Words of Knowledge, Words of Wisdom

And the Experience Filter

   There are levels of knowing something. One can have a book knowledge by reading about it. One can have some divinely inspired knowledge by insights from scripture study or prayer. One can have philosophic knowledge.  But that is a world away from experiential knowledge- or knowledge that comes from being something or doing something. I can describe what it is like to ride a roller coaster. The feeling of fierce wind that knocks you back in your seat as your hair goes flying and you grip the handles. You might get a sense of what I mean. But if you actually ride a roller coaster then you will say "oh, thats what you mean!" You have a totally different awareness of what it is like.
You might have a knowledge of a foreign language from books and tapes that methodically walk you through changes in tense structures. You may get so good at the book exercises you proclaim yourself knowledgeable in that language--even to a point where you think you can teach it. But if you actually go to the country where it is spoken and you converse in the language and people who speak it speak back at you and engage you in conversation you have a totally different experiential knowledge of what that language experience is like. It is a higher more advanced level.

    A Priest who opines on matters of marriage or relationship (heterosexual) who has never been in a long lasting one does not have the kind of nuanced knowledge that comes from being in one.  The man living a faithful married life with my sister has a higher more advanced knowledge of Love in the fullness of all its dimensions than a priest who has no relations with a woman almost definitionally. Of the five touted kinds of love, a priest only has book learning on the eros type. He doesn't understand passion the same way. He may have read about it but it isn't something he is expert at.

     On women's mental, spiritual, physical health celibate priest men are not experts. While some priests enjoy healing ministries and powers that are beyond their intellect as gifts of god, this isn't a gift of celibacy. This is a distinct gift given to some people, in and out of the priesthood.

     The notion that a conference of celibate all male Bishops are going to bully around the US President and Secretary of Health who is a Woman on legislation marshaled by another woman is to most women so offensive as to be easily dismissible if not disdained. When a priest starts menstruating or can carry a child I will listen to him on Obamacare. Get real people.