11/18/2009
Study: Homosexuality Not Factor in Abuse by Catholic Priests
A $2 million study commissioned by Roman Catholic Bishops at the height of the Church's sexual abuse scandal has found no connection between sexual orientation and abuse of children by clergy, the AP reports:
"The full report by researchers at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice won't be completed until the end of next year. But the authors said their evidence to date found no data indicating that homosexuality was a predictor of abuse. 'What we are suggesting is that the idea of sexual identity be separated from the problem of sexual abuse,' said Margaret Smith of John Jay College, in a speech to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. 'At this point, we do not find a connection between homosexual identity and the increased likelihood of subsequent abuse from the data that we have right now.'
The question has been raised repeatedly within and outside the church because the overwhelming majority of known victims were boys. As part of the church's response to the crisis, the Vatican ordered a review of all U.S. seminaries that, among other issues, looked for any "evidence of homosexuality" in the schools."
According to the AP, almost 14,000 sexual molestation claims have been filed in the past 60 years against Catholic clergy.
Posted 8:39 AM EST by Andy Towle in Catholic Church, News, Religion |
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"...found no connection between sexual orientation and abuse of children by clergy,"
Finally, Praise the Lord....but will common folk understand? They'll have to.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Nov 18, 2009 8:57:24 AM
Will Miss Pope understand?
Nope!
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Nov 18, 2009 9:09:07 AM
People will continue to believe whatever reinforces their prejudice. The Catholic Church lost their moral standing years ago-unfortunately -people continue to believe the Holy See still has some authority- they
abdicated that a very long time ago.
Posted by: Nick | Nov 18, 2009 9:09:10 AM
Well, well, well. Yes, Benny, the Earth IS round, and homos DO like MEN. Your move.
Posted by: clint | Nov 18, 2009 10:11:18 AM
It's unbelievable that people can't clearly see that the "link" is imposed celibacy. Besides being retarded and nonsensical, it fucks with a man's head. It's analogous to all those straight thugs that go gay while in prison. Being denied natural, healthy sexual expression will drive a person to all kinds of things they would have otherwise considered unthinkable. Religious Botards, geez.
Posted by: No Duh | Nov 18, 2009 10:12:19 AM
I hope people become more armed with knowledge because the Catholic Church continues to blame homosexuality and probably still will as long as citizens remain willfully ignorant.
Posted by: ED2 | Nov 18, 2009 10:33:10 AM
The study confirms what all thinking people already knew. But isn't that photo a bit much, Andy?
Posted by: DavidLRed | Nov 18, 2009 11:53:47 AM
The photo is perfect! (worth a thousand words)
Another interesting study would be to find out who impregnates pregnant nuns. Some of those priests are straight after all.
Let those with clean hands cast the stones.
Posted by: jessejames | Nov 18, 2009 1:09:04 PM
duh!
Posted by: John | Nov 18, 2009 1:59:50 PM
Of course there's no connection between pedophilia and homosexuality. It's the oldest slander in the book.
But I find it pretty one sided that this has focused almost exclusively on the catholic church when the sexual abuse allegations and cases against other christian denominations (protestant) dwarf it. I guess those other denominations (protestant) aren't as well respected, and it would be expected of them. I just find it interesting...not defending the catholic church in any way shape or form, as I find it (and all organized faiths and disorganized faiths) repugnant.
Posted by: TANK | Nov 18, 2009 2:03:53 PM
Not every Catholic bishop, priest or lay-person has dirty hands in this matter. Fortunately the Curia and the Council of Bishops does not represent the views of the majority of Catholics.
And in case anyone wondered, I am an Episcopalian.
Posted by: DavidLRed | Nov 18, 2009 2:25:05 PM
Well, they should be at least commended for this review and their willingness to release it to the public.
It would seem to me the perp priests issues stem primarily from a sexual and emotional immaturity. The vast majority, str8, gay, bi, would not abuse others, even if the opportunity presented itself.
Priest should be allowed to marry, whatever. The church only implemented celibacy because it didn't want the financial responsibility for a priest's family and it wanted a priest's estate to revert to the church.
It's a sad,hard life to expect of someone and unnecessary. No wonder soo many cheat on their vows.
Posted by: John in Boston | Nov 18, 2009 5:11:06 PM
Tank,
The reason the media have focused on the Catholics is that Protestants, Jews, Mormons, and Moslems much prefer little girls. Your local media outlet would rather go a thousand miles out of its way to cover the case of one priest who likes to lick his altar boy's toes than report on the hundred cases of heterosexual abuse of girls going on in its own back yard - statistically, under its own roof. I can only presume this situation is due to a cultural model that values males more than females, and a financial model that rewards linking homosexuality to pedophilia with increased sales. While this news-reporting pattern is changing, we're a long way from a humdrum understanding that kiddy diddling is as common among breeders as it is among queers, and therefore ten times more common throughout society in general.
Study or no study, the Catholic Church will never understand this, because they don't understand that the problem isn't with the occasional priest who molests boys. The sins committed by the church consist of encouraging this behavior by ignoring it, covering it up, and knowingly moving pedophile priests around from parish to parish, ensuring a fresh stable of underage sex partners. You can't lay any of this at the feet of some wretched gay seminarian.
The Church claims infallibility in faith and morals, but how can you be right on a moral matter when you don't even understand it?
Posted by: Gary | Nov 18, 2009 10:54:52 PM