# Priests and Prostitutes



## SifuPhil (Nov 8, 2013)

Going to a priest for marriage counseling is like asking a prostitute about monogamy - they both might know the _theory_ but their real-world _experience_ is somewhat lacking ...


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## Anne (Nov 8, 2013)

That's something I always found strange - how could they know much about it???


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## SifuPhil (Nov 8, 2013)

Anne said:


> That's something I always found strange - how could they know much about it???



I've never quite understood it myself - that's why I posted this, in the hopes that someone could explain it to me outside of the religious format. Usually the answers I get are "they are just relaying the word of God" or "the Bible says ...". 

I'd really like a non-sectarian and, if at all possible, non-religious explanation.


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## Jillaroo (Nov 8, 2013)

SifuPhil said:


> Going to a priest for marriage counseling is like asking a prostitute about monogamy - they both might know the _theory_ but their real-world _experience_ is somewhat lacking ...



*My thoughts exactly Phil, never forget when i married the girls father many years ago because i wasn't catholic i had to go to a sex talk among other things WTF do they know about it, but i had to obey.*


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## Fern (Nov 8, 2013)

I do know that they don't practice what they preach. (no doubt there could be some exceptions). plus their own relationship/s often have a few  flaws . One incident I remember where the vicar's wife, in all seriousness,said he was nothing but a little boy.!! she sure was having her moments.


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## SifuPhil (Nov 8, 2013)

Jillaroo said:


> *My thoughts exactly Phil, never forget when i married the girls father many years ago because i wasn't catholic i had to go to a sex talk among other things WTF do they know about it, but i had to obey.*



Pre-Cana - yep, I had to go to that as well, since my wife insisted on a Catholic wedding ceremony. I spent the sessions (I think there were 3 or 4?) in the back row munching on popcorn and playing with the lovey doll I had brought along. 

I REALLY got in trouble when I asked when the Show-and-Tell was ... 



Fern said:


> I do know that they don't practice what they preach. (no doubt there could be some exceptions). plus their own relationship/s often have a few  flaws .



They're human, just as we are. That's why I took some little offense at what was told to me in the classes, because it was conveyed in a very forceful, fire-and-brimstone manner. Not being Catholic made it all the more strange for me, but I chalked the experience up to "learning about a different culture".


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## Fern (Nov 8, 2013)

> They're human, just as we are


All the more reason for them to stop playing at being god.


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## SifuPhil (Nov 8, 2013)

Fern said:


> All the more reason for them to stop playing at being god.



Oooh ... y'all will excuse me if I don't go there. I'm already far too arrogant and cynical. layful:


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## Anne (Nov 8, 2013)

Here's another puzzler....hubby and I were married by a JP, but later planned a church wedding to calm down the folks.  Sooo; we 'had' to go to a priest for counselling, and then IF they approved, they would get permission from the bishop to marry us.   I saw no point in all of this, since we obviously were married - just not in the eyes of the church.
We saw two or three priests, none of which could get said permission "because we were already living in sin."   :banghead:  Yeah, that makes sense......

We ended up seeing a missionary who had no problem with marrying us, and he did.  Made our folks happy, but if the others couldn't get permission, how did he??  Or didn't he???   I don't really care, but sometimes ponder if we really are married - or not.  :barbershop_quartet_


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## SifuPhil (Nov 8, 2013)

Oh, if the priest teaching the class had seen the candles suddenly blow out and the holy water turning to steam when I walked through the door he might have had second thoughts as well ... before this first marriage I had lived in enough sin to make John Holmes blush. 

But I made my "contribution" to the church (much like making a "donation" to your local Mafioso) and they were happy.

I've actually performed several marriages through the ULC - Universal Life Church - and always made sure that everything was 100% legal, but I never had the temerity to counsel others on how to make their marriage work and what they could and could not do.


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## Anne (Nov 8, 2013)

Gotcha on the mafioso, Phil - that seems to be the most important factor in the whole game.  Maybe if we had shelled out enough $$ they would have suddenly been approving. 

Any one of us could do marriage counselling as well.  They say they are guided by the Bible's instructions, but I can sure remember those who didn't exactly live by the same.  Not that they're not human, but don't pretend to be better than the rest of us.  No one has a halo or wings - not that I've seen, anyway.


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