Maybe i'm to stupid too understand, but may someone explain to me why men called to the priesthood, need to go and ridicule themselves on reality TV show ?
Do they earn some money for charity or what ?

The five-part series tracks the lives of "four young men trying to decide whether to enter the Catholic priesthood," according to Fox News.

All of the men are in their 20s, and all apparently are sexually attracted to women.

Oh, yeah. That's reality-based.

The whole idea is cuckoo. You can't prove your faith. There are no objective tests of faith. The faithful always have to say, "God will know his own." This is why there have been and will be countless wars about faith.

So. If they aren't proving their faith, what are they doing?

This is too lame an idea for any network...zzzzzzzzzzz

The Vatican invented the "vow of celibacy" for priests in order to keep priests from having children. Without heirs, any property owned by priests would always go back to the church.

Yes, priests were allowed to marry up until about the 11th century AD. That's when the Vatican realized that they were missing out on a goldmine. You can apply that old "follow the money" dictum just about everywhere.

Deja Pseu, I think you have it backwards. The problem was that the priests were embezzling all the tithes given to the church. It's the same hustle that CEOs are running today. They give themselves huge salaries, obscene perks, and tons of stock options while managing their companies down the toilet.

"A celibate clergy is an especially good idea, because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism." --Carl Sagan

"It's the same hustle that CEOs are running today. They give themselves huge salaries, obscene perks, and tons of stock options while managing their companies down the toilet."

I think all companies (and all religions) "jump the shark" at some point. They get started by some visionary who has an idea he's passionate about and it becomes the next big thing. After a while, people start running it who are more interested in their own personal gain than that of the entity they are there to manage. After all, why should some 45-year-old CEO care whether the company he manages is still around in another 50 years? He's not even going to be alive by then - his goal is just to take and take and take as much as he can for himself and then retire to an island someplace warm.

At the last company I worked for, all the key IT people were 20-40% undercompensated compared to the rest of the job market, and they were turning over like crazy. There just wasn't enough money in the budget to pay them more, but somehow there was an extra $450K to give the president a new type of stock option. He'll make out like a bandit and retire in a few years, but the company won't be able to integrate its systems.

The nice thing is that in a free market, as long as the government doesn't start robbing the taxpayers to bail out companies like that, competitors sprout up who can take better care of the company's customers, and the shark jumper goes out of business after a while. (Then those same competitors repeat the cycle, and new competitors sprout up later.)

Crid, that is a fabulous quote. I must read more Carl Sagan!

I just want to point out that the story ran APRIL 1. I think you've been had, Amy.

> I think you've been had

Newky, even if the particulars are bogus, the spirit of the thing holds. When these guys give their lives to the church, they give it all. Even just a few decades ago, three squares under tight roof in exchange for your sexuality (and your immortal soul) was a good trade. Nowadays the market for labor has loosened, and almost anyone who can show up sober to a job will make enough to live as well as priests do early in their careers. Would you like a boisenberry muffin with your Frappucino this morning?

I agree with you: Historically, the trade was not that mechanistic, and not so squarely directed towards sexuality. But forty years after the Second Vatican Council, the church's institutions are creaking badly, especially in the pants.

As a lifelong prankster, I always have respect for people who prank me successfully. Last one was Maia, Cathy Seipp's daughter, who sent me the most realistic-sounding question from "Randy," who'd supposedly knocked up his Mormon girlfriend, and was going to have to marry her and move into her parents' garage.

If you keep the clergy celibate then you don't have to worry about them screwing your wives. Same reason to marry virgins to ensure the kids are yours. Money? Yeah I agree, but it also keeps a potentially intimate relationship from turning into an affair. Two birds, one stone.

Well, first off this show I think is a great idea because it shows a good side of the Catholic Church and not what everyone have been seeing theough all of these sex scandels. It shows men who are committed to their faith. Dan DeMatte carrying the cross was to give him a deeper understanding of what Jesus went through so he could embrase his faith more. Adair was also putting himself in the shoes of Jesus by surronding himself with the poor as Jesus did. These man who are on this show display their faith as number one in their life. This show, displays what chalanges a Priest must go through to become a Priest. It shows the dedication it takes to overcome all the sterotypes that have been given to them. They must give up all lust for women and attraction to them to be one with their faith and God. The reason they can not get married ir have children is because they are married to the Church and that should be, and is, number one in their life.

