Sexual abuse

[Paul_theApostle]

I have a friend who feels strongly against sexual abuse and says that Priests who abuse young children sexually should be publicly exucuted or hanged in public.

Is it wrong to think like this?

What should i say to him as a Catholic?

 

[NewsTheMan]

Say to him, “Why just Priests?”. Depending on his response, you’ll see the kind of hand he is playing.

Say that you agree that peadophiles should be brought to justice, and that no matter who they are they should be tried fairly under the law and serve some kind of prison term. That is the law of the land, and it’s just.

 

[cemiller]

I do think that people in any type of authority position should be held to a higher standard and punished more severly for doing things like this. That’s not just Priests (though most of those cases are really old now), but also teachers, doctors, Protestant pastors, etc… I don’t think anyone should just be dragged out and hung. They should recieve a fair trail and be subject to the extent that the law allows, as this is just. I just personally think that if someone severs 10 years for sexual assualt or abuse a person in a position of authority should be punished harder 15 or 20 years. Normal people are still breaking the law, but they have not put themselves in the same position of trust…

 

[yablabo]

I have a friend who feels strongly against sexual abuse and says that Priests who abuse young children sexually should be publicly exucuted or hanged in public.

Is it wrong to think like this?

What should i say to him as a Catholic?

I would say it’s wrong to think like this person. The damage done by sexual sins, that is, sins of the flesh (which are sins against charity) is nowhere on par with the damage done by sins against the faith (heresy, schism, apostasy). I know this for a fact by experience.

I would say that the most a Catholic should say to such a person is, “I hear my mother calling,” and then excuse one’s self.

– Nicole

 

[Wardog]

The reason that this is such a big issue for many of us is not so much the actual abuse, which is horrible enough. But the response of the Church authorities to hide and cover up the abuse, to the extent of merely transferring the priest to another parish where the abuse was continued. These are not isolated incidents; the coverups happened globally in the US, Canada, Ireland, Europe, over a period of many years.
Yes, the number of abusive priests may be small, and comparable to the number of other ministers, teachers or doctors. But I learn about the abuse on TV as the abuser is handcuffed and taken to trial. I have not seen priests in similar situations.
Until Church authorities take more more responsibility for this issue, and a more pro-active response, this will continue to be a distraction. But I see mostly denials and weak apologies. Restitution had to be awarded by court action, rather than the Church stepping up.

 

[Wardog]

I would say it’s wrong to think like this person. The damage done by sexual sins, that is, sins of the flesh (which are sins against charity) is nowhere on par with the damage done by sins against the faith (heresy, schism, apostasy). I know this for a fact by experience.

I would say that the most a Catholic should say to such a person is, “I hear my mother calling,” and then excuse one’s self.

– Nicole

Wow, sexually abusing a 10 year old boy is merely a sin against charity? Really? I think an emotional reaction for vengeance is to be expected, and that is why we foll0w laws and not emotions.:

 

[puzzleannie]

I have a friend who feels strongly against sexual abuse and says that Priests who abuse young children sexually should be publicly exucuted or hanged in public.

Is it wrong to think like this?

What should i say to him as a Catholic?

only priests? he does not apply this penalty to school teachers, coaches, scout leaders, civic leaders, clergy of other faiths, and parents who abuse?

 

[Will_B]

The problem with this crime is, It is the only crime where a person is guilty until proven innocent.

In many cases a man is accused of sexual abuse out of greed on the part of the “Possible Victim”… The man is ruined for life, even if innocent… I see a need to have the investigation and the trial to be in private and keep the medial out until such time the the person is actually found guilty of such a crime.

Justice must be fair… Justice must be blind… Look at the statue of* Lady Justice* found in most court rooms… Blind folded and holding a balance scale.

Look at Fr. Corapi . … I don’t know if he is guilty or not, but he was judged before trial.

 

[Paul_theApostle]

only priests? he does not apply this penalty to school teachers, coaches, scout leaders, civic leaders, clergy of other faiths, and parents who abuse?

i havnt heard him say more about it,

but where i live two Fathers have been sentenced to jail for abuse,

i think my friend is really shocked by these abuses and i assume because the position of a Priest is really High and Holy it seems a greater abuse or evil and major abuse of his power and position

hes not very religous and doesnt talk to or know any priests

i really dont know why he says they should face public hanging or execution

i mean the Priests are responsible for the public who approach them and when they abuse the trust of even young children,the scandal and level of evil of this act is severe i think

so in front of all the people who trusted the priest and in front of the parents perhaps of the abused children and in front of the public and people they were responsible for perhaps they should be shamed in front of them all and face the penalty in front of them

maybe my friend thinks like this

 

[Newbie2]

I do think that people in any type of authority position should be held to a higher standard and punished more severly for doing things like this. That’s not just Priests (though most of those cases are really old now), but also teachers, doctors, Protestant pastors, etc… I don’t think anyone should just be dragged out and hung. They should recieve a fair trail and be subject to the extent that the law allows, as this is just. I just personally think that if someone severs 10 years for sexual assualt or abuse a person in a position of authority should be punished harder 15 or 20 years. Normal people are still breaking the law, but they have not put themselves in the same position of trust…

Yes, but the law does not allow for a double standard, at least not on paper.

If we think about this crime, it is usually a person in authority who commits it; parent, teacher, coach, cleric, etc, at least in authority over the victim. It’s not the creep waiting in the bushes outside a playground, it’s mainly someone who knows the victim and gains his or her trust. So…how to decide which authority figure abuses their authority more than another? Is a parent who abuses a chile “more guilty” than a priest who does the same?

