Another Big Big Thread of Religious Discussion - Page 76

42PETUNIAS · 10-30-2007, 07:48 PM

Yeah, but it doesn't make you answerable to any higher power (no pun intended) that would be able to discourage such behaviour. I mean, I'd understand if you threw a whole bunch of catholic priests who molested kids at me, and said "I'm not catholic because of this" because then yeah, the people who run the catholic church really need to solve that problem, so it would be reasonable as a reason not to be catholic. I just don't understand how someone totally unaffiliated with all the other christian churches being a child molestor makes you not want to be a christian. Also, I have no idea what the statistics are, so I could be wrong, but I'd guess that there aren't actually a stastically important number of priests that molest children, and that for whatever reason, there's a bigger fuss around it than is needed.

bluestarultor · 10-30-2007, 07:59 PM

^ It's like the Bermuda Triangle. Makes better headlines than "Hundreds of Ships, Planes Pass Through Triangle Without Incident!" on a daily basis.

Azisien · 10-30-2007, 08:20 PM

Unfortunate, though I don't actually know how many "corrupt" pastors/priests there have been. Obviously too many, but "enormous" usually describes a very large number. Like the population of China is enormous.

Also, this thing belongs in the Religious Thread.

42PETUNIAS · 10-30-2007, 08:22 PM

I'm not quite so sure, since religion isn't being discussed at all, just a group with serious child molestation problems, that also happens to preach religion. At least, this is how it's been so far.

I_Like_Swordchucks · 10-30-2007, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torque

I would agree with you, except that the enormous number of them has my mind baffled.

If you look at a raw number, sure it looks like a lot. If you look at percentage wise of the total number of Christians, its an incredibly small amount.

By your logic, Jack Thompson is totally right about video games being responsible for all those school shootings.

Toast · 10-30-2007, 08:49 PM

A lot of it is perception. For instance, it is statistically safer to fly in an airplane from place to place than in a car, but more people are afraid of flying because airplane crashes/ fatalities are more publicized.

Similarly, most children who are sexually abused are done so by family members or friends of the family, but when a preacher does it it's better fodder for the media.

That being said, it's still inexcusable for anyone to have done this.

Torque · 10-30-2007, 10:03 PM

It's not the media thing that gets me... Nor, even really, the statistics...
They're priests! (Pastors, ministers, whatever...)
I mean.... Anyone can be a parent.. Anyone can be your neighbour, taxi driver, whatever...
But SUPPOSEDLY there's only a select few that become (insert religious leader here)... You almost NEVER hear of cops, fire fighters, ambulance drivers, whatever pulling this shit.. and if it were about the media, I think THAT would cause more of an uprising...
And what about the Jewish? Or Buddhists? Why aren't they out raping kids, and taking advantage of their position?
I'm getting mad thinking about it for some reason. :S

42PETUNIAS · 10-30-2007, 10:06 PM

It's probably more to do with the fact that they do stuff with kids, and trust tends to get placed in them with kids. I'd think you'd probably find plenty of teachers that molested kids, but that doesn't have the same ring as "PRIEST RAPES KIDS".

Torque · 10-30-2007, 10:13 PM

I dunno.... "Teacher rapes kids" sounds pretty intense. But to add to my previous rant, the other thing that gets me is they're supposed to be MEN OF GOD!
they have rules.... Specific rules, ABOVE our laws and regulations, that by their very nature, sorta HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED IF YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE CLERGY!
like omgwtf!

42PETUNIAS · 10-30-2007, 10:20 PM

Right, but in a non-denominational church, who's responsible for upholding these rules? There still isn't anyone more to blame in this situation than the priest.

10-30-2007, 07:48 PM	#751
42PETUNIAS helloooo! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: The Court Posts: 2,816	Yeah, but it doesn't make you answerable to any higher power (no pun intended) that would be able to discourage such behaviour. I mean, I'd understand if you threw a whole bunch of catholic priests who molested kids at me, and said "I'm not catholic because of this" because then yeah, the people who run the catholic church really need to solve that problem, so it would be reasonable as a reason not to be catholic. I just don't understand how someone totally unaffiliated with all the other christian churches being a child molestor makes you not want to be a christian. Also, I have no idea what the statistics are, so I could be wrong, but I'd guess that there aren't actually a stastically important number of priests that molest children, and that for whatever reason, there's a bigger fuss around it than is needed. __________________ noooo! why are you doing that?!

10-30-2007, 08:22 PM	#754
42PETUNIAS helloooo! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: The Court Posts: 2,816	I'm not quite so sure, since religion isn't being discussed at all, just a group with serious child molestation problems, that also happens to preach religion. At least, this is how it's been so far. __________________ noooo! why are you doing that?!

10-30-2007, 08:49 PM	#756
Toast Existential Toast Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Georgia Posts: 440	A lot of it is perception. For instance, it is statistically safer to fly in an airplane from place to place than in a car, but more people are afraid of flying because airplane crashes/ fatalities are more publicized. Similarly, most children who are sexually abused are done so by family members or friends of the family, but when a preacher does it it's better fodder for the media. That being said, it's still inexcusable for anyone to have done this. __________________ “How dare you! How dare you stand there acting like your brand of suffering is worse than anybody else’s. Well, I guess that’s the only way you can justify treating the rest of us like dirt.” ~ Major Margaret Houlihan (Mash) “If we’re going to be damned, let’s be damned for what we really are.” ~ Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

10-30-2007, 10:06 PM	#758
42PETUNIAS helloooo! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: The Court Posts: 2,816	It's probably more to do with the fact that they do stuff with kids, and trust tends to get placed in them with kids. I'd think you'd probably find plenty of teachers that molested kids, but that doesn't have the same ring as "PRIEST RAPES KIDS". __________________ noooo! why are you doing that?!

10-30-2007, 10:20 PM	#760
42PETUNIAS helloooo! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: The Court Posts: 2,816	Right, but in a non-denominational church, who's responsible for upholding these rules? There still isn't anyone more to blame in this situation than the priest. __________________ noooo! why are you doing that?!

10-30-2007, 08:20 PM	#753
Azisien wat Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,177	Unfortunate, though I don't actually know how many "corrupt" pastors/priests there have been. Obviously too many, but "enormous" usually describes a very large number. Like the population of China is enormous. Also, this thing belongs in the Religious Thread.