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The scandal of the Church has been on the front pages of the papers and lead stories on the nightly news. Over all this is a good thing, the Church needs to deal with this scandal. But what confuses me is the pure joy they, meaning the media, seem to get from all this. The catholic priest who molested young boys need help and prayers for sure, the bishops who allowed this to carry on and moved them from parish to parish need to be reprimanded, they need to step down. But why al the joy in the media?
It is good that the media is investigating the scandal, or should I say it would be good if they were investigating the scandal fairly. But that is not the case, they are on a witch hunt and they are willing to take down the innocent as well as the guilty, and at the same time look the other way when it comes to our school systems or other faiths. This to me is a misuse of power and an injustice to children.
The current scandal in the Church is a scandal from twenty or thirty or more years ago, by no means lessening the travesty of it all, the over all population of priest involved is 2% at most. Once again not taking anything away from the harm caused, 2% is way to much, .0001% is to much, but over all 2% of our priest is not a large number.
Such figures led her to contend “the physical sexual abuse of students in schools is likely more than 100 times the abuse by priests.” (Source)
Family members — fathers, stepfathers, uncles, older siblings — commit 47% of all reported sexual assaults against children in their own homes.
49% of all sexual assaults against children are committed by persons known either by the child or the child’s family — teachers, coaches, physicians, ministers, priests, neighbors, youth leaders. (Source)
I am not using the statistics to take the spot light off of the Catholic Church, but rather to point it also on public education and other areas of concern.
Over all the reporting on the scandal in the Church has been a scandal unto itself. And with the current wave of anti-Catholic feelings I expect it will continue for sometime to come. But we as Catholics can do something about we can fight back, promote the positive aspects of the Church, the good She does for youth and the community She resides in. We can also point out, in letters to the editors, the injustice of the persecution of the Church over our public schools.
In a way the abuse at the public schools is an even greater evil than the priest. We have no choice but to send our youth to school, and we allow teachers to have full access to our youth 8 hour per day, five days a week. And if they are involved in sports, we also allow them to change in front of grown adults. We, in some ways are asking for it,
The scandal involving the priest is sickening at best, but we hold some of that responsibility ourselves. We places the parish priest upon pedestals and made them gods in there own rights, we allowed our children to spend the night at the rectory or to go on trips with them. Sure some parents were good friends with the priest, and as the statistics above state 49% of abuse is by someone they know and trust. But do we have to allow the percentage to go up? Do we have to feed in to it?
The problem of abuse is a social problem and it is not a new problem, it is as old as time (article). The Greek society is full of stories of young boys and me, by no means justifying the actions, just pointing out the reality. The issue is social. Contrary to popular belief most people who sexually abuse youth are not gay. As stated above they are mostly family members or close family friends.
[M]ost men who molest little boys are not gay. Only 21 percent of the child molesters we studied who assault little boys were exclusively homosexual. Nearly 80 percent of the men who molested little boys were heterosexual or bisexual, and most of these men were married and had children of their own.27
These scientists have concluded that pedophilia is a separate orientation from homosexuality and that the vast majority of molesters who target boys have either no interest in mature males or are heterosexual men who are attracted to the feminine characteristics of young boys.(source)
Homosexuality and homosexual pedophilia are not synonymous. In fact, it may be that these two orientations are mutually exclusive, the reason being that the homosexual male is sexually attracted to masculine qualities whereas the heterosexual male is sexually attracted to feminine characteristics, and the sexually immature child’s qualities are more feminine than masculine. . . . The child offender who is attracted to and engaged in adult sexual relationships is heterosexual. It appears, therefore, that the adult heterosexual male constitutes a greater sexual risk to underage children than does the adult homosexual male.19 .(source)
My over all point to this blog, we need to look at facts and we need to understand what we are dealing with. Sexual abuse of children is not a “Catholic” thing, nor is it a “gay” thing, it is a society thing and one that needs to be understood. The media is not doing its job, rather it is conduction a man hunt, if you will, on Catholics.
As Catholics we need to educate ourselves so we can better defend the Church in these times of turmoil. We need to know facts so we are not just shooting from the hip but rather using facts to fight our cause. God willing the Church will survive and come out stringer when this persecution is over.
