quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:
Victims of sexual abuse, in addition to contacting civil authorities, are asked to come forward in order to receive pastoral assistance.

Yeah I think they've had enough "pastoral assistance".

They should find a church or organization that doesn't systemically harbor sexual deviants (pedophiles) and rapists.

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:

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I’m Catholic, and I’m tired of this shit. These so called “Priests” need to be tried, convicted, and sent to “pound me in the ass prison” so they can get their own dose. So tired of it. I’m loyal to my local Parish, not the Vatican or the Diocese.

I'm with you. When people ask, "Is the Pope Catholic?", I say "not this Pope." Bunch of commies at the Vatican currently and among the US Bishops.

It’s getting very difficult for me, call it a personal confliction. I wasn’t raised Catholic, and actually I had to raise myself since 5. In my life I attended and evaluated many religions, even Buddhism, and kicked it with the Krishnas. I loathed Baptists as they would always talk shit about other Christian faiths, and boy would they talk about money, 10% of gross, not net, then proceed every year to lay out the multi-million dollar building fund. Then I went non-denom and same thing. Last one I attended he is now on tv. They built a theme park and called it a Christian summer camp. I like the Catholic service, the order of it, the Eucharist, so many things, it’s where I fit. My parish is solid, mixed rice too, we have a large chunk of Hispanics so some of our services are mixed English/Spanish and dedicated Spanish services for them. It’s a great Parish, but my faith in Catholicism is being severely tested because of this subject. The Diocese needs to quit protecting these men and turn them over to the Police. The Priests can beg God’s forgiveness from Prison. My main Priest is married, which is allowed if you do it prior to seminary. The Church needs to change, and needed to decades ago. These clowns need to be locked up with the hardest severity allowed by law. The longest sentences, etc. A bad apple doesn’t spoil the barrel but this is extreme. Anyone harming a child needs to be punished severely.

Father at one mass recently said, and he has the data, for every single person that joins the Catholic faith, 7 Catholics leave. Gee I wonder why?

The Church needs to permit priests to marry. It would take a couple of decades, but over time, this rampant problem of priests molesting children would diminish to almost nothing.

Pedophiles go into the priesthood because no one questions the marital status of priests. Think about it.

^^^^^^^^I've long held the same position.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
The Church needs to permit priests to marry. It would take a couple of decades, but over time, this rampant problem of priests molesting children would diminish to almost nothing.

Pedophiles go into the priesthood because no one questions the marital status of priests. Think about it.

I agree with you. I see no reason why women can be priests either. If you have the belief, the conviction, all power to you if you can help people. It took centuries for the Church to ease up on the nuns as well. They are operating in the past to their own detriment.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
The Church needs to permit priests to marry. It would take a couple of decades, but over time, this rampant problem of priests molesting children would diminish to almost nothing.

Pedophiles go into the priesthood because no one questions the marital status of priests. Think about it.

My wife and I were both raised Catholic like many who have responded in this thread. I too was an altar boy and attended parochial school up through 8th grade.

My wife said the same thing para said just this afternoon. She went further. She believes the ongoing criminal abuses by priests also justifies women priests. I wouldn’t have dreamed it, but I think both married priests and female priests may be the way to stop this shit.

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I wouldn’t have dreamed it, but I think both married priests and female priests may be the way to stop this shit.

The Church is over 2000 years old. For the first 1000 years or so priests were allowed to marry. Also, under a ruling by Pope John Paul II, married Anglican and Lutheran ministers are already allowed to be ordained as Catholic priests on a case-by-case basis.

There have never been female priests. I'm not saying it couldn't or won't happen, but you will see married priests before you see female priests. Possibly in our lifetimes. There's a history and a tradition there... and the Church is big on tradition.

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:

quote:

I wouldn’t have dreamed it, but I think both married priests and female priests may be the way to stop this shit.

The Church is over 2000 years old. For the first 1000 years or so priests were allowed to marry. Also, under a ruling by Pope John Paul II, married Anglican and Lutheran ministers are already allowed to be ordained as Catholic priests on a case-by-case basis.

There have never been female priests. I'm not saying it couldn't or won't happen, but you will see married priests before you see female priests. Possibly in our lifetimes. There's a history and a tradition there... and the Church is big on tradition.

I know and I don’t think we’ll get see women as priests either—probably ever, that’s just what my wife said.

Sad thing is, there’s a “history and tradition” among too many priests, and it’s proven to span at least 2 or 3 generations. Bastards

From my personal experience fallibility and forgiveness of sin has contributed to the perpetuation of this criminal behavior. The church says man is fallible and if you ask for forgiveness then you are forgiven, this has allowed these priests to say "I have sinned please forgive me" and their superiors have an easy out to let them off the hook. And the abusers continue abusing.

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Originally posted by TigerDore:

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Originally posted by bendable:
there is no separation what so ever ,
if you want separation move to canada

There is separation between church and state here and it is guaranteed by our Constitution, thankfully.

It is pretty well established that taxing the profits of the press hasn't prevented them from exercising their own freedoms, so to claim Constitutional exemption from taxation for church activity based on the First Amendment would be an uphill battle.

There's no reason why profits earned by religious activity must be tax-free. They generally are, but that's by statute, not by the Constitution.

