So far in his celebrated visit to America, His Holiness has expressed shame and regret for the massive sex abuse scandal and the way it was handled. But he also said it was sort of America's own fault.According to Breitbart: ...He urged efforts "to address the sin of abuse within the wider context of sexual mores" as well as a reassessment of "the values underpinning society."
"What does it mean to speak of child protection when pornography and violence can be viewed in so many homes through media widely available today?" the pontiff said on the first full day of his US visit.
"Children deserve to grow up with a healthy understanding of sexuality and its proper place in human relationships. They should be spared the degrading manifestations and the crude manipulation of sexuality so prevalent today."
They should also be spared a religious hierarchy that protects the priests that abuse them.The Pope has yet to explain what the Church is doing to expel pedophile priests, and he continues to stand by bishops who covered up the abuse for years.
The truth is, the abuse that went on in the Catholic Church is not "society's" fault. It's the Church's fault. That's why the Church has had to pay out $2 billion in claims. And that makes it ultimately the Pope's fault. The church scandal is not something he can pass off on internet pornography.
For us, the Pope's visit has raised some major questions:
1. How rude is it to attack our morality on his first full day here? President Bush picked him up from the airport.
2. Does anyone know why Benedict's teenage affiliation with the Hitler Youth is excused by his being, in the BBC 's parlance, "not an enthusiastic member"?
3. Any clue why the Pope's autobiography is written through the eyes of his cat Chico?
4. Finally, how seriously should we take what the papers are calling the Pope's "chiding" of American society and its role in the church scandal? Do we as a nation really share some of the blame for the Church's crisis?
Reader Comments ( Page 5 of 14)
61. WHEN DID THE POPE MENTION "AMERICA" WHEN HE WAS SPEAKING ABOUT SOCIETY, I UNDERSTOOD HE MEANT THE WHOLE WORLD. OBVIOUSLY, THERE HAVE BEEN - WELL KNOWN CASES- OF CATHOLIC PRIESTS ABUSING CHILDREN BOYS AND GIRLS ALL OVER THE WORLD. SICKOS ARE EVERYWHERE. WHO SAYS HE SAID AMERICA? AND WHY IS THIS RUMOR GOING ON? WHAT IS ITS PURPOSE? - ON THE OTHER HAND, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT ANYWHERE WHERE THERE ARE LOTS OF MEN UNITED AND RECLUSIVE THERE HAS TO BE SOMEKIND OF SEXUAL MISBEHAVIOR. THIS IS GOING ON FOR CENTURIES. IN FACT, IT IS SUSPECT THAT THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS WOULD MANIPULATE ROYAL FAMILIES BY THOSE LITTLE PRINCES WHO WERE ABUSED SINCE LITTLE AND THEN GREW UP TO CONTINUE TO BE FURTHER MANIPULATED BY THE "CHURCH". HOW ELSE WOULD THE CHURCH MAKE SO MUCH MONEY AND HAD SO MUCH POWER, LAND AND PALACES????? SORRY CATHOLICS BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE A PRIVATE CLUB OF MOLESTORS!!!
rivirivi at 9:52AM on Apr 18th 2008
62. "CHRISTOPHER SAYS: Society isn't to blame for pedosexuals at all. Pedosexuals are a NATURAL part of the order of the world, and it is time for humanity to realize and accept that, legalize pedosexuality, and start protecting children by bringing pedosexuality out into the open like homosexuality was brought into the open."
AND I SAY: YOU ARE SO WRONG, FIRST OF ALL A CHILD IS NOT PHYSISCALLY MATURE FOR SEXUAL ABUSE- THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN ARE WEARING A PLASTIC BAG BECAUSE THEIR INSTESTINES HAVE BEEN BROKEN SO BADLY THEY WERE ALMOST DEAD. NOT ONLY THAT BUT THE ABUSE ALSO IS IN FORCING AND EXPOSING AN INNOCENT CHILDD TO DEPRAVATION! WHAT IN THE WORLD DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR BRAINS: SHIIIIITTTTTT? HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT PEDOPHILIA IS NATURAL- ONLY IN YOUR SICK MIND IT IS! GET HELP! AND DONT YOU DARE TOUCH OR ABUSE A CHILD YOURSELF AND TELL YOURSELF IS NATURAL BECAUSE IT IS NOT AND YOU ARE CRAZY, EVIL AND STUPID!!!!!
