Celibacy is an unnatural requirement placed on priests. The unnatural requirement leads to ordainment of priests with unnatural sexual tendencies. If you preload the clergy with these people , what else can you expect?
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Where else could a gay person go and people not wonder why they aren't married. If you are gay and are religious, this could be a good career choice for you. I think people enter the priest hood thinking it would control these urges and they would be saved.
This countries legal system is way to lenient in dealing with most pedophiles. I don't give a damn if you are a priest or whatever...if you play you pay a heavy consequence. Instead most get away with their evilness or just get a slap on the hand. As far a homosexual clergy...it's like putting the fox in charge of the hen house. I'd bet many of these priests get away with what they do because others look the other way. Not only would I hold them accountable but also those who condoned it.My punishment would be harsh.
No matter what you label it...no matter who does it ....to sexually abuse kids is wrong period.
I wonder if the abuse is rampant as people claim. There are people going after Priests just to get money, also they might have a grudge against the Church. I am not saying abuse didn't happen, just wondering if there are hidden motives to the people making these claims.
They don't go after all priests, just the pedophiles. There are dozens of proven cases.
view link.
I clicked on that link and I got my computer scanned for virus. Plus before I closed the link it was saying the odds on the Pope resigning is 3-1. Well Popes don't resign, they are the Pope untill God calls them home.
Also did get far enough to see about other cases/
As a Catholic, I still wonder just how extensive this admitted problem really is. I have to wonder whether bsnkrobber Willie Sutton's words might apply. "I rob banks because thats where the money is."
A few comments:
Celibacy has nothing to do with the problem. The Church fathers believed that a human man/wife relationship might interfere with a priest's relationship with God, and that God would provide special help to those who requested it. As far as a career choice is concerned, if you can't handle the job look for another one.
Secondly, since roughly 80-90% of the molestations involve man/boy attacks, if it were just unfulfilled sex drive, you might expect the reverse percentages. How would a revocation of the celibacy policy affect homosexual molestation?
I've read studies that suggest that during the liberalization/Gay Rights movements of the '60s/'70s, many homosexuals decided to join the priesthood for whatever reason. As time went on, as the homosexual priests rose through the ranks, they actually imposed overt discriminatory policies against "straight" candidates in the seminaries, magnifying the problem. Many young men simply abandonded their vocations, because of the harassment. Celibacy notwithstanding, I doubt that Cahholicism has a monopoly in this area.
As for problem remediation/enforcement procedures are concerned, (and I'm speaking for myself here as a long since graduated Catholic university graduate) it must be recognized by non-Catholics that the Pope's relationship with the rest of the Church is not the prototypical CEO/Upper Management one. As the Bishop of Rome, technically on the same level as the rest of the bishops, the Pope's authority is largely moral. He doesn't bark orders like a Marine DI. and have everyone snap to. Both John Paul and Benedict were well aware of the grave sin perpetrated, the damage done to those abused as well as the Church and have taken action.
Finally, concerning the duping of confessors by the molestors, that while Christ gave the power to forgive sin to his priests, He kept to himself the power to read minds. Also remember the main mission of the church is a pastoral one, encouraging sinners to seek repentance and forgiveness from sin. It requires and assumes honesty, regret, repentance and resolve on the part of the penitant.
Admittedly, it leaves itself open here, but there's no other way.
Its very sad that the Catholic Church has been a haven for these homosexual pedophiles and has protected them while ignoring the victims. The church as spent BILLIONS of dollars of donations to protect these criminals. And I have yet to see the pope stand up and try to protect the children. Jesus would be ashamed of the pope and his church.
No wonder so many have left the Catholic church
As the Bishop of Rome, technically on the same level as the rest of the bishops, the Pope's authority is largely moral. He doesn't bark orders like a Marine DI. and have everyone snap to.
Don't Priests take a vow of obedience to Rome?
I think Johntee has it mostly right about the church. One of the reason I don't go to mass is because all they do is preach about abortion and if it wasn't for the Catholics abortions would be illegal. They overwhelming vote for Democrats. Plus the Catholic church is backing Obama's health care plan and the back other Liberal policies.
This forum is probably not the place to discuss church doctrine or customs but I've attached a link that might help explain the sticky matter of obedience to superiors. Since Vatican II, the concept of abaolute obedience to superiors has been diluted, to also include an obedience to your conscience after dialog with others, in resolving some questions. Just how you can run a church when everybody can have his own opinion wasn't considered I guess. But the problem is discussed pretty well in the link.
The church's opinion on abortion is that it is the taking of a human life and therefore a grave sin and forbidden. The Church has been a bulwark in this country of the anti abortion movement. Their position in backing Obama's health plan reflects that of the bishops, mostly liberal, the same ones who allowed the homosexuality problem to flourish
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