First of all, children should learn to ‘take’ a no. I accept that there are nut-case parents who should be in jail. Before all this, WHY are children kept in separate rooms? So their parents can have sex ubditurbed?
Narcissistic parents are notorious for not allowing their children to have any boundaries. They have no problem going through their children’s personal belongings or even breaking or getting rid of things their child uses or loves. Children are allowed no privacy, & some narcissistic parents go as far as removing their bedroom doors. Possibly the worst thing narcissistic parents do is refusing to allow their children to say “no”.
Narcissistic parents are too self centered to realize or even care that by not allowing their children to say no, they are teaching their children some pretty terrible lessons. When children learn that saying no is bad & not allowed, this teaches them that others can treat them however they wish. This opens the door for other wicked people to abuse these children. It also sets these children up for a life of misery because they don’t believe they have the…
I Do hold Abortions to be sinful. Sinful is The Strongest word for me. [ Ladies, once you have allowed a child, even in the Most Miniscule degree, into your womb, it is no longer a question of ‘your body.’ ]
But…
This is Stupid. [ What worse can We say? ]
Abortions being Wrong (in no small degree), a 30 year sentence is equally wrong. 2 wrongs will not make a right.
Abortions become Problematic only when considered as Ending a life, a thought which is not just sociological, but also much influenced by religion.
catholics being in the majority in El Salvadore, is this a returning of the Inquisition, of sorts?
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AND, What did the pope say about this 30 year sentence?
dtp, I am an Indian. A catholic priest aged 74 yrs. that shd say something. …whatever the backgrounds, I appreciate Will for standing up for his wife. It is Chris n the Oscar committee that should apologize. if somebody talks of violence, it is Chris who is guilty.
Somebody has questioned whether Will would have slapped a white man in the same situ.
But for me the issue is: Do I have to smile/swallow it, if somebody insults my wife? Let me go the whole hog and say what if somebody blatantly misbehaves with my daughter?
…Long topic. Cannot be dealt with in a blog post.
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politicos calculate whether they will get votes, or not, by a particular statement/action. most people calculate whether their words/actions will land them in trouble/jail.
I live by the standard that that is No way to live. For me Love, Decency, Courage, Justice, Freedom, Democracy, etc, to name a few, count more than life.
I will Die on my feet, rather than live on my knees.
I stand with #WillSmith on his #slapping the idiot. joke about others’ wives, will you?
The World has a veritable Habit of making mountains out of molehills.
Eg, Will Smith’s slap, and Biden’s faux pas about putin not to be allowed to stay in power, which is Absolutely Right, of course.
And ‘Ignoring Logs in the eye!’
How many are talking about putinbombing Civilian areas of Ukraine, Not allowing People to go to Safety out of Mariupol?
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Let me go back to Will Smith.
Throw that trophy in their faces, Will.
A slap and a (verbal) Insult? What is the difference? Unless We take this Stupid Indian court’s ruling: It’s Not hate speech if said with a smile! In which case I say Up theirs, with the requisite smile, of course.
This post, long in my mind, is inspired by my Good Friend, Anna Waldherr. I had gone through two of her posts on the page/category: catholic church sex scandals:
Virginity and Celibacy Fascinates mankind, precisely because Everyone knows just How Difficult it is to Refrain from Sex.
In India, those who are close to a priest might ask: “How do You Sleep?” …I have been asked that.
You go to a Homeopathic doctor. He comes to know You are a priest. He asks: “What do You do for Sex?” (I know that patients are routinely asked about sexual behaviour in this treatment).
That is Why those who refrain from it, or claim they refrain from it(!) are held in such Awe, to the point of Veneration.
Yet there have been, and there Are those who gave up sex (sublimated, as some like to emphasise), for higher purposes, including religion. …Naughty man that I am, in the above I would include those who are Just Not Interested in sex for various reasons.
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So far I was trying to point out that the Sex Drive is one of the Strongest.
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As is my usual practice, shall speak Only of the catholic church.
We see in the Bible that ancient or even contemporary beliefs and practices were taken as a basis,but in Every case, Astonishingly New Conclusions were drawn.
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The catholic priesthood and the Bible.
Christ had Not made ‘the Unmarried state’ a ‘condition’ for being one of His Apostles (by definition, chosen from among the chosen).
True, He had remained Unmarried, and people (particularly the church) will quote Matthew 19.12, the one about ‘Eunuchs for sake of the kingdom.’
Except for John the apostle, all the others are said to have been married.
(Above: depiction of Jesus healing Peter’s Mother in law. Luke 4:38-41.)
Hardly surprising in a society which considered marriage ‘Obligatory,’ vide:
‘…Male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth…” (Gen 1.27-8).
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On the other side, the idea of ‘unmarried clergy’ started Many centuries after the Apostolic times. The people liked it, and the ‘church’ obliged. What the people like, the church is Eager to give.
The Laity like it!
A third element, if I may call it that, has to be considered. …THE LAITY would not like it if the church considers changes in this regard.
I state that the catholic church took up and promoted ‘celibacy,’ seeing the fascination it held for the masses.
Like a Bull dog, it is holding On to it.
