Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : THE SLIGHTLY MODERATED BOXING RING -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lane3 who wrote (1306)	3/5/2002 3:41:01 PM
From: maried.	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 21057

Do you know if it's an international problem or not? I was assuming it was mostly an American phenomenon. I am assuming that this is an international problem yet discovered. I can't believe that pedophilia is present only in our society. Sexual abuse of children is a universal problem. I also assume that this is only the tip of the iceberg in discovering child abuse cases. Anyone who has ever worked with children knows that abuse is an issue in most areas...from their parents, guardians, teachers, scout leaders,clergy, doctors, and police officials..... But by the clergy, representing God, it is appalling!

To: Lane3 who wrote (1306)	3/5/2002 3:55:11 PM
From: J. C. Dithers	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 21057

I was wondering about that. Do you know if it's an international problem or not? It is a universal problem, beyond doubt. The Roman Catholic Church has a much higher proportion of homosexual priests than the ratio of gays in the male population at large. Some have estimated it be be as high as 50 percent of all priests, though I believe that is a stretch. So far pedophilia in the Church has been almost exclusively a man and boy situation; i.e., no female children. My perception is that that applies as well to pedophilia in the outside world. The reason why there are so many homosexual priests is fairly obvious, especially to anyone like myself who has attended Catholic schools. It is probably not necessary to discuss it. There certainly is no reason to believe that the underlying reasons have any less application in other countries, and maybe some reason to believe they have more application in some other countries. I believe that among other ramifications of this scandal, is that liberals who fervently support gay rights are going to find themselves between a rock and a hard place. It would be hard to think of any reason why pedophilia as such should be so prevalent among priests as such. The root of the problem more logically seems to rest in the fact that homosexuals are so prevalent in the priesthood. What do you think about that? .

To: Lane3 who wrote (1306)	3/6/2002 11:16:26 AM
From: thames_sider	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 21057

It's definitely been a major problem in Ireland (both sexual and non-sexual abuse, especially in RC schools). Not so much in the UK, but we're much less RC. IMO the US gets far more publicity about it, but I really doubt the problem is any worse... the RC Church is much more powerful in most countries where it is active, and probably has more control over the news agenda and is better at hushing things up. Plus in some cultures it may not be regarded as a sin (and/or not actually illegal). And, of course, the US has the most victim/lawsuit culture... people will be more likely to come forward and complain if they're going to get a big payout. And the US has a huge share of the world's lawyers - and ones who may be most active in touting for business, especially if they see a defendant with deep pockets and personal trauma damages...