sexual abuse by protestant ministers

[jen_fla]

i think we can all agree that sexual abuse by any human being of any creed is something we must all work towards preventing.

since the news has brainwashed most americans into thinking Catholic priest = child molester i thought some light should be shed on how this problem exists for our protestant friends as well. the second comment i posted shows how the problem is even worse in our secular school systems.

ALL Protestant denominations - 838 Ministers

147 Baptist Ministers

251 “Bible” Church Ministers (fundamentalist/evangelical)

140 Anglican/Episcopalian Ministers

38 Lutheran Ministers

46 Methodist Ministers

19 Presbyterian Ministers

197 various Church Ministers

read cases here

 

[jen_fla]

according to this data, this issue is even worse in our public school systems.

another interesting report done in 2004.

*The issue of child sexual molestation is deserving of serious scholarship. Too often, assumptions have been made that this problem is worse in the Catholic clergy than in other sectors of society. This report does not support this conclusion. Indeed, it shows that family members are the most likely to sexually molest a child. It also shows that the incidence of the sexual abuse of a minor is slightly higher among the Protestant clergy than among the Catholic clergy, and that it is significantly higher among public school teachers than among ministers and priests.

In a survey for the Wall Street Journal-NBC News, it was found that 64 percent of the public thought that Catholic priests frequently abused children.[xxxix] This is outrageously unfair, but it is not surprising given the media fixation on this issue. While it would be unfair to blame the media for the scandal in the Catholic Church, the constant drumbeat of negative reporting surely accounts for these remarkably skewed results.[xl]*

report found here

 

[horselvr]

Ah Oh Jen, now you’ve gone and done it. There are some here that feel if there is a discussion about a Catholic Priest being accused of molestation then bringing up molestation in other religions is a no no. The focuse should be on the Catholic Priest doncha know and if not then surely you condone what this small % of bad Priest do. Have you not seen the other thread? Whatever you do, don’t point out that you love the good Priests and how no one wants to talk about them and all the good work they do day in and day out. Better fasten your seat belt.

Choo Choo! In the words of Johhny Cash----I hear that train a comin.

 

[jen_fla]

Ah Oh Jen, now you’ve gone and done it. There are some here that feel if there is a discussion about a Catholic Priest being accused of molestation then bringing up molestation in other religions is a no no. The focuse should be on the Catholic Priest doncha know and if not then surely you condone what this small % of bad Priest do. Have you not seen the other thread? Whatever you do, don’t point out that you love the good Priests and how no one wants to talk about them and all the good work they do day in and day out. Better fasten your seat belt.

Choo Choo! In the words of Johhny Cash----I hear that train a comin.

you are probably right. i am sure i’m going to get slaughtered here and to be fair i don’t like my title. how can i change that?

but i certainly can’t imagine anyone accusing me of condoning such sick behavior by pointing out how widespread this problem is.

this issue is so broad. more often than not the accused is not a priest or minister at all, but rather a lay member, volunteer, secular school teacher etc. the point i am trying to make is that the media really does have us associating Catholic priest = child molester and the truth is this atrocious crime occurs in other organizations as well and tragically enough the data seems to show far more frequently.

 

[mariahloves]

I think the focus on CC abuse cases by the media and certain groups (not always religious) is because of the anti Christian agenda currently in full force. There are few things that disgust and infuriate people more than the sexual abuse of children. What better way to turn people against the Church than to say priests are pedophiles? It’s a genius tactic…but as we see, humans are sinful creatures who…sin. There are Catholic, Mormon, Jehovahs Witness, Methodist, Baptist, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Atheist, Agnostic, Deist, and Pagan pedophiles. It does not serve anti Catholic agenda to sensationalize abuse cases in non Catholic religions.

 

[Canto]

The Myth of Pedophile Priests
Fr. Longenecker

gkupsidedown.blogspot.com/2010/03/pedophile-priests.html

A fascinating read.

 

[horselvr]

Here’s the beauty of it all. It does not matter if you change your title (I actually like the one you have) this thread will turn on the Catholic Priests.

Gotta go—I can smell the pop corn poppin.

 

[jen_fla]

i’d like to ask in all honestly how many people have ever heard of a case being proven where a priest was falsely accused? the irish scandals have been all over the news and yet has anyone mentioned this in the mainstream media?

