Why is it that many of the Catholic priests are either gays or pedophile and protestant pastors are playboys?
There is this pesky perennial allegations that the priests are fond of the younger boys very few are interested in the opposite sex where as the protestant pastors are either playboys or prone to committing adulterous acts which is contrary to both Biblical or Catholic dogma.
Sexual abuse by Christian clergy is a problem of huge proportions. The only thing good about this problem is that is that it is exposed and many churches and denominations besides the Catholic Church are acknowledging their problem and discussing and implementing strategies to overcome the problem.
There have been over eight hundred priests removed because of allegations and/or suspicion of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Studies have shown that the statistics are 1.5% to 4% of priests have been involved in some kind of sexual abuse. There have been only two Protestant groups who have done studies that I know of, which are the Southern Baptists and the Church of Christ. Among Baptist clergy the figure is about 14% and among the clergy in the Church of Christ it is higher but has not been released publicly. Most groups are afraid of studies and it appears that around 15% may be average among all Christian groups. One thing that is very clear is that no Christian group is handling this problem very well and most are in denial and involved in various degrees of cover-up. One of the instances I am aware of is the Church of God denomination in Cleveland, Tennessee who had a bishop arrested for child sexual abuse (22 counts, if I recall correctly) and almost immediately, all references of him were removed in their website and the church denied even knowing him. One must also keep in mind that until fairly recently the psychiatric community believed that pedophiles could be treated and cured. Many churches including the Catholic Church treated the clergy and trusted the psychiatrists when they said they were cured and would not abuse again. It is also interesting that in studies among other professions with contact with children, such as teachers, that the statistics are similar. I am encouraged that the Catholic Church has a zero tolerance policy for these abuses and is working to eliminate practicing homosexual priests from active clergy and identifying problem candidates at the seminary level.
I have given this issue a lot of thought since the statistics have started to come out as to why there are great differences in the statistics between Catholic clergy and Protestant clergy. I really do not think the celibacy issue has anything to do with the lower statistics for Catholics. I believe I have a unique insight being a convert to Catholicism and having worked for years in a Catholic seminary among Jesuits. My thoughts are that the difference in statistics is the result of the different views of Catholics and or Protestants towards their clergy. Excuse my hyperbole, which I use here for emphasis, but Protestant clergy are more autonomous and are looked at by their congregations as morally superior, not that they shouldn’t be but many are not, and many are revered as a pope to that congregation. They are placed on a pedestal that few of us, if any, deserve. This makes them vulnerable to temptation which comes from those that perceive the clergy as a power figure and are tempted by this perception. Many Protestant clergy fall to this snare of Satan. The Catholic priest does not have the same situation. Congregations know of the sinfulness of their priest who confesses regularly to their congregations that they sin in thought, word and deed lest there be any doubt of our sinful nature. This has a dual effect, the priest remains humble as a result of his confession and the congregation does not place the priest on a pedestal as happens in Protestant congregations.
In Christ
Fr. Joseph
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June 29 2009 12:05 am | Protestant
Ambar P on 29 Jun 2009 at 5:39 am #
A few of those perverts dont speak for the rest of them.
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Kaz on 29 Jun 2009 at 6:10 am #
It's part of the job description
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Oracle of Baltimore on 29 Jun 2009 at 6:23 am #
Because the correct faith is Oriental Orthodoxy
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Best Answer on 29 Jun 2009 at 6:37 am #
It sucks that 90% of them have to go and ruin the reputation of the rest.
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A.K.A. JMC on 29 Jun 2009 at 7:00 am #
Many are not, I'm so tired of hearing people generalize, you can't make statements like these with no proof or any type of dated statistic.
Just because you see these cases in the media of catholic priests molesting boys in their church/community or protestant pastors getting it on with mulitple girls/women does not mean it's many. It's just a few and with the way the media hype their stories up, it makes it seem like it's many.
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Michael A on 29 Jun 2009 at 7:39 am #
"Many"?
Obviously you don't know heaps of Protestant pastors and Catholic priests.
Most Protestant pastors I know are far from being playboys.
And I can't speak to the sexual orientation of most Catholic priests, but I can say that pedophiles are a small, small minority.
You're listening too much to media hype and confusing the 5% with the 95%.
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Laugh It Off =) on 29 Jun 2009 at 8:06 am #
Why? Well I can explain why many are gay. It's because many Christians say, "having homosexual feelings are okay, as long as you act on them!" If a man or woman cannot restrain their homosexual feelings, then the church suggest that they become a priest or a nun because they are required by default to be single.
Unfortunately, being single or celibate is not for everyone. There are in fact, very few people out there that can suppress their sexual identity, heterosexual or homosexual. Everyone has an innate, internal desire to feel romantic love, to love and BE loved. It's only normal, be the person homosexual or heterosexual. Very few people can suppress that. The ones that do, usually do it for the purpose of their religion. But like I said, it's not for everyone and if someone attempts it and they are not one of the few that can, then they will suppress it so much, that there will come a time eventually where they will just "act out" uncontrollably, sometimes going for children because they are vulnerable.
