Originally posted by kirksey957 Do you have a recipe for recovery for this systemic problem? What concrete steps need to be taken?
Before finding a solution the problem must be looked at in more detail. The problem is not just one of child molesting. The problem is that if a priest does something not suited to a priest or even not suited to a human being then how should he be punished/cautioned/stopped ? And should his crimes be made public?
If his crimes are made public then the Church comes into disrepute and many other similar organizations have a similar problem (the army or a political party for example) and routinely cover up thier crimes. Cover ups often require reduced punishment, how do you explain a priest in jail if you do not admit the crime?
The best solution is for the church and its members to be more open to the idea that priests are human and falible and when they fail it is not always the churches fault and the church should be ready to deal with it openly.
As long as people believe that criticizm of thier priest is blasphemy or at the very least in bad taste then such cover ups will continue to happen.
[edit]
If the pope is criticized by a catholic it is seen by many as a terrible sin.
Originally posted by twhitehead Before finding a solution the problem must be looked at in more detail. The problem is not just one of child molesting. The problem is that if a priest does something not suited to a priest or even not suited to a human being then how should he be punished/cautioned/stopped ? And should his crimes be made public?
If his crimes are made public then the Ch ...[text shortened]... happen.
[edit]
If the pope is criticized by a catholic it is seen by many as a terrible sin.
Personally I believe that since he's a religious leader (priest - not the pope) - he should be even more subject to punishment; not only for destroying a childs life, but for betraying the trust of the people he greeted every Sunday and using his position of power to get away with it (exmaple: one day on the news there was a story of a young boy who was molested, and told his parents, who then slapped him and told him he was going to be an alter boy on Sunday). As a man of faith he should have an even greater desire to make sure justice is done and the innocent aren't hurt. And if the Catholic church doesn't join the prosecution of it's priests, it's basically supporting it.
Originally posted by kirksey957 Do you have a recipe for recovery for this systemic problem? What concrete steps need to be taken?
Perhaps if the RCC recognized that Priests need not practice celibacy to fulfill their ordained duties, and provide the Priests with a chance for real companionship and a healthy sex life without an unnecessary feeling of guilt, they wouldn't be tempted to slide into such perversion.
I also feel that Catholicism (and Christianity in general) is so guilt-driven that many young catholic men who have thoughts of homosexuality and/or paedophilia drive themselves into the clergy for atonement.
Originally posted by DoctorScribbles How do you mean? Do you deny that the proportion of child molesting priests is significantly higher than the proportion of molesters in the general population of men?
I believe that even LH already conceded this point.
Not to defend any molester, but I remember reading just recently about the child molestations occuring in the public school systems. Makes the molesting priets of the RCC look like, well, altar boys. Not quoting, but the numbers that immediately jump out are something like 4K reported cases a year for the priests, but 10K+ for the public school systems.
Originally posted by FreakyKBH Not to defend any molester, but I remember reading just recently about the child molestations occuring in the public school systems. Makes the molesting priets of the RCC look like, well, altar boys. Not quoting, but the numbers that immediately jump out are something like 4K reported cases a year for the priests, but 10K+ for the public school systems.
I wonder what the statistics are for other Priests, Pastors, Reverends, etc. in the Christian faith. Is it primarily Catholic priests or is there a proportional amount of, say, United Pastors who have been found to molest children?
Originally posted by darvlay I wonder what the statistics are for other Priests, Pastors, Reverends, etc. in the Christian faith. Is it primarily Catholic priests or is there a proportional amount of, say, United Pastors who have been found to molest children?
That's the question I've been raising. When Scribs says that 50-odd percent of abuse in a religious context involves a Catholic priest, is that just because 50-odd percent of pastors/priests/religious are Catholic?
Originally posted by lucifershammer That's the question I've been raising. When Scribs says that 50-odd percent of abuse in a religious context involves a Catholic priest, is that just because 50-odd percent of pastors/priests/religious are Catholic?
All I can find is a large number of Catholic site who compare percentage of pedophiles and hebephiles (from 0.6 to 4% depending on who you ask) in the RCC to things like "percentage of non-Catholic ministers who report sexual contact with a church member" (38.6😵.
Originally posted by Remora91 Personally I believe that since he's a religious leader (priest - not the pope) - he should be even more subject to punishment; not only for destroying a childs life, but for betraying the trust of the people he greeted every Sunday and using his position of power to get away with it (exmaple: one day on the news there was a story of a young boy who was mol ...[text shortened]... Catholic church doesn't join the prosecution of it's priests, it's basically supporting it.
a question i have too ask is what efforts do you lot put in to helping deal with the boy's situation. abuse often has repeating cycles and it would seem logical that the boy would be at risk to offend in the future. he has already been through this, and his future may contain getting shoot down again for a life he may have always had little control over. education for those dealing with abuse seems a good idea.
Too many different issues are being squashed into one package.
I would support the severe and painful consequences for child abuse by anyone.
I would support exponentially severe and painful consequences for those who cover up that abuse and foist the abuser onto another unsuspecting group, such as bishops who send the offenders to new parishes.
I would support returning the priesthood to the days when priests could marry women and have children.
HOWEVER -- priestly celebacy is not the cause of the problem, nor are priests statistically the biggest abusers.
If you take every male abuser of children, more of them are married than unmarried and quite often married to the mother of the child they are abusing, whether that child is their own son or daughter or their stepson or stepdaughter. If you take all clergy, than priests may outnumber other clergy, but they don't outnumber nonpriests. Therefore celibacy isn't the issue. It is AN issue, but not related to child molestation in that there's no cause. It is possible that some men join the priesthood with no worries about their ability to refrain from relations with adult women because they aren't interested in adult women.
Originally posted by reader1107 Too many different issues are being squashed into one package.
I would support the severe and painful consequences for child abuse by anyone.
I would support exponentially severe and painful consequences for those who cover up that abuse and foist the abuser onto another unsuspecting group, such as bishops who send the offenders to new parishes.
ty to refrain from relations with adult women because they aren't interested in adult women.
you're supporting all the wagons fully loaded.
what support does the child who has been abused receive, to stop a repeating cycle?
surley we could do more than wait like wolves for him to grow up!
Originally posted by Kaboooomba you're supporting all the wagons fully loaded.
what support does the child who has been abused receive, to stop a repeating cycle?
surley we could do more than wait like wolves for him to grow up!
Indeed, the child does need support. I don't think that is being disputed here.
i've only know of one person who has provided good help in this area i describe and this is a man who had been abused by his step-father. he openly has talked about what happened in his life and it provides encouragement to others that they can make it through into a good life.
the problem i have with people in churches who have been abused is the fact that they may relate a priest to God's identity or the lack of help the church provided in stopping it happening to God. they may lose trust through what was clearly evident not to be God.
Child molesting priests
28 Feb '06 08:371 edit
Back to Top