The church has been a pedophile organization since day one and now we think this pope is going to admit it? The sick bastard doesn't believe the holocaust existed either, kind of a coincidence that they both happened in the same country.

How rampant is this epidemic of molestations? THOUSANDS of priests avoiding justice. Look it up by state.

Check out California! Yikes!

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/member/index.jsp

The Catholic church needs to be eradicated FOREVER. It has from day one been an institution of evil and debauchery.

Come now, It's all about the $Benjamin's$....$$$$

Catholic Church='s $dollars$

Enough with religions anyone.They state 1.5 to 5% were abusers!!! Crap probably more like 50%. Those that get caught get transferred so they can assault a new crop of kids.After this some bishop will tell me what I need to do to go to heaven; he can kiss my petunia.

The Vatican defends the pope? Who do they think they are kidding? The Vatican answers to the Pope, the Vatican IS the Pope!

It's what is to be expected from a group that takes one sentence from the whole book, while ignoring the very next sentence, and makes it a major tenent of faith. If they would acknowledge Pauls follow on warning they might solve some of these problems!

Its all over the world. In the USA about 4900 priests have been charged or creditably accused. SNAP, the survivors networkd of those abused by Priests estimates another 5000 in the USA are guilty but still hidden by the church's policy of coverup (Omerta?)

Ten thousand out of about 60000 priests avg over the years is about 15%. Thats outrageous

And the utter crimes were both covering it up and moving known vile priests to new locations. where they continued their crimes, but helped keep the collection plate filled.

Fortunately the church cannot protect itself with what someone else referred to as its policies in the past Torture and burnings at the stake. Think of the anything but holy inquisition.

I am very sorry for your experiences. I think that, in view of what we now know about just the incidents in the U.S. in recent years, it is not unreasonable to assume that, personally guilty or not, priests and nuns, top to bottom in the organization are in some way complicit, even if it is only the turning of a blind eye to what must surely be a glaringly obvious problem in these parishes.

During the U.S. scandal a few years back, the Church showed itself to be astonishingly unconcerned with the health and well-being of the flock. Their focus has ALWAYS been on maintaining their false image and accumulation and preservation of wealth. They could care less if lives are irreparably damaged with that damage extending by generations because of the pervasive nature of abuse and its tendency to create still more abusers. The Church wants to preserve it's image and wealth at all costs and the Devil take the hindmost.

We were also raised as Catholics. We have no illusions. We wouldn't allow a priest alone with one of our children under any circumstance. We are Episcopalian now. It's a longer drive, but worth the peace of mind. Not that we would still, under any circumstance, trust anyone with the well-being of our children.

Parents need to be hyper-vigilant in this day and age and have regular and open communications with their children about these issues. Every parent needs to sit down with their children and educate them on what's REALLY out there. Children need to feel that they can trust their parents well enough to come forward immediately if they find themselves in ANY circumstance where they feel threatened or even confused about what might be going on. Talk to your kids!

"Jesus did not tell his apostles to amass a fortune - exactly the opposite - he gave it all to the poor."

Softdude - You couldn't have said it better. Religion has always been a scourge on humanity for thousands of years, long before the invention of Christianity. It's a case of the few trying to control the masses. There have been times in history when people turned to religion for answers to the unexplainable or out of fear of the unknown. As society becomes more enlightened, the need for religion decreases. Now the chickens are coming home to roost and there is no place for these false prophets and perverts to hide.

We should take every last vestige of religion, and throw it in the trashcan and dustheap of history.

Except for one sentence by Jesus. "love thy neighbor as thyself".

And it didn't mean denying the humanity of gay people, the rape of children all over the world by the church that used the "protect the children" argument to demo-gouge "gay marriage" in CA and ME.

And lets turn the CAtholic church buildings into museums to teach future generations the horrors of what happens when absolute truths become absolute, above our laws, power.

