questioning my faith?

[sweetsal]

After reading today how the pope has decided that no one with homosexual tendancies may enter the priesthood Im left questioning my faith. It frightens me that the church can make such a statement. Does anyone else feel this way?

[rampart]

This is a tough topic in many churches, CoE, ECUSA, Catholics, and others. There is no easy resolution to this, just as there is not one for abortion and many other topics.

Consider your church a bundle of goods. Do you like the majority of what it offers you? No single religion will be perfect, and even if it were, you will find issues at the parish level. One must come to terms with the overall parish, the overall religion. Is it generally acceptable to you? Then stay. Otherwise, try different religions.

Is the single topic of homosexuality that terribly important to you in your life where someone's position deeply affects you? If it is, then you should study the issue deeply. Why do so many church leaders have a problem with it? They have their reasons, so if this topic is a very important one to you, then make sure you know it well. After you study it, you may still not be able to reconcile yourself to your church's position. But do you walk off from that church? What about your friends and family? Some of them will be for, some against. You can't just drop anyone who does not agree with you.

There are many issues within any religion that confound us, and certainly this topic is a major one that is tough for all of us. But our decisions should not be rash. Think things through and then make your choices.

Best of luck to you.

[sweetsal]

Thanks for your advice. Although this is one of the bigger issues I have found the Catholic church and Christianity conflicting. It seems now to be more so a situation where it is love one another as long as we say it is ok. If this makes sense

[funnywebsite]

So we won't see many priests anymore then!

[Loosehead]

Well the bible is very clear on Homosexuality I think they have very little choice in their own eyes.

[funnywebsite]

So why don't they read it?

[jake-the-peg]

You would have thought that an all-knowing God that has total control of an entire universe of creation, who is time-less and compassionate wouldn't inflict an eternity of pain and damnation on some ape-like beings in an out-of-the way part of the cosmos just because of who they slept with wouldn't you?

[felinechums]

If priests are so much against homosexuality, why do so many of them think it is ok to use children to gratify their sexual urges?

[sweetsal]

I just think that it seems to make the statement that homosexuals are more likely to be pedophiles. Which is such a horrific thing to do.

[mibn2cweus]

I have this �crazy� notion that ones sexual preference follows from ones values; that one chooses how to express oneself sexually based on what makes them fell good about themselves, which in turn is based on their conclusions about what it means to be human. If ones sense of life is that it is good to be a rational and responsible person then one will choose their sexual partner and activities based on the same criteria.

But even if you disagree with this notion perhaps you would agree that the desire (need, urge, drive), to express oneself sexually is strong and that dictums as to the �proper way� to do things devoid of making a reasonable and conscious choice for oneself can only be counter productive.

[rampart]

sweetsal, I have not followed this too closely, but it sounded to me like the Catholic church was saying they do not want priests who cultivate or sponsor a homosexual lifestyle. So you can be a homosexual priest, but you must be celibate and not be supportive of homosexual relationships and lifestyles. Check me on that, because I could be wrong, but I think that is what I have heard on the telly.

[jno]

sweetsal your user name suggests you may be female, in which case your chances of making the priesthood are pretty limited anyway.

[rampart]

Unless she goes to ECUSA.

[andy hughes]

Interesting answers from all here.

The Catholic Church faces major problems on a number of fronts, not least its determination to follow its traditional doctrines, even those which fly in the face of simple practicalities and modern thought.

The notion that celibacy helps a priest to focus on his congregation is negated by the simple fact that the elevated status and un-natrual liffe led by celbate priests makes them totally unsuitable fot the pastoral care they are supposed to offer. That's leaving aside the fact that a single priest cannot marry, but a married man can become a priest.

That is one issue where the Church refuses to open its eyes to the deepening crisis in its ranks - the constantly diminishing number of men entering the priesthood puts pressure on those already in ministry, and adds to the invulnerability of those who abuse their positions - not least as active paedophiles - while the elders simply turn the other way, and move the ofenders from place to place.

I am not a Christian, but I feel that the Church is selective in its application of forgiveness and love - I would suggest that The Holy Father, and all in authority, should examine the way the world really is, and not continue to pretend that it is as they would like it to be.

[Quizmonkey]

Quite apart from the obvious homophobia of the church, their ignorance (and failure to find out the basic facts about a subject) is unbelievable. The actual wording of their statement was gobbledegook: something about it being okay if priests aren't gay but have gay tendencies. Sorry??

And it's a waste of time people banging on about what it says in the bible: that book says a hell of a lot of things that no-one has either practised or believed for centuries (eg see Leviticus).

You have every right to question a faith which can have very little role in, or relevance to, our present lives.

[brionon]

if you join a club follow the rules-daft as they may be.

[lady_p_gold]

No-one with 'tendencies' may enter the priesthood but its ok if some of your priests abuse children to cover it all up and send them off somewhere else to ruin a few more lives. I have faith ... in compassion, intelligent and thoughtful solving of problems in relation to each individual and in the celebration of humanity and the hope that those who purport to be Christians might one day actually act in the true spirit of Christianity. I do not question my faith but it is certainly not in the Church or in any religion that would try to manipulate and rule by fear and division.

[jno]

in most clubs brionon members can change the rules

[einsteinsdog]

How does anyone reconcile historical views with modern `enlightened` ones .Its actually impossible , and it seems to me these conflicts will run and run . If people want religion then expect to find tricky bits , after all religion tries to answer some impossible questions

[kaktus]

rampart I read about that in the paper. The text apparently was a bit vague on that point, but a cardinal was quoted for saying that homosexuality was not to be accepted in any way - celibacy or not. The "loop hole" was that if a person had experimented when young and then found out that he was actually heterosexual he could be accepted as a priest.