I'm going to say this up front. All sex crimes should be punished, especially sex crimes against children, whether they are priest, teachers, doctors...whatever.
When a priest is accused of sex abuse, people have a knee jerk reaction and they automatically say that it's because he is not married and because he is celibate.
But the vast majority of rapists and molesters are not priests, many are married, and they are not celibate or trying to be celibate. But people don’t say that they are molesters because they are married and because they were not celibate priests.
By the way, about 2% of all priests in the Catholic Church were ever even accused of sex abuse. Most of the cases were over 20-25 years ago. And most of those were in America (primarily in the Boston diocese). And 81% of those who were found guilty were admitted homosexuals. That's why the Pope has reaffirmed the Church policy that a person with strong homosexual tendencies should not become a priest.
2006-08-20 12:55:12 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Look up your lacal Law Enforcement Agency on the Net and search for Sexual Preditors in your area. You'll be shocked. There are more "regular guys" in your area than there are Priests who have sinned. (And I don't even know where you live.)
2006-08-20 13:02:32 · answer #1 · answered by pickle head 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
OK, I tried to post to the prior question only to find it removed. I actually saved my answer! I am unsure why someone split hairs, but ok . . . here is my answer:
I personally would not want an unmarried priest as my spiritual leader. They have limited life experience when it comes to love and marriage. I believe you truly only understand the role of a parent when you are a parent.
I believe the numbers have to be higher than 2%, it's just 2% has been made public. (Before you squawk, the Catholic Church is a big church. Also, all too often abusers were abused and it could have been by a priest.) I have known some very gay young men enter the priesthood prior to all this outbreak. One told me that it didn't matter what sin you commit in this world, the Church has a ritual for forgiveness. I found his comment amazing, but not comforting. What is to deter one from the sin, if you can just be easily absolved with a ritual?
The one thing I have noted about some abusers who are married and abuse children, their mate often possesses very childlike attributes. One man I knew who was found guilty of abusing 12 year old girls has a very slim wife that has the body of a 12 year old. John Kerr, who is currently in the news, and both of his wives were young teens when they married . . . sort of as young as you could possibly go situation and be legal. I think with the ease of getting pornography, you will find more married men having problems. Pornography is proven to sexually stimulate some people to the point, they can no longer be satisfied at "normal" married levels of stimulation so they always have to seek more. Eventually, it becomes illegal and inappropriate situations.
I think it will take a while and more careful screening to clean out some of those who are serving. I think it is great the Pope reaffirmed the policy. Of course . . . this is the outsider's opinion, which I believe is what you wanted to hear.
PS Let's not forget the trust issue . . . when it is a priest, minister or other clergy that is trusted with children, it's always a bigger shock than when it just's your average joe (or jane).
2006-08-20 13:12:11 · answer #2 · answered by whozethere 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Okay, there should not be a blame on all priests for the actions of a few. But the blame game occured because the priests were protected from legal prosecution for a very long time and hidden from the law, by the men high enough in the church to do so. They transferred the priests around, "retrained" them and then released them back into the public where they did their evil again. So I don't believe all should be found guilty. There are some very nice priests who provide very good services to their congregations, but there are still those out there who may never face legal charges.
2006-08-20 13:03:34 · answer #3 · answered by st.nick 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
ive never heard any excuses made up for any adult accused of a sex crime against a monster. Preist or not...they are monsters and they need to die for it. I wish we lived in the old days when hanging was legal and ethical. We would have a sharp decline in crimes period.
2006-08-20 13:06:12 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I strongly agree.
(On a side-note, I think the Catholic Church has a lot of "cleaning up" to do around that issue...but that's just my opinion)
2006-08-20 13:03:31 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
okay..in Cincinnati we've had numerous Priest go to JAIL...where these people belong. CLEAN up your CHURCH...THEN come back here a PREACH!
2006-08-20 13:05:58 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You will notice those that scream the loudest about it would not be caught dead in a church!
2006-08-20 14:38:16 · answer #7 · answered by Grandreal 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are so totally right!
2006-08-20 13:28:19 · answer #8 · answered by Tigger 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well said.
Cordially,
John
2006-08-20 13:00:12 · answer #9 · answered by John 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