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How Many Priests Experience Same Sex Attraction?


infinitelord1

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[quote name='MIkolbe' timestamp='1296502997' post='2207118']
i bet that hamburger's good...
[/quote]
Past experience makes this rather likely.

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[quote name='MIkolbe' timestamp='1296503120' post='2207122']
that would be some massive precedence.
[/quote]
Massive is right.

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[quote name='AudreyGrace' timestamp='1296449440' post='2206925']
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.
[/quote]
I've seen other secular sources confirming that sexual abuse is as high or higher among protestant ministers than it is among Catholic priests.

While that liberal op-ed piece confirms this fact, I disagree with its blaming "homophobia" for the media's obsession with singling out the Catholic Church on this issue.
I think the singling out the Catholic Church for demonization has a lot more to do with anti-Catholicism than it has to do with an "anti-gay" agenda.

Especially as much of the media obsession over Catholic sex crimes has been on the part of secular "mainstream" liberal media outlets which tend to overall be quite friendly to "gay rights" and similar "progessive" causes, which typically go out of their way to disassociate priestly "pedophilia" from homosexuality.

Many are quick to blame the abuse on priestly celibacy - as if the discipline of celibacy somehow drives otherwise normal men to abuse altar boys - which is total nonsense.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of anti-Catholicism in this country, among both protestants and secularist liberals, and there's a lot of folks who are absolutely delighted to have anything they can use to tear down the Church's reputation.

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infinitelord1

[quote name='Mark of the Cross' timestamp='1296509167' post='2207168']
[img]http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss282/mho_owen/phatcat.jpg?t=1296509122[/img]
[/quote]

Geez...the cat on the left must be 30 lbs.

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[quote name='Socrates' timestamp='1296516748' post='2207212']
I've seen other secular sources confirming that sexual abuse is as high or higher among protestant ministers than it is among Catholic priests.

While that liberal op-ed piece confirms this fact, I disagree with its blaming "homophobia" for the media's obsession with singling out the Catholic Church on this issue.
I think the singling out the Catholic Church for demonization has a lot more to do with anti-Catholicism than it has to do with an "anti-gay" agenda.

Especially as much of the media obsession over Catholic sex crimes has been on the part of secular "mainstream" liberal media outlets which tend to overall be quite friendly to "gay rights" and similar "progessive" causes, which typically go out of their way to disassociate priestly "pedophilia" from homosexuality.

Many are quick to blame the abuse on priestly celibacy - as if the discipline of celibacy somehow drives otherwise normal men to abuse altar boys - which is total nonsense.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of anti-Catholicism in this country, among both protestants and secularist liberals, and there's a lot of folks who are absolutely delighted to have anything they can use to tear down the Church's reputation.
[/quote]
Another reason is money. If a Protestant minister is abusive, you can only sue the local church. If it is a Catholic priest, you can sue their diocese or order, and all the way to Rome. Deep pockets make lawyers all sweaty.

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Considering gay priests would be allowed exactly as much sexual contact as straight priests would be(0%), i dont see exactly how that is a larger cross to bear. Lust is exactly as much of a problem for straight people as it is for gay people.

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[quote name='MithLuin' timestamp='1296449752' post='2206928']
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.
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I went to law school with a guy who had applied for the priesthood in the early 80's, and he said he was turned down because he was straight. At the time, I thought he was using that as an excuse because he got turned down for something else. It just didn't compute for me. Now, I understand. Our seminary actually makes the seminarians compete in intramural sports. Once a week it is hockey for the Canuks, and once a week soccer for the foreign seminarians. It reminded me of the way seminary was described to me by an older priest who went in the 1950's. He said it was a very male culture with lots of pick up football and baseball games. I don't know when it changed, but at least here, it has changed back.

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[quote name='Jesus_lol' timestamp='1296523284' post='2207253']
Considering gay priests would be allowed exactly as much sexual contact as straight priests would be(0%), i dont see exactly how that is a larger cross to bear. Lust is exactly as much of a problem for straight people as it is for gay people.
[/quote]
Jack Lemon made a movie in the 80's called Mass Appeal that dealt with that exact issue.

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infinitelord1

[quote name='CatherineM' timestamp='1296524106' post='2207261']
I went to law school with a guy who had applied for the priesthood in the early 80's, and he said he was turned down because he was straight. At the time, I thought he was using that as an excuse because he got turned down for something else. It just didn't compute for me. Now, I understand. Our seminary actually makes the seminarians compete in intramural sports. Once a week it is hockey for the Canuks, and once a week soccer for the foreign seminarians. It reminded me of the way seminary was described to me by an older priest who went in the 1950's. He said it was a very male culture with lots of pick up football and baseball games. I don't know when it changed, but at least here, it has changed back.
[/quote]


Are you suggesting that, because it is intramural, a bunch of people who aren't confident in their sexual identities are playing sports with each other? It was designed this way (Intramurally) intentionally for this reason? I guess im just struggling with why you mentioned the sports part.

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I highly suggest the book "The New Anti-Catholicism: the Last Acceptable Prejudice" by Philip Jenkins.
There is an entire chapter concerning the "Pedophile Priest".

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