Corruption Behind the Cloth?

[Charles]

Well, corruption behind the church has been headlining the news recently, and I'm sure that many of you are aware of it. Lately, revelations of sexual scandel have surfaced, causing many to question who they can trust. On the news tonight, a man broke his twenty year silence, revealing that a priest molested him as a child after asking "How would you like to kiss Jesus?"

This is obviously a situation that church leaders will need to directly address. But it remains to be seen if leaders will try to root out any vestiges of sexual abuse or cover up allegations.

[Quote][B]Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos said there are no solid statistics yet on whether sexual abuse of minors is more prevalent in the priesthood than other professions. He cited an American study that found 3 percent of U.S. priests have a tendency toward abuse of minors but only 0.3 percent actually acted on their urges.

The cardinal insisted the Vatican had been trying hard to solve the problem "even before it was front-page international news." Then he quickly departed without making any comments in English.[/Quote][/B]

I feel that the church may be dancing around the issue here. That statistic can by no means, be even nearly accurate. Just think about how many priests would lie when questioned about the issue. A growing number of U.S. Catholic analysts are complaining the Vatican needs to be far more open about its efforts at reform too.

[Quote][B]"They are handling it as a bureaucracy rather than as a church. A bureaucracy, of course, tries to obscure information and keep you from finding out the truth; a church should make truth readily available," said Eugene Kennedy, a professor and psychologist at Loyola University in Chicago.[/Quote][/B]

What do you think about the situation? Are church leaders being too secretive on the matter? Are they indeed a bureacuracy of the church?

I know that religious topics have been touchy, but I find this a revelent topic. Seeing as how we're questioning structure instead of belief, it should be cool. Sometimes I find present religious practices to be more of a business than a faith.

[Transtic Nerve]

I like how the church kinda excuses the actions by saying that 3% of the people have tendecies but on 0.3 act on it...

The Church obviously doesn't get it... they shouldn't be doing it at all! If the church wants to be all high and mighty and be "perfect" as God is said to be, then they need to do it. Molesting children is not perfect by any means. And I hope people soon realize that they can't trust anyone, even those who claim to work under God's hand... I'm sure God commanded they molest the children... till then... They won't see any of me anytime soon.

On a side note, this kinda reminds me of one episode of Queer as Folk... Brian's, a gay guy, mother was a religious fanatic. She had said, once Brian told he was gay, that she still had trust in on person... her minister. Oddly enough, that minister was the same guy Brian had had sex with a few Days before... obviously a male Minister. Again goes to show, that no one is whom they seem. Not even those who work for god.

[Sui Generis]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Transtic Nerve [/i]
[B]I like how the church kinda excuses the actions by saying that 3% of the people have tendecies but on 0.3 act on it...

The Church obviously doesn't get it... they shouldn't be doing it at all! If the church wants to be all high and mighty and be "perfect" as God is said to be, then they need to do it. Molesting children is not perfect by any means. And I hope people soon realize that they can't trust anyone, even those who claim to work under God's hand... I'm sure God commanded they molest the children... till then... They won't see any of me anytime soon.

On a side note, this kinda reminds me of one episode of Queer as Folk... Brian's, a gay guy, mother was a religious fanatic. She had said, once Brian told he was gay, that she still had trust in on person... her minister. Oddly enough, that minister was the same guy Brian had had sex with a few Days before... obviously a male Minister. Again goes to show, that no one is whom they seem. Not even those who work for god. [/B][/QUOTE]

Yeah I think it was a smart move by the church to use "statistics" jsut because the fact that today is a society of big numbers...3 percent doesn't seem like alot...but it's already too much..

Yeah I agree with you! Also the church doesn't get that even after they ahve done this...they need to take full responsibilty...I mean they ran from it for how many years?! Real holy if you ask me...

[James]

[color=royalblue]On an interesting side note, there were thousands of year old documents dug up a while back...which basically said that a church is blasphemous...and that the "church" is actually the spiritual center inside each human being.

Of course, the church instantly called this a fake...and said that it had no relevance. I don't know whether it was fake or not, but it does not surprise me that the church would try to dismiss such a thing.

I personally consider myself quite a spiritual person...and others (like Ginny Lyn) will point at me and say that I am anti-God etc etc etc...

But it couldn't be further from the truth.

I'm not anti-God. I'm anti-religion.

It is my belief that if God indeed exists...he is a bringer of wisdom and knowledge...and I think that he would not be arrogant enough to accept people bowing down to him in an organized fashion. I think God is above such a human desire.

My rather long-winded point is simply that this issue of rape and the church doesn't at all surprise me. The church itself is a farse -- it is merely an establishment created to push political and social agendas...and to continually provide misinformation.

Therefore, the idea that many in the church would actually be ignoring the very vows that the swore to their creator, does not seem so strange. These people aren't truly interested in honoring God -- if they were, they would do everything in their power to avoid acting on their compulsions.

Thus, it is a great circle; the hypocracy of organized religion continues. It's there in the name of God...and yet in so many ways, it degrades everything that God should stand for. And it only further proves human selfishness -- which this issue of molestation in the church is a prime example of.

Ugh, sorry if that was a bit long...but I guess you can see where I'm coming from on the issue. :)[/color]

[Milliardo]

[font=comic sans ms]There are two things at work here: one is that priests have made a vow to serve God, and serve faithfully. Since that is the case, then, the Church takes their word for it if such people don't admit it, since their vow makes them liable for their actions. Until it is proven otherwise, the Church will stand by these people because they have vowed to be fauthful to their calling. If found that they have not done so, the Church often will not hesitate to take them off the priesthood. However, the Church also conducts its own investigation on the matter, to see the other possibility: that these priests might also be victims of malicious intent.