Now I'm not saying it's not their fault, but society can be very screwed up and can put pressure on people when if these people were just themselves, then it would not happen.
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cristoiglesia on 29 Jun 2009 at 8:12 am #
Sexual abuse by Christian clergy is a problem of huge proportions. The only thing good about this problem is that is that it is exposed and many churches and denominations besides the Catholic Church are acknowledging their problem and discussing and implementing strategies to overcome the problem.
There have been over eight hundred priests removed because of allegations and/or suspicion of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Studies have shown that the statistics are 1.5% to 4% of priests have been involved in some kind of sexual abuse. There have been only two Protestant groups who have done studies that I know of, which are the Southern Baptists and the Church of Christ. Among Baptist clergy the figure is about 14% and among the clergy in the Church of Christ it is higher but has not been released publicly. Most groups are afraid of studies and it appears that around 15% may be average among all Christian groups. One thing that is very clear is that no Christian group is handling this problem very well and most are in denial and involved in various degrees of cover-up. One of the instances I am aware of is the Church of God denomination in Cleveland, Tennessee who had a bishop arrested for child sexual abuse (22 counts, if I recall correctly) and almost immediately, all references of him were removed in their website and the church denied even knowing him. One must also keep in mind that until fairly recently the psychiatric community believed that pedophiles could be treated and cured. Many churches including the Catholic Church treated the clergy and trusted the psychiatrists when they said they were cured and would not abuse again. It is also interesting that in studies among other professions with contact with children, such as teachers, that the statistics are similar. I am encouraged that the Catholic Church has a zero tolerance policy for these abuses and is working to eliminate practicing homosexual priests from active clergy and identifying problem candidates at the seminary level.
I have given this issue a lot of thought since the statistics have started to come out as to why there are great differences in the statistics between Catholic clergy and Protestant clergy. I really do not think the celibacy issue has anything to do with the lower statistics for Catholics. I believe I have a unique insight being a convert to Catholicism and having worked for years in a Catholic seminary among Jesuits. My thoughts are that the difference in statistics is the result of the different views of Catholics and or Protestants towards their clergy. Excuse my hyperbole, which I use here for emphasis, but Protestant clergy are more autonomous and are looked at by their congregations as morally superior, not that they shouldn’t be but many are not, and many are revered as a pope to that congregation. They are placed on a pedestal that few of us, if any, deserve. This makes them vulnerable to temptation which comes from those that perceive the clergy as a power figure and are tempted by this perception. Many Protestant clergy fall to this snare of Satan. The Catholic priest does not have the same situation. Congregations know of the sinfulness of their priest who confesses regularly to their congregations that they sin in thought, word and deed lest there be any doubt of our sinful nature. This has a dual effect, the priest remains humble as a result of his confession and the congregation does not place the priest on a pedestal as happens in Protestant congregations.
In Christ
Fr. Joseph
References :
Danny H C.A.B. on 29 Jun 2009 at 8:57 am #
First, when you say many, do you mean majority? If so, what proof do you have to support your claim against either Catholics or Protestants?
I am Catholic, but I would defend my priests AND my Protestant pastoral brethren in saying that it is only a statistical few who have committed the sins you mentioned. Most of the clergy I know are some of the most faithful, devoted, loving men I've ever met.
God bless.
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I am Catholic.
Hussein on 29 Jun 2009 at 9:09 am #
Unfortunately some churches, especially the protestant ones choose to cover it up and defend their repulsive Pastors. The Proties don't seem very upset about child abuse. Its pathetic that they have chosen to cover up and sweep under the carpet the problem of pastors who abuse children and even thwart criminal investigations, arrests and proceedings against such 'Ministers of God'
I want to ask a question for all protestants for there reason for staying with the 60,000 different protie churches. Not saying why didnt you drop your beleifs, but why not go to another denomoation or even start like a Protestant reform church apart from the fundies.
I ask this b/c i find it hard to visulise how someone could still believe anything the protie pastors says after they spent two weeks debating child molestation and rape, and then proposed a new law 1 strike your out and then voted it down, thus making it ok to rape your children?
I mean when a normal man rapes your child just one he goes to prison for life, but a pastor rapes and ruins dozens of lives and he is still worshiped?
It seems protestant church is based on shame and fear, preached by a holy man who rubs your childrens privets under the name of GOD!
Their a confused lot those heretics who call themselves Christan not one dam one of them believes the same as the other. The only bible they know is the few lines of scripture they memories to impress the other heretic flopping on the floor trying to prove he is full of something other than crap
Welcome to a collection of news reports of ministers sexually abusing children:
http://www.reformation.com/
ALL Protestant denominations – 838 Ministers
147 Baptist Ministers
251 "Bible" Church Ministers (fundamentalist/evangelical)
140 Anglican/Episcopalian Ministers
38 Lutheran Ministers
46 Methodist Ministers
19 Presbyterian Ministers
197 various Church Ministers
References :
http://web.archive.org/web/2004010714112...
http://www.reformation.com/CSA/allabuse….