The Vatican appears in need of a serious media consultant. Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican’s permanent observer to the UN, has issued a defense that boils down to insisting that implicated priests were not pedophiles but homosexuals who liked young boys — and besides no more than five percent of priests had sex with children . . . and Jews and Protestants do it more.
Tomasi made his confrontational statement following a meeting of the UN human rights council in Geneva, insisting only 1.5%-5% of Catholic clergy were involved in child sex abuse. Tomasi seems to think that the faithful can rest assured that the likelihood that the priest will sexually assault your child is only 5 out of every 100 priests. Those are odds that are viewed as more than adequate in Vegas.
He also insisted that it is more likely that your child will be abused by Protestant or Jewish religious leaders — making the Catholic Church a virtual safe zone if you are going on purely the average likelihood of a rape. That could lead to a new campaign: “Go Catholic: We are Statistically Less Likely to Rape Your Child.”
Besides, Tomasi insisted “[o]f all priests involved in the abuses, 80 to 90% belong to this sexual orientation minority which is sexually engaged with adolescent boys between the ages of 11 and 17.” He insisted most of the accused priests are homosexuals who simply liked younger partners.
The angry response came after Keith Porteous Wood of the International Humanist and Ethical Union accused the Church of covering up child abuse and being in breach of several articles under the Convention on the Rights of the Child: “The many thousands of victims of abuse deserve the international community to hold the Vatican to account, something it has been unwilling to do, so far. Both states and children’s organizations must unite to pressure the Vatican to open its files, change its procedures worldwide, and report suspected abusers to civil authorities.”
For the full story, click here.
billy,
Lets be civil, ok? That’s all that is asked. I broached the subject first and I was playing. It is time to not play until we can play civilly.
I try and have fun, and have you noticed, we all do. I very seldom say inflammatory statements. I will play with words as a word smith I have been trained.
There are very few people that can orally debate me and win when I am game. I have learned to choose my battles. Choose your wise. I forget very little. I remember the words of an attorney mentor many years ago. Long before the advent of the computer. The dumbest attorneys spend the time learning the statute and case law. Its the ones who know where to look for it are the ones that make the most money. With the advent of the computer this has been simplified even more so as any and all information is easily accessible by and for anyone so long as they know where to look.
I would be careful messing with Mike S., mespo and especially buddha. They will all take you to task, but the most vicious is buddha. Say what you want, but he will set you up to fall and you will get so pissed off and stupidly respond. This will cause the wrath of others as you have found out. This is only a kind offering of information. That is all.
I have been busy for several days and have only now had the time to read this thread. As some of you know, I was raised a Catholic, taught by Franciscans in grammar school and by Jesuits in high school. I also spent some time in the Jesuit novitiate in Grand Coteau, Louisiana after graduation and prior to repairing to the unholy confines of Cambridge, where I met some of the smartest Jesuits I have ever encountered. My views are shaped by that background, as well as by my life since then. For what it’s worth, I offer the following:
1.The comments of Tomasi are the product of the unfortunate marriage of authoritarianism and ignorance. He also continues the mistake of treating the issue as a political, rather than a human, problem.
2. The Church has traditionally done a poor job of psychological screening, although the problem is worse among diocesan clergy. It should be remembered that it wasn’t that long ago that boys could enter minor diocesan seminaries upon graduation from the eighth grade.
3. Homosexuals have been attracted to the priesthood because it offers both a life of service and a safe haven. In point of fact, there is absolutely no reason that a gay person should not be permitted to enter the priesthood.
4. Pedophilia and homosexuality are not synonymous terms, a fact which one would think would be well understood by now. Pedophilia is a serious psychological disorder.
5. The fact that most victims of clerical pedophilia are young boys is not a function of choice, but of availability. Historically, there has simply been less opportunity for priests to have access to young girls.
6. The scandal of child abuse in the Church has been worsened by the hierarchy’s attempts to cover it up and by the refusal of many lay people to accept the truth.
7. The Church will eventually permit diocesan priests to marry out of necessity due to the increasing shortage of parish priests.
8. The elimination of the celibacy requirement will not eliminate the problem of pedophilia. That can only come through far more extensive screening techniques and a zero tolerance policy.
Those are my opinions, and while I do not claim to have a monopoly on the truth, should anyone disagree with me, let him be anathema.
Oh yeah, Go royals!
I read your position on this matter buddha, and I have provided my data accordingly. I am so “terrified” of you buddha, I think I will now crawl into a hole and then pull the hole in with me. Your cleverly contrived use of the English language is a dreadful and terrifying thing for me to behold. I guess this guy Wayne(?), must have really burned an “indelible” impression in your head. Your dread fear and paranoia of him is showing, constantly..
billy,
Or more properly, Wayne, since that is who YOU really are, let’s get something straight here.
You asked for a truce with me and you got one, but if you keep acting like you have on this thread? Then you better put your Pope back in your pants with your Bishop and not use my name when you want to act like a petulant child. You want to get into a pissing match with AY? Knock yourself out. He can defend himself. However, you should leave me out of it. If for no other reason than it’s impolite, the simple fact is you think YOU can bite, Tiger.
Everyone here knows I can. In giant T-Rex size chunks.
