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 8 of 14)
106. UGH I've never heard anything so idiotic!!! How can it be "America's Fault" when the SAME pornography and violence he talks about is available ALL OVER THE WORLD, not just in America. In fact, European television shows nudity all the time and yet the incidences of sexual violence in Europe is so much less than in America!! Get a clue, Mr. Holiness...you should be preaching temperance, not repression, and tell Americans to adopt European media standards and be like them!
pwanless at 3:51PM on Apr 18th 2008
107. mac
Pedophilia is a sin. I am content with the way the Catholic Church led by the Pope is addressing the issue. Mistakes have been made and they are being corrected. I forgive any errors and pray for all involved in this tragedy. I still love and support my church. I still admire and respect my Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.
goddess1prevail
I don’t need you to educate me on history, philosophy, theology, etc. I attended a top Women’s college. I only accept my church’s interpretation of scripture and sacred tradition. I am completely uninterested in what liberal theologians and revisionist historians have to say. All sexual behavior that does not occur between a man and woman within marriage is sinful, a grave moral evil, and a violation of natural law!
Final statement from me on these issues; I have stated what I believe and you have stated your beliefs. I am not changing my beliefs one iota and I assume the same of you.
janesophie1 at 4:01PM on Apr 18th 2008
108. 1. It's not rude. It's truthful.
2. You're holding him responsible for his teen decisions? How would you like to be held responsible for your teen decisions?
3. No opinion on the cat thing.
4. YES absolutely society shares the church's shame over pedophilia. My mom married a pedophile and their church friends supported him in the subsequent divorce. Society was undeniably corrupt - it may still be - there were no resources for kids in crisis, nobody talked about it, nobody stepped in to help my mom's kids.
Things have changed - we have more resources today, and since people talk about pedophilia more now, kids know more now about what to do and what not to tolerate.
But, yes, absolutely, we all share in giving children mixed messages about sex and violence, and that's to our collected shame.
Most people who have raised kids understand precisely what's wrong.
Even Madonna has cleaned up her act, to a certain extent. I bet if she hadn't had kids, she wouldn't have changed the message (such as it is).
Ruth at 4:23PM on Apr 18th 2008
109. Does it bother any of you christians that you are EXACTLY what Jesus warned his followers against becoming?
Love, tolerance, and helping others has been replaced with hatred, division, and intolerance for any beliefs that differ from your own.
BTW... all of you christians that can't wait to type that pedophelia and molestation occur in other religions as well should be ashamed. So it happens in other religions and public schools too... does that make it any less evil... NO, it just means that there are fucked up people in other religions and public schools too.
janesophie... you are the worst. There is only one word I can use to describe people like you... and yes, it comes from the bible... PHARISEE
TSIC at 4:28PM on Apr 18th 2008
110. I think the Holy Father was responding to the overall moral decay of society - from what I have read there is nothing new he is stating here from what he has previously spoken about.
Regarding the autobiography through the eyes of the cat, I am not sure what brought that about. But this man is an intellectual heavy weight, no doubt, a brilliant theologian.
In terms of his membership in the Hitler youth, membership for all German youths was mandatory at the time. While it is true he and his family did not resist, they strongly disagreed with Hitler's positions and Benedict eventually left the group.
The Catholic Church handled the sexual abuse cases very, very poorly. No one disputes that. But at least they are making steps, however small they may be, in the right direction. I applaud the Holy Father for bringing this issue to the forefront during his visit to the US. It is a great honor to have him visit this country, in my opinion.
Whether or not you agree with the positions of the Church (most American Catholics seem to respectively disagree), he is an inspirational figure and good shepherd for his flock.
Mike at 4:27PM on Apr 18th 2008
111. David- You keep quoting Titus 1:6. What the text says is that a priest must be married *only* once. The letter forbids ordination of remarried priests, not celibate priests.
goddess1prevail- Your impressions of Christianity as a sun-god (or harvest-god) religion are addressed pretty well by C.S. Lewis in a number of his essays. The Grand Miracle is the best I can think of off the top of my head. Unfortunately, I can't find the full text online, but it should be available in your local library. The essay itself is short enough to read in ten minutes, and dismisses the claims of revisionist anthropologists quite well. I spent several pagan years, and I've heard most of the same stories. Peace be with you.