I will be 60 in May. My children are fully grown and seem well adjusted even though I am completely disabled now by the psychological torment and physical abuse I suffered as a child and then as an adult. I was always open with them as to my limitations. They were brought-up knowing I had been in a mental institution and had twenty shock treatment when I was 14. I taught them all I knew and encouraged them to learn the rest from others as the opportunities arose. My son is married and is a programmer with IBM and my daughter is married, with a son and is a nurse practioner in a doctors office. I'm sure they see the world a little differently than others do, but I think that it is actually to their advantage. The only way I can stay in touch with reality is to be heavily medicated with the newer anti-psychotics and the newer anti-depressants. Looking back with the aid of the clarity of thought brought about by the medications is almost worse than not being able to know the truth. I will live until I die. I can't guarantee that it will be a natural death but oh well. Either way, it will be the only way the pain will stop.

I think tha the thing I am most proud of is that I did not do to my children what was done to me. As a thinking breathing human being, I couldn't. The people that do pass on the horrors are either not complete human beings or are completely insane. I have no faith, in god or in people but I do know the difference between right and wrong. I have known all my life and as I can see it now, I was never very sane. What's their excuse?

Jesus, softdude, it makes me want to throw up to hear the horrors people experience in their childhoods, i am so sorry, i wish i was there, i would have kicked some butt, so bad, alright, just cursed them, but Gods wrath is way harder then any human can handle. i was about to be a altergirl, and when my priest walked in alone with me, i actually felt a strong evil presence, thats when my teacher walked in too, i was so relieved, and this was before the 2001 exposure of pedophilia by priests, that's when i decided, sorry, my kids will not be trusted in the care of any priests... In Dante's inferno, the book, it talks about the Popes whom commited fraud to become Pope, and then changing the system, and that's back in the 1300's. but even today, they slithered themselves in the petestool but inside are full of darkness, and i know this, because even they try to manipulate, and that's not at all what Jesus taught us, he taught about liberty, and how to truly respect each other by following the golden rules, and keeping the ten commandments! God bless you!

Unfortunately the only way to impeach the Pope is to pray for God to remove him from this Earth.

and the church didn't just turn a blind eye to the Nazi's . It was the church's hatred of Jews, Jesus own people, that hitler - a born and baptised Catholic from very Catholic Austria, leveraged to gain control of Germany

And 50 mllion died, along with unimaginable human suffering. And the Church, 65 years after the end of WWII, has yet to EXcommunicate Hitler. Wonder why ? Could it be because then the Catholic world would realize that the church needed to EXcommunicate itself.

Indeed, let's get real. The Catholic church has a basic inability to deal with sexual issues and a penchant for secrecy. It's not surprising that pedophiles would be attracted to a profession where a power differential exists between a priest and his congregation, and where privacy is almost certain.

Unrelated to the pedophilia issue the church has other problems - it's not a shock that repressed sexuality will find inappropriate outlets (ie, sexual relationships with adult congregants, rape and abuse of nuns, etc), that an organization which condemns homosexuality yet is gender segregated would find that it has a greater than average number of gays in its hierarchy, or that a power differential would foster rape and abuse in a secretive environment. Secrecy and a twisted, condemning view of sexual issues are at the core of the church's problems.

What is surprising is that it is all over the world. The church is one that speaks of absolute truths. That is like absolute power. And as someone pointed out a century ago, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

the simplified definition of the Catholic church.

Did you report the man? If not, that makes you part of the problem. You mention it would only have been statutory rape due to the ages involved? My husband, who is a police officer, says otherwise. Even so, what guarantee did you have that this "sad and lonely man" wasn't approaching and abusing much younger children who were unable to withstand advances by an adult in a position of authority? How many others, over the years, did this man undoubtedly approach in a like manner? I'm thinking very many. These are never isolated incidents.

It appears you are trying to couch an argument within this context to defend the lumping of gay men into the pedophile category. I understand that. Hopefully, most people, if they are at all educated "get" that homosexuality does not necessarily equate to sexual predation on the vulnerable. It is simply a gender preference and gay or lesbian people are no more likely to become sexual predators just because of gender preferences than their hetero counterparts.

