Replies

ME:

"As far as I know, there are no "good" statistical numbers to make a comparison between Protestant and RC clergy on the issue of the sexual abuse of minors."

YOU:

"Sure there are; sexual malpractice among Protestant clergy is 5x to 10x more prevalent than among Catholic clergy."

AH! Your "Big Lie" in its pure form.

I've even provided you with the corroborating data and links.

You've provided me with several links and an excerpt or two, NONE of which support your baseless claim that the Protestant clergy are "5x to 10x" worse than the RC clergy.

Let's review your sources.

After pointing out HERE

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2459653/posts?page=254#254

that the recent AP report on data from three insurance companies was seriously flawed, you responded by saying that my assumption that you were using the 2007 AP report was "wrong." Instead, your "5x" figure was based on several links you posted HERE:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2459653/posts?page=255#255

Oddly enough, the second link in your post -- from StopBaptistPredators.org -- DID use the 2007 AP report that you said that I wrongly assumed you were using. The insufficiencies, contradictions and irrelevancies of all of your links in regards to your "5x" claim were pointed out by me HERE:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2459653/posts?page=261#261

You finally made a reference to Philip Jenkins' _Pedophiles and Priests_ book as you ultimate source HERE:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2459653/posts?page=264#264

What you didn't link to in this response was your source of the Jenkins reference, a 2004 Catholic League report that can be found HERE:

SEXUAL ABUSE IN SOCIAL CONTEXT

I pointed out the problems with the use of Jenkins HERE:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2470775/posts?page=37#37

The biggest problem with using Jenkins is that he doesn't claim that sexual abuse is "5x" more prevalent among Protestant clergy. Instead, he claims that levels of abuse by Protestant clergy are comparable with what's found with RC clergy (even though he gives no evidence to back up this claim and goes so far as to say that the "most recent studies" [circa 1991] should be treated with scepticism).

I've also discussed (among other things) problems with the CMR report discussed in the 2002 Christian Science Monitor article HERE:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2470775/posts?page=94#94

This post also gives a good idea why I claim that ""As far as I know, there are no 'good' statistical numbers to make a comparison between Protestant and RC clergy on the issue of the sexual abuse of minors."

YOU AGAIN:

You closing your eyes, sticking your fingers in your ears and shouting la-la-la-la-la at the top of your lungs won't make it go away.

Instead of acting like a child, I reviewed the evidence you presented for your "5x" (now "5x to 10x") claim and have tried my best to show it was without foundation. And without merit. That should be pretty obvious to anyone who has bothered to read what I have posted (and if you've done just that, you have my sympathy). I'd argue that I have succeeded -- if I have misrepresented or misinterpreted any of the sources or references I've addressed, please show me where and how.

The fact is is that this in NOT just a Catholic problem and your denial of that is contributing to the problem within your Church.

Please stop misinterpreting position. I have NEVER claimed that sexual abuse is not a problem among Protestant churches. What I have been arguing is that your claim that "sexual malpractice among Protestant clergy is 5x to 10x more prevalent than among Catholic clergy" is a baseless falsehood. Which, as far as I can tell, it is.

Once again, I ask you to please stop peddling this outrageous falsehood about Protestants on FR.