I guess, though, the abuse of authority is addressed in the varibility in sentencing. The Judge or Jury has the ability to either recommend or impose a sentence based on their perception of the circumstances of the crime.

 

[followingtheway]

I have a friend who feels strongly against sexual abuse and says that Priests who abuse young children sexually should be publicly exucuted or hanged in public.

Is it wrong to think like this?

What should i say to him as a Catholic?

Say to him, that Catholic Priests aren’t alone in child molestation but many Non-Catholic Christian Pastors molest children too…

reformation.com

And Jehovah’s Witnesses…

sixscreensofthewatchtower.com/raped-bethel.html

And the most important thing NOT ALL PRIESTS ARE PEDOPHILES.

God bless :byzsoc:

David

 

[Rascalking]

Your friend is on to something, but it should be all perpetrators of sexual abuse, not just priests.

Yes, everyone is entitled to the “innocent till proven guilty” belief, but when someone is proven to be guilty of the disgusting crime of sexual abuse, it’s time to stop with the excuses and punish them.

Don’t expect much of a response from hardcore catholics. Self-criticism isn’t a strong point.

 

[centurionguard]

Wow, sexually abusing a 10 year old boy is merely a sin against charity? Really? I think an emotional reaction for vengeance is to be expected, and that is why we foll0w laws and not emotions.:

Wow, sexually abusing a 10 year old boy is merely a sin against charity?

Really? Only just a trivial sin against Charity?

If such a sin is so small as you put it and this boy grows up through his life and turns against God because of the stigma he carries in his heart the rest of his life until death. Then what do you think God will do to the rapist or child molester that brought such a disturbance on this young child from the very beginning.

Better that child molester be born with a Mill Stone around their neck and thrown into the pit of Hell-Fire.

Man’s Justice does extremely poor when it comes in favor of bringing any real justice against child molesters or rapist.

There’s no adequate deterrent in human justice that would make a would be child molester or rapist think twice before they commit their spiteful selfish crime.

Statistics alone speak for itself.

 

[Michael19682]

I would tell that person that it is because of attitudes like his that these wounds are so socially difficult for the young victims to heal from. If an injury has occurred, what good will the sin of murder or other cruel and unusual punishment do to solve the dilemma? The whole scandal has been publicized with trumped up language. Enemies (feminists who want female ordination) of the Church in media, the families of the victims who want as much money as possible for these offenses, our refusal as a society to accept the virtue of forgiveness, and lastly, our national, sick and demented obsession with what sex (much less abuse of sex) is and is not are the ones who continue perpetuate the cycle of victimization.

It is a well known fact that the more emotional investment in an act of vengeance, the LESS this does to help the victim. These few, hapless children (many no longer children) are becoming twice victimized–and I think it is the social response that is the worst part of it for them. If their families were paid quietly and counseled appropriately, they would likely fare much better.

The political media loves iniquity, because, as is obvious, it hates its own soul.

 

[Theophorus]

I have a friend who feels strongly against sexual abuse and says that Priests who abuse young children sexually should be publicly exucuted or hanged in public.

Is it wrong to think like this?

What should i say to him as a Catholic?

I can sympathise with your friend, I feel very strongly about sexual abuse and the failures of those in authority and no doubt were I left in a room with a proved abuser or dodgy Bishop I would fail miserably as a Christian and may well end up serving time behind bars myself.

But while we must deal with such individuals with the full force of the Law we are not the final judge, jury and executioner and we cannot decide, arbitrarily, on punishments which satisfy our appetite for anger. Caving into such anger (however justifiable) and letting it develop into hatred is never the answer for a Christian.

While the abusers must never escape justice, and indeed they never will, even if they get their just punishments the other side of the grave; we as Christians are called to pray for our enemies (how hard that can be sometimes –especially in cases like that – and for sinners.

 

[yablabo]

Wow, sexually abusing a 10 year old boy is merely a sin against charity? Really? I think an emotional reaction for vengeance is to be expected, and that is why we foll0w laws and not emotions.:

This “sin against charity” which you seem to be taking exception with is a MORTAL SIN against chastity, specifically. It is one which drives out the indwelling of the Holy Spirit causing a person to be divided from God’s grace…if he dies in said state, he will go to hell after his particular judgment.

Justice IS required in such cases… I never said it wasn’t.

– Nicole

 

[Rence]

I have a friend who feels strongly against sexual abuse and says that Priests who abuse young children sexually should be publicly exucuted or hanged in public.

Is it wrong to think like this?

What should i say to him as a Catholic?

As a Catholic, I would say that sexual abusers wear many hats. They can be police, teachers, preachers, priests, nuns, or anyone else who works with children, or even those who don’t work with children. They can be parents, grandparents, and other relatives. They are criminals and they don’t belong in one category, just like any other crime. That said, I don’t think the laws are tough enough against them and would be in favor of them being executed for the damage they do to children. Rehabilitation is low on sexual offenders and jail, counseling and “probation” doesn’t seem to help repeat offenders. I believe this falls within the category of executing to protect society and I stand by it.

I don’t know what is appopriate “as a Catholic”, so I’m this part isn’t “as a Catholic”, but as a citizen. I think priests should tried in a court of law for the laws they break like everyone else. They are not employees of the Vatican, but they are citizens of the US (and other countries) and should therefore be subject to the laws where they live. They should be subject to reprimand by the Church as well as the State. No more and no less. On the one hand, they’re human and fallible like everyone else. But on the other hand, due to their position in life, and their influence on their victim, I hold them to a higher standard.