AudreyGrace Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 [quote name='infinitelord1' timestamp='1296429184' post='2206816'] Sorry that this thread caused you to think this. I, however, do not see this as a dumb question. Do I think it invalidates an individual's Priesthood in any kind of way? Not at all. I don't see it as an issue that should be ignored though. [/quote] In that case, we should not ignore, but recognize, the "issue" of men who stifle same sex attraction within their lives and careers, such as lawyers, doctors, authors, construction workers, accountants, tacos, so very tasty and good for you,...... Which is unnecessary, irrelevant, and neither hurts nor harms anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinitelord1 Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 [quote name='AudreyGrace' timestamp='1296431371' post='2206829'] In that case, we should not ignore, but recognize, the "issue" of men who stifle same sex attraction within their lives and careers, such as lawyers, doctors, authors, construction workers, accountants, tacos, so very tasty and good for you,, so very tasty and good for you,...... Which is unnecessary, irrelevant, and neither hurts nor harms anyone. [/quote] I agree with you. Unfortunately there are individuals (probably the same ones who are out to attack the Church) who want to link Same Sex Attraction to Child Molestation. Do you see where I am going with this? The truth is that these Child Molesters exist in every culture, deity, profession, country, etc. But a lot of people just love to slander the Pillar and Foundation of Truth when it happens within the Church. I made this thread to see if anyone had any definitive information on Priest Same Sex Attraction for the Purpose of defending the Church. That way if someone ever came to me asking me why the heck im Catholic when 50% of the Priests are "Gay"...I could respond by saying...no actually, based on evidence, only ______% of Priests experience Same Sex Attraction. And individuals who experience Same Sex Attraction exist everywhere. Call me Dumb, but thats just the type of person I am. I like to be able to back a claim based on facts. That way people can not distort the truth with biased opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 [quote name='AudreyGrace' timestamp='1296431371' post='2206829'] In that case, we should not ignore, but recognize, the "issue" of men who stifle same sex attraction within their lives and careers, such as lawyers, doctors, authors, construction workers, accountants, tacos, so very tasty and good for you,, so very tasty and good for you,...... Which is unnecessary, irrelevant, and neither hurts nor harms anyone. [/quote] It is relevant, as the document I provided explains in a great deal of clarity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudreyGrace Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I agree that it would be amesome to know a percentage for the sake of letting others know the truth when they try to say that 99% of priests are gay. The link between homosexuality and child molestation is understandable, so I can see it's importance there. What we do know however, is that more non-Catholic Christian ministers and pastors have been found guilty of child molestation than Catholic clergy. I guess I feel that if a priest, doctor, lawyer, anyone is homosexual and picks up their cross and gives it up to God, does not flaunt their homosexuality, then what business of ours is it? I've met a number of good Catholic people who are homosexual but realize they must live with it and not act on it. Do I think it's ideal for priests to be gay? No. But if they stay true to the Catholic teachings of homosexuality and do not profess their own, I don't know where the harm is in that. Especially if the priest is using his cross to get closer to God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinitelord1 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 [quote name='AudreyGrace' timestamp='1296442775' post='2206898'] I agree that it would be amesome to know a percentage for the sake of letting others know the truth when they try to say that 99% of priests are gay. The link between homosexuality and child molestation is understandable, so I can see it's importance there. What we do know however, is that more non-Catholic Christian ministers and pastors have been found guilty of child molestation than Catholic clergy. I guess I feel that if a priest, doctor, lawyer, anyone is homosexual and picks up their cross and gives it up to God, does not flaunt their homosexuality, then what business of ours is it? I've met a number of good Catholic people who are homosexual but realize they must live with it and not act on it. Do I think it's ideal for priests to be gay? No. But if they stay true to the Catholic teachings of homosexuality and do not profess their own, I don't know where the harm is in that. Especially if the priest is using his cross to get closer to God. [/quote] How do we know that there are more Non-Catholic Christian ministers and pastors have been found guilty of child molestation than Catholic clergy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudreyGrace Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 [quote name='infinitelord1' timestamp='1296446534' post='2206921'] How do we know that there are more Non-Catholic Christian ministers and pastors have been found guilty of child molestation than Catholic clergy? [/quote] I think this article sheds some light on the issue of the prevalence of child molesters in other non-Catholic denominations: [url="http://www.bilerico.com/2010/04/the_other_shoe_child_molesting_by_non-catholic_cle.php"]The Other Shoe: Child Molesting by Non-Catholic Clergy[/url] It also touches on the theoretical "link" between homosexuality and pedophilia. Additional information regarding child sex abuse cases can be found online. The reason that Catholic numbers are the easiest statistic to find is because the media keeps a special eye on the Church. With some digging around, you'll find the truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MithLuin Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Based on documented cases, we're around 2%, both within the Catholic priesthood and within the general population. The difference being that some of the priests had many, many victims and it all came out at once. That's for child/teen molestation. Statistics in this area are notoriously inaccurate, anyway. As far as SSA goes, those statistics will vary regionally. Some seminaries were...well known...for catering to that lifestyle, so much so that straight men who were called to the priesthood did not follow through on their vocation because they couldn't put up with it. I could easily see someone in one of those dioceses reaching the conclusion that 50% of priests are gay....but it's simply not true across the board. As far as I know, those statistics are not available, but currently you do have to check off whether or not you are attracted to men or women on your application to seminary. So, someone could come up with a percentage of seminary applicants who admit to being homosexual, and a percentage of those admitted who had checked that box in recent years. But to my knowledge, no one has done that study. If you can't live celibately, you really aren't ready to apply for seminary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice_nine Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Can someone tell me what "homosexual tendencies" are? I'm absolutely serious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MithLuin Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Sexual attraction to members of the same sex. Not necessarily [i]acting[/i] on such attraction. Sexual orientation is a bit of a spectrum/continuum, so most people aren't 100% heterosexual/homosexual anyway. Presumably, a person could have mild attractions to members of the same sex, which would not be the same as deep-seated SSA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Socrates Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 According to the John Jay report, 81% of the abuse by priests involved boys, rather than girls, so I think it safe to say that a disproportionate amount of the sexual abuse was indeed homosexual in nature. (Ebophilia, or attraction to adolescent boys, is a sub-set of homosexuality, and is distinct from true pedophilia, sex with pre-pubescent children, often little girls.) I'd say there are currently probably too many homosexuals in the priesthood, though I think the 50% figure is nonsense. Most of the good priests I've known are manly "straight" types. There's also a lot of false accusations going on in the abuse scandal, and the reputations of good priests have been tainted. That said, men seriously struggling with homosexuality or any other serious sexual issues do not belong in the priesthood. Priests should be be men possessing healthy, fully-formed masculine identities, who can truly fulfill the role of spiritual fathers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKolbe Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 [quote name='Socrates' timestamp='1296497212' post='2207043'] I'd say there are currently probably too many homosexuals in the priesthood...[/quote] probably? how many is just the right amount? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Socrates Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 [quote name='MIkolbe' timestamp='1296497846' post='2207052'] probably? how many is just the right amount? lol [/quote] Ideally none. Though I realize you're trolling me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKolbe Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I just thought that answer was interesting. lol love you, bro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark of the Cross Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 [quote name='Socrates' timestamp='1296497212' post='2207043'] Most of the good priests I've known are manly "straight" types. [/quote] How do you know? Yes, I'm trolling you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUSt Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 [quote name='MIkolbe' timestamp='1296499016' post='2207066'] love you, bro. [/quote] SSA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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