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Catholic Church Can Blame Itself for Sex Scandals, Declining Confidence

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Over the past three decades of child abuse scandals the focus has been on the clergy and more recently church hierarchy, but with so many child abuse cases around the world there must have been some in the laity who knew what was going on. There were tens of thousands of cases and in at least some of these instances parents, teachers, janitors, parishioners, students, nuns, social workers, book keepers etc must have known or suspected. So why didn’t any of them speak out against it? It’s like the Germans after the war; everyone is running round shaking their head and saying “we had no idea”. I don’t buy it – I want to know why these people kept trotting along to church with their eyes shut to the abuses going on around them.

Blue Terrace of OR 12:47AM April 04, 2010

You know, the whole no sex thing that religions are touting, and society on whole, is kind of disturbed. While it is certainly important to engage in safe sex, sex is a natural part of life. It is known to cause all sorts of psychological issues. I would know considering I am a Psychologist. By penting it up we see the reprecussions pretty clearly here. I personally don't want to have a bunch of partners, I do beleive that one is all we need, and that honor brings with it the best experiences of life, but the truth is that we never really know someone. Let alone people in positions of near ultimate power over a mass of lemmings...I think those that practice the honor and dignity of their faith are doing the right thing, just as I practice my non-religious honor. But for all those that would hurt another, we must find a way to stop that education from first reaching them. Otherwise it will fester those evils that were once lain on them, into even greater tragedies against others. This isn't just about the church. However to allow someone like that to be your spiritual leader? Um....I think you might be a bit undereducated...For those Catholics that know rape is wrong, good for you! For those that don't you should hurry up and join the ministry....there's about to be some openings. Better hurry or all your buddies are gonna get caught without you there to cover up for them!

Lady of OR 3:03PM March 30, 2010

I am not going to ask everyone to love the Catholic Church or to ignore the pain that some Catholics have inflicted on them. I am going to ask that before making a judgment call on the Catholic Church, you look beyond the men and women who have violated it. I say VIOLATED the Catholic Church because what is so horrible about all that has happened is that the Church has been attacked from the inside. Those who are expected to be leaders in it and those who represent the Church have acted against everything that the Church believes.
Please understand that "the faithful" are faithful because of belief in the Catholic Church. Those who have been unfaithful and have used Catholocism to do awful things do not change what the Catholic Church actually stands for.
The reason that sex abuse in the Church is so horrifying is that evil crept into something that is good, not that evil exists within something evil.
I am faithful to the Church because the Church teaches purity, love, virtue, and HOPE. I am faithful because I will not judge the Church by those who are unfaithful to it. I will judge the Church by those who are truly living what the Church teaches. My hope and earnest desire is that those who have been hurt will have healing and that those who are confused will know the happiness of Jesus Christ.
I am faithful to the Catholic Church because I believe that the true teachings of the Church (not the failings of SOME priests) express God's perfect and self-giving love most fully.

Anne of OH 12:32PM March 29, 2010

The Catholic Church has been hiding these crimes for over 50 years now!!! Come on people....what if it was your kid that was raped by a priest? What would you do? These kids are mortally wounded for the rest of their lives, and needing psychiatric care because their trust in any one with authority is gone. If you have no concept of what childhood sexual abuse does to a young child then shut your cake holes and go drink some holy water. These pedophiles must pay for their crimes and I don't care who they are -they are corrupt and need to go to jail. A good long visit behind closed doors with Bubba will do nicely.

Pete of NY 1:00AM March 27, 2010

Have you not heard abut the big cover up of Boy Scout abusers coming out of Oregon? The Catholic church has admited its faults and is the only major institution doing anything about abuse....how about checking out how teachers in Delaware cannot be "adequately" sued if they abuse? But if anyone else in that state does, they have to pay big bucks if convicted...now are you fair minded or just a bigot?

Terik Ororke of PA 6:23PM March 21, 2010

Sorry, I guess you don't find the fact that the Catholic Church covered up child sexual abuse, to the point of moving pedophiles from one diocese to another to hide them, repulsive. Do you really think that being repulsed by pedophiles is "bigotry"? As a Catholic, I suppose you believe that all non-Catholics are going to hell, right? Is that bigotry. Light some incense, say three Hail Marys and all sin is absolved. Go forth and sin no more, except they did.
Your entire response is stupid, but that seems to be a requirement to buy into Catholic dogma. Go have a priest bless your car, or something equally stupid. The world is round. Do the Catholics still get mad if you say that?

Sam of TX 11:31AM March 19, 2010

I belive it only goes to say that catholic priest are only humans like the rest of us. What makes it hard for these man caught in such disdain behaviour is to be educated in false belif system and doctrine that has for centuries plagued this colossal religious institution in more then one exigent. The Roman Catholic Church is masked in it's own brand of self beliefs, some ardently nonsanical, going obfuscate to the plain teachings of the bible. Such false pervasive teaching of celibacy should hold certain responsibilty on the action of some frustrated half sex madend clergy; allured to distructive demeanour, both to ones own self and countless innocent children who had fallen victum; a gross tragic event indeed!!

Paul 10:34AM March 19, 2010

The Pope is sending a letter of apology to Ireland.
IT'S OVER.
It will never be over as long as ther are priests protecting priests, and it's not just a small number. They admit to 4% but the true number is around 11% to 14%.
Think about this, in the entire population of males there are 2% who are pedophilies, to put this into perspective think of a street with 100 homes. This means that there are 2 predators living on that street. But if all the homes were occupied by priests there would be 11 to 14 predators on your street.
They are God's PR team but because they are doing such a bad job they need a PR firm for themselves.(Your church dollars at work). In Boston alone the pr firm is on retainer for $10,000.00 a month.
You want this to stop. Just keep your money in your wallet. Then just stand back and see how fast they fold up their tent.

NaMELESS 1 of MA 10:07AM March 19, 2010

Again Bonnie Erbe confusing confusion and miss-reporting with facts. The Catholic Church is the only major religious organization to admit and confront its failings. The sex abuse was conducted by a small number, albeit leading members of the church. Yet our prisons are filled with hundreds if not thousands of protestant ministers and clerics of other religions. Yet because these religions do not have the hierarchy of the catholic church, the media and MS Erbe ignore these the widespread abuses inflicted by the non-Catholics, and instead focus on the Catholic Church which is trying to face a very difficult problem. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

JSongin of NY 9:21PM March 18, 2010

Jesus is LORD and SAVIOR of VA wrote: "The truth of God TORMENTS devils, and in your phoney righteous idignation, you plot the murder of the truth of God in your heart and soul."
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Why do you object to confronting child sex abuse? Are you abusing children yourself?

Oscar of MN 8:35PM March 18, 2010