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decided to preempt on those people who may accuse me of Priest-bashing by acknowledging the positive roles that priests have played.
Mrf. But I admit to being a little sensitive - the question is of personal interest to me, because I'm in clergy training.
I do not think that they are authorities of my salvation.
Salvation is a fairly specific idea that doesn't apply to all, or even necessarily most clergy roles. Well, I guess it depends on how you're counting, doesn't it? Are we talking "most clergy" as in "count up all the folks who serve as clergy in the world - how many are in a Salvation religion?" or are we talking "Count up all the religions in the world and their various clergy roles - how many are Salvation roles?"
the question stands, do we need them
Mmm, no more than I need a farmer to grow my food for me when I can, in theory, grow my own. Well, perhaps that's a little further from the mark.
Mystics don't need the kind of clergy you are describing, per se. Perhaps the average person for whom God is a fact of life, but not necessarily a personal friend, that is at least as in the way as He is helpful... those folks probably need the intermediary kind of priests around just to take the load off their own backs. It's a relief to know someone's taking care of those things if you feel that someone does need to and you have neither the leisure nor the inclination for it to be YOU.
But that is not the cultural perspective you are coming from - nor, indeed, are most folks on this board, I'm guessing.
So the Mystics? The mages? Well, the ones being thwaped upside the head with Divine Contact probably don't need the kind of priest who offers to help them get in touch with the Divine more closely. But they may need the kind of priest who has a clue how to keep from going completely insane while they juggle the reality they're being confronted with, and the reality that everyone else expects them to understand. This is something I get more and more often these days "Odin is knocking on my head - hard - what do I DO? It's interfering with my schoolwork! AUGH! I can't think clearly enough right now to figure it out, I need HELP!"
Then, also, there's the folks who are interested in magic, interested in the Divine, and aren't sure how to go about doing it. They could, I suppose, read books, experiment directly, and yes, plenty of people do. But some folks don't learn well from books. Some folks are too scared to experiment without talking to somebody who knows what's what first. Those folks might go talk to someone more experienced in the same path. Somebody who deliberately arranges to be available for that kind of advice could be termed clergy. I get that a lot too.
The last category you've already acknowledged - Clergy are often just Counselors for everyday life and shit. And I get that the most. For some thoroughly explicable reason folks expect somebody who deals with Freya and Freyr a lot to have good advice about relationships. Well, I do okay on my own, and with Their input, but I'd like a better foundation, which is why I am earnestly interested in earning a Masters of Marriage and Family Counseling - I want my guesses to be more educated.
There's another category I'm not sure how to address... Initatory experiences, be they coming of age rituals, or otherwise, often require letting someone else be in charge.
Sometimes it's because you don't know, never having done it yourself, how to run such a ritual smoothly and effectively - so you ask an expert or at least someone more experienced to run it for you. I have a headwash coming up in a year and a half - I can't wash my own head. Mama may not be the only one who can, but somebody other than me has to do it, 'cause I don't know how.
Frequently it's because your own role in the ritual is something else, and you can't do both at once. I conducted my sister's wedding. I guess she could do it herself - she certainly has the event-coordinator experience, anyway - but she was kind of busy being the bride.
Sometimes it's because if you do all the planning, you either can't include the mystery, or you've spoiled it. I, in theory, have an ordeal coming up that is part of my work understanding the loss and gain of self control. Wow would it defeat the purpose if I tried to run it myself.
Not a single one of these involves requring a priest to save someone's soul.
Gypsy: I'd say the sign of a good Priest is probably a person who manages to perform this role of mediation in a non-intrusive and non-dictatorial way, that aids, facilitates and enhances the spiritual lives of others without abusing the power that role entails according to their own personal agenda.
Now that's pretty significant - how much of the "Priests aren't needed" reaction is a rejection of authority just in general? There's a big difference between an authority and an expert, and yet another difference between either of those and a teacher. There is plenty of responsibility on the part of the clergy to not abuse their own roles. But frankly, I've seen that one from the other side, and damnit, there is just as much responsibility on the part of the people to not put their clergy on pedestals, and then blame them later when they turn out to still be human.
I have seen it happen. You get people who think the definition of clergy is somebody who is available to solve all your problems, spiritual or otherwise, 24/7 on demand. If you're anything less than flawless and constantly available, well how dare you lead us astray by calling yourself clergy! It's ridiculous. But people do it. No matter how many times you try to say "Look, I'm human, I have needs and limitations", folks want you to be a demigod - because it's easier than having to make their own decisions.
Honestly, I think that's where half the problem comes from right there - as long as you've got people willing to interact with priests that way, you'll have priests ready and willing to accept that kind of attention. As long as you have priests convinced that their role is to be a demigod in the lives of their congregation, you'll have people who find it easier to let somebody else think for them.
Eep, I think I'm ranting. I'll stop now.
--Ember-- |
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