Will the Catholic Church ever recover...

[p_p_man]

in the USA.

I'm not organised religion's biggest fan but I realise that many people rely on it to help manage their daily lives. And many of those people are Roman Catholics.

So now that the American Cardinals have been summoned to the Holy See to have high level talks over the child abuse cases, can the ordinary worshipper ever believe in their church again.

At the moment the spotlight is on America but who's to say that this is not a world wide problem?

As one American spokesman for the church said (not verbatim) "It worked like a paedeophile ring".

If I believed so whole heartedly in something, as many devout catholics do, I would be devestated knowing that the teachings of my church have been abused by the very church I have absolute faith in.

I don't think I would know how to reconcile my faith with the truth.

ppman

 

[Ginny]

i've been a long time critic of the catholic church....over the handling of pedophile issues....i live in south louisiana...where for years.....a priest named Gilbert Gauthe.....molested lil boys....the minute any scandal was raised...they'd just move him to another parish....he finally was arrested...and hundreds of children...by then near adults......came forward to admit he'd molested them.....he was sent tprison.....paroled....then molested a child again in east texas......

throughout the gauthe investigation the then bishop....hid stuff....from parishioners and the public.....jason berry.....from new orleans wrote an investigative book about the whole drama....

with all of the other cases in the united states....the media attention...hopefully they will finally address.....both their handling of it all......and what they can do....to prevent it....


so.....yes....i think the pope's call for the meeting of the u.s. cardinals to discuss it....is a great sign....the opening of the discussion....not just a gesture.....but a sincere path to finding a solution....and healing.....for the church....and their faithful....

i'm not catholic by the way...i'm episcopalian......but the area i live in is 80% catholic.....and this issue has been a sore spot for a couple of decades now.....


(i can't believe i postedto one of your threads without saying how hot i think george w. is....well....i guess.....i didn't manage not to refer to that afterall )

 

[p_p_man]

(i can't believe i posted to one of your threads without saying how hot i think george w. is....

Never mind.

I know it takes great courage for some people to enter my threads but I'm sure George will forgive you...

 

[Sateema Lunasi]

I hope it doesn't recover.

 

[scylis]

I hope it doesn't recover.

i'm with her.

 

[mistressastra]

Let sleeping dogs lie

buried deep in the grave of indifference. I hope this hypocritical institution goes the way of the dodo bird. It's done much too much damage as it is.

 

[freescorfr]

I hope everyone recovers, or at least grows, develops, loves and realises all of his/her potentials whatever and how awful the past.

Many survivors do great things in life.

 

[The Gimp]

This is nothing new. While stories of Catholic priests molesting children are getting more press than normal it's not like this is something that is just now being uncovered. The Pope looking into this problem is no different than Phillip Morris admitting that smoking just might lead to lung cancer.

 

[Synnerman]

in the USA.

I'm not organised religion's biggest fan but I realise that many people rely on it to help manage their daily lives. And many of those people are Roman Catholics.

So now that the American Cardinals have been summoned to the Holy See to have high level talks over the child abuse cases, can the ordinary worshipper ever believe in their church again.

At the moment the spotlight is on America but who's to say that this is not a world wide problem?

As one American spokesman for the church said (not verbatim) "It worked like a paedeophile ring".

If I believed so whole heartedly in something, as many devout catholics do, I would be devestated knowing that the teachings of my church have been abused by the very church I have absolute faith in.

I don't think I would know how to reconcile my faith with the truth.

ppman

Politics and Religion. Head equally up his ass on both.

Forget this thread folks. Having a battle of wits here is fighting an unarmed boy.

 

[HotXBunz]

It survived the inquisition, it will survive this. Too bad.

 

[MechaBlade]

It survived the inquisition, it will survive this. Too bad.

ditto.

 

[MechaBlade]

because faith is a hard thing to unlearn, so I'm told.

 

[SINthysist]

p_p_man.

You really do not understand what America is. Not a concept.

If anything, the American Church will be stronger. Soon, an American Pope, mark my words.

I am writing from a place called the bible belt. It encompasses about 30 or more Englands. Towns have a bar (maybe) and seven churches (for fucking sure!).

Religion is serious business. Guys like Jimmy and Tammy Faye's husband go down all the time and someone is always there to take up the slack.

HELL MAN! WE LOVE REPENTENT SINNERS! MORE THAN SAINTS! MORE THAN WRASSLIN'!

 

[freescorfr]

So there's lots of Good News round your way, SIN?

 

[clit_licker30]

in the USA.

"I love GWB Bush!" and by popular demand "My Hero is Sharon!"

The simple answer to your question is: No. Neither will the other main stream religions.

And good riddance too them all.

 

[SINthysist]

...and don't they look at me funny with my Buddha statues and rumored travels in furreign lands, the way I change the conversation when they ask me what church I belong to…

 

[Guest]

edited

 

[Cheyenne]

I'm not Catholic, but you people have a warped sense of reality if you think this little blip in the timeline of the church will bring the church down and destroy it, much less all of organized relgion as we know it.

While the current problems show even priests are human, and that the church needs to modify its practices, no way will the church disappear. To see people believe that is possible is rather comical.

 

[KillerMuffin]

There is always a bar.

Catholicism will be alive and well. Stronger even since faith is built on strife.

*sighs*

 

[*bratcat*]

 

[MissTaken]

The Pope convening the Cardinals is a positive step toward recognizing the problem and resolving it.

To compare the church's actions to Phillip Morris is apples and oranges. The Pope and church as a whole gain nothing by the behavior they are investigating. Not so for Phillip Morris.

Anything else I would add has been said.

 

[CarolineOh]

I could not attend Easter Mass with my mother because she goes to the church where I was married, and now that I am divorced, the priest there will not give me communion. But the Church covers up and excuses child molestors.
I am not alone, there are millions of people like me, particularly women, who have been marginalized and diminished by the Church. This scandal calls into question more than just matters of institutional problems, but the very idea the Church is built on, that it is a worthy intermediary between Man and God. I'm sorry Ginny, but I do believe the Pope's meeting with the American bishops is window dressing. Why doesn't he meet with some of the victims, as a true vicar of Christ would?
I think the Church will survive, but it is going to become more and more a Third World Church, maintaining it's hold in poorer undeveloped countries and gradually losing ground in the West.

 

[MissTaken]

I think the Church will survive, but it is going to become more and more a Third World Church, maintaining it's hold in poorer undeveloped countries and gradually losing ground in the West.

It seems that has already been the trend.

IMHO

 

[glamorilla]

The whole thing cracks me up...I understand your predicament Caroline.

I take pretty much the same stance as not being very into organized religeon...although i understand its purpose and consider myself a spiritual person.

I think this is a much deeper problem than were aware of and I just want to see the people who are hurting children out of the way so the rest of us can live our lives as we see fit. If the Church is going to go to so much trouble to cover for a few...then there are many involved.

Heh...Catholisism has been painting gay men to be the most heonous abominations on Earth. This is just making me beam.

I hate hypocrites.

 

[perks]

You mean you're not a heinous abomination?

Then why the fuck do I love you like I do?

meanwhile, back at the party...

The Whore of Babylon will never cease to exist. Its religious faux pas and hypocritical secrets will keep building and building until the judgement day.

now back to my reality...

Religion and faith aren't exclusive to each other. More often than not they both exist without the other. Spirituality and faith are important, religion is not. You might want to keep an eye on it though, in case a Priest sneaks up behind you.