When I began this blog in 2001, I was appalled by President Bush's headlong rush to an illegal war (we were not in fact under attack). As time wore on and Bush began his assault on the Constitution and any people bold enough to criticize, I believed that "the republic is endangered more by actions of our own government than by those of any terrorist." With the election of a high-minded, compassionate, intelligent man like Barack Obama, my fears have ceased.
"Honor them with peace, not war"
United for Peace
Sunday, March 17, 2002
That was the opinion of St. Paul, writing to a fledgling church in Corinth.
... It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.... .
--I Corinthians 8:1-2
... But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn
--I Corinthians 8:9
The Catholic Church, reeling under the scandal coming to light of many priests sexually abusing young people in their parishes, probably ought to listen to this piece of St. Paul's advice, though it's not clear to me that married abusers are more restrained than unmarried ones. It is said that most case of priest abuse deal not with young children but with boys in their early teens.
The Rev. Stephen Rossetti, a priest and psychologist who is one of the Church's authorities on the issue, believes the Church doesn't have a greater incidence of sex abuse than any other group of adult men who deal with young people. "There are about 40,000 active priests in the United States. I think if you took 40,000 male basketball coaches and scout leaders, the rates would be similar," he said. "That's my clinical opinion, but I have no data to support that because there aren't any." He's just guessing/hoping.
Whether or not the Church has a greater incidence, it does have a bigger problem. Priests are held to a different, higher standard. Priests have taken a vow of celibacy, which coaches and scout leaders have not. Priests purport to be moral counselors, which coaches and scout leaders do not (though they may toss in their own moral views along with practical instruction).
In the U.S., the Catholic Church claims special protection of The Constitution and avoids taxation and many regulations that apply to other organizations. To protect its own reputation and authority, it has used this Constitutional protection to avoid publicity. Even now that the scandal has been made public, numerous bishops are refusing to turn over names to prosecutors; instead they claim the right to decide themselves whether there is a viable criminal case.
The Catholic Church strives mightily to influence public policy in a number of areas touching on moral concerns, yet won't tolerate public scrutiny. It is thus guilty of a double standard, perhaps a result of forgetting that the Church is not God.
Copyright © 2001-03 Pam Shorey
(except the specific sources credited in quotes)
It is better to marry than to burn.
That was the opinion of St. Paul, writing to a fledgling church in Corinth.
... It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.... .
--I Corinthians 8:1-2
... But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn
--I Corinthians 8:9
The Catholic Church, reeling under the scandal coming to light of many priests sexually abusing young people in their parishes, probably ought to listen to this piece of St. Paul's advice, though it's not clear to me that married abusers are more restrained than unmarried ones. It is said that most case of priest abuse deal not with young children but with boys in their early teens.
The Rev. Stephen Rossetti, a priest and psychologist who is one of the Church's authorities on the issue, believes the Church doesn't have a greater incidence of sex abuse than any other group of adult men who deal with young people. "There are about 40,000 active priests in the United States. I think if you took 40,000 male basketball coaches and scout leaders, the rates would be similar," he said. "That's my clinical opinion, but I have no data to support that because there aren't any." He's just guessing/hoping.
Whether or not the Church has a greater incidence, it does have a bigger problem. Priests are held to a different, higher standard. Priests have taken a vow of celibacy, which coaches and scout leaders have not. Priests purport to be moral counselors, which coaches and scout leaders do not (though they may toss in their own moral views along with practical instruction).
Absolute power corrupts absolutely
Catholic Church is guilty of a tremendous abuse of power. I think the Catholic Church has a bigger problem with sex abuse and/or pedophiles than a protestant church with the same number would, because it insists on itself as mediator of God's Word, whereas Protestant churches expect ministers to give guidance, not pronouncements. When your soul is at stake in the Catholic Church, you'd better do what your priest says; not necessarily so in a Protestant church, where you have the responsibility of exercising your own judgment. If it is hard for a child to say 'no' to an adult in authority, how can he say 'no' to God?In the U.S., the Catholic Church claims special protection of The Constitution and avoids taxation and many regulations that apply to other organizations. To protect its own reputation and authority, it has used this Constitutional protection to avoid publicity. Even now that the scandal has been made public, numerous bishops are refusing to turn over names to prosecutors; instead they claim the right to decide themselves whether there is a viable criminal case.
The Catholic Church strives mightily to influence public policy in a number of areas touching on moral concerns, yet won't tolerate public scrutiny. It is thus guilty of a double standard, perhaps a result of forgetting that the Church is not God.
- Notes.
- For stories on other churches' problems, see the Detroit News religion page.
- I realize that the remarks above may seem anti-Catholic to some people, and if so, I apologize. This web log concerns itself with questions of abuse of power and is mostly directed toward the U.S. Government. In this matter, however, we have a strong instance of abuse of power, and I claim the right to discuss it in an otherwise political arena since it involves questions of public policy and how this private and protected entity deals with those questions.
Palema
8:08 AM
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Copyright © 2001-03 Pam Shorey
(except the specific sources credited in quotes)
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