Calls for the Pope to be put on trial.

[cubby1223]

Does anyone find it odd that the media would investigate the Catholic Church in greater depth and greater perseverance, than our own government?

We are better informed on sexual abuses by priests, than we are of even what is in the health care bill.

 

[Elfear]

No worldwide churches, then.. as I've said.

I don't think you're getting it. You can't dismantle the worldwide churches without dismantling their doctrinal structure. You may wish for this to occur but it won't. It's not like deciding where a religion is going to build a church or something. As loki8481 mentioned, for a few churches it's part of their bedrock foundation.

Did you see the other positives of a central hierarchy I listed? Those things are not easily done, or even possible in some cases, with a bunch of local congregations.

They shouldn't be tax-exempt, nor should they have any status with the UN.

Why do you believe they shouldn't be tax exempt?

 

[werepossum]

Very interesting thread. When Nixon was caught covering up a crime legal proceedings were instituted at the time, as his offenses (if proved) were an abuse of office. When Clinton was caught evidently committing and suborning perjury the decision was rightly made to put off adjudicating the charges until he was out of office, so that his unique job responsibilities would not suffer. For the Pope to be brought to trial he would need to be credibly charged with a crime. I imagine that, since the Pope rarely steps down short of death, either sort of crime would therefore have to be tried while he is Pope.

However arguing that a pederast priest should not be defrocked is not a crime; that is a purely internal matter. Taking steps to conceal the crime itself would qualify - and since as a Cardinal or Bishop he had quite a lot of powerful over the faithful, it would arguably be a crime in the Nixon mold, requiring immediate prosecution.

 

[zsdersw]

I don't think you're getting it. You can't dismantle the worldwide churches without dismantling their doctrinal structure. You may wish for this to occur but it won't. It's not like deciding where a religion is going to build a church or something. As loki8481 mentioned, for a few churches it's part of their bedrock foundation.

I know, and that "doctrinal structure" isn't worth saving IMO.

Did you see the other positives of a central hierarchy I listed? Those things are not easily done, or even possible in some cases, with a bunch of local congregations.

I understand the benefits or centralization for the reasons you mentioned, but I still don't think the "organized" part of "organized religion" is something that should exist.

Why do you believe they shouldn't be tax exempt?

Religious institutions are not like other non-profit organizations. They command a much greater influence on people and society than any other non-profit. I'm not saying they should be taxed heavily, but they shouldn't be exempt either.

 

[Nemesis 1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjz16xjeBAA&feature=channel

 

[totalnoob]

Sarah Silvermann has some good advice for the pope..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bObItmxAGc&fmt=18

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Tax every church that charges admission.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Update to the continuing saga
Link

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI promised Wednesday that the Catholic Church would take action to confront the clerical sex abuse scandal, making his first public comments on the crisis days after meeting with victims

...

I think we all have heard this lip service refrain previously.
IF something changes; will it be because of conscience or $$$?

 

[nageov3t]

Update to the continuing saga
Link



I think we all have heard this lip service refrain previously.
IF something changes; will it be because of conscience or $$$?

the church has already taken action and will presumably continue to refine their policies; that's why these allegations are from 40 years ago, not last week.

 

[EagleKeeper]

What actions have they taken over the past 20 years.

Move the priests around to unsuspecting parishes
Deny to the outside world that such has existsed
Fight tooth and nail all alligations.

These issues still have been happening in this time frame - apparently they have not been serious about it either in addressing and/or preventing

 

[Lemon law]

What actions have they taken over the past 20 years.

Move the priests around to unsuspecting parishes
Deny to the outside world that such has existsed
Fight tooth and nail all alligations.

These issues still have been happening in this time frame - apparently they have not been serious about it either in addressing and/or preventing

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have to mostly agree with Common Courtesy, but sadly, the abuses Common Courtesy have detailed have been standard operating procedure for a thousand years, and not just in the catholic church.

But what is really new in the past 20 years is various individual catholic churches in the USA having their pants sued off and losing the law suit to boot, forfeiting all church assets to satisfy the lawsuits, in their stupid defense of priestly pedophilia. You would have thought that the Vatican would have woke up and smelled the coffee 20 years ago, but it just proves they are very slow learners as the protests now spread global.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Another Irish bishop has resigned today admitting that he covered up abuses.

Makes 3 recently

Link

 

[DukeN]

He won't get sued or anything. Too many sheeple out there that are in love with god and religion, and politicians know this.

 

[jonks]

Another Irish bishop has resigned today admitting that he covered up abuses.

Makes 3 recently

Link

more "petty gossip":

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100423/ap_on_re_eu/eu_belgium_bishop_resigns

Belgium's longest serving bishop has stepped down after admitting to sexually abusing a young boy.

 

[piasabird]

This is like believing what a politician tells you when he runs for reelection.

Where is hope and faith?

Why do you need outsiders from outside your community to lead your parishes? Why do you even need paid clergy?