Sleeping Beastly at 4:29PM on Apr 18th 2008
112. The Catholic Church has wrongly forced priests to be unmarried. This is a big draw for pedophiles. Paul only said it would be nice if all were like him. To live celibate is a calling not a requirement. We are a way over sexed society but to assume we are worse than Europe is false. Sex abuse has been part of the Catholic Church since before Luther. Allow priests and nuns to marry. Punish those who molest children, and remind this pope about casting stones.
Heidi at 4:45PM on Apr 18th 2008
113. TSIC
Jesus did not embrace all beliefs; he believed in truth. He loved sinners and admonished sin. What you want and what you will never receive from the Catholic Church is moral relativism. You want absolution for sin. You want to rightly condemn pedophilia, but get a pass for all other sexual perversion. I don’t have time to address circular argument from people that want to be their own god. I gave my answer to the questions asked. It is not for me to assuage you feelings because my answer was not politically correct.
janesophie1 at 4:46PM on Apr 18th 2008
114. Heidi
These men could be married and still sexually abuse a child. I had a roommate that was sexually abused by a married, Episcopal priest. One day, she regressed and spoke to her mom as an 8 year old child saying, He was bad mommy, he was bad, after the man died. We need to remove offenders immediately and have thorough psychological screening before admission to seminary.
janesophie1 at 4:54PM on Apr 18th 2008
115. It is interesting how the exposure of one faith extolls the venom and wrath of all those who's skeletons are still in the closet. Would it not be logical to extrapolate the "Catholic Problem" in a manner that addresses the hypocracy of all religion? Are those of other faiths claiming a more riteous position, or that there are no human problems within their chosen leadership? If religious belief is the personal relationship between a god and the believer, why is there such a demand for organization and hierarchy? Unless, there is an ulterior motive, such as power and control, with the promise of answers to the problem of this finite life.
Jim B at 5:06PM on Apr 18th 2008
116. I'm not sure who you can trust your kids with .... I have five under the age of 12, and I only feel comfortable when I have all five of my eyes on them.
Steve.
http://whatsmybeef.wordpress.com/
Steve at 5:10PM on Apr 18th 2008
117. Jane
Actually, I do not want anything from the Catholic Church... nor do the many people I know who have seperated themselves from the church for a multitude of reasons. As I see it, Catholicism and its leaders have a duty to be honest with its "sheep." If someone or a group of "someones" involved with the church fuck up... admit the mistake, take steps toward correcting the mistake in a timely manner. Don't brush it under the rug, don't try to deflect blame and responsiblity. Suck it up, admit mistake, make it right. Period.
BTW... as an agnostic, I do not want to be my own God. I just refuse to be told by people like you (the same type of people that have distorted the Bible and its meaning for centuries) how to worship and how to live.
One other question Jane. Having been to Italy several times to visit family, I have had the opportunity to tour the Vatican twice now. Why is it that St. Peter's Basilica, the Apostolic Palace, the Sistine Chapel, and several musuems are adorned with 100's of MILLIONS of dollars worth of 24K gold, marble, silver, etc... and yet there are MILLIONS of starving catholics across the world? Always wondered about that... maybe you can enlighten me.
TSIC at 5:16PM on Apr 18th 2008
118. THEY ARE NOT "PEDOPHILE" PRIESTS, THEY ARE HOMOSEXUAL PRIESTS HIDING UNDER A CREATED NAME USED TO HIDE THE TRUTH.
BIG BILL
BIG BILL at 5:17PM on Apr 18th 2008
119. Jim B - I could not agree more.
TSIC at 5:19PM on Apr 18th 2008
120. He hasn't blamed society. And Ratzinger was in Hitler Youth as a teenager because it was the requirement in Germany then. Go back to whatever Calvinist hellhole you came from.
snood199 at 5:26PM on Apr 18th 2008