Having said that, I do believe that, hetero or homosexual, we all have the same societal obligations when confronted with sexual abuse or other crimes. You should have reported it. Any adult who approaches minors to solicit sex, especially those in positions of authority, are not "just gay". They are predators of the worst kind. Sexual abuse RUINS lives and begins a pattern which is nearly impossible to break, as the abused very often becomes abusers, etc.

Btw, I do agree with your comment that married priests are something the Church should seriously consider, but I doubt that will ever happen. A quick read of the history of celibacy in the Church tells us that there is probably not a more confused and conflicted body of people when it comes to most things sexual or marital.

Tempe, I agree with much of your comment but not the part blaming a minor for not reporting a sexual advance. As the testimony from SNAP and other abuse victims shows, many are not able to admit there was anything wrong - much less confront the perpetrator - until many years after the event.

In many of my readings, accusers were not believed and in fact ostracized. At least, years ago.

Christianity, Islam and Judaism all share the same god.

I agree with you skrekk. Unfortunately, too many of them refuse to realize that "their" God is one and the same, and He doesn't look too kindly on his "worshippers" hating each other.

Actually, the word infidel is a European word. The christian crusades 900-1500 (really catholic crusades - there were very few non cath christians until aabout 1600 killed an estimated multiple tens of millions of Muslims.

No wonder the muslims developed their own brand of craziness. As we learned all too horribly in 2001.

One really fed up boomer, I agree with your post but would add I think they should stop telling the world how to think. They are so far from perfect it's a sad state of affairs when they tell the rest of the world how to not protect themselves and have sex, how to vote, black ball anyone who doesn't agree with their viewpoint.

I remember going to the YWCA for swimming lessons as a young girl. The nun called my mother and said I should not attend due to the fact they had bible's out.

Money and brainwashing of about 1.5 billion people.

they have had an easy 1500 years to hone their message - be with us or burn in hell forever. Be with us and death isnt death.

Be with us and we'll take care of your children. barf

Sounds like another of the brainwashed of the church. One of the things I've learned in talking with a number of ultra-orthodox catholics, is that they perfectly fit the model of people who totally hate themselves, and throw that hatred out on others, in order to try and cleanse their soul.

And why do they hate themselves- Like that maniac of the Westboro Baptist Church Fred Phelps and his gang of children and grandchildren. His alcoholic father beat him with an ax handle. And he beat his own kids with an ax handle, and had some of his kids beat other kids with an ax handle etc. Abused people become abusers. That is psychology 101

Rob-439654 sounds similar to the Phelps - westboro baptist church. He cant stand anything at all that attacks his beliefs. So he throws out lies and hatred upon others.

But buried in his subconsciousness is probably the blame that priests put upon him, as they did upon all their young victims. "this is your fault, and if you tell anyone, I will send you to burn in hell for eternity".

Quite a motivator for youngsters who don't have the life experience to walk away from these creeps of the church, and tell the truth. Proven by the decades that these crimes were hidden until the victims finally came forth and told the truth.

"Tens of thousands of public school teachers abuse children every year in America alone, and the atheists never lift a finger because it is their own doing the abusing and they, along with the media, support the abuse."

Rob - So you are saying that public school teachers are atheists and child abusers? You state that atheists do nothing about child abuse because "it is their own" doing the abusing, which is the same as calling public school teachers atheists and abusers. You need to get a grip on reality. Specific priest may have done wrong and specific bishops covered up the wrongdoing, but it is the extent of the abuse and coverup that is so incredible. A bishop who is true to his god and faith would not cover up the abuse of a child and the harm that has been done to that child for life. No one is trying to remove God from the world. The media and others are merely trying to expose the hypocrisy of these "men of God" and hold them accountable for their crimes.

And you, Rob, support the abuse by continuing to support that dirty institution called The Catholic Church.

Yes Rob, let's all attack the messenger.

