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So what's wrong with making a sensible observation that proportionally speaking there is a significantly higher proportion of abusers in the catholic clergy than in other professions? The point of such observation, believe it or not, is not about demonising all priests but trying to understand why such thing happens.
Most people believe is because catholic priests are meant to live a life of compulsory celibacy, which is unhealthy and unnatural.
You disapprove of Catholicism (and all religion), and cannot understand celibacy.
You read stories of child abuse performed by Catholics who are celibate. Therefore the the two facts must correlate.
Is my analysis correct?
Add this to the fact that the clergy will obviously attract sexual devaints who are running from their own procilivities and hey presto - paedo priests!
No normal healthy man is going to give up sex for incense. No normal healthy man is going to believe in rubbish like catholicism or any other major religion. It's myths for children and the feeble minded.
Oh and Kermit, teaching children nonsense as fact IS child abuse.
But do most people believe that? I'd be shocked if they did; at best they would be showing their ignorance.
Personally, I disagree that it is "unhealthy and unnatural" and resent the fact that because you're of that opinion you are stating it as if it is de facto.
Aha thats the theory, basically the priest 'marries' God, dunno whether it actually works in practice though.
Edited to add: Didn't mean to sound like Alan Partridge honest!
I do know what you're getting at; but priests don't marry God (that's the nuns, symbollically, hence most of them wearing wedding bands) as of course the catholic church is staunchly opposed to homosexual relationships.
A priest/vicar/minister/etc is supposedly the representation of God on earth.
I don't think people whose faith is strong enough for them to want to forsake a sexual life should be automatically derided as all being somehow abnormal...
...that's the kind of close-minded, blanket judgement I'd expect from the catholic church.
Not all priests would experience that of course, but many would surely have done. And there is only so much a person can take without cracking up or flipping.
I guess it's a tiny bit easier for them now anyway, seeing as the Vatican has more or less condoned masturbation... or at least stopped condemning it as sinful. If a person is not only not allowed to have sex but also not to masturbate, is there any wonder a few turned the way they did?
Oh, absolutely. But then that's the true test of their faith, isn't it?
I'm not pretending that there aren't priests who abuse their position and who abuse children (or even adults) over whom they have a "hold", but I think the majority of those men would be involved in that kind of thing whether they'd become a social worker, teacher, uncle, father, school caretaker. I don't accept that taking a vow of celibacy is directly responsible for the (horrific) abuse that does take place.
I definitely think that men with those tendencies (and the desire to surpress them? or indulge them?) may gravitate toward the church (or one of the other roles I mentioned) as it would give them a great smokescreen and automatic position of respect and trust. I concede that something needs to be done about it, but I don't think changing the celibacy aspect is going to do a thing about it (and it will never happen).
Just a wee bit off the original topic here, heh.
But I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn..
So basically, if you have the propensity to lead a celibate life then that's the path you should follow...if the celibate life isn't for you then you're to be married. That's the way I understand it...so you won't be out shagging the harlot of Jerusalem and her mates.
Mandatory celibacy is quite bizarre, but it's obvious why it's a stipulation. The reasoning is clear to see, whether it makes sense or not. If you're celibate and single then you can focus your life on serving God etc, and if you're hitched then you'll be too busy serving your wife (right? right?
The faith that brings them into the Priesthood remains with them, they want to remain celibate as they have chosen to follow God instead of sexual urges.
So paedophilia is only caused by celibacy?
Interesting argument, you gonna illustrate it with evidence?
Most clergy aren't "rolling" in money either- the Church is asset-rich, but what's it gonna do, sell the Basilica?
Where have I said that?
Read my post again. If you still fail to interpret it properly, I said that forced celibacy might be a reason, not the only one.
I'll admit i'm not massively up on religion, but is it explicitly stated in the rule book that priests can't take wives or have sexual intercourse? It's just i really don't see the necessity for the two to be mutually exclusive.
Of course, anyone with any sort of taboo sexual tendancies (gay people in the olden days, for example), especially a religious person, might turn to a life of celebacy as a way of trying to deal with it. I would be interested to know if there is (or used to be) a greater number of gay men in the priesthood also, but I'm guessing they don' do that sort of research.
All the way through the pissing thread, bozo.
No, you implied that the reason why "so many"
Don't imply something and then ball-ache when someone says you're talking your usual brand of bigoted and offensive bullshit.
No, it doesn't at all. You appear to have some reading comprehension problems that I didn't know you suffered from. Unless you're pretending of course...
I haven't implied anything. You're wishing I had done, because then it would be easier to dismiss me. Sorry. Must try harder mate.
Why mention it then?
Oh, because you want to imply that their beliefs are unnatural and immoral, and turn normal people into raging nonces.
Interesting to see you don't even have the guts to stand by your bigotry.
The immense majority of people (and suspect you too, deep at heart) can see that there appear to be a significantly higher proportion of paedophilia amongst Catholic priests than amongst any other professions, including school teachers or ministers from other Christian denominations who by happy coincidence don't have to observe a wow of celibacy- which kind of destroys your claims that it all boils down to 'position of authority' doesn't it?
The immense majority of people can also join the dots and reach the perfectly logical conclusion that celibacy must play a part in the abnormally high number of paedophilia cases amongst catholic priests (proportionally speaking, lest you start trying to twist my words again :rolleyes: ), even if it is not a factor on all cases, which of course it wouldn't be.
Pity you choose to bury your head in the sand and pretend it's all an atheist conspiracy to smear the good name of the Catholic Church. Though you can believe what you want to of course...
Make your mind up, Al.