Had an interesting conversation about this today--so I wonder what you guys think? Should this stuff be handled internally by the church or outsourced to secular authorities?

of course the police should get involved

 

i think this is really a non-issue

Had an interesting conversation about this today--so I wonder what you guys think? Should this stuff be handled internally by the church or outsourced to secular authorities?

 

 

Are you kidding?! Priests or any other clergy who engage in such behaivior should be clapped in irons and sent to pound-me-in-the-ass prison for a good dose of their own medicine.

I feel the same way, but a Catholic friend said that she felt it should be handled by the church hierarchy. And I wondered if anyone else shared that. . .

Edited February 1, 200620 yr by Soxy

I think that religion was given a chance to police themselves and failed miserably. This nonsense has to stop sometime, because it isnt going away.

The church tried handling it for like 50 years and we see where that got us. I have said it before, I think anytime that the upper elcelons of the church knowingly move around a molesting priest without informing the proper authorities they should be held liable, and as such charged as a criminal conspiracy. They also should lose their not-for-profit tax emption as such.

I feel the same way, but a Catholic friend said that she felt it should be handled by the church hierarchy. And I wondered if anyone else shared that. . .

So what was her argument? That the separation of church and state in the constitution implies that the U.S. and its states can't police the church, but that the churches should be treated as their own state-like entities?

I think that religion was given a chance to police themselves and failed miserably.  This nonsense has to stop sometime, because it isnt going away.

 

 

They're not interested in stopping molestation. They're interested in covering their own ass. Its sick and disgusting how people we're supposed to be able to trust are doing such things and then they have the balls to wonder aloud why nobody goes to church anymore. It aint because people dont love God anymore, its because the sick, twisted individuals on the pulpit cant be trusted around their kids anymore.

So what was her argument?  That the separation of church and state in the constitution implies that the U.S. and its states can't police the church, but that the churches should be treated as their own state-like entities?

That a church is like a family--and that it should be handled internally because it's really no one else's business.

 

Not a compelling argument.

That a church is like a family--and that it should be handled internally because it's really no one else's business.

 

Not a compelling argument.

So if my brother were to mysteriously disappear...it's no one else's business? Hmm...Jerry...time for you to panic!

That a church is like a family--and that it should be handled internally because it's really no one else's business.

 

Not a compelling argument.

 

I am a catholic as believe whole heartedly that these predators should be handed over to the authorities for prosecution. The catholic church cannot handle this within. Its too political of a body and favorites, and favoritism gets in the way of investigations. IMO they should de-frock the priest, ex-communicate them, and then give them and any evidence over to the autorities. There are a lot of good men who are priests that have their name dragged through the gutter because of a few morons and some political mess that protects them. The quicker the church outs the evil from the itself, the quicker we can reclaim our priests as a group of holy men who help preach the word of God.

So if my brother were to mysteriously disappear...it's no one else's business?  Hmm...Jerry...time for you to panic!

 

 

"hey, mr_genius, what happened to that rich lady you married?"

 

"that's none of your business, detective"

That a church is like a family--and that it should be handled internally because it's really no one else's business.

 

Not a compelling argument.

 

Not compelling, well thought out, interesting, or intelligent in the very least. So what happens if someone in the "family" decides enough is enough, and the pervert uncle aint allowed in the house anymore? Shut him up too? I would ask that person right away how she would feel if a pedophile priest violated her child. Is that no one else's business then?

That a church is like a family--and that it should be handled internally because it's really no one else's business.

 

Not a compelling argument.

 

Not only is it not compelling, but it is ludicrous. That's like saying a biological father shouldn't be arrested for molesting his daughter because it's a family matter.

Edited February 1, 200620 yr by YASNY

I can't say strongly enough how important it is for the victims, society and the Chuch as well that crimes be treated as crimes. Arrest, convict, incarcerate. It's the only reasonable way. The whole "its in the family" argument makes me cringe.

What could the church do to punish these priests? There isn't a Fort Leavenworth-like jail where Army prisoners go. You can't whip them back behind the cathedral. All the church can do is move him, defrock him and excommunicate him.

 

What's the Cardinal or Pope or Bishop gonna do? Give him a stern talking to? Smack him on the knuckles with a ruler? I mean, c'mon. Remember the law is based on Judeo-Christian teachings.

 

I say, we hang him, then we stab him, then we tattoo him...AND THEN we kill him!!!

It should be handled by both. The police take care of the "crime against law" aspect, the church takes care of the "crime against religion" aspect.

 

But when I hear this, its a difficult situation. What happens when someone makes a baseless accusation? It happens. Happened to a good friend of mine in Scouts. And that's what I think of every time. But if its a serious accusation, damn right the police ought to be involved.

What could the church do to punish these priests?  There isn't a Fort Leavenworth-like jail where Army prisoners go.  You can't whip them back behind the cathedral.  All the church can do is move him, defrock him and excommunicate him. 

 

What's the Cardinal or Pope or Bishop gonna do?  Give him a stern talking to?  Smack him on the knuckles with a ruler?  I mean, c'mon.  Remember the law is based on Judeo-Christian teachings. 

 

I say, we hang him, then we stab him, then we tattoo him...AND THEN we kill him!!!

 

How about not transferring the offender to another parish? How about turning all evidence over to the proper authorities? How about stop trying to bury the crimes as opposed to standing up for the children of the faithful?

It should be handled by both. The police take care of the "crime against law" aspect, the church takes care of the "crime against religion" aspect.

 

But when I hear this, its a difficult situation. What happens when someone makes a baseless accusation? It happens. Happened to a good friend of mine in Scouts. And that's what I think of every time. But if its a serious accusation, damn right the police ought to be involved.

 

That's EXACTLY why you let the police handle it. The Church sure as heck isn't capable.

 

I'm sorry by I see nothing difficult about this situation. Any "Church justice" is a miscarriage of law.

How about not transferring the offender to another parish?

 

 

Transfer them.. Nope.

 

Suspended them pending an investigation. Must stay in his room/residence away from anyone but the jags that choose to protect and hide the crimes. I don't want them transfered with a chance that they repeat their crime.

If there are Muslim churches funding terrorists, should the police not get involved?

Police? To borrow a phrase from Dane Cook:

 

"YES, YES, Y-E-S, YES"

That's EXACTLY why you let the police handle it.  The Church sure as heck isn't capable.

 

I'm sorry by I see nothing difficult about this situation.  Any "Church justice" is a miscarriage of law.

 

As long as they're innocent until proven guilty...

 

I do think allegations should not be broadcast out into the public until after the authorities have properly investigated and provided solid proof.

Pedophiles have come from all walks of life. If people are not going to Church because of a small number of pedophile clergy, then stay away from Doctors, teachers, cops, birthday clowns who do construction, keep your kids out of sports, off the beach, and away from your relatives, including your spouse.

The church tried handling it for like 50 years and we see where that got us.  I have said it before, I think anytime that the upper elcelons of the church knowingly move around a molesting priest without informing the proper authorities they should be held liable, and as such charged as a criminal conspiracy.  They also should lose their not-for-profit tax emption as such.

 

What would you do to school districts and other organizations that also quietly fired someone instead of prosecuting? We've singled out Churches, but school districts did the same thing.

 

We had a case down here that was resolved quietly like that, then someone got wind of it and went to the press and it was exposed. It turns out the victims parents where the biggest proponents of settling quietly, they didn't want the world to know what had happened to their sons. They didn't want a trial and all that trauma. It really sucks that victims of abuse have to relive the abuse by testifying, but what else can be done?