Another point is that there are not too many priests who are like that, and indeed majority are still faithful to the call as servants of God. Media, however, makes a fenzy of such issues, since it is news. And news like that sells.[/font]

[Transtic Nerve]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Milliardo [/i]
[B][font=comic sans ms]There are two things at work here: one is that priests have made a vow to serve God, and serve faithfully. Since that is the case, then, the Church takes their word for it if such people don't admit it, since their vow makes them liable for their actions. Until it is proven otherwise, the Church will stand by these people because they have vowed to be fauthful to their calling. If found that they have not done so, the Church often will not hesitate to take them off the priesthood. However, the Church also conducts its own investigation on the matter, to see the other possibility: that these priests might also be victims of malicious intent.

Another point is that there are not too many priests who are like that, and indeed majority are still faithful to the call as servants of God. Media, however, makes a fenzy of such issues, since it is news. And news like that sells.[/font] [/B][/QUOTE]

The bottom line is that child molestation is against the law and will put you on the list of sex offenders. The fact the church and state are seperated in America allows for these molesters to go free. Such should not be the case, esspecially when the church find outs and does nothing about it.

I don't mean to be rude to any relious people, for I am just stating facts. The Church is known to cover up it's inner corruptions and wrong doings. This has happened for THOUSANDS of years... since the Catholic church first came into power in Europe. But when I think it becomes a little severe, and involves the normaly citizen of the US (Esspecially children) they should not cover this up. I do applaud the church for now giving these molesters away to the state government. I think it's the right move.

Also, you said the church will stand by these people because they vowed to be faithful. The church needs not to stand by these people... they KNOW what these people have done, and to stand behind them, to cover it up or whatever, is being just as guilty as the person who did it. I give no credit to the church for having this reputation of hiding child molesters. If they did it for the people who have been caught, imagine how many others there are that haven't been caught, or who don't confess. To continue standing behind these child molesters is totally unacceptable... and it's about time they turned them over so that they can spend their time in jail like they should have years and year ago.

There's a difference between standing behind your faith.... and standing behind you reason of right and wrong... by standing behing these men who they know have molested children denys all distinction between right and wrong. They are basically saying it's ok for priest to do this. Or they did... now they are finally taking the right action. I commend them for such action, however I condone everything they did before on the issue. Like I said, it goes to proove that not even the hands of god are what they seem. People trusted them, and they turn their backs on them... how am I supposed to trust them then?

[Pressure]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Transtic Nerve [/i]
[B]

The bottom line is that child molestation is against the law and will put you on the list of sex offenders. The fact the church and state are seperated in America allows for these molesters to go free. Such should not be the case, esspecially when the church find outs and does nothing about it.

I don't mean to be rude to any religous people, for I am just stating facts. The Church is known to cover up it's inner corruptions and wrong doings. This has happened for THOUSANDS of years... since the Catholic church first came into power in Europe. But when I think it becomes a little severe, and involves the normaly citizen of the US (Esspecially children) they should not cover this up. I do applaud the church for now giving these molesters away to the state government. I think it's the right move.

Also, you said the church will stand by these people because they vowed to be faithful. The church needs not to stand by these people... they KNOW what these people have done, and to stand behind them, to cover it up or whatever, is being just as guilty as the person who did it. I give no credit to the church for having this reputation of hiding child molesters. If they did it for the people who have been caught, imagine how many others there are that haven't been caught, or who don't confess. To continue standing behind these child molesters is totally unacceptable... and it's about time they turned them over so that they can spend their time in jail like they should have years and year ago.

There's a difference between standing behind your faith.... and standing behind you reason of right and wrong... by standing behing these men who they know have molested children denys all distinction between right and wrong. They are basically saying it's ok for priest to do this. Or they did... now they are finally taking the right action. I commend them for such action, however I condone everything they did before on the issue. Like I said, it goes to proove that not even the hands of god are what they seem. People trusted them, and they turn their backs on them... how am I supposed to trust them then? [/B][/QUOTE]

[COLOR=purple]May I just state upfront that it has been [U]real[/U] fun to play a bishop who gets arrested for the past three nights in a play. But moving on..

Stagitory rape and sexual abuse in children is increasing rapidly. One of the key factors may be that, the church doesn't do anything about it's deciples molesting children. Religion plays a big part in most people's lives in America, and the church is supposed to be the holiest place, and everything the church does is considered correct and holy.

So then if preists molest children and are supported by the church, sexual offenders who [i]aren't[/i] in the cloth will believe it isn't a crime to molest children. Hey if a preist can get away with sexual abuse, why can't an ordinary person?

No one is perfect, and no one is holy enough to be considered close to God. I agree with James, I don't think God would even be so arrogant as to like people bowing down to him day in and day out. That would bother me, endless praise. God must have a large ego if he exists. (I'd just like to state here and now that I don't think he does, but I won't try and persuade others to accept my views.)

Child molestation is a very dangerous problem in America right now. My mother is a lisenced clinical social worker and every day she deals with kids who have been molested by their teachers, parents, step parents, friends' parents, friends, siblings, etc. That doesn't make the news everyday, but because the followers of God did it, it's suddenly become a problem.

Thats sad. The preists aren't the only ones getting away with these crimes. The church backs them up, while insufficent police force and investigation of domestic crimes allows the other sexual molesters to get away with their crimes.[/COLOR]