[independentmind]

For your edification.

[Rudder]

Those cases of priests being accused in the media of pedophilia typically involve young, pubescent--as opposed to pre-pubescent--boys. Thus, although the nomenclature of pedophilia does not apply, a breach of ethics and the law does.

The use and abuse of children as objects for the sexual gratification of adults is epidemic in all classes, professions, religions, and ethnic communities across the globe...--this is Bull Shit.

[knak]

Homosexuals are three times as likely to be pedophiles as heterosexual men.Probably the most important paragraph in the entire article. This point needs to be more clearly heard among the average American that thinks gays should be able to adopt and be scout leaders......I could go on.

[tkathy]

Denial, denial, denial, denial, denial, denial, denial, denial, denial, denial...

[jra]

Despite the statistics and references quoted in the article, sexual abuse by priests is a big problem for the Catholic church.

The hair-splitting over pubescent and pre-pubescent is an embarrasment to the church and an insult to the victims, regardless of their age.

Misguided and myopic, this article.

[sinkspur]

This article is meant to defend the Church against the criticism it is receiving, but misses the point entirely.

The issue is not, and never has been, that there are pedophiles and ephibophiles in the priesthood, nor do many sane people say that the there are more of them in the priesthood than in the population at large.

THE issue was the cover-up of sexual abuse by the hierarchy. Bishops, when told priests were abusing children, told them to go on retreat and go to confession.

These priests were then RETURNED to ministry where they could prey on young children, once again.

Pedophiles are in every profession, but they were generally taken out of circulation or imprisoned.

The Catholic Church simply moved them around.

[The Iguana]

This is a very edifying and much-needed tonic to the many distortions which have been painted of the Church and priesthood during these scandals.

But I have one small gripe. While the Catholic priesthhood may have a rate of pedophilia no higher than the male population in general, I hold the priesthood (as should we all) to a much higher standard. I don't expect perfection, but I do expect that a carefully chosen, called, trained and screened prelacy to be a cut above the ordinary run.

There has been a failure here by the Church. Even if its causes are rightly identified by CRISIS as being other than waht is being painted by the media and the critics.

[Movemout]

I don't give a rat's patootie if the pedophile in question is a priest, a scout leader, or a heterosexual female. If they are guilty then they should suffer the consequences. The Catholic Church has systematically covered up these offenses because they had the resources to do so. Other pedophiles would have misdirected authorities had they the same resources.

I have no axe to grind with the Catholics but they did wrong and they know it. Apologetic articles like this serve no purpose but to direct attention to the dogs who barked and deflect attention from the dog who didn't bark.

[Oceanus]

The problem with the Catholic Church is the Catholic Church. The pedophile priests are a symptom of the deep and abiding foundational problems within the organization as a whole. It is a almost completely corroded organization today, and it does more harm than good to the spiritual destiny of those who subscribe to its “theology.” I’m not a 7th Day Adventist, but frankly, I think those people are on to something concerning the Catholic Church…

[ThinkLikeWaterAndReeds]

The recent event of a priest being killed in prison is hopefully a harbanger to all the perverted christians everywhere to keep their fingers out of children. Thankfully the growing numbers of pagan heathens will eventually outnumber the self-righteous proper believers who can't keep their fingers (and other parts of their anatomy) out of children.