Church Abuse Scandal in Germany

[Skybird]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...683582,00.html

Hardly anyone in the inner circle of the Vatican is better informed on Catholic sex scandals than His Holiness the Pope. Joseph Ratzinger was head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, formally known as the Inquisition. Reported cases of abuse automatically landed on his desk.

Actually that is the point.

But what were the actions taken on the basis of this knowledge? Priests got shuttled around, often to commit more abuse of children in their new places, with their superior knowing it.

[antikristuseke]

My opinion on the matter has been said and argued much better by Mr. Fry already.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by antikristuseke

My opinion on the matter has been said and argued much better by Mr. Fry already.

Good one! Thanks!

Look at the "harsh" sentence the one dirt bag got.
An 18 month suspended sentence?! That's it?!

He should have been doing many years, as a "guest" of the state.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by antikristuseke

My opinion on the matter has been said and argued much better by Mr. Fry already.

Good find!

[Skybird]

Now the Netherlands get drawn into the crime row, too. German media quoted NRC Handelsblad and reported the systematic abuse of blind children in a school for blind kids - partially even in the classroom, because the others obviously could not see what was being done to the victims. The six involved priests are all already dead.

It is the third surch revelation in Holland within just a few days.

http://www.nrc.nl/nieuwsthema/misbru...?service=Print

http://www.nrc.nl/nieuwsthema/misbru...indeninternaat

Pedophilia always is a perversion, but in this case it is especially perverse and evil.

As a former clinical psychologist I want to remind you that there is no known "cure" for pedophilia. You can eventually control the situations in which the perpetrator could meet a victim, nevertheless the sexual stimulus, the drive motivating him and controlling him, is beyond reach. This makes suspended court sentences and any positive social prognosis a totally uncomprehensible justice scandal, and it makes mockery of the victims of this kind of crime. This also means that the offender is unavailable for "change by penalty", so even if you subscribe to the opinion of some peoploe that these people are sick (they are) and cannot be punished therefore, nevertheless they must be locked away for sure, I have no doubt. the interest and the protection of the community has uncompromised priority here.

I spoke about such things earlier this month with a friend who still works in the psychological sector, and sometimes at court. He suffers from heavy resignation over seeing how mindlessly and irresponsibly many courts act when suspending penalties or deciding against preventive detention over some oh so socially sensible excuses.

Courts are not too sensitive over the interests of the victims, and too often so. We have plenty of soldiarity and show much interest for the history of the perpetrators. Victims we just leave behind. and much suffering takes place for that reason - silently, and in the hidden, often a life long.

I know why I quite psychology. And having had repeated bad experiences with "justice" myself, I also know why I do not trust the law. Our law system is a perversion in itself.

Originally Posted by antikristuseke

My opinion on the matter has been said and argued much better by Mr. Fry already.

Not a bad debate, it's by BBC I think. Reason I wonder who's behind the debate is because these debates are also organised by someone and if it's by the BBC, a British broadcasting company then it's no wonder they should be targeting specifically the Catholic church and not the whole of the Christian faith, if you know what I mean.

You only need to look at the history of the conflict in Ireland to see why the Brits might have a problem with Catholism.

I think you Estonians could probably make an even better debate.

[Reece]

Off with their nuts!!!

Originally Posted by Skybird

I know why I quite psychology. And having had repeated bad experiences with "justice" myself, I also know why I do not trust the law. Our law system is a perversion in itself.

Sadly, there is no justice.

[Skybird]

In German:
http://www.heise.de/bin/tp/issue/r4/...295&mode=print

On the frontal collision of the clerus with German laws, regarding sex-related crimes such as child rape. For the church, institutional interests obviously have priority over victims' interests.

[Skybird]

and this, by Christopher Hitchens:
http://www.slate.com/id/2247861/

In 2001, Pope John Paul II placed this department in charge of the investigation of child rape and torture by Catholic priests. In May of that year, Ratzinger issued a confidential letter to every bishop. In it, he reminded them of the extreme gravity of a certain crime. But that crime was the reporting of the rape and torture. The accusations, intoned Ratzinger, were only treatable within the church’s own exclusive jurisdiction. Any sharing of the evidence with legal authorities or the press was utterly forbidden. Charges were to be investigated “in the most secretive way ... restrained by a perpetual silence ... and everyone ... is to observe the strictest secret which is commonly regarded as a secret of the Holy Office … under the penalty of excommunication.”

[CaptainHaplo]

Originally Posted by Reece

Off with their nuts!!!

What he said! Castration keeps em from re-offending. Its both justice and rehabilitation.

Originally Posted by CaptainHaplo

What he said! Castration keeps em from re-offending. Its both justice and rehabilitation.

Ja.
Cut the whole thing off, and let them bleed to death.

[NeonSamurai]

Of course you all are ignoring the possibility of false accusation and conviction. Child testimony is unreliable on its own and easily manipulated, physical evidence is not always conclusive or certain. I won't even go into all the problems with so called recovered memories.

Also of course the fact that your typical pedophile can't control the impulses, and it is a psychological disorder.

Wiki article (seems mostly correct though I only skimmed it)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedophilia

Here is a series of 3 videos where Oprah interviews 4 convicted pedophiles who are in therapy. It's an interesting and disturbing window into their minds.
Viewer discretion is advised.
http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Oprah...hild-Molesters

[Stealth Hunter]

Well this certainly is stirring up a lot of controversy the world over. Benedict apparently apologized for the actions of Church priests.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe...reland/?hpt=T2

Link to his 18-page letter:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/images/03/20...da.lettera.pdf