rivirivi at 10:03AM on Apr 18th 2008
63. the pope sux
raskazo at 9:05AM on Apr 19th 2008
64. Polycratus,
The existence of the Roman Catholic Church has nothing to do with observances to god. The existence of the church today is primarily due to the spreading of the orthodox belief through murderous bloodshed, taking of property and destruction of ancients beliefs with scare tactics that created millions of believers worldwide. The very foundation of the church lies on the graves of many who were forced to convert or die at the hands of the church.
Secondly, one does not need to believe in the catholic god to experience a deep sense of spirituality, for you to assume that non believers spirituality is immature in someway shows how uneducated and biased you are towards non believers. I have a high respect for life and any higher power that may have placed all life on earth, not just human, but animal and plant life alike. The difference between you and I is that I don't worship this higher power nor do I pray for it to fix the evils of the world. I instead help those who are needy, love my neighbors and family and show respect and tolerance to others. That is a self discipline no prayer or worship could ever touch with a ten foot pole.
For you to post that the wonderfully educated adults are raising children to divorce 6 times is ludicrous and absurd. Obviously if you were educated you would know that divorce rate is the highest amongst Christians, especially evangelicals and Baptist, with non believers having the lowest divorce rates. Go get an education and you will realize how evil and corrupt your church is, you will realize the stupidity of your post and that the threats of us "meeting our fate" are lost to those who are moral, educated and live with a sense of spirituality. We live life with out the assistance of any mythological book. We do good for the good of man kind, not for some rewards in the afterlife.
goddess1prevail at 10:11AM on Apr 18th 2008
65. Have we forgotten that it is not only priests who have committed the sin of being a pedophile but also other ministers of other religions including those on the ranch currrently in the news?
jan at 10:29AM on Apr 18th 2008
66. Anti-Catholicism is discrimination, hostility or prejudice directed at Roman Catholics or the Roman Catholic Church.
janesophie1 at 10:23AM on Apr 18th 2008
67. Ada, reading your comments and then comparing them to the full text of the Pope's speech leads me to this conclusion: what the Pope said and what you think you heard are obviously two different things. I find the Pope's words more credible than yours in this case.
Fred at 10:26AM on Apr 18th 2008
68. Jane,
Sexuality immorality is not the same as sexual abuse. Grown consenting adults who engage in sex with unmarried partners or with many partners have nothing to do with the abuse the church placed amongst its trusting unsuspecting followers.
Abuse is morally wrong, consenting adults enjoying the genitals god gave them is not immoral. Sexual immorality in that sense is a made up idea of early religion used to control populations and to remove matriarchal societies in order to replace it with a patriarchal society for inheritance purposes.
Many of the homosexual priests were so ashamed of their desires they thought the church was a salvation for them. The problem with the church is not that they condoned this behavior, but that for the sake of church dogma they covered it up, with the pope that you LOVE dearly as one of its leaders of this horrific cover up. Calling him wise insults all those victims that endured these abuses and for him not to apologize for his actions and instead place the blame on society goes to show you how these leaders will do anything to protect their church, dogma, and riches instead of the poor victims. That is not godly if you ask me.
goddess1prevail at 10:27AM on Apr 18th 2008
69. In fairness to the Pontiff: The Pope' comments are valid if: A) The majority of the sex-offender priests are American born and raised and B) Incidents of sex abuse by priests are non existent outside of the United States. So, does he know something we don't or, is this just, 'blame the victim'?
Keith J. Mohrhoff at 10:29AM on Apr 18th 2008
70. The "pedophile scandal" is not being driven by evidence or not very much by law enforcment investigations but rather by old anti-Catholic canards that are being dug up by greedy lawyers.
