40-Year-Old Child Abuse Document Could Rattle Catholic Church

SYN

Very interesting articles...what do you guys think about this?

Hamas

I think that all Christianity is one big screwed up hole.

In saying that, the media dos its best to portray it in a bad light.

jst2laws

syn,

"They understand fully that this is criminal conduct, yet they're hiding it by conducting secret church trials," he said.

This document combined with the their historical record make it obvious they too were subplanting the legal process with their "secret church trials". If this nails the Catholic Church how will the WT survive. The KMs book and letters to the Body of Elders clearly establish the "secret church trials" method of handling child molesters and historically molestation has not been reported to authorities.

Is there a similarity here?

Jst2laws

blondie

First, let me say that I am happy when any pedophile and their protectors get flushed out but...be careful, not all pedophiles are found at church and children must be protected against them wherever they lurk.

I would just like to point out that all religions harbor pedophiles in proportion to their membership. It is an equal opportunity problem including agnostics and atheists. You might remember the problem in the Hare Krishna group.

Pedophiles are not such because of their religious affiliation or lack of. They merely use the venue (religion) as one with easy access to children and usually from a position of trust and authority.

If a teacher were found to be a pedophile, I don't think it would make sense to condemn the whole teaching profession.

Pedophiles aren't confined to our Catholic churches. They are in Protestant churches, synagogues, and mosques. Some of them are teachers, counselors, scout leaders, truck drivers, factory workers, and youth ministers. In fact, they are wherever children can be found, irrespective of age, race, education, occupation, class, social standing, or income.

Though there is no hard and fast profile of a pedophile, here are some general characteristics:

- Popular with both children and adults.
- Appears to be trustworthy and respectable. Has good standing in the community.
- Prefers the company of children. Feels more comfortable with children than adults. Is mainly attracted to prepubescent boys and girls. Can be heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual.
- "Grooms" children with quality time, video games, parties, candy, toys, gifts, money.
- Singles out children who seem troubled and in need of attention or affection.
- Often dates or marries women with children that are the age of his preferred victims.
- Rarely forces or coerces a child into sexual contact. Usually through trust and friendship. Physical contact is gradual, from touching, to picking up, to holding on lap, to kissing, etc.
- Derives gratification in a number of ways. For some, looking is enough. For others, taking pictures or watching children undress is enough. Still others require more contact.
- Finds different ways and places to be alone with children.
- Are primarily (but not always) male, masculine, better-educated, more religious than average, in their thirties, and choose jobs allowing them greater access to children.
- Are usually family men, have no criminal record, and deny that they abuse children, even after caught, convicted, incarcerated, and court-ordered into a sex offender program. The marriage is often troubled by sexual dysfunction, and serves as a smokescreen for the pedophile's true preferences and practices.
- Even if the pedophile has no children, his home is usually child-friendly, with toys, books, video games, computers, bikes, swing sets, skateboards, rec room, pool, snacks - things to attract children to his home and keep them coming back. Usually the items reflect the preferred age of his victims.

http://www.mental-health-matters.com/articles/article.php?artID=273

Blondie

jnomdeplume@yahoo

Thanks for the article. It will shake Roman Catholic Church.

Not all churches hold secret trials and procedings, Blondie, so those like the RCC and Watchtower that do do so are all the more repugnant. Their phoney image is more loved by them than the children. This is horrible!

mizpah

Good point, Blondie:

Pedophiles usually pick organizations, religious or other wise, where there are vulnerable children. They secure positions of trust so they can have a "free reign" over their victims. Over the years, I remember cases that involved the Boy Scouts and the YMCA.

While not an exclusive problem with the Catholic Church and Watchtower Society, these two organizations became notorious because of their coverups. And that is what makes this news so important today. Instead of protecting the children, they did their utmost to protect their own reputations. And this is unforgiveable especially for religious institutions claiming to represent God.