Catholic priest scandals...
Forgive me (haha...), but I didn't see this topic listed anywhere else. If it is and I overlooked it, feel free to close this redundant thread.
What's the thoughts and opinions among the gang here, regarding all this nasty "priest molesting little boys" stuff we're hearing so much about lately?
I have some very strong opinions on it and am pretty disgusted/amazed that there seems to be this whole weird half-ass "debate" in the church.
I mean, did these Cardinals have to fly all the way to Rome and hear it from the Pope himself to figure out that diddling little kids isn't cool?
What other profession out there could you fondle and molest children and NOT be imediately fired, arrested, etc.? Could any of us here do this in OUR lives/jobs/neighborhoods?
But some prick in a frock puts his hands down an 8-year-old's Fruit of the Looms, and everyone just wants to look the other way, make excuses and shuffle him off to another unsuspecting community.
Cardinals Law, Mahoney and the others who assisted in covering up and simply moving pedophile priests from one area to another and not reporting them are all equally to blame here.
I'm not Catholic, but I don't think one HAS to be in order to see the evil and wrong here.
What does everyone think/feel about this subject and all that's going on right now?
Some of you, I just can't WAIT to read your drawn-out, pointy-headed handwringing and excuse-making...don't let me down now!
What's the thoughts and opinions among the gang here, regarding all this nasty "priest molesting little boys" stuff we're hearing so much about lately?
I have some very strong opinions on it and am pretty disgusted/amazed that there seems to be this whole weird half-ass "debate" in the church.
I mean, did these Cardinals have to fly all the way to Rome and hear it from the Pope himself to figure out that diddling little kids isn't cool?
What other profession out there could you fondle and molest children and NOT be imediately fired, arrested, etc.? Could any of us here do this in OUR lives/jobs/neighborhoods?
But some prick in a frock puts his hands down an 8-year-old's Fruit of the Looms, and everyone just wants to look the other way, make excuses and shuffle him off to another unsuspecting community.
Cardinals Law, Mahoney and the others who assisted in covering up and simply moving pedophile priests from one area to another and not reporting them are all equally to blame here.
I'm not Catholic, but I don't think one HAS to be in order to see the evil and wrong here.
What does everyone think/feel about this subject and all that's going on right now?
Some of you, I just can't WAIT to read your drawn-out, pointy-headed handwringing and excuse-making...don't let me down now!
Comments
Please...
"Yes, normally I'm all for dirty old men groping little leaguers, but on this one, pscates, I got your back! We're on the same page!"
I mean...
I heard that the celibacy stuff isn't an actual "from the Bible" thing. Is that so? Is it a man-made sort of stipulation, one from a time/place that no longer figures in or has any relevancy?
I don't know...I'm asking.
<strong>Oh hell...there goes the neighborhood. Seriously, "sorry"?
Please...
"Yes, normally I'm all for dirty old men groping little leaguers, but on this one, pscates, I got your back! We're on the same page!"
No. More like "Sorry Scates. I´ll fight you to the death on US current foreign and domestic policy but when it comes to this who can disagree?".
Well BRussell disagrees but I think my sig goes for him as well in this thread.
kidding kidding
*runs away from the fast-advancing popemobile*
Don't you have to BE celibate in the first place to STOP being celibate?
I guess they're not counting flings with 12 year old boys as sex...
I just think the suggestion (if not declaration) by some people that removing the celibacy vow would somehow prevent these sickos from hurting kids is just ludicrous! Celibacy doesn't drive people to molest kids unless there's something else already really wrong with them. It's just stupid to think this has anything to do with the Church's or these people's real problems.
No, a twisted, perverted pedophile is a twisted, perverted pedophile...not connected to celibacy. Never meant to suggest I believe that!
Celibacy hasn't always been a requirement - it started in the 12th century. Before then, popes and priests were married. And the disciples were probably mostly married. And some theories are that even Jesus was married. The Jewish tradition is for Rabbis to be married.
Currently there are lots of married priests, and priests that get married after they become priests seem to be OK.
Why did celibacy become a requirement? One theory is that priests would leave their estates to the church, but if they were married and had children, the family would compete with the church for the estate. So the church decided to make all priests remain unmarried to prevent that conflict. There are other theories, too.
