Pastors and Priests

If a pastor were to perform all the functions that everyone in his congregation desired, he would likely have two or three full time jobs. Not only are there unrealistic expectations for what the pastor is to do, but also what he is to be. We all have a desire to have a priest somehow helping us make it through. These priests are supposed to have some special connection, if not with the Living God, then with whatever metanarrative resonates with us, the true meaning of life, or the "other world". As such he/she can be a traditional church priest, or any other religion priest, a scientist, politician, therapist, or even celebrities that people fawn over believing that they have risen to the next level and know what it’s all about. Having assigned this role with or without the priest's knowledge, we can also take on the role that we would like our “priest” to perceive us to be, and can be as dishonest about who we are as we pressure him to be about himself. But it’s a terrible thing to make our pastor our priest, and then pile expectations on him to be something he can never be. The pastor is then tempted to put on an act to conform with the expectations of those who are paying his salary and telling him he is doing a good job. -philw-