Man Receives Four Year Sentence for Falsely Accusing Priest

*"To me personally, this was like a case of armed robbery. **The accuser was using my name and reputation in order to extract money from the church. ***

"As I said at the outset, and I repeat again: I would honestly have preferred if the perpetrator had shot me through the head rather than put me and my family through the pangs of anxiety and the profound sufferings we have endured over the last four years.

"When he went with One-in-Four to Archbishop’s House armed with his accusation it hair-triggered the church’s guidelines - with immediate devastating effect on me and on the practice of my priesthood.

“I was instantly and publicly suspended from my ministry. So without any due process, my diocese, in this Guantanamo Bay reaction, had me stand aside from my work as a priest. I had to leave my home and stay with family and friends and I lost almost a year out of my pastoral work,” the priest said.

again, in no way am i trivializing how horrible this issue is, but the way the media is handling this is clearly biased.

another report from the insurance companies:

Protestant Church Insurers Handle 260 Sex Abuse Cases a Year

 

[jen_fla]

I think the focus on CC abuse cases by the media and certain groups (not always religious) is because of the anti Christian agenda currently in full force. There are few things that disgust and infuriate people more than the sexual abuse of children. What better way to turn people against the Church than to say priests are pedophiles? It’s a genius tactic…but as we see, humans are sinful creatures who…sin. There are Catholic, Mormon, Jehovahs Witness, Methodist, Baptist, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Atheist, Agnostic, Deist, and Pagan pedophiles. It does not serve anti Catholic agenda to sensationalize abuse cases in non Catholic religions.

we could give many examples on how the Church has been such a scapegoat in the media. take for instance the accusation the Church never spoke out against hitler. my friend’s boyfriend and i used to hang out almost every day and we were all on really great terms and had a lot of laughs together. when he found out i was Catholic, he started screaming at me at the top of his lungs for like 12 minutes about how the Church supported hitler. i was in shock and didn’t know how to respond to someone that “read a book”…. someone posted this presentation done by a Jewish group recently and i wish everyone that bought into those lies would watch it. for those interested go here.. even glen beck did a piece recently about that crazy anti-semitic priest, but not once did he let on that being anti-semitic is completely against the Catholic faith.

some research would show how much the Church did, but the secular world will always be against the Catholic Church.
[bibledrb]John 15:18-20[/bibledrb]

and once again, in NO WAY am i saying that all these priests are innocent.

 

[jen_fla]

The Myth of Pedophile Priests
Fr. Longenecker

gkupsidedown.blogspot.com/2010/03/pedophile-priests.html

A fascinating read.

that is excellent. i was reading some statistics from secular non-profits devoted to this issue and it was an interesting fact that over 77% of admitted child molesters were married or previously married.

anyway, i am going to post the facts from that blog. thank you, canto for sharing.

• • Priestly celibacy is not the issue - married men are more likely to abuse children than unmarried

• * Most child abuse takes place within the home.

• * All religious groups have pedophile scandals, and the Catholics (while the largest religious group) are at the bottom of the list statistically.

• * Child abuse is prevalent in all areas of society: schools, youth organizations, sports, etc.

• * Statistically, of all the professions, Christian clergy are least likely to offend. Doctors, Farmers and Teachers are the professions most likely to abuse children--not clergy.

• * Among clergy offenders Catholic priests are least likely to offend.

• * Catholic cases of pedophilia make more headlines because of anti Catholic prejudice and because the Catholic Church is bigger and more lucractive to sue.

• * Pedophilia and Euphebophilia are different problems. The former is sexual attraction to pre-pubescent children. The latter is attraction to teenagers. Most cases branded 'pedophila' are actually 'euphebophila.'

• * Most of the cases of euphebophilia are homosexual in nature, however the politically correct do not want this problem to be associated with homosexuality.

• * The number of Catholic priests guilty of pedophilia is very small.

• * What we now call 'cover up' was often done in a different cultural context, when the problem was not fully understood and when all establishment organizations hushed scandals. They did so for what seemed good reasons at the time: protection of the victims and their families, opportunity for rehabilitation of the offender, the avoidance of scandal to others. It is unfair to judge events thirty years ago by today's standards.

• * When lawsuits are looming people smell money. We must be wary of false accusations.

• * The accused must be entitled to a fair hearing. The church should insist on hard proof of the abuse, and for the sake of justice, ensure that the innocent are not prosecuted.

• * When guilt is established the offender must be punished, not sheltered.

