgasm, it is spiritual accomplishment beyond that!
I feel rather reluctant about writing this, incase it comes across as some kind of mumbo jumbo, tantric-infused persuasion! It isn’t! I am a woman and of course inclined to softer tendencies, but I am as practical and grounded as any I know. Therefore, it is out of my own experience of this notion that I can say that when complimentary souls come together with the intention of goodness, it is beyond a sexual experience. Something is awoken which I cannot really define except to say that the experience feels entirely overwhelming and yet is neither bad nor painful …it is tapping into the source energy… heaven if you like!
Infact, even without the complete sexual act, complimentary souls can be moved to warmth just by physical contact with one another. (Desiderius, look up a poem called ‘The Reason’s Why’ and this will explain better what I mean.)
Ultimately I feel that we can experience spiritual wholeness inside on an individual path, but together, we bring the spirit itself out into the world!
A friend sent me this joke, and I thought it fit the theme of this post well, so I'll share it with you:
A woman is having an affair during the day while her husband is at work.
> Her nine-year-old son comes home unexpectedly, sees the sinning lovers and hides in the bedroom closet to watch.
> Then the woman's husband unexpectedly comes home. She hides her lover in the closet as well, not realizing that her little boy is in there already.
> The little boy says: "Dark in here."
> The man says: "Yes, it is."
> Boy: "I have a soccerball, do you want to buy it?"
> Man: "No, thanks."
> Boy: "My dad's outside, I'll call him if you don't buy it!"
> Man: "OK, how much?"
> Boy: "$250"
> A few weeks later it happened again and the boy and the lover were in the closet together again.
> Boy: "Dark in here."
> Man: "Yes, it is."
> Boy: "I have soccer boots."
> The lover, remembering the last time, asks the boy: "How much?"
> The boy says:"$750"
> The secret lover says: "Fine, I will buy them."
> A few days later, the father says to the boy: "Grab your ball and boots, let's go outside and have a game."
> The boy says: "I can't, I sold them for $1000."
> The father says: "That's terrible to overcharge your friends like that.....$1000 is way more than those two things cost. I'm going to take you to church and make you confess your sins."
> They go to church and the father makes the little boy sit in the
confession booth and he closes the door.
> The boy says: "Dark in here."
> The priest says: "Don't start that shit again!"
Cheeky! lol
Well then here's another one:
A man and a woman, well into their 80's fall madly in love, but before they could get married, they both die. So, they meet up again at the gates of heaven, and pick-up where they left off. They agree that they still want to get married, and ask St. Peter if such a thing can be done in heaven. St. Peter says, "I'm not sure, let me go and check".
While St.Peter's away, the couple discuss some more, and begin to realize that in heaven there is no 'til death do us part'...so essentially they'd be promising to stay together for eternity. Being rational adults, they realize that's a very long time. They decide that when St.Peter returns, they'll ask him if divorce is also possible in heaven, should they need it.
After a month, St.Peter finally comes back to the gates with an answer to their original question. Before he could answer, the couple asks "Are we also able to divorce should things not work out?". To which a frustrated St.Peter replies "Oh great, it took me a month to find a priest up here...I'll never find a lawyer!"
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