And, for the record, what is in the Constitution is just that the Feds can't set up a state religion or prevent you from exercising your own beliefs. "Separation of church and state" is a good idea, and the Constitutional prohibition of the Feds setting up something like a "Church of America" (as England did) goes along with that idea, but even that idea does not imply that church property/profits could not be taxed.

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:

quote:

I wouldn’t have dreamed it, but I think both married priests and female priests may be the way to stop this shit.

The Church is over 2000 years old. For the first 1000 years or so priests were allowed to marry. Also, under a ruling by Pope John Paul II, married Anglican and Lutheran ministers are already allowed to be ordained as Catholic priests on a case-by-case basis.

There have never been female priests. I'm not saying it couldn't or won't happen, but you will see married priests before you see female priests. Possibly in our lifetimes. There's a history and a tradition there... and the Church is big on tradition.

I think they should allow marriage as well. I had a college professor that became a Catholic Priest. He was married with a baby at the time he taught me, but always felt the call to be a priest.

From his bio:

Dr.De Paulo was ordained as a deacon and priest in the United States in the Ukrainian Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic church within the Roman Catholic Church. In 2007, he was installed as pastor in East McKeesport, Pennsylvania.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
The Church needs to permit priests to marry. It would take a couple of decades, but over time, this rampant problem of priests molesting children would diminish to almost nothing.

Pedophiles go into the priesthood because no one questions the marital status of priests. Think about it.

Agreed, 1000%.

quote:

Originally posted by GA Gator:
From my personal experience fallibility and forgiveness of sin has contributed to the perpetuation of this criminal behavior.

This is one of the most obvious truisms about Christianity (and to a lesser degree, Islam). History reports that Constantine, the first Roman emperor to become a Christian, delayed his baptism until he was on his deathbed because being baptized washed away all his previous sins.

As I’ve mentioned in the threads about FBI outrages, the science fiction editor John Campbell observed that it’s not power that corrupts, but immunity. The FBI has long had immunity for its corruption, and it’s the same with abuse by clergy (and not just Catholic priests). They have long been immune to any consequences for their acts, and not only secular consequences. It’s obvious that anyone who claims to be a Christian could do such things only if he believed at least one of three things, that there is no such thing as an afterlife at all; that (as many people believe) there is an afterlife, but there’s no punishment there for acts here; or—as is probably the most likely explanation—that forgiveness of sin is just that: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I had an orgasm and now I feel bad about it,” and although there may be some nominal “penance” attached to it, the important part is that now it’s all okay. And it will be okay after the next incident as well.

That forgiveness for any and all sins is what bothers me, too. In most every mobster movie, the Italian mafioso are oh so faithful and religious - yet they commit heinous crimes and believe they are forgiven? Pedophiles abuse children and are forgiven?

For those that know the bible, is this what it says and, more importantly, what it means? Or is there something more to it?

I'm hoping forgiveness is more like - murder someone and you get the room that's 5 degrees cooler than hell; abuse a child - well you're pretty much going to the middle of the sun to roast.

For a person with faith, yes there is a hell but there is no one in it, as god is all forgiving.

quote:

Originally posted by GA Gator:
For a person with faith, yes there is a hell but there is no one in it, as god is all forgiving.

I don't think it's quite so easy.
You have to truly repent, and resolve to change your wicked ways. Not all do so.

Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 3:19

quote:

Originally posted by GA Gator:
From my personal experience fallibility and forgiveness of sin has contributed to the perpetuation of this criminal behavior. The church says man is fallible and if you ask for forgiveness then you are forgiven, this has allowed these priests to say "I have sinned please forgive me" and their superiors have an easy out to let them off the hook. And the abusers continue abusing.

Yeah, it's the 'get out of jail free' card.

All the sinners show up on Sunday to get the soul washing, yet they do it again every week.

What a bunch of complete and utter bullshit.

If you never truly attempt to change your evil ways, you are just evil - which has nothing to do with religion or a belief in a god, it's just a fact.

And Religion has become a business - just look at the mega churches, and rich pastors, etc. They should be taxed like any other corporation or business entity. I know, I know - priest / pastor so and so REALLY needs that Bently and Gulfstream to wooo donors for more money...

It (church, religion, god) is just another method of control, if you ask me. Started with noble intent but has become perverted by power and greed - as those things normally do.

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I know, I know - priest / pastor so and so REALLY needs that Bently and Gulfstream to wooo donors for more money...

The Catholic Church has plenty of demons to exorcise, but I don’t think you’re going to find any parish priests riding in a Bentley or jetting around the world. I hope it’s not different where you are.

quote:

And Religion has become a business - just look at the mega churches, and rich pastors, etc. They should be taxed like any other corporation or business entity. I know, I know - priest / pastor so and so REALLY needs that Bently and Gulfstream to wooo donors for more money...

I agree with you there... religion can be very lucrative. Some do use/abuse it for personal gain.

The business of religion for some can be a very profitable profession to enter. ...
Kenneth Copeland: Net Worth $760 Million

The Shocking Net Worth of These 10 Richest Pastors Will Blow Your Mind
https://www.cheatsheet.com/mon...blow-your-mind.html/