Parishioners are always shocked to find their preachers to be human.

[Philosoraptor]

When a priest or rabbi or preacher or any man of the cloth is discovered to be less than Christ-like, the parishioners are always a bit stunned to realize that the man of the cloth they look up to is merely a human being with the same flaws as all of us.

People always look to the witch doctors, royal family, elected leaders and such with some sort of child like admiration, they trust them with their lives and their children's lives and then they are always shocked when these men fall from lofty grace.

Men of the cloth are subject to the same sins we all are, and maybe someday in half a million years people will stop looking up to phonies and charlatans and shamans for guidance and look within themselves.

[Ecumenist]

1. You know, I have to admit that I've never understood

that mindset. After all, as my mom said, a leader of ANYTHING is just another human being who has stepped forward to try to bring some order and direction to a group BUT they also put their pants on, one leg at a time the same way anyone else does. People blend GOD with the human who stands behind the podium or pulpit TOO OFTEN... Just don't understand it and never will.

[xchrom]

2. as a church goer -- i have to say i hate that.

they're just people.

i fight with my church over priests who have divorced too often for ''good taste'' -- some REALLY wonderful priests have been divorced several times.

all that says is that they have some very human difficulties -- we all do.

but then again -- i despise notions of authoritarianism -- or institutions butting in where they don't belong.

on disclosure -- i've also dated priests -- both catholic and episcopal.

[sandnsea]

3. Why would you look only within yourself?

You're as flawed as they are. Why not look for the pieces of truth each of us carry?

[NJCher]

4. more than a personality flaw

...is merely a human being with the same flaws as all of us.

Excuse me, but I don't have any flaws that cause me to buy meth and engage in extramarital sex with a gay hooker. The man very well could have exposed his wife to AIDS.

This behavior is far more than a personality flaw; it's indicative of a sociopath. This man took money from people who gave it for good works. Furthermore, this sociopath gives every indication that he will continue with his fraud because he has admitted only to the meth and not sex. He waited until the masseuse spoke and then only admitted to what could be absolutely proven. If there's any way he can keep his job, he will--whatever lying and manipulation it takes.

And if his lying, thieving ass is thrown out, you can be sure he'll be back later as a reformed, repentent sinner.




Cher

[malaise]

7. Bingo

The truth is that they're millions of honest, decent, naive people who are conned over and over by these snake oil salesmen.

If human beings would stop fearing death and start living life by studying the planet and understanding both its beauty and savagery, they would not need these criminals and liars. As long as they can be conned by people who convince them that every result in their lives is determined by some amorphous entity called god or whatever, they will be manipulated to the grave and even in death these con artists cash in with their mumbo jumbo.

Organized religion is a plague on this planet.

[elocs]

5. We are all often surprised when the people we admire

turn out to have feet of clay, be they parents, religious or political leaders, or even Democrats.
It may come as a surprise here that as bad as Republicans may be, Democrats are not perfect either.
Regular people of both parties and all religions are disappointed when those to whom they had looked up to fail them.

[DeSwiss]

6. ...the fault lies not within our stars dear Brutus...

....but within ourselves.....

[ixion]

8. increasingly, ALL our institutions deny that we are human

instead, we're supposed to be some sort of automaton with no secrets, no desires, no needs (beyond food,water,oxygen and sleep -- but not too much.), no wants, no dreams -- and most importantly: no flaws.

This is ridiculous, of course.

There is no such thing as an unflawed human. We are all very, very flawed creatures who have created a society in which we can no longer be human.

It's tragic and sad and more than a bit warped, but it seems to be one of the things we do best. :crazy: