Why is the Catholic Church allowed to discriminate against women?
The Catholic Church is allowed to have discriminatory hiring practices (women are not allowed to be priests). Why is that? Why are they unlike every other corporation operating in the United States who is not allowed to deny a job to a woman simply because she is a woman?
Imagine if Wal-mart said "sorry ladies, but our corporate charter clearly states women should not have authority over men, so you can’t be a manager"
Why does the Catholic Church get special treatment? I guess money can buy you anything.
Apparently they think Jesus discriminates and wants it this way.
I think it’s abominable. To the poster that said men can’t be nuns- but they can be monks, which is similar. Men have the Church wide open to them. They can be priests, monks, deacons, acolytes, etc. All roles that are denied to women. Even being an "official" Lector is denied to women. It’s disgraceful..and so is defending it.
Women have absolutely no real say in the Church or on teaching that affects the most personal areas of their lives- or exclusively affects them. If the tables were turned, men would be rioting.
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April 27 2010 01:21 pm | Catholic
Fireball on 27 Apr 2010 at 6:58 pm #
its a private church….JUST GO TO Methodist..
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Dave on 27 Apr 2010 at 7:13 pm #
don’t be like that
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Over Analytical Fact Finder on 27 Apr 2010 at 7:22 pm #
Hello! Most organized religions degrade women!
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Wile E. Coyote on 27 Apr 2010 at 7:53 pm #
slow down you’ll miss the runway strip
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[: Jess _Ox on 27 Apr 2010 at 8:42 pm #
CAUSE THAT’S WHY.
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Anna on 27 Apr 2010 at 8:51 pm #
Why can they refuse to hire non-Catholics?
It is the same answer, religions get unearned special treatment. They should not. They don’t pay taxes either. Write your congress man/ congress woman.
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Susanne on 27 Apr 2010 at 9:18 pm #
The Catholic Church is not a private corporation. Muslims and orthodox Jews have similar "rules’ as well.
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Dana the Great: Orange for Rose on 27 Apr 2010 at 10:05 pm #
Women and men have separate roles in the Church.
Obviously. Of course, these distinctive roles would be impossible for someone like you to appreciate, someone who is all hot and bothered over this fact even though you are apparently not Catholic.
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Church of the Holy Stump on 27 Apr 2010 at 10:45 pm #
Men can’t be nuns. Anyway I think women should be allowed to be priests (or a priestess i guess), and I think priests should be allowed to marry as well. The church is slow, but one day will change…
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timelady on 27 Apr 2010 at 11:28 pm #
Because its not a democracy. Its a religion, it can do whatever it wants. If a religion wants cats to be in charge, it can do it. Its a religion, its not a company. If one does not like it, one does not have to belong.
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Dear Dogma on 27 Apr 2010 at 11:36 pm #
The outrage!!! Did you know as well that the Catholic Church has discriminatory hiring practices for men.
(men are not allowed to be nuns)
No one forces them to remain in the religion if they find these hiring practices discriminatory, they are free to leave at any time.
Don’t like the rules of the club? Don’t join it.
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Jennie Rose on 27 Apr 2010 at 11:53 pm #
First of all, the Catholic Church isn’t a corporation, so it does not need to function as one. it, like most other religious organizations, is also tax-exempt – unlike corporations. Secondly, women are not discriminated against. There are traditions that are upheld, but women are actually very powerful in the Catholic church, and are both highly respected and valued. I do understand the argument for allowing women to be priests, and the opinion is shared by a number of Catholics, but it is rare to hear a nun say that she feels discriminated against because she cannot be a priest.
The church does not receive special treatment in the anti-discrimination arena, nor do Protestant churches, so please know a little more about politics, religion, and the law before posting more ignorant questions.
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Kwark on 28 Apr 2010 at 12:39 am #
It’s a private club. A dictatorship.
Why do you want to be in a club who doesn’t want you a member.
The old boy’s private gentlemen club are the same.
The church don’t only discriminate against women, they don’t like Gays either.
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crapbag on 28 Apr 2010 at 1:18 am #
Ha ha, look at all of these people defending the Catholic church. Compare that to how many people trash Islam for subjugating women as well. Neither is acceptable, and it doesn’t matter that "it’s just the way the Catholic church is". If that was EVER an acceptable reason to not change, every institution would be exactly the same throughout all time, and that’s ridiculous.
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reinoehl117 on 28 Apr 2010 at 1:46 am #
BFOQ – Bona Fide Occupational Qualification
Employers can legally discriminate against protected classes if the qualifying characteristic is necessary to perform the essential functions of the job. If a priest, by definition, has to be a man, the church is free to discriminate.
