Truly Disagreeable Person
Driving up the street, I spot Western Seminary (Link) directly in front of my truck and I say…
“Is that where they teach the pedophile priests how to not get caught?”
“Ya know, you can be a truly disagreeable person when you get in these moods?”
“Really? I thought I was stating the obvious.”
Boolean Logic:
General assertion: Not all clergy are evil. Ergo: Some clergy are evil.
Specific assertion: Not all Catholic priests are pedophiles. Ergo: Some are.
This topic has been debated in my sphere for the last week or so. So in my most brutal form of logic and reason, I must concede that not everyone going into some religious order for some evil reason. It can be argued that if… if you are a devout Catholic male and feel any homosexual tendencies, the priesthood might be a refuge where you could live a chaised lifestyle thereby avoiding the temptations of open society. My argument then morphs into questions about the proximity of youth to these individuals. Let’s face it, confessionals and intimate guidance on lifeways places individuals in positions of great power AND temptation.
So when are children at risk or more to the point who would be the abusers. Parents, teachers, clergy, coaches… I think those are the biggies.
Parents: Not exactly in the realm of discussion and society takes a dim view of any parent abusing their child, so there are not institutions of higher learning where you can hope to ‘hide’ after committing such acts.
Teachers: Traditionally, teaching was a pink-collar vocation and dominated by woman. Cases of sexual abuse by female teachers is usually viewed by men as a “I wish it was me, ’ kind of thing. I mean how many 14 year old boys do you know who get to bang a 20-something AND get good grades in class! There are more and more cases of male teachers abusing female students, but like parents society frowns on such activites.
Coaches: All of my coaches were teachers and organized school sports has the education framework. Yes, there are problems. But…
Clergy: Where else in society has such an institution been created? Complaints of sexual abuse have been swept under the rug and the priest is reassigned to a new parish in a new town. The concept of infallibility has been twisted to say that no one in the Catholic Church can make mistakes. The pope is the manifestation of God on earth, the priesthood works under the Pope’s direction, Fathers express the will of God. This simple logic chain in the end gets to “How do we hide the misdeeds of Father X?”
In short, “Absolute power, corrupts absolutely.”
All of that said, I must admit that not everyone wanting to enter an order is doing so for ‘improper’ reasons. Some are following a calling. Some clergy are actually kind, loving individuals who honestly believe what they are doing is right and noble. My distain for organized religion struggles with this one, but logic does allow for that possibility.
It is possible.
I still thought it was funny, but then again I could piss off a rock.
