[bgill]

Priests and therapists should report all crimes.

[Lurker]

There is no excuse for not reporting crimes against children.

None.

L

[soycd]

>Any priest who breaks the seal faces automatic excommunication.

Any “Priest” who allows kid diddlers to go free should face much worse than that.

[lastchance]

Then lawyers must report when clients admit criminal guilt. Psychologists and Psychiatrist must yield confidential records to enquiry as must other medical professionals. It should go without saying that this standard must be applied to all clergy not just priests. There must also be a suspension of any civil right that interferes with prosecution of such matters. Trial by jury comes to mind.

The priest is not a law enforcement officer.

[arthurus]

This comes up in one or more of the Civilized Nations every few years. It would accomplish nothing except to end the Confessional. Who is going to confess to a priest who is required to tell the government? You get a law like this in the technological present and a requirement for recording of everything in a confessional will come shortly. If a priest “obeys” such a law even if passed and enforced, he will have his faculties as a priest stripped from him.

[Salvation]

A priest cannot reveal the contents of a Confession.

[Seruzawa]

Why just child abuse? Why not jay walking? Voting for Trump? Insulting Mohammed?

[trebb]

One of the problems of requiring a mortal intermediary as a basis of one's religion......One can confess/repent directly with God and take care of his soul and not require another man to remain silent about his atrocities.

Confession, other than as a psychological tool to help ease one's mental anguish, like prayer, can be done privately and just between one and God.

[Ransomed]

This seems like a way to sue them into oblivion. How can anyone defend themselves about was allegedly told to you in private? What are they going to do, start recorded sting operations? Allow child abusers a deal if they claim they confessed their crimes to a priest or what? How is this supposed to work?

Freegards

[Ford4000]

Is there a plague of child molesters saying confession?

Color me skeptical, this sounds like a cheap shot.

[ravenwolf]

Not so, if the priests had to report confessions for us to know that it happened we would not even know that it happened.

But we do know and we know why it happens and that is because they have deemed homosexuality as a choice and homosexuals targets children.

If they brought back the death penalty for it the priests would probably not hear very many confessions.

So we should not blame the priests unless they are the molesters.

[boatbums]

I think it ought to be part of the confessional process that when someone commits crimes against anyone and confesses such to a priest or clergy, absolution should be reserved until the guilty party has gone to the authorities and come clean on their crime, expecting to face the punishment society attaches to the crime. The priest/clergyman should definitely accompany the penitent to report the crime and to be there for him for moral support.

A terrible crime such as child abuse should NEVER be allowed to just "go away" after some priest grants forgiveness. Forgiveness from God will only truly come when we genuinely acknowledge our sin - name it as HE names it, seek reconciliation if at all possible, face the music for any legal or civil remedy and humbly resolve through the grace of God to NEVER commit such acts again. I think far too many people just slide on by confident that "going to confession" and saying some prayers for penance is all they need to do. It's no wonder so many keep doing the same wrongs.