Using this logic, should Jewish -Americans be sued for being money grubbers? The so-called victims say that two billion dollars in cash is not enough. What is enough?
Pat Mallory at 5:03PM on Apr 18th 2008
71. In fairness to the Pontiff: The Pope' comments are valid if: A) The majority of the sex-offender priests are American born and raised and B) Incidents of sex abuse by priests are non existent outside of the United States. So, does he know something we don't or, is this just, 'blame the victim'?
Keith J. Mohrhoff
Here we have Keith defending the pope on false information. Of course clergy abuse is only found in Christian countries, but almost all countries that are Christian have alleged clergy abuse and have taken legal action against them. Most of the abuse occurred in the 40's and 50's when sexual promiscuity and pornography was non existent, so why is this abuse societies fault? Of course, " blame the victim" is the church's way to protect their dogma.
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and released in 2004 revealed that 10,667 incidents of alleged sexual abuse occurred between 1950 and 2002 involving 4,392 priests and deacons in the USA. Allegations of sexual abuse by priests have also surfaced in Mexico, Ireland, Canada, Colombia, Venezuela, Italy, Spain, England, Australia, and Hong Kong.
In Spain, Italy and Ireland priestly abuse was prevalent in between the 1940's –today with 48 priests in Ireland alone. Please Keith do some research before you post nonsense.
goddess1prevail at 10:46AM on Apr 18th 2008
72. As a survivor of sexual abuse by a priest, the arrogance spewing from the pope's mouth is typical. But to steal a line from a movie-RepoMan when a dying punker tells Emilio Estavez that he blames society for his life of crime is like the pope is bringing a dog and pony show to the USA. What's next vaudeville acts? How about taking responsibility for your actions?
John the Baptist at 11:00AM on Apr 18th 2008
73. You've got to give him a little bit of a break here. He is old and culturally backward. It wasn't all that many years ago here in America (pre 1950) that sexual abuse of children was thought to be impossible and even adult rape victims were blamed and shamed for crimes against them! The Pope is finally waking up, albeit slowly to the realities of sinful people in a sinful world that have always existed and always hidden their sins, priests included. He isn't quite believing yet that priests in other countries have been doing the same thing and America is a convenient target to blame.
C. Gregerson at 11:10AM on Apr 18th 2008
74. I don't think the Pope is too sorry.
betty at 11:27AM on Apr 18th 2008
75. As a resident of the twin tiers in the State of New York, I am embarrassed by this bizarre piece of legislation giving special economic treatment to those who are struggle with very vile passions that have damaged so many young people of our area. It appears that the leadership and some of Ithaca’s residents have become so idle and lazy that they have adopted the idols of Sodom and Gomorrah.
There were two male youths, both aged 15, who experimented with homosexuality for the first time. They both contracted HIV. The liberal public heath agencies and Planned Parenthood covered this story up and it never reached the media. The two boy’s parents were embarrassed and ashamed. I predict that their new little health program will cost area tax payers even more as our local government economically funds this physical and moral dysfunction.
The shame-filled history of the homosexual has left nations less populated, sicker, and emotionally and financially drained. Even the vast majority of their leaders per capita have fought hard to preserve the STD curse on the earth, while taking pleasure in destroying the minds of children with despicable acts of lewdness and molestation.
Homosexuality is a DEATH-style that destroys the family, manhood, womanhood, and childhood in order the mock at God's divine order and destroys the future generations of humanity. Sometimes youth are bent toward to same sex when they were exposed to sexual images of the same sex during puberty while lacking a father figure at home. This emotional disorder is spread primarily by pornography and child molestation from the same sex. Then feelings of rejection from the opposite-sex have perpetuated this unhealthy dysfunction into adulthood.
Homosexual Child Molesters
http://www.traditionalvalues.org/urban/one.php
NAMBLA And Homosexual Activism http://www.traditionalvalues.org/urban/nine.php
Exposed: The Myth That Psychiatry Has Proven That Homosexual Behavior Is Normal http://www.traditionalvalues.org/urban/eleven.php
THOMAS QUINN at 11:48AM on Apr 18th 2008