The clergy abuse scandal: homosexuality or pedophilia?

[LSK]

[However getting back to the thread, do you think this was a homosexual problem or were the aberrant priests pedophiles?

Lisa N
[/QUOTE]

I just don’t know…I suppose I could give the safe answer and say “homosexual pedophiles” but some of the most recent research is showing that a predillition for sex with children is more prevelant among those who claim homosexuality than those who do not. I would not be surprised if the tendency is linked, somehow, to some kind of sexual immaturity and, of course, a background of abuse themselves - however, there just seems to be so many factors to consider!

 

[TOME]

I am beginning to believe that the abuse scandle by priest may expose that this problem may be a case of nature and nurture causing real conflict and ultimately this scandle but more important the terrible effects on so many lives (The Church has Christ’s guarentee of always being around so I think focus should always be on those who were the victims of this - a nother thread perhaps). Back to the question, I think many of the abusing priest never resolved their own sexuality. The environment exaggerate their problems (pressures to become a priest in a society and Church that find Homosexuality adverse to God’s Natural Order.) I think that these pressures of their environment and a fight with their conscience often lead to feeling of true inferiority which lead very often to the individual reacting in a quest for power and control exercised in one of the worse possible way - sex abuse of children. I believe that we can see this in the studies of how most of these abusing priest are in my opinion predators more than pedophiles. I do admit, that these thoughts and opinions of mine are not being clearly expressed, I apologize, but it’s because this is a developing opinion and not completely settled in my mind.

 

[john_ennis]

Since almost all of the incidents had to do with post-pubescent boys, I think the answer is clear.

As an analogy, when a man has a fling with a girl in her mid-teens, we think it’s horrible (and it is in fact a crime), but we don’t call it the same as a man who abuses five- and six-year-old girls.

The term “pedophile priest” is much more acceptable to our pro-homosexual media that “homosexual priest”. They’re delighted to criticize the Church, and horrified to criticize homosexual behavior.

peace.
John

 

[GodBlessJoanie]

The type of evil is not the issue, the issue is to know that satan is after our Priests with a vengence. Why???

No Priests=NO EUCHARIST!!!

 

[john_ennis]

GodBlessJoanie:

The type of evil is not the issue, the issue is to know that satan is after our Priests with a vengence. Why???

No Priests=NO EUCHARIST!!!

That’s certainly the overriding concern. But the roots and motivation of these evil acts are relevant, if the Church is to address them head-on, as it certainly must.
There is a serious process for determining whether or not a man is qualified to be a priest; understanding what caused previously-ordained priests to do what they did is vital.

Peace.
John

 

[Lisa_N]

john ennis:

Since almost all of the incidents had to do with post-pubescent boys, I think the answer is clear.

As an analogy, when a man has a fling with a girl in her mid-teens, we think it’s horrible (and it is in fact a crime), but we don’t call it the same as a man who abuses five- and six-year-old girls.

The term “pedophile priest” is much more acceptable to our pro-homosexual media that “homosexual priest”. They’re delighted to criticize the Church, and horrified to criticize homosexual behavior.

peace.
John

This is PRECISELY the issue and the irony. I try to call them predatory homosexuals because that is exactly what they are. Of course as you said, this doesn’t play well in the prohomosexual activist world so they continue to perpetuate the stereotype of priests abusing little children. You know, these men are mentally ill (pedophiles) but homosexuals are not mentally ill and if you don’t believe me, ask the APA. What it demonstrates is that the dark underbelly of homosexual society does not want to be associated with what is frankly relatively common behavior amongst this group and that is powerful older males preying upon younger males. Not pedophelia, just a desire for self satisfaction and an absorption with youth.

Lisa N

 

[john_ennis]

Lisa N:

This is PRECISELY the issue and the irony. I try to call them predatory homosexuals because that is exactly what they are. Of course as you said, this doesn’t play well in the prohomosexual activist world so they continue to perpetuate the stereotype of priests abusing little children. You know, these men are mentally ill (pedophiles) but homosexuals are not mentally ill and if you don’t believe me, ask the APA. What it demonstrates is that the dark underbelly of homosexual society does not want to be associated with what is frankly relatively common behavior amongst this group and that is powerful older males preying upon younger males. Not pedophelia, just a desire for self satisfaction and an absorption with youth.

Lisa N

And the APA, if I’m not mistaken, has (just as they did with their description of homosexuality) redefined pedophelia as an “orientation” rather than a disorder.

peace.
John

 

[JOHNYJ]

I do not know the figures how much was pedophile how much was homosexual. I do know the worse cases were always pedophile .I also know that the bishops made it worse ! They covered the crimes up for decades ! if it wasn’t for the statute’s of limitations Catholic bishops would have their own sections in state prisons.
They continue to obstruct investigations in Los Angeles and other cities.They contine protecting their associates that helped pedophile priests. Even after their own investigators tell them they should be removed.The only question is,why ?

