Latest post of the previous page:
It certainly is. But I think our responsibilities include clarity of thought. In cases like O'brien's, I think the accusation that he has made unwelcome advances to young men in his care should not prompt us to join in with the kind of lynch-mob mentality that conflates homosexuality and paedophilia. The fact that this man was brought up to believe that desire for other men is dirty and shameful has led, ISTM, to a situation where he has only been able to act on his desires in a secretive, blackmailing way. This is a systemic fault running through all the Abrahamic religions.david house wrote:
My primary reason though is that they terrify children with their concept of hell. No-one who does not believe as they believe will enter heaven, but will burn for ever in hell. Imagine what that must do to a child, and the pressure they must be under to conform to their parent's wishes. Is that not child abuse? .
The use of the Roman Catholic authority structure to gain access to young children is a crime, and quite rightly so.
Even within a Roman Catholic world-view, there is a strong case for marriage in the priesthood, and a strong case for supporting homosexual priests. Rolling homosexual 'offences' into the same ball with child-rape is just wrong.