How many do you think are just doing another job, and are going through the motions? I know there are some, but I just wonder how many.
2007-03-07 08:18:40 · 8 answers · asked by samootch 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I spent a year in a Protestant seminary. I know for a fact that many of my classmates had significantly 'alternative' views of 'God' that they could never share with their congregations.
Several were out-and-out atheist, one was more of a pro-goddess pagan type, a few had vague 'energy' type images and many had complicated abstractions that only they truly understood.
And these were the best and the brightest of the graduating clergy.
2007-03-07 08:24:49 · answer #1 · answered by The angels have the phone box. 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I think there are quite a few actually. Man is capable of hypocrisy, is he not? Some of these really evil, corrupt priests who are molesting kids for example, they use the cloth like a cloak to shield their evil deeds. I can't imagine, if they truly believed God would punish them for their acts, they would commit these horrendous acts. At least, were I God, I would be pretty ticked off when they arrived to see me, using my church to rape little kids, so, yea, there are some.
Just like I think some of the mullahs or whatever they are in Islam are corrupt too. Maybe some of them use the harder parts of the Koran to sway weak minded people to kill others in Allahs name. Can they really think God needs their help killing off sinners? Look at the recent natural events for that answer. Just the Tsunami alone was proof enough to me that God was culling his/her herd.
To answer how many, hmmm, I'd say 90-95% of the cloth, be they Catholic, Christian, Jew, or Muslim, believes in God, about 5% or so uses the institution to brain wash what they believe are weak-minded fools. That is my take on it anyway.
2007-03-07 16:39:37 · answer #2 · answered by Wolfgang92 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A significant number. I've know a few. And in my last (evangelical bible-believing) church, of those in the congregation whom I could trust enough with the question, about a third were not there because they believed but because they valued the community. So they spoke and acted as if they believed.
2007-03-07 16:39:59 · answer #3 · answered by Pedestal 42 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are a handful of books by former clergy who stopped believing in God, but didn't leave the clergy for a while. A lot of them, especially Episcopalians, have very abstract notions of God -- like the inner God.
2007-03-07 16:22:07 · answer #4 · answered by WWTSD? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An Atheist priest ??
2007-03-07 16:34:55 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sure to many it is just a job rather than a faith.
A survey pointed that out once.
2007-03-07 16:22:10 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why would they be priests if they don't believe in God?!
2007-03-07 16:21:42 · answer #7 · answered by Cardiophobia <3 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
sure how else can you explain them fondleing little boys?
gross but true right?
2007-03-07 17:33:05 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