God Bless
Paul
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Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church |
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An American Point of View 
Ahhh by all means lets just forget all of this nonsense… and continue to blame everyone but the ones who stole the innocent of so many victims and those who institutionalized the whole deal by covering up for them…
As the Victim of an abusing priest I want to tell you… I view people like you as nothing but enablers for criminals…
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Not at all what I am saying, punish the priest punish the bishops, but lets also educate ourselves.
Emotions are strong, I do understand, lets not assume you know were I am coming from…
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Paul,
Some sexual molestation of children by priests also comes out of sexual frustration and the need for physical contact with another human being. Also the notion that children tend to keep quiet. My father, at 53, is just coming out of his long life depression for being raped by a catholic priest at 12 years old. The priest is now deceased, otherwise I wouldn’t have minded to pay him a visit myself.
As far as “lets educate ourselves”, well, let’s. Should we start with the crusades, the inquisition, the killing of the Amalekites (including women and children), no condoms to Africans in an effort to control the spread of aids? The use of religion as a political avenue to acquire wealth and power throughout centuries until today? The WEALTH of vatican city in contrast to the famine in poor countries? Or would you like to educate on subjects that suit your superstitious beliefs?
Jail these criminals and judge them accordingly. Charge the people who covered up these acts just like we do with people who commit the same crimes. Religion is NOT above the law! …And for heaven’s sake, allow these horny human beings to have a sexual life.
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Why is it that you can not see what I said. I just reread my posting, and from everything I read I never once said the Church was perfect. I said the priest need to be heald accountable. I never said they were above the law. No one is, that was my point, not the priest, the teachers or anyone else! Please READ the post!
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Paul,
I read the post again upon your request. Some of us already have acquired that knowledge (the percentages that you mention). Gays are born gay, priests who rape children are not necessarily pedophiles, other people aside from religion ALSO rape children. I get your point and I AGREE with most of it.
My point is: Charge these criminals with the appropriate crime (which is NOT being done). ALLOW these priests to have a sexual life (which is NOT allowed). I know this goes against the holy superstitious scriptures but that just goes to show ONE MORE TIME that these medieval writings were written by men to accommodate the times, which are NOT our times.
Remove these people from positions of authority. Yes, teachers and coaches, and boys scout leaders as well!
Catholicism holds sexuality as a taboo. As a sin. As something perverse. Biology, however, teaches us about our hormonal changes and sexual needs. Let children explore this avenue. Let’s educate children (at a level that is appropriate with their age). But let the professionals on this field give the answers.This way, bad people will continue to do bad things, god people good things, and the ones in doubt will have an education on the matter and thus, less sexual frustration.
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The Catholic Church does not hold sex as a taboo, read John Paul II “Theology of the Body” (http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2TBIND.HTM) innocent. As for being charged with the crime, I will admit the Church was not doing that, but they are now, to the other extrem, priest are “guilty until proven “, this too is wrong. I agree all should be held accountable, priest, teachers and anyone else who has done this. That is my point, the media seems to not see the others, only the Catholic priest. I am calling for the media to report the news fairly…
As for priest being able to have sex, this will not change, nor will they allow woman priest. The Catholic Faith is not a fad that changes with the times, it is the Truth that remains for all times.
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Not hold sex as taboo? Sir, you are completely wrong on this one, and it is not fair to uphold this view in a rational conversation.
As for the bible (the truth that remains for ever and ever), the pope recently apologized for sooooooo many things. That’s a start 🙂
The media is always unfair! They need ratings and can be cruel to anyone at any time so long as it suits theim. Thank goodness for our intellect that allows us to separate fact from fiction.
And as far as this medieval scriptures that you hold dear; tell it to the Amelekites!
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As for sex, I am not wrong.. if you fail to see what the Church upholds, that is your blindness, not mine. As for the bible being midieval, check your facts. As for the Pope applogizing, what of it, the Pope is human… But the truth has never changed in the Catholic Church, we have made mistakes in the past, and will make than again, humanity is of a fallen nature.
It seems to me your are the one with a hang-up, and anti-Catholic point of view you are to blind to see the truth. …
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