Opinion Of Priests/pastors

[directionless]

Now that you are free to think objectively about your experiences with priests and pastors, I was curious what you think of them as people.  Do you think they were sincere believers?  Were they secretly doubtful?  I've heard that most priests and pastors are actually atheists because know enough about Christianity to be skeptical.

 

I've only known three priests enough for opinion.  One of them seemed o.k. and two of them behaved totally disgracefully IMO.

[mymistake]

I dont' care if they believe.  They are con artists even if they have fooled themselves into believing their own con.  I see no difference between a priest, a pastor, a palm reader and a psychic.

[BrotherJosh]

I will preface my statement saying that I realize pastors/priests/clergy are humans just like us, and are susceptible to the same temptations like everyone else. They may lead people to believe otherwise, but they are capable of good and evil like all of us.

 

Now, that that's out of the way based on my experience I don't have a high opinion of pastors(etc...). I have seen some outright deplorable behavior from people in church leadership. Affairs, stealing, lying, blackmailing, extortion, ruining reputations, smear campaigns...you get the idea. I have met some nice pastors in my day, however. 

 

I was talking about this subject just recently with girlfriend, a psychologist. There have been a few studies showing that CEO's and politicians often exhibit psychopathic tendencies. She said that, in her opinion, you can extend this to clergy. Think about it. You get paid so that every Sunday a church full of people will come listen to you speak, take your advice and generally be the Grand Poobah. Take some narcissism, charisma, superficial charm, natural leadership skills, lack of empathy and a dash of intelligence and viola you have a pastor. 

 

My girlfriend, when still attending church, was speaking with the main pastor whom she had grown close with. She had been having doubts for awhile, at that point. While telling him this, he said that he had the same doubts too. Confused, she asked why he wasn't so sure of what he believed. He pretty much came out and said he didn't believe much of it, he just stood at the podium and told people what they wanted to hear. She eventually quit seeing and talking to him after he came on to her. 

 

In my opinion, many of the relatively intelligent ones don't actually believe half the shit they preach. It all comes down to keeping the sheep happy and cashing a paycheck for relatively little work. 

[directionless]

I dont' care if they believe.  They are con artists even if they have fooled themselves into believing their own con.  I see no difference between a priest, a pastor, a palm reader and a psychic.

 

IMO it matters if they are sincere, because I think a pastor or preacher who is putting on an act every Sunday is more likely to take advantage of parishioners.  Believers try very hard to have faith and some of that faith is in their pastor.  Of course a fanatically sincere preacher can also be dangerous, but I think the cynically insincere preachers are much more common.

[directionless]

I will preface my statement saying that I realize pastors/priests/clergy are humans just like us, and are susceptible to the same temptations like everyone else. They may lead people to believe otherwise, but they are capable of good and evil like all of us.

 

Now, that that's out of the way based on my experience I don't have a high opinion of pastors(etc...). I have seen some outright deplorable behavior from people in church leadership. Affairs, stealing, lying, blackmailing, extortion, ruining reputations, smear campaigns...you get the idea. I have met some nice pastors in my day, however. 

 

I was talking about this subject just recently with girlfriend, a psychologist. There have been a few studies showing that CEO's and politicians often exhibit psychopathic tendencies. She said that, in her opinion, you can extend this to clergy. Think about it. You get paid so that every Sunday a church full of people will come listen to you speak, take your advice and generally be the Grand Poobah. Take some narcissism, charisma, superficial charm, natural leadership skills, lack of empathy and a dash of intelligence and viola you have a pastor. 

 

My girlfriend, when still attending church, was speaking with the main pastor whom she had grown close with. She had been having doubts for awhile, at that point. While telling him this, he said that he had the same doubts too. Confused, she asked why he wasn't so sure of what he believed. He pretty much came out and said he didn't believe much of it, he just stood at the podium and told people what they wanted to hear. She eventually quit seeing and talking to him after he came on to her. 