• * Distinctions must be made between types of abuse. Some offenses are worse than others. Verbal abuse or corporal punishment during a time when that was acceptable, while lamentable, is not the same as sexual abuse or extreme physical abuse.

• * Sexual abuse of an adult, or a sexually experienced older teenager is wrong, and damaging, and should be punished, but it is not the same as the sexual abuse of a younger, innocent child.

• * Number of offenses must be considered. One lapse is not of the same seriousness as repeated, persistent and premeditated offenses.

i agree with everything on this list except for the last. in the case of rape, one time is enough to get locked up in prison. the end.

 

[Darron_Steele]

i think we can all agree that sexual abuse by any human being of any creed is something we must all work towards preventing.

since the news has brainwashed most americans into thinking Catholic priest = child molester i thought some light should be shed on how this problem exists for our protestant friends as well. the second comment i posted shows how the problem is even worse in our secular school systems.

ALL Protestant denominations - 838 Ministers

147 Baptist Ministers

251 “Bible” Church Ministers (fundamentalist/evangelical)

140 Anglican/Episcopalian Ministers

38 Lutheran Ministers

46 Methodist Ministers

19 Presbyterian Ministers

197 various Church Ministers

read cases here

Hold on here.

Your defense of the inexcusable behavior of Catholic clergy is `Protestants have people who do it too.’ That is no defense: that is deflection.

Here is the difference:
Protestants: in the vast majority of cases, perpetrators end up in handcuffs.
Catholic: perpetrators generally do not end up in handcuffs, but rather have it dealt with, or not, internally and covered up.

If the Vatican would direct that anyone who had molested a kid should be reported to the law, abuse would decrease, and the Catholic Church as an organization would merit being respected on this point. Practicing Catholics are a great contribution to the Lord’s work, but on this one point, the Vatican needs to step up for Catholics.

They do it too' is an excuse adolescents like to pull when they get caught doing something they should not. When I was in school, it did not hold water.’

 

[cruisin]

i think we can all agree that sexual abuse by any human being of any creed is something we must all work towards preventing.

since the news has brainwashed most americans into thinking Catholic priest = child molester i thought some light should be shed on how this problem exists for our protestant friends as well. the second comment i posted shows how the problem is even worse in our secular school systems.

ALL Protestant denominations - 838 Ministers

147 Baptist Ministers

251 “Bible” Church Ministers (fundamentalist/evangelical)

140 Anglican/Episcopalian Ministers

38 Lutheran Ministers

46 Methodist Ministers

19 Presbyterian Ministers

197 various Church Ministers

read cases here

here we go again. when all else fails lets resort to name calling and fingure pointing. Kinda reminds me of the grade school play ground and the my daddy is better than your daddy routine. Get over it and let’s start holding “OUR” leadership accountable.

That said and off my chest, I think the issue is not what church but that we, in the christian community, have this problem at all.

We as christians are to be above reprouch, so that when we stand accused we can be exonerated because of who’s we are.

When someone of any church falls to these temptations we as a church lose our credibilty and our ability to witness to those who do not know Christ. In the end this is the travisty of it all.

How then can any Church body be a true witness for Christ?

 

[cruisin]

Hold on here.

Your defense of the inexcusable behavior of Catholic clergy is `Protestants have people who do it too.’ That is no defense: that is deflection.

Here is the difference:
Protestants: in the vast majority of cases, perpetrators end up in handcuffs.
Catholic: perpetrators generally do not end up in handcuffs, but rather have it dealt with, or not, internally and covered up.

If the Vatican would direct that anyone who had molested a kid should be reported to the law, abuse would decrease, and the Catholic Church as an organization would merit being respected on this point. Practicing Catholics are a great contribution to the Lord’s work, but on this one point, the Vatican needs to step up for Catholics.

They do it too' is an excuse adolescents like to pull when they get caught doing something they should not. When I was in school, it did not hold water.’

agreed

 

[ralphinal]

I do agree that there is no real defense in “They are worse than us.” I do find value in it when we are discussing the media’s coverage of the issue or if that is a reason that the Catholic faith is bad/evil/problematic/etc.

If the Catholic Church contained the highest percentage of offenders, the media coverage is founded and acceptable. If it does not, it reeks of bias.

If the Catholic Church contained the highest percentage of offenders, it could point to a systemic problem within the faith. If it does not, there may or may not be a systemic problem and it may or may not be within the faith itself but in another aspect of the formation. training, and administration of priests

 

[Loboto-Me]

I just read the abuse site that contains all the protestants charges. The one thing I noticed is that these are modern charges! One has to wonder how long this type of stuff has been happening within the protestant sector and how well this type of stuff was buried under the carpet.