Andy, when they say it's not the money, it's the principle...it's the money. The Church makes it's money on the naiveté of people like you. The Church is the second largest landowner in New York City, for example...coming in second only to the city itself, I believe. Vow of poverty? Hah. There's gold in them there Vatican. But, you just keep feeding the collection plate! I believe Pat Robertson needs the money.

Amy, Does the Catholic Church get money for this show that that had no original affiliation with? NO! And they still support this show and the radical approach that these men take to their faith. Another thing, Amy, all Priest do not take a Vow of poverty, maybe you should read the Canon Law and get it straight. You are making it sound like the Catholic Church does not do anything to support anyone that is not receiving the basic human needs. This notion that you have hinted at is completely untrue the Catholic Church does do many things that help others.

Much Love,

Andy

The way the show is portrayed on your site is completely biased and not factual in nearly any way. First of all, the show is not "pitting" young men "called" to the priesthood against "sexy young gals". Let me explain. First off, none of these men knew going into this show whether or not they were called to the priesthood. That is what the show was helping them to do, as well as opening people's eyes to what discernment entails. No woman was stealing them away from their calling. Those who choose to date and eventually marry are doing so not because of any woman's ability to manipulate them away from their call, but because God has called them to marry. Secondly, The producers themselves said that what they originally intended to be a reality show turned more so into a documentary because of the outstanding moral capacity all four men held it was impossible to force them to do anything. Therefore, they were not "commmanded to do ridiculous things". All the ideas were their, or their spiritual directors ideas. It was all real. It was not an attempt to "prove their faith", it was instead an attempt to draw closer to God, and therefore better understand His will.

I appreciate your consideration into the matter but I do wish you could at least get your facts straight.

To others who have commented on the Church's suppossed "It's all about the money" attitude. I'd like you to look at which institution gives more to the impoverished and helpless people of our world. The Church owns a lot of land, because it has many churches, it has many churches because many people want to worship within the Catholic faith, many people want to worship within the Catholic faith because they recognize the truth it holds and the beauty and love it radiates.

inHim
Teresa

Andy, the Catholic Church is a big business, and very much about the money. Luckily for them, they're able to sucker a lot of people into believing in god, sans evidence, and living in fear of fairytale places like heaven and hell...which keeps the cash coming in!

A number of my friends have been helped by the Catholic church -- helped to feel like outcasts in society, and helped in enduring a lot of emotional pain and prejudice. They're gay, and the book about the Big Imaginary Friend says nasty things about homos...which helps the FLOCK feel good about fearing, hating, and persecuting them.

Was that love they were radiating when I was a kid and the neighborhood (Christian) kids were chasing me and yelling, "You killed Jesus?"

As far as getting my facts straight goes, I'd ask you to get facts, period. Got any evidence there's a god, or do you just believe everything you're told? And, your "faith" -- isn't evidence. It's a sign that you're irrational, and willing to believe in stuff without filtering through your intellect.

Amy, I'm sorry that people would ever say that to you. It's cruel and unfair. I'm sorry that sadly there are certain people in the Church who use it to push forth homophobic agendas when in reality that is not at all what the Church practices. The foundation of Christianty is love because God is love (John 4:8)

Sadly, we as humans are of a fallen nature and therefore our attempts at love often fail and we more than occasionally hurt people. But, do not view that as a failure on God's part. We choose to fall away from His perfect love and thereby sin and cause pain to others. The Church's love itself is perfect, but the love practiced by the people within it is not.

