Replies

I pinged IMRight because I thought he might, with his vast knowledge and contacts, might be able to find these numbers. (Hi IM, how have you been?) :-)

I've been doing quite well and hope you are as well.

I don't have the kind of data you seem to be asking for... but I don't need it. I can give you the answer to the underlying question... and quite easily.

The Body of Christ... the Church Militant if you will... is made up of men... and therefore sinners. And no flavor of sin is exempted just because someone is saved... and especially because of what flavor of Christian he calls himself.

If it's a really big church (say... a billion+ members), there are going to be thousands upon thousands of these kinds of horrendous examples every year. If it's just the church down the street with 200 members... it could be many years between examples.

But the result is the same. If you look to the denomination and say "this is the 'correct' one and is closer to God - so I won't have to worry about ever dealing with a pastor falling to sexual sin", then you are just fooling yourself.

If it's a really big church (say... a billion+ members), there are going to be thousands upon thousands of these kinds of horrendous examples every year. If it's just the church down the street with 200 members... it could be many years between examples.

First, thank you for your reply. It was nice hearing from you.

Second, Protestant clergy number in the hundreds of thousands. Catholic clergy number (maybe) in the 40 thousands, more or less.

On the one hand there are many more Protestant clergy "eligible" to be abusers. On the other, there are many more potential victims for each of the Catholic clergy.

Third, how dumb do you think I am? The church down the street with two hundred members probably belongs to an affinity group which numbers in the millions of members. Remember, the article said there were three main insurers for the more than 100,000,000 "Protestants".

4. I believe your answer is unconvincing and unresponsive.

But the result is the same. If you look to the denomination and say "this is the 'correct' one and is closer to God - so I won't have to worry about ever dealing with a pastor falling to sexual sin", then you are just fooling yourself.

I agree wholeheartedly my friend. I will go even farther; If you look at a denomination and say "this is the one and only true church" you are just fooling yourself.

That said I believe the individual Protestant Churches (most of them) probably belong to some kind of affinity group and get group rates from the three major insurers based on experience. I would also expect the Catholic Churches are getting their insurance from a limited number of insurers. This makes sense to me but "what do I know"? (I do remember from my past experience and education, admittedly way way back many years ago, that's the way business works.)

If I were a betting man I'd lay money on the following:

1. Pedophilia among Protestant and Catholic clergy is similar; almost nonexistent.

2. Sexual abuse and "indiscretion" among Protestant clergy would be largely heterosexual.

3. Sexual abuse and "indiscretion" among Catholic clergy would be largely homosexual.

Once again, thank you my friend. (You did expect some little "educational abuse" from me didn't you?)

Not sure but I believe I’ve seen this movie
somewhere before. :-)