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Gay Priests


Joolye

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Mea culpa!  (That's latin for I'm stupidly wrong). :huh:

I misread your post.  I agree with you.  I read it as "If homosexuals do not think that homosexuality is sinful, then they should be ordained, practising or not."

I didn't see the "should not be ordained".

Does that make me a 'not head? :rolleyes:

I kinda wondered where you were going with that... :)

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This issue is a bit deeper and complex than it is being made out to be. For one thing, since no one wears a sign that says, "I am a homosexual." how does one know if a man is a homosexual?

As a psychologist, I believe that sexuality exists on a linear scale. Levels of attraction can very from let's say 1 to 10. These can all shift depending on a persons amount of stress, trauma and the situation they live in. It is not as if sexuality is set in stone. Therefore at what level of 'gayness' do you eliminate their chances of going to seminary?

I am a straight priest, but I know guys in the seminary who were gay and were very holy. I also know of other straight guys who had no business being in the seminary at all. I respect and submit to whatever the Pope decides, but it needs to be explored a bit more than it has been.

Ultimately, Holiness is the number one criteria for priesthood.

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Really? I thought it was the ability to look good in black...

A few years ago the Archdiocese of Chicago had an ad campaign (borrowed from the Chicago White Sox) themed "Good guys wear black"....

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As a psychologist, I believe that sexuality exists on a linear scale.  Levels of attraction can very from let's say 1 to 10.  These can all shift depending on a persons amount of stress, trauma and the situation they live in.  It is not as if sexuality is set in stone.  Therefore at what level of 'gayness' do you eliminate their chances of going to seminary? 

I am a straight priest, but I know guys in the seminary who were gay and were very holy.  I also know of other straight guys who had no business being in the seminary at all.  I respect and submit to whatever the Pope decides, but it needs to be explored a bit more than it has been.

Ultimately, Holiness is the number one criteria for priesthood.

I agree sexuality is a continium, not a fixed entity.

I do not think its appropriate to put someone in a situation where they are surrounded by temptation.

If you think its ok, maybe we should put the straight seminarians in a dorm filled with 25 women and see how well they do after 6 years.

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Cmom,

But aren't straight priests faced with similar temptations regularly? Ok, maybe not at Seminary but with Secretaries, parishoners they are counselling, women they meet, etc. In todays world sexual temptation is every where, for everyone. I think that if a person has a proven record of chastity, then they should be eligible for the priesthood. Fr. Neuhaus of First Things has said that the current crisis boils down to fidelity. Gay, straight, whatever, are priests being faithful to their vows?

peace...

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Cmom,

But aren't straight priests faced with similar temptations regularly?  Ok, maybe not at Seminary but with Secretaries, parishoners they are counselling, women they meet, etc.  In todays world sexual temptation is every where, for everyone.  I think that if a person has a proven record of chastity, then they should be eligible for the priesthood.  Fr. Neuhaus of First Things has said that the current crisis boils down to fidelity.  Gay, straight, whatever, are priests being faithful to their vows?

peace...

Sure they are faced with temptation, but they don't LIVE with temptation.

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Theologian in Training

Sure they are faced with temptation, but they don't LIVE with temptation.

Exactly! You put a bunch of seminarians with a bunch of women in the same house and live with them for 4-7 years, it would not be easy for anyone, no matter how committed they are. Incidentally, that is why they no longer have co-ed cloisters, there were too many scandals and "little monks and nuns" running around.

God Bless

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the bible says to flee temptation 2tim 2:22 i think

if it was that easy to defeat it the bible would say to hang around temptation and play a bit with it... but it says FLEE....

sure it's everywhere but to place yourself in an exitable situation where you are being tempted is just foolish...

Take for instance the show temptation island... they all go on at the start... "i would never ever ever ever cheat on him...i love him" but then they place themselves voluntarily into a place filled with temptation and most of them fall.... why??? because an action of love would be to run from any situation that could cause you to be tempted because no matter how strong you are... you will fall... you get one chance to run....

that's why paul said it is better to be married than to burn with sexual desire... he understood what was more important...

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