Should Catholic Priests Be Allowed To Molest Children?

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   DennisBarkerposted 14 years ago

   I havn't found anything in the bible which says yes, so has the catholic church got a well documented history of covering up child abuse?

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      Daniel Carterposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Um, okay wait.
      They've NEVER been ALLOWED to molest children. Just as no one has been ALLOWED by the law to MURDER someone.
      
      They did it WITHOUT permission. Cover ups are well documented. And it's not just about Catholics, every religion has its coverups because every religion is sacrosanct and believes it must protect the image of the "perfect, one true church" despite what it's fallible members do.
      
      Again, every religion covers up. One of the inherent evils of men, perpetrated through organizations. Another reason why I feel so non-religious.

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      tantrumposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Catholics priests are human beings like you and me.
      some are wonderful people ,and some aren't.
      
      You don't look wonderful to me after posting this thread !!
      
      and ,no.
      i'm not a christian.
      Not even a believer.

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      AdsenseStrategiesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Who cares what the Bible says, any normal person would say that abuse is not acceptable -- in fact, isn't that in the very definition of the *word* "abuse"?

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      debugsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      No they should be arrested and listed as sex offenders.

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         Valerie Fposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         That is the current policy. Immediately suspend priests once they are accused, turn them over to civil authorities, and laicize them permanenty if they're convicted.
         
         This should be the policy in public schools, sporting teams, and scouting organizations, and the groups most often responsible for abuse and covering up abuse- families.

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            Mark Knowlesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Quick - Defend the church by attacking some other group.
            
            Dear me. Do you have any morals?

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               Valerie Fposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               More than you. I didn't make a baseless personal attack, but stated an opinion supported by facts. Children are more likely to be abused by someone within their own household than by a priest. Where is the outrage against social services which ignore abuse or routinely shuffle kids among abusive homes? Where is the outrage against families who discourage reporting the abuse, or authorities who do not take a child's call seriously enough? It's so much easier to point to some big boogey man in a pointy hat than to acknowledge that this is just a reflection of a much bigger problem in the general population.

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                  Mark Knowlesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  Personal attack? How is that? Real question. Do you have any morals - or is defending the chuch your priority?
                  
                  Because - here you are - once again - defending the church and - once again - the discussion is deflected from the church and an attack is made on another group. In this case abusive homes instead of Stalin. None of which changes the abuse by the church.

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                     Valerie Fposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                     Even asking if I have any morals is a personal attack.
                     
                     What's the matter with defending a group of people from a smear campaign waged by a society that ignores its own problems? A child is more likely to be abused by someone within the general population than by a priest, and most likely to be abused by someone within his or her own household. This is backed up by all statistics on child abuse.
                     
                     If your own roof's leaking, don't come working on mine.

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                     Valerie Fposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                     And again, you can't even volunteer to work in a church or a parochial school any more without so many hours of child safety training, abuse prevention, et cetera.

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      Stevennix2001posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      i don't know about that, but it does strike me as odd that the catholic church doesn't kick out the ones that are caught AND they haven't gotten modernized to where they start doing background checks on the people they have join in as young priests, nuns and such. 
      
      as far as the forum question topic and not the op. you know, the one where you asked if it's okay for priests to molest children.  i can only sum it up in one word.....NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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      gogol-lives-amongposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Great question!!

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   DennisBarkerposted 14 years ago

   If the hierarchy in the catholic church moves somebody to another area who is accused of child molestation, and then moves him again when the same accusations are made again in the next area, isn't that allowing abuse?
   
   Its certainly not dealing with child abuse by preventing it happening again.

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      cosetteposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      yes it is.
      
      a predator is a predator, whether dressed in a trench coat or a priest's frock.

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      Daniel Carterposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I think you make a good point, so I concede. I hadn't considered that, but I think you're right.

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   DennisBarkerposted 14 years ago

   Tantrum, this isn't about looking wonderful, its about discussing an issue which should be discussed.

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      tantrumposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      You're not going to get anywhere.
      If you want to discuss, give a name and an accusation, but don't say that all priests can be allowed to be child molesters.

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   DennisBarkerposted 14 years ago

   The time for any priesthood to be above the law is well and truly over. Ireland is in shock at the moment but I suspect that many people will disown the catholic church for its attitude in the past.

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      Brenda Durhamposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with this.
      The Catholic Church needs much reform.  They (it) has always seen itself as THE instrument of God on earth and therefore unprosecutable via legal means.   
      
      Not saying that there aren't some "good" priests, etc.
      
      But the problem is that priests are supposed to be unmarried and celibate......and there really aren't many (I think) people who can and will live that way.
      That basis of the celibacy issue is outta whack too, when it comes to the Catholic Church.  Because Peter (the one they claim "built" the RCC) was a married man.  So the whole concept of the RCC priesthood is based on a false premise.   JESUS is the Rock! 
      
      Still, I believe there are Catholics who are true Christians.   It's just so hard to see them in the maze of Catholicism....and that religion makes it hard for them to see the truth of the Church that Jesus wanted.....

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      Jewelsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Dennis, the distancing of people from the Catholic church has been happening for decades.  The issue of child molestation by priests and those known as brothers, many of whom abused their rights as teachers and sexually abused their students, has been rife the world over.  Ireland perhaps is a little behind the times in taking so long to see what was happening right under their noses.  The faith in Ireland was very much ingrained in the way of life of the older generation particularly.
      
