The responsibilities of the traditional church, in which are commonly know & associated with the Catholic and Christian churches of the world, range from performing weddings, christenings, confirmations and funerals. Why then is the title "minister" or "clergy" immediately synonymous with Christianity?

A minister's duty, especially as an ordained minister, is to perform the said functions. It is their duty to, in their community, be as teacher, friend, confidant, therapist and leader for the people who are a part of their ministry.

They should not teach hate and discrimination, nor that they are set apart and that the rest of the world that does not follow their teachings will burn in eternal fire.

A minister should teach love. A minister should teach right from wrong, with good values as set forth in the charter of their ministry. There shouldn't be differences in how each member of the clergy are treated by those who devote their time and effort into building the ministry into a large one. Each person is entitled their own time for emotional, mental and physical support.

I say this in affirmation, understanding of my duties as part of the clergy. I say this because I believe religion should not be a barrier between people, and I also feel that those who seek counsel should not be denied.