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skepsis on 28 Apr 2010 at 2:20 am #
A private organization is only subject to civil anti-discrimination laws if it receives money or other substantial support from that government, or does business with the government. Several Catholic hospitals and charities have had to disassociate with government programs to avoid providing abortions or provide benefits to gay spouses of employees. It is their right to do so, even though it confuses their message as compassionate organizations. Being a church, the First Amendment prevents the government from telling them how to conduct their internal affairs.
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sparki777 on 28 Apr 2010 at 2:53 am #
It’s not discriminatory hiring practices.
In the first place, priests aren’t hired. Men respond to a spiritual calling and then go through a long (5-10 years) discernment process to see if they really are called to be priests. Meanwhile, women who respond to a spiritual calling also go through a long (3-7 years) discernment process and can become religious sisters or nuns.
Both roles are equally devoted to serving Christ, His Church and all people. There are differences in the roles — a priest’s role is more stringently defined, while a religious sister can be a teacher, administrator, nurse, physician’s assistant, researcher, physical or occupational therapist, counselor/psychologist, housekeeper, program director, television or radio producer, publisher, cook, web mistress/web designer, journalist, event coordinator, project manager, librarian, and on and on and on. (The roles I cited are the ones that I know religious sisters are fulfilling, just off the top of my head.) If anything, this would indicate that there is more discrimination against men than women when it comes to what they do in the Church.
The REAL aim in the Catholic Church is sainthood, not to be a priest. And men and women can become saints equally.
In the second place, the Church is not a corporation.
In the third place, the Church is world-wide, not only in the U.S., and it actually predates the United States by more than 17 centuries.
In the fourth place, the Church has not "bought" roles for men and women. These have been given to us.
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peepoo :D on 28 Apr 2010 at 3:10 am #
just because.
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Daver on 28 Apr 2010 at 3:53 am #
<<Why is the Catholic Church allowed to discriminate against women?>>
The Catholic Church does not discriminate against women.
<<The Catholic Church is allowed to have discriminatory hiring practices (women are not allowed to be priests). Why is that? Why are they unlike every other corporation operating in the United States who is not allowed to deny a job to a woman simply because she is a woman?>>
Big Problem #1 – you don’t appear to understand what the Church and it’s Clergy are:
The Catholic is NOT a corporation. The Catholic Church is a church.
The Clergy is not a "job" for "applicants". The Clergy is a Calling from God.
Big Problem #2 – you are not defining "equality" properly:
You seem to think "equal" means "the same". It doesn’t.
The Church DOES teach that men and women are equal in their human dignity, but that doesn’t mean men and women are "entitled" to all the same ministries.
I am a man, but don’t for a second think that means I can become a priest. Oh no. I cannot be a priest – even though I am a man – because I have not been called to the priesthood. I’ve been called to the married life.
The Clergy and the Married Life are two DIFFERENT ministries – but they are both EQUAL in their DIGNITY in the Eyes of God.
Men and Women are called to DIFFERENT ministries – but they are both EQUAL in their DIGNITY in the Eyes of God.
<<Imagine if Wal-mart said "sorry ladies, but our corporate charter clearly states women should not have authority over men, so you can’t be a manager" Why does the Catholic Church get special treatment?>>
#1 – The Catholic Church is NOT a store.
#2 – Walmart doesn’t have such a policy.
<<I guess money can buy you anything.>>
The Bill of Rights in the Constitution is what prevents the government from having any authority over organized religion – but that’s only relevant to the United States.
There are other – much POORER – places in the world where the Catholic Church maintains it’s all-male ministry; in places where money is so scarce as to be irrelevant. So obviously, money has nothing to do with it.
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pepgurli on 28 Apr 2010 at 4:00 am #
Its not discrimination! Someone outside the church might se it that way but truly it is not. woman are actually what keep the church running. Like 80% of the church works because of woman. Woman cannot be priests because woman represent the church men represent christ. Jesus’ bride is the church. In such the woman ( the church) cannot marry the church but a man when he becomes a priest marries the church, woman may become religious because they take on christ as their husband. Marriage is the a sacrament that when the man and woman unite the show the love Christ has for his church.
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Arcadia on 28 Apr 2010 at 4:43 am #
Apparently they think Jesus discriminates and wants it this way.
I think it’s abominable. To the poster that said men can’t be nuns- but they can be monks, which is similar. Men have the Church wide open to them. They can be priests, monks, deacons, acolytes, etc. All roles that are denied to women. Even being an "official" Lector is denied to women. It’s disgraceful..and so is defending it.
Women have absolutely no real say in the Church or on teaching that affects the most personal areas of their lives- or exclusively affects them. If the tables were turned, men would be rioting.
References :