I gave you a truce once. I did so knowing full well who you are. I did so because 1) you asked nicely, 2) you were showing you were capable of rational argument on a limited scale although you are still riddled with classical errors and 3) you showed the barest hint of breaching the understanding that belief and an organization protecting criminals are not the same thing.
Seems like that was a bullshit act on your part based on your performance here today though doesn’t it, Mr. Apologist?
I do give people chances to correct past bad actions. I do not, however, give them unlimited chances. If I get off the pine, I’m unlikely to give you a second truce.
I am capable of ridiculing you and the RCC all day long in a manner that won’t ever get deleted and be every bit as caustic and funny as the really offensive material. Try me. Oh, that’s right. You already have and asked for a truce. Think about that next time you want to play nanny nanny boo boo using my name.
AY,
I appreciate that, you were dead on date-wise although the article was from earlier.
I think JT should be proud of the kind of people he attracts to his blog. It was at least a year in before he had to ban anybody, and I can count the total number of people banned on one hand. I agree with all of them, except the one who he’s since let back in.
Sure we get the occasional troll or nut, but they leave fairly quickly.
The overflow numbers of ordained homosexual priests is staggering
Gyges,
There is a lady in Euclid, Oh named Dorothy Richardson that needs someone to sit in her flower garden. Don’t worry the shovel is only used for flies. The neighbors might have a different recollection but don’t worry, she wants you to watch for the bunnies.
Ok.
That’s why I stopped. Thanks, was my date frame correct?
Byron, “most homosexuals would bite off their arm before harming a child”, I agree. The demographic I have isolated are those gay priests in the Church, who prey on young boys, not girls. The homosexuals you are referring to are not in the church, functioning as priests or in some area of the ministerial priesthood. Your set of statistics and data is reflective of the entire population. My set of statistics are overwhelming, in fact, quite staggering. If you were to look at the statistics of pedophilia, within the church, you will find that it is “impossible”, in fact nearly inconceivable to have this “disproportionate” number of active pedohiles residing, “all at once” in the “demographic” of the church. And applying almost 100% to those in the priesthood, with over 95% of the molestaion taking place with boys! My indictment is not against gays, who have consensual affairs in the community with adults, my demographic is only concerned with the homosexuals who are molesting boys in the church. I am not saying, “if you read my posts”, that homosexuals have a proclivity toward pedophilia, not so. My contention is that homosexual priests’ in the church, given the opportunity, have a “proven” proclivity to molest underage boys, almost exclusively. The statistics are irrefutable..
OT:
I hadn’t been aware that the particular regular in question had been banned (at least for a month). I went back and found the topic in which it happened, and I thought I’d quote the Prof:
“This blog is not simply an effort to maintain civil discourse. It is also a blog that I use for my students to explore different legal questions and to have a bit of fun with the law by exploring the more bizarre and unexpected cases and issues. I try mightily to show that as lawyers we can discuss such issues with mutual respect and, most importantly, civility. in light of Rep. Wilson’s recent example of the loss of such civility in our society, I feel even stronger about maintaining a place on the web where adults can have reasoned (while passionate) debate.”
This is why this is a unique place, and I’d hate for that to change because some of us don’t know how the “backspace” key works.
CCD,
I saw this article written by Marci Hamilton that called for RICO prosecution of the RCC.
“Imagine a large, wealthy, and hierarchical organization that persists in believing it is above the law. Over many decades, the organization has employed a tradition of blood brother secrecy to keep its illegal actions from being analyzed or criticized in the press, or prosecuted and punished by legal authorities. It employs powerful, adept, and highly-paid lawyers, and resists judicial process whenever it can.
Meanwhile, the organization’s leaders are united in a secret bond that requires them to do whatever it takes to protect the organization from scandal. For them, the cover-up of serious crimes is a way of life, a feature of their everyday business.”
“RICO has not only been used against the mafia; it has also been used to target apparently legitimate organizations, such as corrupt labor unions, as well. It is now time to use it against the Catholic Church.”
Sorry JT, if I have been out of order, I apologize. I assume I have been playing by the rules..
Billy,
I’m not going to apologize, if my opinion offends you too bad.
Although I suppose if you are the same billy, who last evening on the “Did Texas kill an innocent man thread?”, who felt his interpretation of RCC dogma should hold more sway than the late Pope John Paul II does I’m not surprised you would take offense.
billy,
you are so correct. How did billy my hero get so smart?
Yeah, I guess you’re right. he’s a whole lot smarter than you..
When buddha “disappears”, you appear, how convenient. You even use the same “pressured” writing style. The same caustic, condescending tone. Uh-oh discovered……..
billy,
oh no I not buddha, you?
This debate has gone on before. I interject no science fiction shit in nothing. Don’t understand it well enough. I guess when you live it on a day to day basis, its kinda of hard to see whats real and whats fake. You know what I mean?
The person I was talking about said the same thing and for some reason or another we posted on the same day and same time. If you are not aware WordPress will make you wait 45 seconds to one minute to post again.
I think you use a number of sobriquets…
I think you are buddha…
billy,
Buddha is my ass- master?
I am glad you agree.
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Your “shameless” suck-up to buddha is embarrasing AY,
Oh no Ay, not get embarrassed very easy, you?
********************
get ahold of yourself..
I did and its hard to type on keyboard….
I have not mastered this feat yet, you?