[quote]MikeTheBear wrote:
I do agree that there are a handful of priests truly committed to their calling. The majority, IMO, suffer psychological and emotional problems.[/quote]
But Mike, honestly… how many priests do you personally know? I’ve gone to Catholic school as a kid, was an altar boy (just waiting for the joke to follow on this one. lol) went to a Jesuit university and I have known A LOT of priests, but never encountered a single one that I thought was somehow shady or suffered emotional problems (not to say there were none).
So, if you are not Catholic and likely have not encountered all that many priests, on what are you basing the fact that you think the majority “suffer psychological and emotional problems”? Because there is a ton of media coverage of that issue in the last few years? You’re levelling one pretty damn broad charge.
[quote]MikeTheBear wrote:
What really bothered me about the child molesting was the fact that it was covered up by other priests. Instead of sending the offenders to counseling or whatever, they were simply transferred to other parishes where they could molest again. In criminal law, this is called aiding and abetting. Priests are supposed to be pillars of morality – they are certainly quick to make moral judgments about everybody else. For them to cover up these incidents is unconscionable.[/quote]
Yes. This is what PISSED me off. Whatever happened to mortal sin? The fact that so much of this occured and was covered up means that all who were involved and knew about it are less evolved and farther from God than laymen. Absolutely not the way it should be.
[quote]MikeTheBear wrote:
What really bothered me about the child molesting was the fact that it was covered up by other priests. Instead of sending the offenders to counseling or whatever, they were simply transferred to other parishes where they could molest again. In criminal law, this is called aiding and abetting. Priests are supposed to be pillars of morality – they are certainly quick to make moral judgments about everybody else. For them to cover up these incidents is unconscionable.[/quote]
I hate to put this one in then (putting on my asbestos suit…):
“Cardinal Ratzinger has been ordered to appear in a court in Texas over a sex abuse scandal. He was named in a suit brought on behalf of three men now in their 20s who claim they were sexually abused as children. The cardinal is accused of obstruction of justice in relation to a Vatican document that emerged in 2003 instructing Catholic bishops to deal with cases of sexual abuse “in the most secretive way”.”
Monday April 18, 2005
Disclaimer: I don’t think Ratzinger condones their behaviour - I just think the organisation is inept in tackling modern real life issues…
Imagine how much potential ass you could pull if you were a priest. I’m sure there’s plenty of girls out there that would like to have said they had sex with a priest. How bout it fellas?
[quote]Kuz wrote:
MikeTheBear wrote:
I do agree that there are a handful of priests truly committed to their calling. The majority, IMO, suffer psychological and emotional problems.
But Mike, honestly… how many priests do you personally know? I’ve gone to Catholic school as a kid, was an altar boy (just waiting for the joke to follow on this one. lol) went to a Jesuit university and I have known A LOT of priests, but never encountered a single one that I thought was somehow shady or suffered emotional problems (not to say there were none).
So, if you are not Catholic and likely have not encountered all that many priests, on what are you basing the fact that you think the majority “suffer psychological and emotional problems”? Because there is a ton of media coverage of that issue in the last few years? You’re levelling one pretty damn broad charge.
Kuz[/quote]
Actually, I was raised Catholic. Went to a Catholic school one year way back in second grade. Around the same time I went to a Catholic summer camp run by “brothers” (I guess that made them monks; they were Dominicans). Some of these brothers seemed odd. Around high school I decided I was an agnostic, but still had to go through confirmation because my parents made me. Despite my agnostic leaning, I also ended up at a Jesuit university, not because of the Catholic affiliation but because it was a good school.
I agree that I painted a broad accusation. However, I believe that it is human nature to mate and procreate. To suppress these feelings either requires a strong will or a few beers short of a six-pack.
[quote]StevenF wrote:
Imagine how much potential ass you could pull if you were a priest. I’m sure there’s plenty of girls out there that would like to have said they had sex with a priest. How bout it fellas? [/quote]
I still have a shirt and collar that I once wore for Halloween…
Just kidding; I’m married. But it would’ve been an interesting social experiment.
[quote]StevenF wrote:
Imagine how much potential ass you could pull if you were a priest. I’m sure there’s plenty of girls out there that would like to have said they had sex with a priest. How bout it fellas? [/quote]