Pedophiles and the Church: What should be done?

[fable]

No, this isn't a trumped-up excuse to beat on the RCC. Earlier this evening I was driving home after attending a dinner given by my wife's co-workers, since she starts a new job next week. I switched on the radio, and heard one of the more intelligent discussion programs, called Connections, discussing the issue of the RCC and its problems with pedophilic priests. This was not (contrary to the usual sensationalist coverage) a piece filled with testimony, rage and tears, but a thoughtful examination of the issues involved between a professor of Roman Catholic theology at Boston University, and a writer who has focused several years' research on the issue.

The focus was a recent statement by Cardinal Law of Boston: a very humble statement admitting to guilt in not recognizing what he was doing when he simply reappointed priests who were known pedophiles back into his archdiocese, and into contact with children. The scandal has finally erupted with several hundred lawsuits in the Boston diocese alone. Documents have now been made public by lawyers, psychiatrists and physicians who urged the Law and his fellow leaders in the RCC as long ago as 15 years to remove known pedophiles from active status at the very least. One particular priest was first accused of molesting young boys in 1984. Nothing was done about it. That single priest alone is the object of 84 current lawsuits on charges of rape, indecent assault, and battery.

What astonished the journalist (who plainly stated that he was a believing Roman Catholic, and horrified by what he'd found) was that no effort has been made to examine the mindset of the men in charge of the diocese, who have repeatedly allowed these kinds of crimes to continue without checking accusations, even after the offending priests had been psychiatrically diagnosed and treated as pedophiles. The Pope, too, came in for a share of blame, accused by both theologian and journalist of inconsistently applied dogma: priests were continuously harassed not to leave the Church despite the desire for sexual contact, when on the other hand the Pope was all too willing to accept approximately one hundred married Anglican ministers into the RCC rite, because they refused to remain Anglicans after their spiritual leader accepted the ordaining of women ministers.

The issue of pedophile priests in the RCC has been making the news in a number of countries, lately. Do you feel this is a significant problem? If so, what remedies would you propose for it? Is celibacy a major difficulty?

[Scholarcs]

If celibacy is so much of a problem for the priest you mention, then they shouldnt even be priests.

All Pedophiles Should Be Shot! Be they priests or not..

[fable]

What about the issue of celibacy from the Church's side, Scholarcs? Is pedophilia a problem that arises from within a celibate environment that also teaches young boys?

[Scholarcs]

Well I see that priests are celibrate for a reason, that is so they can spend their lives in the service of God. Perhaps, if they feel the need to become pedophiles, then perhaps they are not as dedicated as priests are supposed to be. Perhaps God does not think they should be priests.

Have pedophiles in the priesthood failed in their duty to God? I think so. They break the laws that God has made, and, I think, are evil spots on good religion.

[fable]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Scholarcs:
Well I see that priests are celibrate for a reason, that is so they can spend their lives in the service of God. Perhaps, if they feel the need to become pedophiles, then perhaps they are not as dedicated as priests are supposed to be. Perhaps God does not think they should be priests.

---

As other churches allow marriage in the priesthood, is the problem the issue of celibacy in the RCC, in your opinion? Or is celibacy okay, and the problem lies with inadequate enforcement of self-imposed discipline within the RCC? Or something else?

[norompanlasolas]

i dont know if this is off topic, but ill tell it anyways.

a week ago a very popular gay magazine here in spain front cover was from a priest from a diocesis of a small spanish town saying "thank god im gay". the guy was inmediatly suspended by the church, and now is awol. furthermore, he will probably be ejected from the rcc. so, being a pedophile is better than being gay it seems. at least in the eyes of the rcc.

edit: this of course was big news and went up in all the big spanish newspapers.

[ 02-06-2002: Message edited by: norompanlasolas ]

[Jorath Calar]

Pedophiles are the most disgusting of all creeps that this world has produced, I agree they should be shot...
And for a priest to do it it's even worse, that is not what Christ meant when he said "suffer the little children".

[Cerek the Barbaric]

I wouldn't think that celibacy leads to pedophilia. I beleive that these priests are already have these sexual tendancies, but may be able to keep them "hidden" before entering the priesthood.