 

In my opinion, many of the relatively intelligent ones don't actually believe half the shit they preach. It all comes down to keeping the sheep happy and cashing a paycheck for relatively little work. 

 

I agree with your assessment, and I wish more of the faithful understood that pastors and priests tend to have all the bad character traits you listed ("Take some narcissism, charisma, superficial charm, natural leadership skills, lack of empathy and a dash of intelligence and viola you have a pastor.")

 

Christianity emphasizes blind faith and unfortunately most people tend to apply blind faith to pastors and priests too.  I know it took me a long time to admit that my priest was as insincere as his actions suggested.

[Deva]

There are all types of people in the clergy.  Personally, I distrust all of them, but I do think that some of the younger ones are probably sincere, at least.

 

Their true motives? In many cases they are narcissists who like having a captive audience and a "small kingdom" they can rule.

[RipVanWinkle]

I can't prove this, but I think a lot of ministers have emotional, mental or

personality disturbances of one kind or another. Many are egocentric, for sure. Some are con artists for sure. Some are sincere.

 

Consider some of the things pastors support or preach:

 

HATE OF GAYS.

 

OPPOSITION TO EUTHANASIA. Anyone who has seen almost any nursing home has to be aware of the misery of many of the residents who appear on the verge of death,

but who may hang on for years. My mother-in law lived to 93 and

complained frequently about having to continue living in her condition.

 

OPPOSITION TO BIRTH CONTROL: They would rather see children raised in misery

than for the parents be able to exercise common sense.

 

NO ABORTION Not even for rape victims or for the health of the mothers. The

bastards.

 

NO COMPASSION BY THEIR GOD FOR THE IMPOVERISHED, IGNORANT, OR PHYSICALLY OR

MENTALLY ILL WHO ARE NOT XTIANS. They go to hell anyway.

 

EVERYBODY WHO IS NOT A XTIAN IS GOING TO BE SENT TO HELL BY THEIR GOD,

INCLUDING THOSE WHO HONESTLY BELIEVE XTIANITY IS A MYTH AFTER STUDYING THE ISSUE FOR

YEARS.

 

CHRISTIANS WHO DON'T BELIEVE THE SAME AS THEY DO WILL GO TO HELL

 

JEWS DESERVED THE HOLOCAUST BECAUSE: "THEY KILLED JESUS."

 

WITHHOLDING FROM THEIR FLOCK THE TRUTH ABOUT XTIAN HISTORY AND DISHONESTY ABOUT THAT

HISTORY

 

INTELLECTUAL DISHONESTY ABOUT THE FINDINGS BY BIBLICAL SCHOLARS ON THE

WRITING OF THE BIBLE AND ITS MANY CONTRADICTIONS AND INACCURACIES.

 

USE OF SCARE TACTICS IN THE SPREADING OF THE FAITH CONCERNING THE "END TIMES"

AND GOD'S PRETENDED VENGEANCE ON A SOCIETY THAT DOES NOT FOLLOW THEIR BIBLICAL

INTERPRETATIONS.

 

DISHONESTY IN THE PROPAGATION OF THEIR FAITH

 

PRETENSE OF ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY

 

USE OF UNTOLD AMOUNT OF PEOPLE'S MONEY TO BUILD CATHEDRALS,TEMPLES, AND

CHURCHES, PLUS HUGE EXPENDITURES FOR RELIGIOUS CROSSES, CHALICES, FURNITURE,

GYMNASIUMS, ARTIFACTS, RELICS AND MUCH MORE AT THE EXPENSE OF THEIR VICTIMS.

As a result, taking care of "widows and orphans", the poor and destitute and the sick

and disabled have gone virtually without notice when compared to

expenditures for THE DISPLAY OF THEIR WEALTH AND OTHER EXPENSES unrelated to

Christ's intentions.

 

 

I realize that all of the clergy do not do every one of the things I listed. But I

believe the vast majority do or fail to do many of the above. When one

considers the above matters, one has to question the honesty of the clergy who

use those tactics. It's either dishonesty, delusion or stupidity.

bill