Comment on JeSUS
Maggoty@lemmy.world 1 day agoFunnier that they demand their priests be celibate but don’t recognize asexuality. Like, what do they think is happening with priests who aren’t getting caught in sex scandals? Sure some of them probably just have more willpower, but I’m willing to bet money that many of them are just asexual and never had to think about it or identify that way because they were instead celibate for their faith.
AutistoMephisto@lemmy.world 1 day ago
You know, I learned that a long time ago, Catholic Priests used to be allowed to marry, but because they didn’t really have any of their own possessions or property, priests were cared and provided for by the Church. If they did get married, the wife also was cared for. And in a religion that sees birth control as blasphemy, that means that the kids would also be cared and provided for. And when you have a lot of priests, all getting married and having lots of kids, that gets expensive. So now priests have to be celibate.
dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 1 day ago
Not all catholic priests have to be celibate! Eastern rite Catholics (around 1 percent of Catholics) are able to marry and have kids! Also, there’s something called the personal ordinate, where former Anglican priests can be ordained as catholic priests and Anglican parishes/congregations can be joined to the Catholic Church while retaining uniquely Anglican cultural and liturgical elements, and if the priest is already married they can still be ordained, even though they’re ostensibly within the western rite (the one where priests can’t marry), but AFAIK if they’re unmarried when they make the switch they cannot then get married.
Orthodox priests can also marry (but only before becoming priests. If unmarried when ordained, unmarried you must remain*), and are considered to be in full communion with the Catholics, and while I’ve never looked into it, I’m sure there’s something similar to the personal ordinate for them as well.
*I like this system better than western rite. Priests can marry (and thus aren’t so pent up and rapey) but once they’re in that position of power over people they can’t. Because in theory at least, it’d be easy for an unmarried priest to take advantage of a parishioners they were sexually interested in, because there is such an inbalance of power between the two, like teacher/student but cranked up to 11. That said, Episcopalian here, and I like our system. Let priests marry, and also let queer folk be priests. I’m convinced the reason for the sexual abuse in the RCC is because of closeted people desperately seeking a way to hide their sexuality, and then becoming so ashamed, guilty, and sexually repressed that they sexually assault someone they think won’t tell. Though, there are problems with that theory such as associating homosexuality with pedophilia, which I’m not trying to do. I’m a gay man myself, I know the harm that stereotype brings. But sexual repression ain’t good, is the point, especially when coupled with the horrible shame and guilt the RCC throws at it
Maggoty@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Interesting, I grew up Catholic and never knew there were exceptions.
dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 1 day ago
I didn’t either until recently. I knew that historically it hadn’t always been the case, and that it was a quirk of the Catholics, not something based in the early church, but until I found the Episcopal church and started learning more about liturgical Christianity, I had no idea.
Maggoty@lemmy.world 1 day ago
It was also a very convenient way to prevent the nobility from establishing a church dynasty.
andros_rex@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Also a convenient place to dump non-inheriting sons.