I’m amazed because these churches are their own “popes” so it’s often the “protestant pope” himself that commits these crimes.

 

[tweetymom]

Hold on here.

Your defense of the inexcusable behavior of Catholic clergy is `Protestants have people who do it too.’ That is no defense: that is deflection.

Here is the difference:
Protestants: in the vast majority of cases, perpetrators end up in handcuffs.
Catholic: perpetrators generally do not end up in handcuffs, but rather have it dealt with, or not, internally and covered up.

If the Vatican would direct that anyone who had molested a kid should be reported to the law, abuse would decrease, and the Catholic Church as an organization would merit being respected on this point. Practicing Catholics are a great contribution to the Lord’s work, but on this one point, the Vatican needs to step up for Catholics.

They do it too' is an excuse adolescents like to pull when they get caught doing something they should not. When I was in school, it did not hold water.’

Abuse is abuse is abuse, no matter who does it and it is sick. When my boys were young and got in trouble their response was Well so and so does it and their mom said it is ok! The point is no one should do this and trying to put up a smoke screen like this church did it ain’t gonna cut it. Doesn’t matter who did what. Put a stop to it and the CC is supposed to be the right church. If you don’t want scandel then don’t lie and cover up.

 

[SugarMagnolia]

Hold on here.

Your defense of the inexcusable behavior of Catholic clergy is `Protestants have people who do it too.’ That is no defense: that is deflection.

Here is the difference:
Protestants: in the vast majority of cases, perpetrators end up in handcuffs.
Catholic: perpetrators generally do not end up in handcuffs, but rather have it dealt with, or not, internally and covered up.

If the Vatican would direct that anyone who had molested a kid should be reported to the law, abuse would decrease, and the Catholic Church as an organization would merit being respected on this point. Practicing Catholics are a great contribution to the Lord’s work, but on this one point, the Vatican needs to step up for Catholics.

They do it too' is an excuse adolescents like to pull when they get caught doing something they should not. When I was in school, it did not hold water.’

The OP is NOT defending sexual abuse by Catholics. It is a reminder that sexual abuse occurs in other religions as well and should not be considered an exclusively Catholic problem.

 

[Prodigal_Son1]

Abuse is abuse is abuse, no matter who does it and it is sick. When my boys were young and got in trouble their response was Well so and so does it and their mom said it is ok! The point is no one should do this and trying to put up a smoke screen like this church did it ain’t gonna cut it. Doesn’t matter who did what. Put a stop to it and the CC is supposed to be the right church. If you don’t want scandel then don’t lie and cover up.

I wasn’t going to post in this thread as I feel it’s sad to capitalize on innocent victims in theological discussions, no matter where it’s happening. Your anti-Catholic sentiments shine through, yet again, and resemble someone capitalizing on such a subject to cast doubts on the Catholic Church., especially in light of your suggestion pertaining ONLY to the Catholic Church as a solution to the problem.

Being the ‘right’ Church has nothing to do with the actions of sinful men. Did Christ build His Church upon ‘perfect’, or sinless, men? Did Christ teach the people to ignore, or attack/bash/judge, those who sat upon the chair of Moses, if those who sat upon the chair were sinful? No, the authority was still to be observed and the people were to do whatsover they said to them.

Scandals have always existed in the Church, even before Christ died and resurrected.

**Jer 32:32 Because of all the evil of the children of Israel, and of the children of Juda, which they have done, provoking me to wrath, they and their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets, the men of Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Jer 32:33 And they have turned their backs to me, and not their faces: when I taught them early in the morning, and instructed them, and they would not hearken to receive instruction.
Jer 32:34 And they have set their idols in the house, in which my name is called upon, to defile it.
Jer 32:35 And they have built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Ennom, to consecrate their sons and their daughters to Moloch: which I commanded them not, neither entered it into my heart, that they should do this abomination, and cause Juda to sin.

2Ki 23:7 He destroyed also the pavilions of the effeminate, which were in the house of the Lord, for which the women wove as it were little dwellings for the grove.

Mar 14:43 And while he was yet speaking, cometh Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve: and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the ancients.
Mar 14:44 And he that betrayed him had given them a sign, saying: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he. Lay hold on him: and lead him away carefully.
Mar 14:45 And when he was come, immediately going up to him he saith: Hail, Rabbi! And he kissed him.
Mar 14:46 But they laid hands on him and held him.

