Child abuse in religions

Ethics, Morality, and Sin

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Why is there child abuse in churches?

Poll ended at Fri Sep 07, 2012 6:08 pm

Because the priests are randy
0
No votes
Because the patriarchal hierarchy permits it
2
50%
Because child abuse is cover - up in churches
2
50%
Because more than the children is believed to the perpetrators
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 4

Witch of Hope

Child abuse in religions

Post #1

Post by Witch of Hope »

Headlines about child abuse in the Roman Catholic church worldwide, the LDS in the USA and in some Protestant organizations; drew one's attention to a problem that were hidden and cover-up for a long time.
Why do Roman Catholic priests abuse a child? Is celibacy the only explanation? In the LDS and in the Protestantism their is no celibacy which is a duty. And children are nevertheless abused also there.
Perhaps is the reason due to the structure of the church? The power which a priest gets in the RCC, the LDS or a Protestant church?
I would like to discuss this as a survivor of sexual violence with you.

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Post #2

Post by Moses Yoder »

Typically sexual abuse is referred to as molesting or molestation. If you want to talk specifically about sexual abuse, you should word your question accordingly. Child abuse takes on a wide range of actions. I was physically and emotionally abused as a child by my father but never sexually molested.
Matthew 16:26
New King James Version (NKJV)
26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

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Re: Child abuse in religions

Post #3

Post by connermt »

Witch of Hope wrote: Headlines about child abuse in the Roman Catholic church worldwide, the LDS in the USA and in some Protestant organizations; drew one's attention to a problem that were hidden and cover-up for a long time.
Why do Roman Catholic priests abuse a child? Is celibacy the only explanation? In the LDS and in the Protestantism their is no celibacy which is a duty. And children are nevertheless abused also there.
Perhaps is the reason due to the structure of the church? The power which a priest gets in the RCC, the LDS or a Protestant church?
I would like to discuss this as a survivor of sexual violence with you.
I would note that this isn't a religious specific problem, but in the manner in which it was offered it will be discussed.
IMO, abuse eventually rolls up to power and the abuse of it over others. "The church" is a powerful organization in all aspects of our lives: spiritual, economical, social, political, etc. It's no surprise (or shouldn't be) that power makes people do stupid/wrong things.
The more rules you add to an organization that supports power, the more liklely people seem to be to exploit that power. When said organization involves people - and specifically people who look to that organization for leadership and faith on their daily life and the afterlife - abuse is even more likely to happen.
"The church" seems to be a brewing stew of potential for abuse of those less "powerful" than those in power. That doesn't make it right, but it makes it what it is - unfortunately.

Witch of Hope

Re: Child abuse in religions

Post #4

Post by Witch of Hope »

connermt wrote: I would note that this isn't a religious specific problem, but in the manner in which it was offered it will be discussed.
IMO, abuse eventually rolls up to power and the abuse of it over others. "The church" is a powerful organization in all aspects of our lives: spiritual, economical, social, political, etc. It's no surprise (or shouldn't be) that power makes people do stupid/wrong things.
I could see this lovely in a bipartite TV documentation about the Amish yesterday. Two men were excommunicated, Excommunicated, because they wanted to study the Bible with other Amish; something the oldest had forbidden. Because they were "disobedient", they were banned.
Because I was "disobedient" at that time and did not adhere to the "advice" of the bishop, I was banned. You see, it is about power therefore how to abuse this power.
connermt wrote: The more rules you add to an organization that supports power, the more liklely people seem to be to exploit that power. When said organization involves people - and specifically people who look to that organization for leadership and faith on their daily life and the afterlife - abuse is even more likely to happen.
What would you think about the following true story:

A young man tells his bishop that his father abuses him and his sister spiritually, physically and sexually over years. And his mother (his second wife) the father beats and rapes also. The bishop calls the father after that and asks him to get in his office. The father comes with his wife.
The bishop questions the father who denies. His wife also denies. The bishop accuses the young tht he is a liar and threatens him with community withdrawal (the preliminary stage to the excommunication). And a bishop of the LDS shall get revelations for his ward by God allegedly to be able to distinguish truth of lie.
Either was just God on vacation or the whole is a lie!

