Abraham is a geneological parent of a nation? That's absurd. You have no clue what "father" means.
and don't
Catholics calling priests "father" is grounded in scripture, not calling your ministers "father" has no biblical basis whatsoever. It doesn't matter if you call it "figurative" or "spiritual, calling priests "father" has been demonstrated in scripture in several places over and over again. What you are doing is maintaining reformist anti-clericalism which is a tradition of men. Protestant ministers don't spiritually nourish their flock as a parent feeds heir children food??? You can't deny function but you deny text, and get bent out of shape because Catholics follow the Bible and you can't leave it alone. Your forefathers unbiblically abolished the sacrificial priesthood and have been trying to justify that man made tradition for 500 years. That is the root of this silly objection which has no biblical basis whatsoever. You have no mother, no fathers and pretend to be a family.
The usual objectors to calling priests "father" are fundamentalists or non-denoms or do-it-yourself theologians who divide, separate and build more walls all over the place. Your compelled to undermine the authority of the historic Church which is nowhere done in scripture.
Most fundies and non-denoms were founded within the last 10-20 years and many of their novel views can't be traced to the Apostles, and act like their self-made authority is apostolic.
Most Protestant communities have matured and don't bother making a fuss about this.
This
lie was invented in the mid 19th century by Protestant modernist heretics, (contrary to Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and others, and every Protestant church for 400 years) and has been refuted over and over again. It has become increasingly popular in Protestantism in the last 50 years. It's fad theology.
Jesus 'Brothers'
by Mark J. Bonocore
In the past few years, I've been amazed by the growing number of Christians who have renounced the traditional belief in Mary's perpetual virginity, citing as reason the 'brothers' and 'sisters' of the Lord referred to in Sacred Scripture.
Now, while many Protestants regard Mary's perpetual virginity as a uniquely 'Catholic belief,' it should be noted that the Protestant reformers Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli ALL professed this belief as well (for documentation, see for example Mary, Mother of All Christians by Max Thurian, written while he was a Calvinist theologian).
So, while I myself am a Catholic, I present this argument ecumenically using Scripture alone, to prove that these 'brothers' and 'sisters' are NOT the children of Joseph and Mary, and that the belief in Mary's perpetual virginity is in no way refuted by the New Testament. So, let us begin in Matthew...
Jesus Brothers and Mary's Perpetual Virginity -- Catholic Apologetics, Philosophy, Spirituality
Judges 17:10; 18:19 – priesthood and fatherhood have always been identified together. Fatherhood literally means “communicating one’s nature,” and just as biological fathers communicate their nature to their children, so do spiritual fathers communicate the nature of God to us, their children, through (hopefully) teaching and example.
Acts 7:2; 22:1,1 John 2:13 – elders of the Church are called “fathers.” Therefore, we should ask the question, “Why don’t Protestants call their pastors “father?”
1 Cor. 4:17 – Paul calls Bishop Timothy a beloved and faithful “child” in the Lord.
2 Cor. 12:14 – Paul describes his role as parent over his “children” the Corinthians.
Phil. 2:22 – Paul calls Timothy’s service to him as a son serves a “father.”
1 Thess. 2:11- Paul compares the Church elders’ ministry to the people like a father with his children.
1 Tim. 1:2,18; 2 Tim. 1:2-3 – Paul calls Timothy his true “child” in the faith and his son.
Titus 1:4 – Paul calls Titus his true “child” in a common faith. Priests are our spiritual fathers in the family of God.
Philemon 10 – Paul says he has become the “father” of Onesimus.
1 Peter 5:13 – Peter refers to himself as father by calling Mark his “son.”
1 John 2:1,13,14 – John calls the elders of the Church “fathers.”
1 John 2:1,18,28; 3:18; 5:21; 3 John 4 – John calls members of the Church “children.”
Matt. 3:9; Luke 3:8 – Jesus refers to Abraham as our “father.”
Mark 11:10 – the people cried out blessed is the kingdom of our “father” David that is coming!
Luke 1:32 – God’s angel says Jesus will be great and be given the throne of his “father” David.
Luke 1:55 – Mary says that He spoke to our “fathers,” to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.
Luke 1:73 – Zechariah says the oath which he swore to our “father” Abraham.
Luke 16:24,30 – Jesus, in His parable about the rich man, says our “father” Abraham.
John 4:12 – the Samaritan woman asks Jesus if He is greater than our “father” Jacob.
John 7:22 – Jesus refers to the “fathers” who gave the Jews the practice of circumcision.
John 8:56 – Jesus tells the Jews your “Father” Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day.
more here
Yea, right.