Mar 14:66 Now when Peter was in the court below, there cometh one of the maidservants of the high priest.
Mar 14:67 And when she had seen Peter warming himself looking on him, she saith: Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.
Mar 14:68 But he denied, saying: I neither know nor understand what thou sayest. And he went forth before the court; and the cock crew.
Mar 14:69 And again a maidservant seeing him, began to say to the standers by: This is one of them.
Mar 14:70 But he denied again. And after a, while they that stood by said again to Peter: Surely thou art one of them; for thou art also a Galilean.
Mar 14:71 But he began o curse and to swear, saying: I know not this man of whom you speak.
Mar 14:72 And immediately the cock crew again. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said unto him: Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt thrice deny me. And he began to weep,

Joh 20:24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
Joh 20:25 The other disciples therefore said to him: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Mar 14:50 Then his disciples, leaving him, all fled away.

Joh 6:66 After this, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. **

 

[Jon_Hus]

What makes this a scandal is the size and time period. It involves heiarchy and cover-up. It is a national/international event. Is anyone here advocating that the media leave this story alone? Would anyone feel different if they were the victim or one of their children a victim? All of this should be obvious.

Everyone wants to blame the media or the culture. The church should have involved law enforcement involved from the start. They didn’t and now are paying a very high price. What is sad is that the CC is bring down all of christendom in their attempts to keep themselves out of hot water.

 

[tweetymom]

I wasn’t going to post in this thread as I feel it’s sad to capitalize on innocent victims in theological discussions, no matter where it’s happening. Your anti-Catholic sentiments shine through, yet again, and resemble someone capitalizing on such a subject to cast doubts on the Catholic Church., especially in light of your suggestion pertaining ONLY to the Catholic Church as a solution to the problem.

Being the ‘right’ Church has nothing to do with the actions of sinful men. Did Christ build His Church upon ‘perfect’, or sinless, men? Did Christ teach the people to ignore, or attack/bash/judge, those who sat upon the chair of Moses, if those who sat upon the chair were sinful? No, the authority was still to be observed and the people were to do whatsover they said to them.

Scandals have always existed in the Church, even before Christ died and resurrected.

**Jer 32:32 Because of all the evil of the children of Israel, and of the children of Juda, which they have done, provoking me to wrath, they and their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets, the men of Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Jer 32:33 And they have turned their backs to me, and not their faces: when I taught them early in the morning, and instructed them, and they would not hearken to receive instruction.
Jer 32:34 And they have set their idols in the house, in which my name is called upon, to defile it.
Jer 32:35 And they have built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Ennom, to consecrate their sons and their daughters to Moloch: which I commanded them not, neither entered it into my heart, that they should do this abomination, and cause Juda to sin.

2Ki 23:7 He destroyed also the pavilions of the effeminate, which were in the house of the Lord, for which the women wove as it were little dwellings for the grove.

Mar 14:43 And while he was yet speaking, cometh Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve: and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the ancients.
Mar 14:44 And he that betrayed him had given them a sign, saying: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he. Lay hold on him: and lead him away carefully.
Mar 14:45 And when he was come, immediately going up to him he saith: Hail, Rabbi! And he kissed him.
Mar 14:46 But they laid hands on him and held him.

Mar 14:66 Now when Peter was in the court below, there cometh one of the maidservants of the high priest.
Mar 14:67 And when she had seen Peter warming himself looking on him, she saith: Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.
Mar 14:68 But he denied, saying: I neither know nor understand what thou sayest. And he went forth before the court; and the cock crew.
Mar 14:69 And again a maidservant seeing him, began to say to the standers by: This is one of them.
Mar 14:70 But he denied again. And after a, while they that stood by said again to Peter: Surely thou art one of them; for thou art also a Galilean.
Mar 14:71 But he began o curse and to swear, saying: I know not this man of whom you speak.
Mar 14:72 And immediately the cock crew again. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said unto him: Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt thrice deny me. And he began to weep,

Joh 20:24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
Joh 20:25 The other disciples therefore said to him: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Mar 14:50 Then his disciples, leaving him, all fled away.

Joh 6:66 After this, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. **

And you are anti everything but what you think is showing. I said they are all sicko’s no matter the name on the church. And thank you for copying and pasting all the scriptures.