A lot of people find comfort in stroking a dogs fur and nuzzling them.
Some clergy get in trouble because they mistake that for affection.
Dogs and clergy are expected to be treated intimately and not respond in kind.
Of course sex is a real problem for clergy and dogs.
Neither are expected to be sexual objects.
I once visited a member of my congregation who had a small dog.
While I was sitting there, the dog climbed on my leg and started rubbing itself on my leg.
That is where people make a difference between clergy and dogs, you are not allowed to do that when you visit in another person’s home.
People can rub up against you and make you feel warm and fuzzy but both of dogs and clergy are chastised if they increase the pregnancy in the neighborhood.
In fact with dogs, they have them spaded to prevent that.
They try something similar with clergy—only it’s called castration.
In the end clergy are supposed to look like a man or woman but they had better perform all acts in a chaste manner.
In fact many people just expect clergy to be virgins.
In some traditions they are expected to be celibate virgins.
In other traditions, they are expected to be married virgins with kids.
That gives new meaning to the term virgin births.
The Bible may be comfortable with sexuality but congregations can bark a lot if the subject comes up.
