Just a thought about Priests

[Bangbang]

Does a Priest need to be infallible if he is Gods representitive and mediator in the Church?

 

[Aqualung]

No, I don't think so. But I certainly think they need to have pretty high standards. I think that in order to be a priest, you have to exercise the priesthood worthily. Now, that doesn't mean that they can't sin at all, but it does mean that there are certain things they just can't be doing.

 

[Bishka]

No, I don't think so. But I certainly think they need to have pretty high standards. I think that in order to be a priest, you have to exercise the priesthood worthily. Now, that doesn't mean that they can't sin at all, but it does mean that there are certain things they just can't be doing.

I agree wil Aqualung on this one.

 

[Bangbang]

No, I don't think so. But I certainly think they need to have pretty high standards. I think that in order to be a priest, you have to exercise the priesthood worthily. Now, that doesn't mean that they can't sin at all, but it does mean that there are certain things they just can't be doing.

Can they drink alcohol and smoke pot?

 

[Bishka]

Can they drink alcohol and smoke pot?

In my view, no. According to my faiths view, no.

 

[Buttons*]

Can they drink alcohol and smoke pot?

i would hope not...
*imagines a priest with a joint in hand talking about the meaning of life and aliens, laughing a bit, then coughing until he gains his composure again... then gives a snort and begins laughing again*

 

[Aqualung]

Can they drink alcohol and smoke pot?

Not our priests, and since I think my religion is the only one that has any claim to the priesthood, no.

 

[ChrisP]

i would hope not...
*imagines a priest with a joint in hand talking about the meaning of life and aliens, laughing a bit, then coughing until he gains his composure again... then gives a snort and begins laughing again*

What's wrong with that?

I think something like that depends on the religion.

Priests should be devout followers of the scriptures they are teaching. That does not necessarily mean they cannot enjoy themselves. The Pagan priests I know are a good example of this. I've been at 2.... ceremonies with them that... well I'll omit details. Let's just say they were quite unChristian.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Does a Priest need to be infallible if he is Gods representitive and mediator in the Church?

Are we only talking about priests from certain religions?

If not, priestesses and priests in my religion don't need to be infallible, if nothing else because some of us don't percieve our dieties as infallible. Pagans usually don't see our priests and priestesses as representatives as anyone other than themselves, which is also why many of us also percieve each individual practitioner as being our 'priesthood'.

But, oddly enough, thinking of myself as a priestess of my religion makes me want to be a better representative of it.

 

[Buttons*]

What's wrong with that?

tee hee, that was a pretty funny mental image.... a priest snorting into uncontrolable laughter....

 

[Bangbang]

Are we only talking about priests from certain religions?

If not, priestesses and priests in my religion don't need to be infallible, if nothing else because some of us don't percieve our dieties as infallible. Pagans usually don't see our priests and priestesses as representatives as anyone other than themselves, which is also why many of us also percieve each individual practitioner as being our 'priesthood'.

But, oddly enough, thinking of myself as a priestess of my religion makes me want to be a better representative of it.

I like your response. You get rewards.:biglaugh:

 

[Bangbang]

tee hee, that was a pretty funny mental image.... a priest snorting into uncontrolable laughter....

:biglaugh:

 

[James the Persian]

How could a priest be infallible? They're still human when all's said and done. They should certainly have (and be held to) higher standards than the laiety they minister to (and ours certainly are held to a higher standard) but infallibility is an absolute impossibility. I'd like to point out that most Christian priests, however, do have to drink alcohol otherwise how can they take the Eucharist? There's nothing wrong in Christianity with drinking (Christ drank wine, after all) only with drunkenness. I would expect a priest to drink but not to be a drunk. I also wouldn't expect a priest to smoke at all - we generally consider smoking sinful.

James

 

[sojourner]

First of all, I don't think any particular church has exclusive rights to spiritual authority. And for someone to claim exclusive rights is a slap in the face to those of us who don't follow that particular system of belief.

Secondly, what's up with all this piety? I belong to a body that has it's very roots in the apostolic succession, and our parish holds wine and cheese parties in the parish hall. Our priests drink if they want to, and they smoke if they want to...and they dance, play cards, go to movies, and go home and have sex with their wives if they want to. Priests are human beings, just as the laity are human beings...and, I might add, just as Jesus was fully human.

Should they act with propriety? Of course. Should they act in such a way that the "flock" is always protected? Absolutely. But who said anything's inherently immoral about imbibing responsibly in drink and tobacco, if one wishes to do so?

 

[Bangbang]

How could a priest be infallible? They're still human when all's said and done. They should certainly have (and be held to) higher standards than the laiety they minister to (and ours certainly are held to a higher standard) but infallibility is an absolute impossibility. I'd like to point out that most Christian priests, however, do have to drink alcohol otherwise how can they take the Eucharist? There's nothing wrong in Christianity with drinking (Christ drank wine, after all) only with drunkenness. I would expect a priest to drink but not to be a drunk. I also wouldn't expect a priest to smoke at all - we generally consider smoking sinful.

James

When I was a kid we went to a Baptist Church and Grape Juice was served instead of wine.

 

[michel]

Does a Priest need to be infallible if he is Gods representitive and mediator in the Church?

I agree with James; no human can be infallible; the only thing any of us can try to do is to sin as little as we can - and I for one am not very good at achieving that.

"The weakness of the flesh" springs to mind. I guess no one can ask more than a person's best effort, be he a priest, whatever.

 

[Bangbang]

I agree with James; no human can be infallible; the only thing any of us can try to do is to sin as little as we can - and I for one am not very good at achieving that.

"The weakness of the flesh" springs to mind. I guess no one can ask more than a person's best effort, be he a priest, whatever.

I also agree that a human can not be infallible but a representitive and mediator of the Abrahamic Faiths should strive for perfection and be a role model for the people in his/her congregation. For instance...he should not be actively engaging in sex with members of his/her congregation. If he/she is involved in this he/she should resign immediately.

 

[sojourner]

I also agree that a human can not be infallible but a representitive and mediator of the Abrahamic Faiths should strive for perfection and be a role model for the people in his/her congregation. For instance...he should not be actively engaging in sex with members of his/her congregation. If he/she is involved in this he/she should resign immediately.

Shouldn't we all be striving for perfection -- not just the priests?

 

[Bangbang]

Shouldn't we all be striving for perfection -- not just the priests?

Yes.......................regardless of our belief system we should be striving for improvement.

 

[James the Persian]

When I was a kid we went to a Baptist Church and Grape Juice was served instead of wine.

That's why I said most Christian priests. I didn't realise that baptists had priests, though. To my recollection the only Christian groups I've seen use the term priest are us, the Oriental Orthodox, the Roman Catholics and the high church Anglicans. All of us use wine and I have strong misgivings about the use of grape juice, but each to their own.

James