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It is not proven celibacy even relates to sex abuse. The Jehovah's Witnesses aren't celibate. Tony Alamo sure as heck wasn't celibate.
I would lean toward thinking it's more about "the thin black line", to analogize from the police's "thin blue line", and an improper job screening of potential candidates. The only relationship to celibacy I think of is that sexually perverse men might be more drawn to try celibacy. Also that in times past men entered the priesthood much younger, before they understood their own sexuality, and so ended up immature and narcissistic. (A good deal of men, sadly, did become priests for the prestige in the community)
Proper-screening, and not letting men go to seminary before say 21, I think reduces much of that. Also maybe a bit more oversight than in time past. The idea of "celibate men as a threat to the community" will remain anyway because it fits the mindset of the basically Protestant origins of our culture. The Puritans pretty much required unmarried adults live with their parents and assumed they'd be sexually perverse if allowed to roam free. Seminaries were sometimes burned to the ground by preachers because the idea men could be celibate was unthinkable so it was assumed they must be picking up prostitutes or seducing innocents.
Not only why, but what effect does it have on the spiritual leaders?
Does the sacrifice of love, sex and family help to promote the intent of the church or does it pervert it?
Hmm....you're working in a low-paying job that requires you to work long hours and relocate every so often....
And you question why they don't want married men to do it?
It's just a fact that it's common for pastor's families to suffer because he devotes a lot of time to the people of the church. Not necessarily a healthy thing...but that's just the way it is.
It is not proven celibacy even relates to sex abuse. The Jehovah's Witnesses aren't celibate. Tony Alamo sure as heck wasn't celibate.
I would lean toward thinking it's more about "the thin black line", to analogize from the police's "thin blue line", and an improper job screening of potential candidates. The only relationship to celibacy I think of is that sexually perverse men might be more drawn to try celibacy. Also that in times past men entered the priesthood much younger, before they understood their own sexuality, and so ended up immature and narcissistic. (A good deal of men, sadly, did become priests for the prestige in the community)
Proper-screening, and not letting men go to seminary before say 21, I think reduces much of that. Also maybe a bit more oversight than in time past. The idea of "celibate men as a threat to the community" will remain anyway because it fits the mindset of the basically Protestant origins of our culture. The Puritans pretty much required unmarried adults live with their parents and assumed they'd be sexually perverse if allowed to roam free. Seminaries were sometimes burned to the ground by preachers because the idea men could be celibate was unthinkable so it was assumed they must be picking up prostitutes or seducing innocents.
Interesting insights Thomas. I think we might be on the same track as to one possible correlation; sexually perverse men might be more drawn to try celibacy, and that mitigations are in order.
I never understood the reasoning behind it, what does taking away a basic human function have to do with your belief? For those who believe in god, didn't he say 'go forth and multiply', wasn't that meant for everyone? Why are leaders in certain religions considered different? I think it brought on much confusion and inner struggle, rather than freeing up the person to pray and do religious work.
I've always wondered this about the Catholic church also. I mean if married sex is NOT a sin....then why forbid marriage?! Another mechanism of control?
No.
The celibacy is so that the clergy can devote themselves to both God and their parish (or in the case of Sisters, their charges). As anyone who has a family is well aware, family is a priority. For a priest, his parish family must be the priority.
Priests are in a sense, married to the church, some I know even where a wedding band. It is so that they can devote themselves completely to the church. A family is important, and thus would distract the priest from his duties.
And Protestant abuse rate is at the same rate if not higher than the Catholic church. You just only hear about the Catholic church.
The celibacy is so that the clergy can devote themselves to both God and their parish (or in the case of Sisters, their charges). As anyone who has a family is well aware, family is a priority. For a priest, his parish family must be the priority.
Sex is the single most strongest impulse and instinct in all animals, including human beings, at times even over riding the self-preservation instict.
The founders of the Abrahamic religions realized this, and thus use that impulse/instict against their adherents as a control device.
Families are indeed an important aspect of a person's life, but as illustrated by the other Christian sects that permit their clergy to marry, and other religions as well, forced celebacy is completely unneccessary to complete one's tasks towards church and parish.
The RCC needs to catch up to the times in this aspect and allow their clergy to marry.
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