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Ben, I thought it was an appropriate name.
posted by
SuccessWarrior
on November 17, 2006 at 7:34 AM
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Thanks Dave
posted by
SuccessWarrior
on November 17, 2006 at 7:33 AM
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Gome, that's the thing isn't it.
Pedophile preachers are a small minority but the church didn't take them out of circulation. People don't get it. They try to cover it up because it will make them look bad. In today's world, taking care of your problems makes you look good. Covering it up makes you look bad.
posted by
SuccessWarrior
on November 17, 2006 at 7:33 AM
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TV, the Blind Shepherd Church isn't bad.
I think I could preach at a BS Church. Heck, I already do. =)
posted by
SuccessWarrior
on November 17, 2006 at 7:31 AM
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SuccessWarrior - the reality of the problem with pedophile priests in the
catholic church is that most people do not comprehend the scope of the problem.
It is true that pedophiles or sexual predators comprise a very minute segment of the catholic clergy. I do have some sympathy for those who are wrongly tainted by the actions of this small percentage but . . . how much sympathy does a monolithic organization deserve that has facilitated the escape from prosecution of these perpetrators and has in recent years taken a damn the children and their problems attitude? Financial settlements so far have been in the billions worldwide (that is not a misprint) and many more billions will be paid in damages. In my country alone the best guess is over a billion dollars so far with unknown amounts still pending. The amounts are unknown because the catholic church uses a defence formula that increases the settlement, then pleads no contest to all charges conditional to an incredibly strict gag order with sealed court documents. I can only corroborate one settlement and can only do so because of speaking to one of the claimants. $312 million to be distributed amongst over 1,500 claimants (mostly of native descent) and are you ready to shed a tear? Nearly 50% of those claimants have had their settlements paid posthumously to their survivors. (This number based on national demographics versus the average age of claimants should not exceed 25%)
posted by
gomedome
on November 16, 2006 at 2:59 PM
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I like the acronym - CASH
posted by
kidnykid
on November 16, 2006 at 1:04 PM
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It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue
I kept trying to think of something clever yesterday but work taxed my brain too much. All I came up with was the Blind Shepherd Church of Guidance.
I think you could have a monastary for those who molest children. They could spend their time locked up together, praying for their own redemption while toiling in the fields to feed their victims and line your pockets.
posted by
TVBlogger
on November 16, 2006 at 11:37 AM
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SW, I just wanted to say bravo for your acronymonious headline.
How about: Church of Light, Understanding, Empathy, Love & Extra Special Sunshine.
I'll shut up now. A theological and moral debate is happening and I'm gatecrashing.
posted by
_dave_says_ack_
on November 16, 2006 at 9:58 AM
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SuccessWarrior, Kidnykid provided the correct terminology
as to what can and should happen to priests who abuse anyone. I would add to it the responsbility of the parents to contact civil authorities and have the priest or the man arrested and charged with abuse. The Church cannot stop that process, but what happened in so many cases was the parents accepted a payoff from the church and the hands of the civil authorities were in effect tied. Had my parents done that I would have no respect whatever for them. How do you think those kids whose parents were bought off feel once their parents placed a monetary value on their heads rather than go to the authorities? The Bishops are not to blame for this because often the Bishop never knew about the situation. I have seen other men in authority protect men who are abusers and I do not understand why men protect evil men and it is not just bishops and priests. Policemen, doctors, lawyers and others do the same thing. It's just crazy! faholo
posted by
faholo
on November 16, 2006 at 9:20 AM
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SuccessWarrior - I want to mention something unrelated
My web forum is now experiencing a glitch that is really annoying me because of the time it will take to sort it out. It may be time to spend $60 and buy a forum script with full support. I cannot post responses any more as the login feature askes me to login for every page, then returns me to the main page once I do. So if you do not mind I will post a response to your latest thread here:
In my Freeware directory, I have started an eBook section. What you may be interested in are the 2 eBook producing software programs that I have listed. PrimoPDF in particular, is a free alternative to an Adobe PDF writing program. There is also a very basic HTML compiler for producing eBooks as a Windows.exe file that may be of interest. The eBook section will be for free ebooks and may not be a place to list an eBook that you are planning to sell but it is a good place to get examples of what others are producing (when I get around to posting them) One example is listed now in "Dotcomology" . . . one of the nicest PDF format eBooks I have ever seen.....HERE
I will come back later and comment on this posting.
posted by
gomedome
on November 16, 2006 at 8:54 AM
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Thank you Ben for the information.
They should pay hefty fines or civil penalties for keeping these guys in a position where they could continue to do it.
posted by
SuccessWarrior
on November 16, 2006 at 8:50 AM
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I understand that once a priest is ordained, he is considered ordained forever. However, he can be denied the right to administer the sacraments, a process laypeople call defrocking, and I believe the technical term for this process is laicization (making a priest effectively function as a layperson). Bishops move these guys around because they don't want to be held accountable. Well, now the chickens have come home to roost, and there are dioceses out there which are going bankrupt - victims have been taking these dioceses to court in droves, and winning huge settlements.
I mentioned in one of my blogs that if this had happened to my daughter - I'm grateful it didn't, but if it did - I would have gone to civil authorities like the police and Illinois' DCFS (we live in Chicagoland). I would not have taken information about the abuse to the archdiocese for fear that my daughter's abuse would be dismissed, or for fear that the abusing priest would be shuffled off to another parish to abuse more vulnerable youngsters. I might even have taken her to either her doctor or to our local ER to examine her, to see if she had been physically violated (and to preserve evidence if she had).
posted by
kidnykid
on November 16, 2006 at 8:28 AM
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