Why Oh why are the Catholics denying that the BBC tells the truth?

Question

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/5389684.stm

Please don't post links to the Catholic league, not a credible source and quite frankly it is horrific that you try and cover up such behavior. Are all Catholics like this! Lets not have any denial in your responses preferably show some will to change the Vatican's evil actions!

Answer 1

I can believe it. What I can't believe is that our own Justice system in America is not going after those in the Church who hid those priests to begin with. If I committed a crime and you hid me, do you think you would be ignored by the justice system? Or would you be held responsible for hiding a criminal? I don't believe anyone is going to actually go after these people. I think the one's they put in the media, whom they do convict, is a mere show for the general public to calm them. And it keeps the other Catholics going to church without question.

Answer 2

Perhaps you didn't read the very credible and factual explanation the Catholic League recently provided for this late, biased, and factually incorrect attack on the Pope, and on the Catholic Church.

It sounds like you believe only what you want to believe.

October 3, 2006
BBC’S HIT JOB ON THE POPE

On October 1, the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) aired a documentary, “Sex Crimes and the Vatican,” that accused Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) of covering up priestly sexual abuse for 20 years. The show, which aired on the BBC’s flagship, Panorama, says that Cardinal Ratzinger had been in charge of enforcing a 1962 Vatican document that was allegedly written to cover up these crimes.



Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented as follows:



“It is a tribute to American journalism that the lies told by the BBC have not been widely disseminated in the United States. The 1962 document that the BBC refers to had absolutely nothing to do with covering up priestly sexual abuse. Quite the contrary: it dealt specifically with solicitations that a priest might make in the confessional. In fact, it prescribed penalties for any priest who, ‘whether by words or signs or nods of the head’ (my emphasis) might convey a sexual advance.



“This was an ecclesiastical response to a possible offense that, given the priest-penitent privilege, lay outside the purview of civil authorities. Furthermore, if a priest were found guilty, he could be thrown out of the priesthood. To top if off, if the penitent were to tell someone about sexual solicitation by a priest in the confessional (perhaps another priest), he or she had 30 days to report the incident to the bishop or face excommunication. In other words, the Vatican document actually prescribed punishment for the penitent if he or she didn’t turn in the guilty priest. The 1962 document was superseded by the 1983 Code of Canon Law and the norms established in 2001 for dealing with serious crimes involving the sacraments. As for the sexual abuse scandal, it was not until 2002, after the scandal had exploded in the media, that Pope John Paul II appointed Cardinal Ratzinger to investigate these matters.



“In short, the BBC’s hit job on the pope demands a quick and sincere apology.”

Answer 3

Actually I think a growing number of Catholics do accept the awful truth of this sort of article--not a majority though (but including some priests!). However, since the Vatican is an absolute monarchy, how many Catholics believe it is irrelevant. Between the huge amount of money it can be sued for and an obstinate belief that as God's personal embassy on earth, the Church as an institution can do no wrong (when a molesting priest is caught red-handed, it's always the "few bad eggs" defense), the Vatican persists in the unhelpful stance of sticking its head in the sand.

Answer 4

why aren't links to Catholic websites not "approved" by you as a newssource? the BBC to me is not considered a credible news source so.... do you really think if it was a incredible as all that the American news media wouldn't be all over it?! what has happened in the catholic church with regards to a very minority number of their priests is disgusting, yes i agree. however this is also taking place in all non-Catholic denominations and also in many homes where there is no religion.
i do not believe they are covering up the behavior - it has happened, it has been in all newss media and frankly, as a victim myself, NOT from within any clergy, i would not like to hear about my case broadcast over over kingdom come. i think as long as they are working with the family of the abused and seeing to it that it does not EVER happen again - the law has to do it's part and God will do the rest.
let those abused children try to come to gripes with their past without broadcasting it and their faces everywhere.

Answer 5

I don't know precisely what you refer to. As I answered in another of your questions... yesterday, I think. I have watched the BBC for some time, but they do appear to be spinning at least some of their reporting. I don't know if it is all. I watched an entire speech given the other day and then watched the BBC report on it. Their account was quite awful to see. It was enough to make me pray that they have not gone the way of American "news", sensationalistic and ratings driven, not to mention boldly partisan. I still watch CNN and FOX, but that is only because I can count on CNN to come out first with anything against the Republicans and on FOX to come out first with anything against the Dems. I also watch the Dutch channel, Deutsche Welle. Generally, if one wants unbiased, responsible reporting, one may end up having to travel the globe to find it. THAT is horrifying.

Answer 6

You know what's sad? Pedophiles run rampant in most protestant churches, but you all focus on the few in the catholic church. Why not single out the fundamentalist groups that marry 12 and 13 year old girls off to 50 year old men as their 3rd 4th, 5th 6th etc wives. These guysdo it openly and boast about it and nobody cares. but let one catholic priest stand too close to an alter boy and you are all up in arms. But then, i guess its ok to force sex on a girl!

Answer 7

According to the Bible, Jesus, the Roman Catholics GOD, said "You can tell a tree by the fruit it bears..."

Just how rotten is the Roman Catholic Tree???

Answer 8

all catholics are not like this. The catholic church is guilty of a lot of things. We all agree. But catholics are just as disgusted as everyone.

Answer 9

Hey fox.......British Broadcast Chanel. To answer the question, for the same reasons republicans deny that non republicans tell the truth.

Answer 10

And the marvel led after the beast, and he cause all great and small to get the mark of the beast. But there are good people that are truly sincere. God will call his sheep out of Babylon (confusion).