In one instance, my sister (a health professional) came across the information, and asked my advice. We went to church officials who shipped the offender out of state. Not sure what his ultimate fate was.
The other case was in a religious summer camp in which I happened to be a camper. I was perhaps 10 or 11 years old. On day 2 of my summer camp experience, 2 of the counselors/clergy, decided it was time to play a game of "catch the naked counselor" in the woods. I declined. I left the camp, walked about 15 miles to a telephone, and tearfully reported the incident to my parents. They came to get me, and reported the incident to police and to camp officials. Nothing came of it. About ten years later, one of those same clergymen/counselors was arrested for the homosexual abuse of children, after one of his victims put a bullet through his skull. Apparently the toll of six consecutive years of sexual abuse for the summer took it's toll on this young man. The dead boy's brother (who was also abused by the same man) testified against him, and he was ultimately imprisoned for his crime.
Unfortunately, my experience has been that the church does not take this issue anywhere near as seriously as it needs to. Offenders are generally shuffled from place to place, rather than dealt with. If news accounts are any indication, my experience is not unusual.
In any case, THAT is how I ascertained the "truthfullness" of this claim.
Is that satisfactory?
"Catch the Naked Counselor", egad. I know the church is in dire need of priests, but to retain such as that -- inexcusable.
I wonder that you didn't go with your sister to the police instead of to the church in the second case (chronologically, though numbered 1) in light of your previous experience. However, I know it is tough on children to be witnesses in such cases. If the priest was in fact guilty, fobbing him off on another parish hardly seems like the right course of action for the church to take.
I know half a dozen self-described homosexual atheists, none of them paederasts to my knowledge.
Do you think homosexuality is chosen? I do, for the simple reason that sexual activity (as distinct from sex) is usually chosen (not always, though, as you can attest). Affection, of course, not requiring sexual activity. How, I wonder, does one determine whether a virgin is hetero or homo?
Have you made any headway with your moral defense of property ownersip? The pursuit of liberty threads could use your input if you have.
Kindest Regards