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From: Felix Liew <felisefo@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thu, October 22, 2009 12:36:52 PM
Subject: Sexxx Priest

Excerpts from the book Sex Priest by a retired
gay Episcopalian priest Robert Warren Cromey
(2005).

Warning: Rated XXX for sexual language.

Priests are sexual creatures. We masturbate, have intercourse, anal and
oral sex, same gender sex, commit adultery, bestiality, incest, fornicate,
enjoy bondage, abuse children and commit any and all forms of sex
known to human beings. We spend most of our time in ministry but we
are sexual beings too. Most priests, bishops, deacons, ministers, mullahs
and rabbis in the world religions are sex positive in their outlook. We
enjoy ecstasy, orgasm, pleasure and joy in our sexuality. We love to kiss,
fondle and embrace. We enjoy fucking, sucking and licking. We teach
others to enjoy their sexuality too. Joy and pleasure are not the first thing
one thinks of about Christian clergy. The pious priest and puritan parson
railing against the adulterer, masturbator and single mother are familiar.
Many scream against abortion and birth control. But they are a minority
with a good press. Recently, Roman Catholic priests have given sex a
bad name by being accused and often convicted of child molestation with
altar boys and teen-age girls and women under their pastoral care.
Celibacy, a lonely bachelor life and poor training in human relations have
caused this blight on the Christian ministry. Sadly most Christian clergy
do not speak or teach publicly their sex positive views. We hint and smirk
but fail to be open about our sexuality. We fear criticism from members of
our flocks. Advancement may be denied us if we become sex positive
priests. I am known by many clergy and lay people as a fag priest
because I am an ardent defender of lesbian and gay rights. Most of us
are not happy with sexually oriented labels. In the sixties I was called
more than once a nigger priest because of my involvement in the civil
rights movement. I have advanced in the church to where I want exactly
to be. I was the rector and pastor in an Episcopal church, and now
retired. But first let’s clear up some stuff about priests. Roman Catholics
have covered the market on the notion of priesthood. Most people think if
you are a priest, you must be a Roman Catholic. I am pleased to tell you
that there are lots of other priests in the world who are not Roman
Catholic. Priest is the word used for ordained clergy in the Orthodox and
Anglican churches. There are two hundred million members of the
Orthodox churches of the world. They are in Russia, Greece, Turkey,
and Central Europe and in every major city in Europe and the United
States. There are seventy million members of the Anglican Communion
throughout the world. Their clergy are also called priests. ..

Sexual Candor

I want to tell the truth about sex, my own and in the church, especially the
Episcopal Church of which I am a life long member and an ordained
priest. I think the best way to teach others about sex is not just by words,
pictures and ideas. People telling their own sexual stories to others
deeply help children, teenagers and adults to understand human
sexuality. Parents, schools and some churches do their best in teaching
about sex. But it doesn't work very well. There are studies that indicate
sex education in schools is generally ineffective. Unwanted pregnancies,
venereal disease and the horror of AIDS still abound in this country and
around the world. Teaching sex in an objective way, giving facts, figures
and morals just doesn't work very well. The missing element is personal
self-revelation. Sex education for many boys comes in the locker room
and the gutter. Boys tell the truth or lie about their sexual activities as
they tell stories about what they or their girls have done. 'Mary Jane will
go down on you anytime." 'I screwed her under the stairs in my building."
'I jerk off in the boy's room at school every day." These are lacking in
specificity and have the ring of boasting but they are teaching other boys
about sex…
From: Felix of Southeast Asia
Sent: Thu, October 22, 2009
Subject: Sexxx Priest

Excerpts from the book Sex Priest by a retired gay Episcopalian
priest Robert Warren Cromey (2005).

Warning: Rated XXX for sexual language.

Felix

PS  See the following book review by Lawson:
Excerpts from the book Sex Priest by a retired
gay Episcopalian priest Robert Warren Cromey
(2005).

Book Review by Peter R. Lawson

With his new memoir, Sex Priest, Robert Cromey has done the
churches a great service. He has opened up the private and
personal life of a priest [his own] with unflinching honesty. He has
neither minced words nor glossed over events in describing his
own sexual experience.

It has been said that a person's unacknowledged shadow side will
rise up destructively. The unacknowledged shadow side of an
organization or system will do the same. For centuries the church
has been undermined by sexuality hidden in the shadows of its
life. It began, in all likelihood with the story of Adam and Eve. In
the myth, nakedness and thus sexuality are signified as shameful;
to be concealed, denied and repressed. Through history the
churches have relegated the wonders of lust and sexual delight to
darkness, sin and shadow. It is more than disastrous to note that
women and women's sexuality have been cast into the same
shadow as well. Since shame is more to be feared than death,
there is great pressure to deny the existence of experiences that
are, de jure, shameful.

Once, however, that which has been driven into the shadow is
seen for what it is, is self-confessed and welcomed into the
fullness of one's persona, the healing energy that has been
suppressed will emerge and new strength become available. It
does take enormous energy to keep the shadow secret and
conceal the behaviors that emerge from the hidden shadow.

I have been a priest for 50 years and have contended with the
sexual gyrations of clergy literally hundreds of times beginning in
seminary and continuing through the years. From sad experience
I know that the Roman Catholic Church has no monopoly on
covering up clergy sexual problems. Protestant and evangelical
hierarchs are as adept at the process as Roman Archbishops.

The strategies are the same: Denial: It didn't happen. Admission
1: It did happen, but it was all in their minds. Admission 2: It did
happen, it was real, but it's insignificant. Admission 3: It did
happen. It was real and significant. We'll transfer the poor culprit
and/or refer it to an expert.

Robert Cromey's candor may open the gates to allow other clerics
to identify, accept and integrate their sexual shadow sides. Sadly,
it is unlikely that it will enable the church as a system to become
more open, honest, and straightforward about all the dimensions
of sexuality. Their first reaction will be to condemn Robert as an
exception and renegade. They will call him eccentric, an
aberration. Those deepest into denial will seek his
excommunication/banishment.

Sex Priest also reveals the passion for justice that has ruled
Robert's life. He has been an unfailing minister and healer for
those who have been marginalized because of their class, their
race, their poverty, their gender, or their sexual orientation. He
has embraced them all, welcomed them into his congregations
and taken to the streets and City Hall in their cause.

Thanks, Robert.
This webpage was built the week of January 3, 2010, in
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