#priesthood

apenitentialprayer:

maxwellbsblog:

I find it quite ironic that it is the clergy and church workers who believe least in God. They know that the truth regarding his existence but decide to act as a medium through which God reaches the people and people reach God.

This thought came to me when a textbook talked about Freud’s criticism of religion: people use religion as a coping mechanism. If this is assumed to be true then that would mean that the Church workers know that it is all a façade but act as if it is true to keep their position etc.

Okay, let’s talk about this. Well, not so much the second part; if the upper clergy of a given religious organization know the religion is a scam, the edifice should come crumbling down to allow the dawn from on high to break upon us. But I doubt there’s any big conspiracy going on.

I’m curious as to why you think agreeing to act as a physical intermediary for God somehow means they somehow distrust in God?

There are, and likely always have been, secret nonbelievers among the clergy of most religions, who keep quiet out of fear (of persecution, loss of community/family, loss of a job, etc), greed, or belief in the “noble lie,” but I doubt it’s ever been anywhere close a majority of any given religion’s clerics. That said, going to seminary (or its equivalent) does challenge a lot of people’s faith, both because they get exposed to new ways of reading and understanding their scriptures and traditions and because ministry practicums expose you to an extent and depth of suffering (and failed/unanswered prayer) that most seminary students weren’t really aware of before.

As a side note, The Clergy Project is an organization that helps clergy who no longer believe transition into alternative careers.