Comments on: How is the assumption of guilt in regard to Catholic priests today, other then the Salem Witch Trials?

By: impossbl

impossbl — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:15:32 +0000

Not everyone is different. I am no longer Catholic, but has nothing to do with the actions of some priests. I grew up in Catholic school and never once was injured in any way by priests or nuns. There are very few cases of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, but for every 1 real indictment, there are 100 bridges car only runs for dramatic effect. The profession with the highest rate of child sexual abuse is PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, but I think its just not as fun for them, because the hatred is hatred of priests.

By: atom_dav…

atom_dav… — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:15:32 +0000

Not much difference. The problem is that it is not politcally correct to be Catholic these days as can be seen from several responses above me. Thus, the Catholic Church stands out when that happens the same everywhere. The priests involved in such things should be burned, but as you say, is a very small percentage. A priest in my parish was accused of age, and although it was found totally innocent, really bad state of his life. I suppose that is the American justice system for you.

By: Thom

Thom — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:15:32 +0000

The witch trials were pure hysteria. Nothing bad is happening in the city. Or the cities around them. All persons who were tried and executed were innocent.
Those who confessed to witchcraft, just to get out of being tortured - are still innocent.
In the case of abuse of children - many of these cases are genuine. Yes - a number of priests innocent also get accused. People looking to make a dollar.
This is the same as women who falsely accuse men of rape. It makes life very difficult for women were raped whe reality.
30 and 40 years ago when all this was going down, we (people in general) had little knowledge of the predator type. And those responsible for these predators has no idea how they should be treated. It's not like a situation in which adults, eliminating the person makes any difference what so ever. Adults drawn to other adults is not a disease. Adults bring to children and adolescents is.
PS: Dear "Soak" - 99% is not "be generous", the actual percentage. Less than 1% of priests in the past have gone wrong in this way.

By: Max Marie, OSF

Max Marie, OSF — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:15:32 +0000

Well, first, the Catholic priests are being accused of a trial, instead of being tortured into confession and possibly killed or maimed in the process.
Moreover, although there was a degree of suspicion of Catholic priests, is due to the proven and verifiable misconduct by some priests and the organization as a whole, and not because they started to throw some hysterical girls around accusations were taken seriously and instead of lying down on smell.
If a priest is not guilty of any crime, and not suffer more than a little embarrassed to be seen with suspicion, and he will be able to regain their social position with a little patience, simply by doing what is a priest supposed to do - provide a good example of how a Catholic is to live his life. This is very different from the victims of the witch trials, which were usually financially ruined and always spent the rest of their lives as outcasts.
Do your research before you make comparisons like that.

By: triviatm

triviatm — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:15:32 +0000

Many people are reacting to things such as Los Angeles is something entirely new and adds to what has been revealed. The Diocese of Los Angeles has just definitively resolved. All cases are old situations.
I think the problem is a lot of good priests are being treated as witches, because of the actions of a few. Hopefully we can get this issue behind us.
Bluto allows for e-mail. He probably never see your comments on the DNA. Probably like a lot of other people think are a lot of new cases.

By: Shirley T

Shirley T — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:15:32 +0000

Hello …. But the question should be "how many of these people really were witches?" Hundreds of women and some men were hanged, buried alive or burned due to these assumptions that these people were witches, or had some contact with witchcraft. How can it be said that the so-called priests were not using witchcraft as an excuse to kill innocent people? Sorry, but when I was a child growing up I looked up to priests and nuns, who were the persons who could be trusted if nobody else. For me the angels of God. I hate being the bearer of bad news, but I do not feel that way any longer. Also a lot of others felt the same way as I did. I do not know if you can be realistic to compare the trials of witches and what happened today with the priests and their crimes of passion, but it is a very interesting question. Have a blessed day!

By: shuggabh

shuggabh — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:15:32 +0000

Most people who go after the priests are only looking to get money. That's basically how it differs. A handful of priests did a very bad thing and many people decided to capitalize on their mistakes.

By: The Raven † SFCU

The Raven † SFCU — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:15:32 +0000

You would think they learned the lesson of the first couple of times with this, but it seems that some Christians like to judge others, even other Christians freely. Catholics seem to be fair game is a shame that lately. It really is a visually beautiful name.

By: ~Heathen Princess~

~Heathen Princess~ — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:15:32 +0000

We do not burn, and these guys are really guilty of a crime.

By: UpChuck

UpChuck — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:15:32 +0000

because the priests are not being dragged screaming from their homes and burned at the stake without trial, perhaps?