Confessions with non catholic and the law

[beckers]

Okay this article got me thinking.
breitbart.com/news/2007/02/12/D8N8D8SO1.html
This Pastor, Randall Radic, stole the church from the people and won’t have to spend anymore time behind bars because of a plea deal since he started talking to a fellow prisoner,Roy Gerald Smith, who confessed to a murder. The part that caught my attention was this

“Since Radic was not Smith’s pastor, the inmate’s incriminating statements are not protected by the usual confidentiality rules involving members of the clergy, Radic’s lawyer Michael Babitzke said”

How does the sacarment of confession work with other religions and the law?

I mean if a priest walked into a jail house everyone would know that what was said was not going to be allowed in court. Thats been established for years. But here is a man who is a “pastor” in his church so many probaly consider him a memeber of the clergy…and yet since he is not this man’s exact pastor then it is not considered a sacred bond of trust. Are lawyers going to try to send in random pastors to gain the trust of inmates and then force those pastors to testify what the inmate confesses to them? Or does it show a slight acknowledgement from the state recongizing those who are ordained over those who are simple “pastors” (I hope this makes sense)? Maybe a lawyer out there can explain the difference…

I have to admit when it comes to other religions i am not 100% sure how confessions are veiwed by the community. When you talk/confess to your pastor what type of prodgical or understand do you have?

 

[1ke]

How does the sacarment of confession work with other religions and the law?

Each state has their own statutes related to privileged communication, which this would fall under. Here is a link to California’s, where this took place:

churchstatelaw.com/statestatutes/CA_clergycommunications.asp

But here is a man who is a “pastor” in his church so many probaly consider him a memeber of the clergy…and yet since he is not this man’s exact pastor then it is not considered a sacred bond of trust.

I do not believe that is what it is being based on. Personally, I think Radic is just looking for an angle to escape jail time. He is abusing the office of clergy just as he did when he stole the church’s property. I suppose his defense lawyer figured out a way to claim that he is not bound by the statutes rather than California prosecutors asserting such.

Are lawyers going to try to send in random pastors to gain the trust of inmates and then force those pastors to testify what the inmate confesses to them? Or does it show a slight acknowledgement from the state recongizing those who are ordained over those who are simple “pastors” (I hope this makes sense)? Maybe a lawyer out there can explain the difference…

I think this is 100% an attempt of Radic and his lawyer to get off any way he can.

 

[BlestOne]

My guess would be that he had already given up his “ministership” or “pastoral priviledges” when he left his church. However he did represent himself to the penitent as a “pastoral” relation.

As far as it goes, a Catholic priest does not ever just quit his job, and he is sworn to an oath to keep the confidence of the confessional even to death…meaning that he has to accept jail time or death over revealing what is said to him in the context of the sacrament of reconcilliation. Therefore, don’t be worried that a Catholic Priest would be forced to tell in any court of law, because he won’t.

 

[beckers]

My guess would be that he had already given up his “ministership” or “pastoral priviledges” when he left his church. However he did represent himself to the penitent as a “pastoral” relation.

As far as it goes, a Catholic priest does not ever just quit his job, and he is sworn to an oath to keep the confidence of the confessional even to death…meaning that he has to accept jail time or death over revealing what is said to him in the context of the sacrament of reconcilliation. Therefore, don’t be worried that a Catholic Priest would be forced to tell in any court of law, because he won’t.

I am not worried about a priest at all spilling the beans. This article just got me thinking that maybe the state is showing in a way that Catholic Priest or ordained celgry get more perference when it comes under the law.

I wouldn’t be shocked if the other guys lawyer tries to bring up the fact that his client was open to talking because he felt he was talking to a pastor and therefore anyhing he said was in confidence.