I don't know enough about the Roman Catholic Church to comment on their practices in a knowledgeable manner, but the number of reports that have surfaced over the last few years seem to indicate that priests apparantly have a fair amount of "private contact" with young children.

However, I think it's also important to keep in mind that the majority of these offenses are committed by a very small number of priests. As the report fable heard said, 84 complaints in the Boston diocese were attributed to one priest.

I'm not excusing the RCC heirarchy for thier lack of action on the issue. Pedophiles should be permanently removed from the priesthood.

And, as Garnet pointed out in the Religion II, these cases are not limited to the RCC.

It is reprehensible for any priest/pastor/bishop/deacon or ANY authority figure of ANY religious denomination to behave in such a manner - and inexcusable if they are not permanently removed from that position once their actions become known.

[Garnet FalconDance]

(Why do you guys keep posting such interesting topics! Don't you know I have housework to do [img]smile.gif[/img] ))

(possible) rant: pedophilia in the Church and the covering up of such.

If a person reads history from several sources, this (celibacy and unacceptable sexual contact) has been a problem from almost the outset of the 'Christian' church (from this point on I'll use simply 'the church', meaning primarily RCC as this is the prominent one throughout history) Humans are biologically geared toward reproduction...scientific fact...and to consciously remain celibate goes against basic nature. This IMO makes a priest's or nun's vow even more powerful--they are making a conscious choice to forego one of the strongest inate urges to more fully connect to and 'serve' their god. ('serve' not in a servile manner but worship and witness). Many, many thousands of these good people have sucessfully kept these vows and remain a shining beacon of faith. Others, however, perhaps from a weaker constitution, faith or simple subterfuge readily shed their vow and engage in this 'vice'.

Historically, as I have said, this has been hinted at and documented. It is not unusual to read snippets of older documents which hint (or blatantly aver) that some priests go into the priesthood because they know their perversity (ie pedophilia or homosexuality--this *is* considered a sin by the church--) can be hidden in a community which contains nearly unlimited opportunity and the advantage of a power structure which precludes close examination of a priest's word over a common man's. And this mindset still perseveres to this day. Believers often refuse to believe that their beloved 'holy' priests could *possibly* engage in such activity, least of all report such behaviour. And look what happens when the behaviour *is* reported--not a whole lot. Often it is swept under a very thick rug and hidden or discounted entirely.

These men (and, I'm sure, women tho less documented) are predators. Some *few* may simply be misguided, but IMO if they felt their behaviour to be 'wrong' or dangerous, they would seek help on their own and remove themselves from the ever-present temptation. The fact that allegations are so often hushed for many years and even then treated with apparent disregard for severity points to the Church's unwillingness to openly and publically admit they have a huge problem and *must* deal with it. Rather like a small child's belief that "if I don't see you, you're not there". (I am speaking mostly of pedophilia at the moment.)

As to other sexual activity (ie homosexuality) within the Church, this too is historically recognized as a large bugaboo. Commonly, 'sex' is considered contact between the opposite genders, so it was peceived that contact between same gender was a little more acceptable (within closed walls). It kept the monk/priest/nun from acting on his or her base nature with someone of the other gender and yet more content and apt to keep in the pristhood. And it is a valid argument. However, this does not excuse the behaviour since it is *clearly* against Church doctrine! And, again, the power structure within the church precluded reporting the atrocities by the younger or 'lesser' to their superiors.

I don't think pedophilia or homosexuality is taught, per se. *No*, I correct that---***pedophilia is a conscious choice to target an innocent, a control of that which should never be sullied. It is a twisted desire to share that innocence in a manner so heinous as to be unfathomable by most. It *is* a perversion.***

Homosexuality is a sexual *choice*, some would argue a genetic or hormonally induced bias. I really don't have a problem with it as long as it is not used as a controlling behaviour over others (ie anyone in an authority position holding the prediliction over another's head in order to ensure submission). Within the Church, it has no place whatsoever as it clearly violates not only personal vows but religious doctrine.

I have never in my life ever heard of any study showing the celebacy leads to pedophilia...Pedophilia is a sick, twisted perversion that is caused more by lack of morales and character than lack of nookie.

In my obviously non-humble opinion.