Then there's the whole issue of a male-only priesthood, which is also not set in stone anywhere.
I've often wondered why some of these things are still in place when the world is so different now. And, like I said, I also often wonder if the influx of new, different (married) priests might be a good, positive thing?
All interesting. I think something is going to have to give before too long.
Think about it: if you're a Catholic with strong beliefs and moral convictions, all this stuff going on HAS to disgust and outrage you. I'd like to believe that the average Joe, rank and file Catholic is as pissed off about all this nonsense as I, and others, am.
Like politicians and celebrities, it seems to mostly be the power structure and the "inner circle" that seems intent on the hushing, hiding, etc.
In the same way that most liberal Democrats didn't get pissed off at President Clinton's antics (but would've thrown a fit if Newt had gotten under-the-desk hummers from an intern half his age), or that most conservatives thing that Rush can do/say no wrong, the leadership/higher-ups within the church probably exists solely for the power, pull, prestige, etc. and are, at this point, more concerned with covering each other's asses, keeping their power/status, downplaying their shortcomings, etc.
Like I said, I think the thing that REALLY bugs me the most is the fact that all these idiots have to fly all the way to Rome to hear the feeble, hunched-over, probably-isn't-fully-conscious-of-what's-truly-going-on Pope give them a verbal reaming. As if suddenly the light just went off in their collective heads!
And then the media: breathlessly reporting "the Pope says there's no place for pedophilia and child molestation in the Catholic church...".
Well, no shit Dan. Gee, thanks for letting all of us unsophisticated, mouth-breathing types in flyover country in on that big huge secret.
People are going around acting like "wow, that was sure a strong, important and ground-breaking statement...". OF COURSE YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO FONDLE CHILDREN, ASSHEAD! Thanks for clearing that up, because most of us were looking to Rome for some confirmation on that.
Jeez...
Second, the idea behind celibacy is so that priests can dedicate their whole lives to the Church and not have to worry about caring for a wife or children. The only "person" they should be concerned with is God.
Personally I'm appalled by the way it has been handled. I grew up a Catholic but a few years ago began to "stray" from the Church. What special rights to priests have? All cases should go right to the court and priests found guilty should go right to jail (or whatever punishment). Same goes for any other person in the Church involved in scandal or coverups.
The meeting in Rome was such a joke. Please, do you really need all those people to come together just to say what we knew: "sexually abusing kids is a crime"
what a joke... maybe i'll just become a Buddhist
<strong>First of all, we are not talking about little kids for the most part. Most of the cases involve teens, who are in or gone though puberty. There is a difference between handling an 8 year old and a high school kid.</strong><hr></blockquote>Where do you get this? Most of the cases I've seen, like Geoghan, almost exclusively involved very young children.
The celibacy issue is another matter entirely and has nothing to do with this scandal. I don't know why it seems to be the first thing people bring up.
<strong>Personally I'm appalled by the way it has been handled. I grew up a Catholic but a few years ago began to "stray" from the Church. What special rights to priests have? All cases should go right to the court and priests found guilty should go right to jail (or whatever punishment). Same goes for any other person in the Church involved in scandal or coverups.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I agree, up till now it has been handled the worst way possible. When this came up and investigation should have been launched and then the appropriate action should have been taken.
[quote]<strong>The meeting in Rome was such a joke. Please, do you really need all those people to come together just to say what we knew: "sexually abusing kids is a crime"
what a joke... maybe i'll just become a Buddhist</strong><hr></blockquote>
Really! you were there? What did the pope say?
We have no idea what really went on at the meeting in Rome. The Pope could have done many things that you, me and the media will never find out about. Before you write it off, know what happened.
There was nothing wrong with what they said in Rome, but the occasion shouldn't have been needed in the first place.
<strong>
Really! you were there? What did the pope say?
We have no idea what really went on at the meeting in Rome. The Pope could have done many things that you, me and the media will never find out about. Before you write it off, know what happened.</strong><hr></blockquote>
To clarify i was going by what has been told to the public. So i really dont know, but people make opinons on what information they are given. Some of the people at that meeting are the cause of the problem in the first place. How can people that caused this mess really fully fix it?