Rob...next time you see your doctor tell him to up your anti-psychotic prescription.You are WAY off base and utterly offensive and if there were such a thing as hell...hopefully that's where you'd spend the rest of eternity because you are vile and wicked.

Rob, I detest organized religion yet I most certainly am not an atheist. You don't have to go to a building every Sunday and follow silly man-made rules which might change according to whims (like whether you can eat meat on Fridays or not) to believe in God and to be a good human being. You also don't have to have "special" water put on your head when you are an infant to have your sins "cleansed" away by a man (why the hell not a woman!) who likes to wear fancy dresses. You don't have to tell same men all of your mistakes so that they can tell you to say some special magic words a certain number of times and magically your sins go away! (As long as you keep going to that magical building EVERY Sunday and put enough money in the basket so that they can keep the building really, really overly fancy).

Attacking the church does not = atheism. We're smelling out rats. And we're smelling some out in schools and a LOT in politics and business too!

Carole, you don't have to believe in god(s) to be a "good" human being.

rational - I absolutely agree with you. And I believe in a God who, though disappointed, agrees with you.

I feel God does not prove himself to us because if he did we would all put on false faces and "behave" out of fear, not because of the goodness of our hearts. Those who do not believe AND who are good human beings are TRULY good.

But the Knights of Columbus will protect the Church so why do you think "they" are trying to bring it down against such odds??

Unfortunately, the POPE can now hide behind Diplomatic Immunity. The only way to shut down the church is lawsuit, confiscate property, and have the Catholics quit giving any money to the church.

As long as the money exists, the Vatican exists. Cut off the head, you kill the snake.

For you Catholics determined to give tithes to the church, give it the Red Cross or some other Non-Profit as your tithe - God will know, if he exists, that you are supporting good and not evil.

You couldn't have said it better.

the real question is what the catalyst will be to bring the good Catholic people to leave this institution of grand lies and vile crimes.

As a great man said years ago in an only slightly different context - Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty I am free at last.

And so will be the average catholic family.

Lets reename stonewalling for a better term. OMERTA the mobs code of silence.

Confusing pedophilia with homosexuality is rather ignorant.

Its not gay. Gay people are no more apt to be pedophiles then str8 people. The problem all relates to the denial of the normal sex urge. And if you cut off that urge when people are young, then it ultimately rears its ugly head at the same mental age as when the desire was crushed.

Also, note that for much of the time the church didn't have alter boys. The cause of the pedophilia being directed at the only handy targets around - young boys. Probably the greatest as yet untold story - bits have leaked out - is that lots of young girls were also lured into sex by sex-starved priests.

And the Bishops own report on the sex scandal laid the blame not on gay priests, but on a breakdown of discipline. The real cause being the denial of normal human sexuality. And the celibacy that results in priests being married into the queerest marriages of all - to an institution which screws the very people it professes to protect. YOur children.

And why is the church so adamant against gay people having the right to marry - it needs a smokescreen to hide its own vile crimes.

And whatever your views may be re abortion, you must admit it is just another great smokescreen for hiding the crimes of the church. Which we know know are worldwide.

get some facts straight, BOB...the vast majority of pedephiliacs are STRAIGHT MEN. Stop connecting pedophilia to homosexuality...that is a false assumption conjoured up by ignorant bigots such as yourself.

the John Jay Criminal justice institute (part of CCNY) report paid for by the bishops Millions of $$said that as more gay priests entered the priesthood in the 70s and 80's, the rate of molestation went down

They kind of muddled the reason but I bet its because the gay priests were having consenuala sex with each other as consenting adults. The str8 priests simply relieved their sexual frustration on the handiest victims - the alter boys. Because they could terrify the kids if the kids dared to rat them out.

Why only 20% wre girls - there were very few alter gilrs till recently.

the scene is not one of homosexual rape - its more like prison rape - establisht the pecking order. Sex is just the bludgeon.. As is is in more conventional man on woman rape.

Well stated, Stanley James! Only the Catholic church would have the audacity to imprison a man of genius such as Gallileo for having thoughts and theories that might advance mankind.