Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

German Priest Touts ‘Relieving Effect’ of Pornography for Celibate Clergy in Interview on Church Website
LifeSite News ^ | 11/16/22 | Andreas Wailzer

Posted on 11/21/2022 6:06:13 PM PST by marshmallow

Fr. Hermann Backhaus works as a psychologist in a counseling center of the diocese of Münster that provides psychological support for people employed by the Church. 

(LifeSiteNews) — The official news website of the Catholic Church in Germany published an interview with a priest-psychologist who suggested that there are benefits to pornography and masturbation for celibate clergy. 

The psychologist Hermann Backhaus, who is also a Catholic priest, told katholisch.de that “[w]ith regard to celibate people, the consumption of explicit sexual depictions can have a relieving effect – this cannot be denied.” 

Backhaus works as a psychologist in a counseling center of the diocese of Münster that provides psychological support for people employed by the Church. 

The German psychologist was asked about Pope Francis’ latest comment about pornography. Francis said in an address to seminarians that “[p]riests and nuns also have the vice of porn on the web. Beware: the devil enters from there and weakens the soul.” 

Backhaus responded that “to bring the devil in connection with pornography is a very strong statement. I don’t know if Francis is not rather working against his intention than promoting it.” 

While Backhaus did warn against pornography addiction, he did not condemn pornography per se. Instead, the priest suggested that it has positive effects.

“As a psychologist, I do not judge or condemn porn consumption,” Backhaus stated. 

He said that “[w]e should be careful with the term ‘pornographic’ because it is always also perceived as ‘dirty.’” He added that a “certain explicit presentation of sexuality in relationships can lead to love life becoming livelier.”

(Excerpt) Read more at lifesitenews.com ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Ministry/Outreach; Moral Issues; Theology
KEYWORDS: creepypriest; deathtopedophiles; hermannbackhaus; pedosandcreeps; propornpriest
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-24 next last

1 posted on 11/21/2022 6:06:13 PM PST by marshmallow
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

Maybe a couple of beers and a shot before Mass, too.


2 posted on 11/21/2022 6:07:31 PM PST by gundog ( It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

Ephesians 5:5 will be relieving him soon.


3 posted on 11/21/2022 6:10:57 PM PST by Salvavida (“Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

4 posted on 11/21/2022 6:12:31 PM PST by Candor7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

95% of “psychologists” I have met range from odd ducks to seriously deranged.


5 posted on 11/21/2022 6:12:40 PM PST by PGR88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

I really despise pornography. I used to consume it, God made me think that the actors are peoples sons, daughters and family. Many people get manipulated or forced into preforming in porn. People’s sex lives are damaged by porn. For a Priest to approve is reprehensible.


6 posted on 11/21/2022 6:17:08 PM PST by carcraft (Pray for our Country)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

Okay. Okay. I got your message. I don’t require further detail.


7 posted on 11/21/2022 6:21:22 PM PST by lee martell
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PGR88
95% of “psychologists” I have met range from odd ducks to seriously deranged.

You never see "John Doe" become a psychologist.

8 posted on 11/21/2022 6:27:23 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

Yuck.


9 posted on 11/21/2022 6:27:37 PM PST by blackdog (The head, hands, and heart, serve even further than the purse. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

Does Father Psycho include child pornography in this statement?


10 posted on 11/21/2022 6:30:41 PM PST by miserare ( Impeach Joe Biden!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow
Yeah-

When you try to combine secular, pop culture, post realism and relativism with Christianity, very weird and sometimes even funny/sad things happen.

However, there are those who keep trying to bring whatever is in the world, the flavor of the day, into the church. May it be feminism, LGBTQIA, climate change, socialism, temperance movement, even consumerism and animal rights... it has all been absorbed by various denominations.

It really boils down to this: Do you want a small Christian church that is true to scripture and the meaning of it all, or a huge tent with millions of members, a vast budget and big buildings but folks that all believe in something, but it isn't Christian.

The vast herd will always go for the lowest denominator, the feel good church that incorporates every idiotic contemporary idea, but isn't doctrinal sound. Like exercise and diet, if you do it right, it requires discipline, a routine, commitment, and at times sacrifice and effort - and there is a reason why most adult Americans are fat.

11 posted on 11/21/2022 6:33:52 PM PST by Red6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

What about the dignity of the people whose bodies are photographed? They are demeaned and groomed in order to satisfy the lust of strangers. Isn’t it wrong to take advantage of them for personal gratification? This priest/psychologist is NOT Godly. He’s a creep!


12 posted on 11/21/2022 6:36:15 PM PST by married21 (As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

Wow, I am going to have to dig out my old beta machine and re watch ‘Lust on the Orient Express’

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0174890/

Sorry no spoilers about where the nun hid the diamond


13 posted on 11/21/2022 6:48:17 PM PST by algore
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican
I agree.

Likewise I knew a few folks that wanted to study anthropology. All of them were hard core atheists. It was almost as if they wanted to study this so that they arm themselves with better arguments.

Certain occupations attract certain minds.

I was in the Army and an airborne ranger. That occupation also attracted certain minds. Some of them were also borderline deranged (according to the rest of society). Some of my buddies were no kidding hoping/wishing for war. They were waiting for the opportunity to get out and play cowboys and Indians, but with real guns and ammo. But IMHO this isn't really weird because we are a hunting animal (stereoscopic vision, canine teeth, etc), which has a social hierarchy (and this raises your status)... Historically from the Vikings, Incas, Aztecs, Mayans, Mongols, Romans, Persians, German tribes... We like war and we are willing to kill to get what we want.

One of the oldest complete and well preserved humans found is Ötzi:https://www.iceman.it/en/the-iceman/ He was murdered.

But to your point. Every psychologist I ever knew was a weirdo. I believe that they were weirdo's already before they studied psychology, but this field of study attracted that mind and then fed it the garbage it wanted. Today with all these "soft sciences" you have legions of folks getting degrees in rhetoric, philosophy degrees essentially. College is a right of passage and big money maker, but the minority actually gets a degree worth a damn.

14 posted on 11/21/2022 6:50:05 PM PST by Red6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow
He added that a “certain explicit presentation of sexuality in relationships can lead to love life becoming livelier.”

And it is important for priests to have livelier love lives because Why?

15 posted on 11/21/2022 7:20:25 PM PST by ClearCase_guy (We are already in a revolutionary period, and the Rule of Law means nothing. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Candor7

Get the shirt!

https://www.aerostich.com/clothing/tops/t-shirts/men-s-wherever-there-is-sin-t-shirt.html


16 posted on 11/21/2022 7:21:52 PM PST by Disambiguator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

The consumption of hard drugs can have a relieving effect— this cannot be denied.


17 posted on 11/21/2022 7:26:39 PM PST by hinckley buzzard ( Resist the narrative )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: carcraft

Among porn actors and actresses the casualty rate for drug addiction and suicide is off the charts. Next time you watch a porn video, reflect on the likelihood that that girl you are looking at is probably dead already.


18 posted on 11/21/2022 7:29:59 PM PST by hinckley buzzard ( Resist the narrative )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: hinckley buzzard

19 posted on 11/21/2022 8:16:28 PM PST by Wally_Kalbacken
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

Chronic Wanker.


20 posted on 11/21/2022 8:42:30 PM PST by grey_whiskers ( (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-24 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson