Catholic Church's stance on gays

[FilmFestGuy]

I do have a question about the Catholic Church's recent document on homosexuality... If all priests are supposed to be celebate, what difference does it make if the priest is gay or straight? Who cares about orientation if they are not supposed to have sex?
I think this is a terrible decision, personally. Responsible priests who know they are gay but uphold their vows, how are they different from a straight priest?
This is simply crazy. They, like a lot of uninformed people, assume that homosexuality is linked to pedophilia. That's a tragic misunderstanding of sexuality and will only further the damage against the Catholic Church.
Personally (and I'm Anglo-Catholic), I think that forcing a human being, who is natually sexual, to completely eliminate their sexual urges, only causes mental instability when it comes to such issues. However, if you insist that humans are to be celebate, then what difference does it make what their orientation is?
That's my question.

[mataj]

Priest celibacy is economical, not sexual thing. Priests are prohibited from supporting kids, not making them. They haven't to be paid that much this way, and they have more time & energy to devote to the church.

By the medieval period, European kings and princes were donating property to the Church in exchange for faithful service and for indulgences--guarantees of time off in purgatory. Married priests in turn were leaving this property to their heirs--that is, the property was returning to secular control.

Several 11th century popes attempted to control the disposition of this wealth, climaxing with Gregory VII's decrees of 1075: married priests couldn't say Mass, and new priests had to vow celibacy. Celibacy became mandatory for all priests in 1139, ending the possibility of priests having legitimate heirs to whom they could bequeath Church property. There was nothing theological in Pope Gregory's directive.

[::Major_Baker::]

it's intstitutional sexual represiion that results in sex crimes, and should be banned. Simple as that.

[mataj]

it's intstitutional sexual represiion that results in sex crimes, and should be banned. Simple as that.You got it all wrong. Nothing Catholic Church says shuld be taken at face value. Most of things around RCC are not what they appear to be (Mother Theresa, for example (http://website.lineone.net/~bajuu/)). Celibacy is no exception. Celibacy doesn't mean priests may not have sex. They may have it as much as they like, any kind they want- as long as their parish doesn't speak aloud about it. As a matter of fact, Catholics must keep such things secret, under threat of excommunication (http://www.europalaica.com/noticias/n_05_04_24.htm)

Priests may make kids, but they may not support them. That's the essence of celibacy. It's about money, not about sex or theology.

[::Major_Baker::]

You got it all wrong. Nothing Catholic Church says shuld be taken at face value. Most of things around RCC are not what they appear to be (Mother Theresa, for example (http://website.lineone.net/~bajuu/)). Celibacy is no exception. Celibacy doesn't mean priests may not have sex. They may have it as much as they like, any kind they want- as long as their parish doesn't speak aloud about it. As a matter of fact, Catholics must keep such things secret, under threat of excommunication (http://www.europalaica.com/noticias/n_05_04_24.htm)

Priests may make kids, but they may not support them. That's the essence of celibacy. It's about money, not about sex or theology.

How do you figure? If the can get excommunicated for having sex, then this is essentially mandatory sexual repression. Let me read the link you posted.

[mataj]

How do you figure? If the can get excommunicated for having sex, then this is essentially mandatory sexual repression. Let me read the link you posted.No, no, no, you don't understand! Priest is not excommunicated for having sex. Those, who talk about it are excommunicated. Priest sex is lesser offence, if at all. Talking about priest having sex, however, is the most serious crime.

RCC is all about appearance. Deeds don't matter here, only talking does.

[DRMIZER]

I do have a question about the Catholic Church's recent document on homosexuality... If all priests are supposed to be celebate, what difference does it make if the priest is gay or straight? Who cares about orientation if they are not supposed to have sex?
I think this is a terrible decision, personally. Responsible priests who know they are gay but uphold their vows, how are they different from a straight priest?
This is simply crazy. They, like a lot of uninformed people, assume that homosexuality is linked to pedophilia. That's a tragic misunderstanding of sexuality and will only further the damage against the Catholic Church.
Personally (and I'm Anglo-Catholic), I think that forcing a human being, who is natually sexual, to completely eliminate their sexual urges, only causes mental instability when it comes to such issues. However, if you insist that humans are to be celebate, then what difference does it make what their orientation is?
That's my question.Absolutely the first points I made. homosexuality is NOT related to pedophilia. And if you're really celebate, what difference does your orientation make. Where are the rocket scientists?

