you wrote:
“I assume you’re familiar with Damian’s Book of Gomorrah?”
Most likely much more so than you.
“The immorality of many of the Roman clergy and the tolerance of it...is it any different from what Martin Luther saw?”
Yes. Luther complained mostly about the clergy’s greed - which would later be shown to be hypocritical considering his own choices in life as a Protestant. If you read the 95 Theses you’ll see that Luther did not assume that homosexuality was a major problem in the clergy. Peter’s complaint was entirely different. Apparently you’re not as familiar with either set of complaints as you might think.
“I can only imagine what an albatross these clergymen are around the neck of the collective Catholic church and thus makes me wonder why the laity are not marching with torches and pitch forks so to speak.”
Because they have no one to march against - these people have not been identified and no one even knows is this is real at this point. Also, why don’t you ask why conservatives aren’t marching on Washington DC right now. Where’s the outrage? Where are those pitchforks while our country is turned into a banana republic?
From Catholic Historian Ludwig von Pastor:
“But it is a mistake to suppose that the corruption of the clergy was worse in Rome than elsewhere; there is documentary evidence of the immorality of the priests in almost every town in the Italian peninsula. In many places–Venice, for instance–matters were far worse than in Rome. No wonder, as contemporary writers sadly testify, the influence of the clergy had declined, and that in many places hardly any respect was shown for the priesthood. Their immorality was so gross that suggestions in favor of allowing priests to marry began to be heard... The three essential vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience were in some convents almost entirely disregarded.”
What does Luther's hypocrisy or whether conservatives march have to do the point at hand? Nothing. And the question goes unanswered:
“The immorality of many of the Roman clergy and the tolerance of it...is it any different from what Martin Luther saw?”
So Luther was right, but he was just as bad (in your eyes)...Just wanted to clear that up...