The number of priests declined in 43 years while the population was doubling. That is an enormous dropoff.
If celibacy is part of religious doctrine, why was marriage and procreation allowed in the Church for hundreds of years?
Saying divorcing and remarrying is equivalent to adultery means that most of the people who post here are adulterers. I disagree.
The bottom line remains, that celibacy has damaged the reputation and membership of the Church. It will continue to do so. Biology will always trump the rules of the Church. God made us desire sexuality, Church rules cannot overcome biological drives.
(I presume you mean "allowed in the priesthood" when you say "allowed in the Church." Obviously any church that required celibacy would basically be gone in a generationm.) Priestly elibacy is NOT part of religious doctrine. There's where your basic misunderstanding is. It is a discipline in the West under canon law, with plenty of exceptions. It is not theologically required: it is not a dogma. As I explained before (although you may have missed it) all of the 21 smaller (non-Latin) churches mostly in Eastern Europe and SW Asia, which comprise the Catholic Church have married priests and deacons, all of which are clergy. Under the Pope, they have their own Canon Law which has always allowed this.
The Latin Church also has married men who are ordained clergy: the permanent deacons.
"Saying divorcing and remarrying is equivalent to adultery means that most of the people who post here are adulterers. I disagree."
Your disagreement is not with me. I didn't say that. Jesus said that:
"Whoever divorces his wife, except in cases of porneia (unlawful union)), and marries another, commits adultery." (Matthew 19:9)