[::Major_Baker::]

No, no, no, you don't understand! Priest is not excommunicated for having sex. Those, who talk about it are excommunicated. Priest sex is lesser offence, if at all. Talking about priest having sex, however, is the most serious crime.

RCC is all about appearance. Deeds don't matter here, only talking does.
ok, well regardless, if you don't have sex you have nothing to worry about right? If you do and someone says something, then you could get in trouble. Therefore: having sex could get you excommunicated. Not having sex could not get you excommunictaed for violating this part.

Anyways, it is SICK to deny human beings the right to openly have sex, AND TALK ABOUT IT IF THEY WANT TO.

Sick and wrong, and sex crimes result.

[Russikan]

ok, well regardless, if you don't have sex you have nothing to worry about right? If you do and someone says something, then you could get in trouble. Therefore: having sex could get you excommunicated. Not having sex could not get you excommunictaed for violating this part.

Anyways, it is SICK to deny human beings the right to openly have sex, AND TALK ABOUT IT IF THEY WANT TO.

Sick and wrong, and sex crimes result.

No, what he's saying is that priest don't get excommunicated for having sex. It's other people who get excommunicated for talking about it. Preists who have sex are okay, unless it's children in which case they have to be moved.

[::Major_Baker::]

No, what he's saying is that priest don't get excommunicated for having sex. It's other people who get excommunicated for talking about it. Preists who have sex are okay, unless it's children in which case they have to be moved.
so there's no 'dude, you should have seen the hottie I bagged last night' water cooler talk in the church?

So if I am a priest, and have sex with a girl (normal age) and tell my priest buddy, who in turn tells someone else, he could be excommunicated? ya know what....Why do I care anyways, I'm not catholic, and can have sex with whoever I please, adn tell people about it if I wish.

[mataj]

So if I am a priest, and have sex with a girl (normal age)Of any age. Or a boy. Or something else. It doesn't matter.

and tell my priest buddy, who in turn tells someone else, he could be excommunicated?Priest buddies are not a problem.

If a girl priest had sex with gets pregnant, and decides to make paterinty test & sue for child support, she can get excommunicated. Or a girl's parents, if she was a minor. Or a boy's parents, for that matter. Priest, on the other hand, is not punished. If necessary, for peace' sake, he's moved to some other parish, where people don't know him. Priest gets excommunicated only if he marries the woman he's having sex with.

[The Big Bog]

So they can have sex but can't use birth control and if they do have children they have to give them up for adoption or something since they're not allowed to support them?

This isn't a church, it's a cult.

[Bad Penny]

This isn't a church, it's a cult.

Correction. It's a joke. Ironically, nobody seems to laugh at the RCC as hard as the Catholics themselves.

[The Big Bog]

An institution with that many illogical & contradictory rules is doomed to die one day. Life is simple. People just are who they are; stop making it so complex.

[mataj]

So they can have sex but can't use birth control
They can do & use anything they bloody want to, as long as they lie about it.
and if they do have children they have to give them up for adoption or something since they're not allowed to support them?RCC has special fund for such eventualities. Women, that got pregnant with priests, are supposed to accept this money to support their immaculatelly concepted offspring, and keep their mouths shut.
An institution with that many illogical & contradictory rules is doomed to die one day. Life is simple. People just are who they are; stop making it so complex.Everything is doomed to die one day, including the universe.

Having a fixed, everlasting, unchangeable rule for every possible eventuality ineviteable leads to contradictoins, but also allows greater flexibility. Contradictions never were a problem. People aren't natually logical. Logic had to be invented, and has to be learned.

[JD3]

An institution with that many illogical & contradictory rules is doomed to die one day. Life is simple. People just are who they are; stop making it so complex.

Amen, Amen. As a Catholic, I find this disheartening.

[Bad Penny]

Amen, Amen. As a Catholic, I find this disheartening.

I used to be a republican. For obvious reasons I am no longer a republican.

Is being a Catholic something you're stuck with for the rest of your life? I ask because I truly do not know. What's the rules on that? Can't one just quit?

[mataj]

I used to be a republican. For obvious reasons I am no longer a republican.

Is being a Catholic something you're stuck with for the rest of your life? I ask because I truly do not know. What's the rules on that? Can't one just quit?Of course you can quit. All you need to do is stop believing. Yea, I know, RCC claims that you are stuck, but if you don't believe it, you aren't really stuck.