All the above can be called
THE REASONS FOR THE UNMARRIED CLERGY IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
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As an Interlude, consider these:
Popes who were married
St. Peter, Apostle St. Felix III 483-492 (2 children) St. Hormidas 514-523 (1 son) St. Silverus (Antonia) 536-537 Hadrian II 867-872 (1 daughter) Clement IV 1265-1268 (2 daughters) Felix V 1439-1449 (1 son)
Popes who were the sons of other popes, other clergy
THE EFFECTS OF THE UNMARRIED CLERGY IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
I remember Our Dear Father De’Cyper of Our Theologate in Ranchi telling Us:
“The vow of Chastity does not mean just being Celibate (Unmarried), but being ‘Chaste,’ [Not having (Any Kind of) Sex].”
Given that, unable to speak of times 30-40 years ago, I would say that
A mere 30% of priests (bishops and cardinals are priests) might not be having some kind of sex. In other words, 70% Do practise some kind of sex. (All ‘my’ numbers, of course!)
[ Before some ‘wise’ person tells me: ‘Stop washing Your dirty linen in public,’ let me say that this article goes Much further; towards a solution, albeit old, definitely Ignored. ]
Whatever the effects of this at the Pearly Gates, I want to focus on:
The EFFECTS of The Unmarried PriesthoodRight here on Earth.
…When I was in the seminary, there was this guy one year my senior, (real case, You see), – who would invariably run his hand over the bum of anybody in front of him, particularly while climbing stairs. The last I checked, he is a senior priest, a well liked ‘preacher,’ to boot.
Once ‘I’ got his attention. Here come the ‘effects.’ I almost brought up (vomited, for those without the degree).
Those who have been Molested in More serious ways would laugh at me, for citing this.
Yes, a mere touch had been / could be So Repugnant, (I took to making Serious effort to avoid his ‘attentions’). Anybody who has had these kinds of Negative (sexual) experiences would understand.
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When I was at a certain ashram in North India, a group of young Nuns who had been raped were brought in for a time of peace and quiet. They were walking Zombies, fearsome examples of the ‘effect’ under discussion here.
(Inserting this pic in an effort to keep things interesting. The Dear Sisters were Nowhere as meaningless as this).
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I know at least two grown men today, who, though ‘successful’ in their fields, are literally broken inside. Every sort of Decorum forbids Us to say anything More about them.
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Do We Need such ‘Effects?’
This is the Most Important point here.
The Effects, which Include seemingly unerasable Shame, unnecessary Guilt, and Anger, produce Serious side effects of their own.
In short, give Rise to Sin.
When Christ has said, “”If anyone causes one of these little ones–those who believe in me–to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matthew 18.6, NIV.,
WHY have not this Abominable law, those who brought it into being, and those who keep it so, been Abolished?
What has happened is this:
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Over this issue and many others, churches have catered to the ‘wishes’ of the people, (as had Aaron with the golden calf, (Exodus 32)), and to people through the ages saying: “Give Us Pleasant things.”
Moses had been Man enough to practise what he believed in and preached, that day. Today’s hierarchy proves to the world that they Are Eunuchs (with Apologies to Eunuchs; No offence intended. Just using age old examples).
About ‘pleasant things,’ a few quotes.
‘They say to the seers, “See no more visions!” and to the prophets, “Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions.’ (Isaiah 30.10).
‘For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.’ (2 Timothy 4.3).
(About Jesus), ‘On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”‘ (John 6.60).
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Christian Hierarchy, for a Long time, has fallen prey to mammon.
Showing You a couple of pics that have interested me very much.
Those who are interested in Cricket will remember that many cricket sportsmen, esp from the Caribbean, sport thick, heavy, silver(?) chains. …These gentlemen, seemingly priests, are rolling in gold.
But who am I to comment on that? …The ‘vatican bank,’ it seems, is a Major shareholder in Beretta Arms; which produces not just hand guns, but Military Rifles.
From the picture it seems Beretta produces even (Military) helicopters and Tanks!
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The lifestyle of cardinals,
From search on: Residences of cardinals.
bishops, and even priests is luxurious.
The money for all this comes, and will keep coming from the ‘mass,’ as in the strength of the congregation.
The church does not want to lose its name as ‘The Most Numerous.’ …Loss in these numbers would also bring a Solid dent in the revenue. The church is More worried about these things than the Wrath of its Founder and Master.
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Solutions to the issue of ‘Unmarried priesthood’ in the catholic church.
The catholic hierarchy, the leaders, have ‘conveniently‘ forgotten the words at the end of their favourite quote:
“The one who can accept this should accept it.” (Matthew 19.12, end).
The authorities would say, “Of course, if You can accept celibacy come forward for priesthood.”
But the point is, WHO gave them the authority to conjoin celibacy and priesthood, when, in Every case (in All translations), Christ made it a choice?
Ergo, Here’s what I call my ‘Solution.’
Those joining for the priesthood, and even those already ordained, cannot and Should Not have Celibacy forced upon them. If they wish to marry, they should be allowed that; without being asked to forego the priesthood.
Married Priesthood Should be allowed in the catholic church.
Subsequently, those who think they want to ‘give up’ sex, (among the priests), cannot and Should Not be given Any higher regard.
Very Good thoughts from a Young Lady. I add a few words to that:
According to what I have learnt, Marriages, though made in Heaven, is Not between two perfect people; nor between people who are ‘Perfectly suited’ for each other. This would be Evident when We see that Nobody is perfect on earth.
Imperfect as We are, We have to Bear and Support Each Other, and make the Family and the World Better.
lovehappinessandpeace 