Married Priests?

Question

Is there really anything ethicaly wrong with a married priest?
Would there not be a reduction in the sexual scandals if priests were allowed to marry? Christ is christ but humans are always vulnerable to the earthly desires and sins of the flesh. By marriage, one removes the temptations for physical sin.. God is a just god and would understand our effort to overcome sin.

Answer 1

I recently asked my Priest this question and he said that it was hard enough to take care of the day to day happenings in his parish, than it was to add to the day to day happenings, that go on in a marriage. So for him it was an easy choice.

Put it in a new perspective for me.

Answer 2

No there is nothing "ethically" wrong with married priests, and in fact there are many married Catholic priests. It is common in the Eastern Rite of the Catholic Church, and while uncommon in the Western or Latin Rite, there are some married priests even there. No, relaxing the rules about married priests would not have any effect on sexual scandals because (1) The largest group of sexual offenders are married men; (2) 99% of priests have never committed such crimes; and (3) the few priests who do molest adolescent boys are homosexual, so they wouldn't marry even if allowed to.

Answer 3

That's about the goofiest statement I've ever read.

First off, there ARE married priests. Eastern churches allow marriage before ordination.

Second: Married people don't have sex scandals? Apparently you haven't read about all the married Protestant ministers caught in adultery and child abuse scandals.

Most child abuse cases happen at the hands of either parent. Yet the focus is on a handful of priests. More bigotry towards Catholics. Sad.

Sin is sin. A bandaid doesn't help. Pointing the finger doesn't help.

Answer 4

I am Catholic, and I accept the reasoning behind Celibate Priests. They have their own vocation to God, their jobs are so consuming that they would have a hard time ever being a decent Dad and Husband.

Humans are always tempted, even married ones. Being Married does not eliminate sin.

For the few that were pedophiles, being married has nothing to do with that crime.

Peace!

Answer 5

There were Pope's that were married. At one point the catholic church took what Paul said to the extreme. God never said anything about Shepards not being allowed to marry. That was Paul's words not God's. God told us to be fruitful and multiply. How can you do that if your not following his command about marriage and parenthood. Most of the first ministers in the Christian movement were married. You never heard Christ tell a single person to leave their wife or not get married to serve him or be a leader for him.

Answer 6

Originally, priests were not forbidden to marry. Paul said that Christians should not marry if it would be too distracting from spiritual life, but he never forbade it. Priests were forbidden to marry by the Church out of greed.
In the middle ages, priests and monks, particularly those of high office, often became quite wealthy. As most parents do, they left the majority of their wealth to their children, most of whom were not priests themselves. The Church didn't like to see all this money leaving its coffers, esp since it helped the priests earn it. So it forbade marriage among priests. No marriage, no recognized children, money stays put.

Answer 7

What is it to you? Are you a priest? This question has been asked and answered a bazillion times. Why try to ridicule the Catholic Church? She is the Mother of all Christian Churches and Proverbs say "Despise not your Mother when she is old"

Besides there are a small number of married priests in the Catholic Church. They have converted over from other Churches and they have already been married so the Catholic Church lets them stay married. Were you aware of that?

Answer 8

I don't think marriage has ever been a really good deterent for those who wish to engage in infidelity.

However, I do think the bit about priests not marrying when they are charged with the duty of counseling married couples is more than strange.

Answer 9

If priests can not practise celibacy and abstinence from the temptations of sin of physical pleasures,why should he be a priest and profess as such.It is better for him to be married and be anything in life,but not a spiritual teacher.No doubt,priests are forbidden the marriage for them and there can not be any lenient view about this.

Answer 10

This is a man's rule.
There is nothing against married preachers/priests in the Bible.

If you read Genesis, it says: For this reason, man shall leave his parents and cleve to his wife. It didn't say, except priests.

I think where they get this, is Paul was not married. And his thought was, if you were in ministry, it would be easier were you not married. But, if you must, you can marry.