 

[Promotor_Fidei]

GodBlessJoanie:

The type of evil is not the issue, the issue is to know that satan is after our Priests with a vengence. Why???

No Priests=NO EUCHARIST!!!

Joanie, some priests have gone over to the Enemy. We need to get them out. The Church won’t do so apparently, so thank God for the courts.

 

[JimG]

john ennis:

Since almost all of the incidents had to do with post-pubescent boys, I think the answer is clear.

Yes, the vast majority of cases involved adolescent boys. It certainly sounds like homosexual predators at work. And yet this fact is hardly referred to because it is not politically correct.

Do we classify NAMBLA as a subset of homosexual culture? Obviously it’s not a heterosexual organization.

 

[Promotor_Fidei]

JimG:

Do we classify NAMBLA as a subset of homosexual culture? Obviously it’s not a heterosexual organization.

NAMBLA marches in nearly every Gay Pride parade in the nation. I’ve never heard of a Gay Pride parade that excluded them out of disgust.

 

[JimG]

john ennis:

And the APA, if I’m not mistaken, has (just as they did with their description of homosexuality) redefined pedophelia as an “orientation” rather than a disorder.

If this is correct, then soon every convicted pedophile will be seeking damages for false arrest resulting from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

 

[Libero]

I am not that aware of the situation in the US, and there has not been that many recent cases here. The most recent involved Fr. Hill, and as far as i am aware he was not homosexual. In past cases, there has never really been the conncetion between homosexuality and pedophillia.

 

[wiki7]

According to The American Bishops Conference Task Force; 81% of the cases were homosexual,i.e., man& boy. Many of the priests were found to be members of NAMBLA, including the most famous of all, Paul Shandley! Some of offending Bishops are Homo or Pro-Homosexual. Wake Up! Know your ENEMY! The Left-Gay Alliance wants to destroy the Church. A priest shortage is no reason to allow this to happen. Allow priests to marry and weed out Homosexuals in the Priesthood. The few good homosexual ones aren’t worth keeping them all! Satan has found a hole to drive a truck through!

 

[SaintGobban]

The percentages of victims who were male (80.9%) and female (19.1%) do not apply here. Rather, one must compare percentage of abusers who abused males to the percentage of absusers who abused females.

Since, as Trelow cites above, “male-on-male pedophiles victimize far more children than do heterosexual pedophiles,” and especially since priests have historically had much greater access to boys rather than girls, one would expect the percentage of male victims to be much larger than the percentage of female victims.

In addition, I, like many who have posted before me, feel compelled to note that this analysis is not meant to condone or explain the abuse, but merely to objectively evaluate the statistics. The entire situation is obviously quite tragic for all of the victims, their families and the Church at large.

The percent of priests who exclusively molested females ages 13-17, ie heterosexual priest molestations was 5%.

 

[SaintGobban]

I am not that aware of the situation in the US, and there has not been that many recent cases here. The most recent involved Fr. Hill, and as far as i am aware he was not homosexual. In past cases, there has never really been the conncetion between homosexuality and pedophillia.

There has always been a connection between the fact that the priests were homosexuals and the fact that they were molesting pubescent males (more than 80%). There has always been a connection between the fact that they were homosexual, and thus far more likely to abuse pubescent males. There has always been a connection between the fact that homosexual priests were far more likely to break their vow of celebacy in general, according to the John Jay Report.
The number of **heterosexual **priests accused of molestation is 5%. Five percent of priests exclusively molested post pubescent females. 95% of the molesters were homo-sexual. There has ALWAYS been a connection. The connection is just usually ignored and suppressed.

 

[jrgiancola]

Actually, the majority of pedophiles are heterosexual, not homosexual.

 

[jrgiancola]

There is very little, if any, pedophilia in the homosexual community. Gay men are attracted to gay men, not to children.

 

[LemonAndLime]

I think it’s important to not link the two. They are entirely different sexual behaviours.

I believe that quite often, some comments/accusations on this subject come dangerously close to calling homosexual men paedophiles, and vice versa.

 

[michelleds]

There is very little, if any, pedophilia in the homosexual community. Gay men are attracted to gay men, not to children.

Pedophilia can be described as a disorder of sexual preference, phenomenologically similar to heterosexual or homosexual orientation because it emerges prior or during puberty, and because it is stable over time.[51] These observations, however, do not exclude pedophilia from the group of mental disorders because pedophilic acts cause harm, and pedophiles can sometimes be helped by mental health professionals to refrain from acting on their impulses.[52]

Whereas 2 to 4% of men with preference for adults have homosexual preference, 25 to 40% of men with preference for children have a same-sex preference.[53] However, unlike men with an adult homosexual preference, men with a same-sex child preference typically do not show cross-gender childhood behavior.[53] On average, men with a same-sex child preference prefer older children than men with a heterosexual child preference.[53]

see wikipedia article on pedophilia.