And I do have facts. For most of my teenage years I was a rebellious atheist. So no, I don't just believe everything I'm told. I am a very intellectual person and I value reason and science, greatly. But I have grown to see that reason and faith and science actually work well together. Quantuam physics does an excellent job of at least proving that there is a strong possibility for an observer if not a creator. If you ever get the chance I strongly suggest you read Thomas Aquinas who uses reason in every single one of his arguments for faith. He is viewed both by the religious world and the secular world as one of the greatest philosophers of all time. There have been countless miracles both previous to and within my lifetime that do a great deal to bolster my confidence in the existence of God. In fact if you were to go visit a small village called Medjugorje in Bosnia, you would see that to this day the sun dances in the sky and often times sets in the East. I strongly encourage you to go. I have thought about my faith more than any other part of my life and I can tell you that I have questioned nearly every practice and received a logical and sound answer. I refuse to simply accept what I am told because that is not faith, that is blind obedience which is never a good thing.

Again, I am so sorry that you have been hurt. I will pray for your healing and I will pray for the forgiveness of those who hurt you and your friends. When the faithful forget that before any act must come a practice of love, the Church suffers, and so does every person in our world.

In the love of Jesus and Mary,
Teresa

Prayer, if you read further on my blog, is a waste of time (and thus, anti-life), but I'll take that in the spirit it was written.

Interesting, I'd like to read how it's anti-life haha. Can you tell me how to get to that post?

Spending your time making wishes to a being you have no evidence exists doesn't seem like a life-waste to you? Because you believe it exists or can trot out "smart people" who are just as light on logic doesn't count for anything.

Pray to Santa if you must pray to somebody. At least he's kind of cute, for an imaginary figure.

Interesting, I'd like to read how it's anti-life haha. Can you tell me how to get to that post?

Theresa, just say the word when you're ready for deprogramming. No need to robotically repost!

So Amy, tell me about yourself, I'm really interested

In the unlikely case that your request is sincere, read my column and my blog.

It is sincere. And I have gone through a lot of your blogs. I get the basic impression of who you are. Women's rights are a big issue, you're a realist, you're into figuring out how people work. But I meant on a more personal level. What makes you you. Do you have a family? What formed your beliefs? Did those Christian children have a large impact or has there been other things? I love life stories. They are just oh so much fun!

Actually, it isn't women's rights, but human rights, and globally, that are a concern...and this includes the rights of fathers. As for the life story, it can be gleaned between the lines of blog items. Not ready to write a memoire. Busy writing a column at the moment.

"In fact if you were to go visit a small village called Medjugorje in Bosnia, you would see that to this day the sun dances in the sky and often times sets in the East."

Wow. Must be the acid.

Pirate Jo,

I feel that I have been very respectful of the people on this site and I could only ask the same of you. Millions of people have witnessed this miracle since roughly 1981. There is not a chance in the world that a. they all did acid or b. if they all did acid that they had identical hallucinations. I find it funny how people will use reason to try and disprove God, but when God throws reason in their face, they ignore it.

I challenge you one, to sit down and watch this show and attempt to watch it with an unbiased attitude. I also challenge you to sit down and really learn, from an unbiased source (a.k.a. not a priest and not someone w/ an obvious hatred for the Church. Maybe a theology professer) what the Church teaches. Before you automatically judge it as wrong, really look at the other side, challenge yourself to go out on a limb and look at what there could be. Research Medjugorje, find people who have gone and talk to them. Ever heard of the book made film Riding in Cars With Boys? Beverly Donofrio the author of that "memoir" makes a pilgrammage to Medjurgorje and writes about it in Looking for Mary. I encourage you to read it.

Thanks for listening
inHim
Teresa

Um, natural oddities are not proof there's a god. As for respecting you, I can try to treat you with respect, but I have no respect for anybody who believes in god based on nonsense.

Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof, and you've given not one shred of it for the existence of god. The fact that a lot of people see some oddity at the same time -- so you say -- is proof of nothing.

Next time, take acid.

Regarding this "inHim" twaddle...you know god is a dude how? Oh, because that's what you were told? Well, guess what? If you contribute $300 to my Paypal or Amazon button over on your left, I can tell you something, too: I'll have a better life. No, I'm not low enough to promise you salvation, since there's no evidence of such a thing. Just that I'll drink better wine and eat better lamb chops. Praise the lard!

Did any of you watch it?