# Why should priests be afforded greater privilege than lawyers?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-priests-be-afforded-greater-privilege-than-lawyers/514978>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [October 24, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-priests-be-afforded-greater-privilege-than-lawyers/514978 "2009-10-24T18:01:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
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**Author:** ![pinkyvee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@pinkyvee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkyvee)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-priests-be-afforded-greater-privilege-than-lawyers/514978/2 "2009-10-24T19:23:12Z")

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> [@aldiboronti](#):
>
> Occasioned by questions raised in [this thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=536737)
> 
> I’m talking about privileged communications between a priest and those he confesses, a lawyer and his client, a doctor and his patient, etc.

A client pays for the time spent communicating with his/her attorney or physician.  
Fee for service.

A person communicating with a priest does not receive a bill at the end of the month. This is one large important difference.

Attorneys and physicians keep written records of their interactions with clients.  
Priests cannot keep written records of confessions.  
Another large and important difference.

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