      There is no one, Catholic or non catholic who condones child molestation.  So the question you pose on this forum is of course going to attract a resounding "No, of course not" by anyone who has an ounce of decency.
      
      Attack the catholic church for the way it has covered up the criminal activity.  Also ask should celibacy be outlawed in the catholic church, as the main cause of the need for sexual deviance.  Also how is the church handling the possible excess of pedophiles within the church and is there a direct correlation between pedophilia and celibacy?
      
      I agree, the movement of known abusers within the church is a form of condoning and not addressing the problem.  I know of several abused as teenagers who are now middle aged, going through the court system seeking justice from their experiences at school.

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   cosetteposted 14 years ago

   well not all priests are like that. i went to the catholic church throughout my childhood and it was a positive experience for me in that it nurtured my spirituality.
   
   one time a priest came to our house to "talk about my older brother"....my dad was really, really angry about something and after that, we stopped going. after that, my brother got weird, so who knows what went on. but not all priests are bad and the whole church itself isn't. they did (and still do) some good works.

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   fatfistposted 14 years ago

   They should be allowed to get married, or have a girlfriend, or visit some of the nice red-light districts in Italy for Christ's sake!

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      sannyasinmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Everyone can get sexually frustrated at some time, and there are ways to deal with the frustration. But they don't go and molest or sodomize innocent young children!
      
      Let's not confuse the issue by feeling sorry for sexually frustrated priests.
      
      Priests (anyone for that matter) who sexually abuses a young child is a paedophile and should be acknowledged and prosecuted as such - Catholic priest or not.
      
      We should be talking about ways to protect the poor children whose lives are being ruined by these perverts, not finding ways to sympathise with the priests!!!

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   cosetteposted 14 years ago

   haha! why do i feel guilty for laughing at that

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   pddm67posted 14 years ago

   You're kidding - right?
   
   Of course they should NOT be allowed to molest children. Why on Earth should they or anyone else ever be allowed to do such a thing? It's been going on way too long and unfortunately, are not being prosecuted as they should be. Being celibate is also not an excuse. For God's sake - just rub one off in the shower or have a wet dream like everyone else. Any child molestor, priest or not, should pay and then pay some more for such a hideous crime.

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   PackSecureposted 14 years ago

   Should Catholic Priests Be Allowed To Molest Children?
   
   Simple answer, NO.  Neither should anyone else.

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    Jane@CMposted 14 years ago

    "Should Catholic Priests Be Allowed to Molest Children?"  That is by the farthest thee most stupid forums post I have seen to date & there are some outlandish ones here.  What a stupid question.  Any one with a lick of morals knows that No ONE should be allowed to molest a child...priest or no priest.  Please.

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    katiem2posted 14 years ago

    ALL evil people who seek to harm children position themselves around them.  WE the VILLAGE should practice more decernment and question the motives of ANYONE working with children with a careful and watchful eye upon them.  The good ones won't mind our doing this and in fact will be grateful.  I'm sure they don't appreciate such monsters tanting the reputation of churches, schools and the like.  To me it feels like everyone around the children of the world need to JUST be more proactive.  COMEON, PLEASE, REALLY, AS IF, if the times were counted passer byers suspected something and didn't nothing were calculated and the count was traded for all the harmed children, none may be harmed ever again.  IT TAKES A VILLAGE!  Peace

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       sannyasinmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       What's all this about a VILLAGE (capitals)? Am I missing something? Please explain . .

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    enchanted13posted 13 years ago

    I just don't understand how anyone can look at the abuse of children by clergy and think that it was an acceptable practice and use that to condemn religion. These monsters who prey on children are naturally going to get jobs or set up circumstances where they have legitimate reasons for being around them. It is not just churches and clergy, it's schools and teachers, it's childrens coaches and instructors, it's any profession where they can deal directly with children. Why the focus on the church? Well, we all agree that they handled these incidents atrociously but aside from that, it's shocking. We think this is the last place this would happen but when you think about it, aside from having access to children perhaps these people were drawn to the church because it is a place for abstinance and they believed that they could overcome their desires there. Regardless of where or why though the bottom line is that priests are just as human as everyone else and you simply cannot use the actions of these men to condemn an entire belief system. Bottom line is, parents need to be vigilant when it comes to their children as does the rest of society. I agree it takes a village and is the responsibility of everyone to look after children and put a stop to anything that seems harmful or wrong even if you feel it's none of your business. When it comes to children, whether they are yours or not, we all have a responsibility to look after children everywhere.

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    alternate poetposted 13 years ago

    and you think this only happens in the catholic church !! ??  wake up and smell the coffee - any position of moral authority is a dream job for a child molester - and the screening is pathetic, the catholic church is just a big number in the authority stakes.

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       itakinsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       5% of offenders were Catholic clergy(priests and brothers)-that leaves 95% NOT  Catholic clergy-just plain old fathers,stepfathers,brothers,uncles ,cousins,grandfathers.and some females too!
       Many offenders are married ....even a married paedophile lusts after young children...so marriage is not a panacea for this condition.

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    superwagsposted 13 years ago

    "Should catholic priests be allowed to molest children"?!
    
    Was this meant to be the most cut a dried answer to a question ever?! Erm, let me think; you've really tested my moral compass here!

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