This is by the way my story.
connermt wrote: "The church" seems to be a brewing stew of potential for abuse of those less "powerful" than those in power. That doesn't make it right, but it makes it what it is - unfortunately.
For me is not the abuse the worst thing but all this is done to deny the deed and protect the perpetrator. I feel bad if I read that the LDS does everything to prevent child abuse. Also other churches say similar. In reality nothing happens. And the state also does nothing. Why does he not withdraw the tax exemption from the churches? Why did the state not forbid the confessing secret? Why does he not force the churches to return the personal files?
So many are guilty also by do nothin. Only the victims are innocent!

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Re: Child abuse in religions

Post #5

Post by connermt »

Witch of Hope wrote:
connermt wrote: I would note that this isn't a religious specific problem, but in the manner in which it was offered it will be discussed.
IMO, abuse eventually rolls up to power and the abuse of it over others. "The church" is a powerful organization in all aspects of our lives: spiritual, economical, social, political, etc. It's no surprise (or shouldn't be) that power makes people do stupid/wrong things.
I could see this lovely in a bipartite TV documentation about the Amish yesterday. Two men were excommunicated, Excommunicated, because they wanted to study the Bible with other Amish; something the oldest had forbidden. Because they were "disobedient", they were banned.
Because I was "disobedient" at that time and did not adhere to the "advice" of the bishop, I was banned. You see, it is about power therefore how to abuse this power.
connermt wrote: The more rules you add to an organization that supports power, the more liklely people seem to be to exploit that power. When said organization involves people - and specifically people who look to that organization for leadership and faith on their daily life and the afterlife - abuse is even more likely to happen.
What would you think about the following true story:

A young man tells his bishop that his father abuses him and his sister spiritually, physically and sexually over years. And his mother (his second wife) the father beats and rapes also. The bishop calls the father after that and asks him to get in his office. The father comes with his wife.
The bishop questions the father who denies. His wife also denies. The bishop accuses the young tht he is a liar and threatens him with community withdrawal (the preliminary stage to the excommunication). And a bishop of the LDS shall get revelations for his ward by God allegedly to be able to distinguish truth of lie.
Either was just God on vacation or the whole is a lie!

This is by the way my story.
connermt wrote: "The church" seems to be a brewing stew of potential for abuse of those less "powerful" than those in power. That doesn't make it right, but it makes it what it is - unfortunately.
For me is not the abuse the worst thing but all this is done to deny the deed and protect the perpetrator. I feel bad if I read that the LDS does everything to prevent child abuse. Also other churches say similar. In reality nothing happens. And the state also does nothing. Why does he not withdraw the tax exemption from the churches? Why did the state not forbid the confessing secret? Why does he not force the churches to return the personal files?
So many are guilty also by do nothin. Only the victims are innocent!
About your story: It's terrible that it happened to you. In some churches I've been in, the police would have been called, an investigation, etc. Unfortunately, this isn't the way all the churches I've been in have operated.
For me is not the abuse the worst thing but all this is done to deny the deed and protect the perpetrator.
I can see that - absolutely.
So many are guilty also by do nothin. Only the victims are innocent!
Agreed.

Witch of Hope

Post #6

Post by Witch of Hope »

I just want to inform you, that I ask the mods for delete my account.

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Post #7

Post by connermt »

Witch of Hope wrote: I just want to inform you, that I ask the mods for delete my account.
Any particular reason? :-k

Witch of Hope

Post #8

Post by Witch of Hope »

connermt wrote:
Witch of Hope wrote: I just want to inform you, that I ask the mods for delete my account.
Any particular reason? :-k
Yes!
On the one hand, it is forbidden to me to say what I think. And on the other hand some people (East of Eden, Dianaiad in particular) are here; so ignorant and blinded, that a relevant discussion is impossible. And then still this reason: I waste reluctantly my time with idiots!

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Post #9

Post by connermt »

Witch of Hope wrote:
connermt wrote:
Witch of Hope wrote: I just want to inform you, that I ask the mods for delete my account.
Any particular reason? :-k
Yes!
On the one hand, it is forbidden to me to say what I think. And on the other hand some people (East of Eden, Dianaiad in particular) are here; so ignorant and blinded, that a relevant discussion is impossible. And then still this reason: I waste reluctantly my time with idiots!
Don't let people discourage you. There's much to learn here from everyone - even those more interesting people

Witch of Hope

Post #10

Post by Witch of Hope »

At the moment I just have one humble desire: Be banned or my account deleted here. Enough is enough!

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