German priest indicted on 267 counts of sexual contact with children

[cleanhippie]

A 46 year old German priest has been indicted on 267 counts of repeated sexual contact with at least three boys between the ages of 9 and 15 since 2004. The Diocese of Hildesheim would not take action because they claimed no sexual contact allegations had been filed even though the priest slept with one of the boys one night. BNO News adds:

The priest, who has confessed to most of the charges to detectives, was ordered to stop seeing the boy after the boy's family complained. The man, who has been in pretrial custody since July, was later arrested, according to the news report.

The Catholic Church has been under fire for nearly 60 years as more and more reports of sexual abuse by priests comes in. The Church has given financial compensation to hundreds of victims during that time.

http://www.goddiscussion.com/83949/german-priest-indicted-on-267-counts-of-sexual-contact-with-children/


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60 years! Protecting and hiding child-rapers for so long it seems as if it is routine.




And yet people keep filling the pews and the coffers...

[LeftinOH]

1. I recall making (inappropriate) cracks about pedophile priests back in the 1980s while in

college. I'm not Catholic. The Catholics would pounce on me for saying anything like that -and probably with reason. After all, who was I to make derogatory remarks about their religion?

But seriously, how have Catholics managed to overlook the obvious for so long? Elephant in the room much?

[Sal Minella]

2. And meanwhile, their compatriots in the U.S. are allowed to dictate

to American women what sort of health care they will be allowed to have and/or not have.

Catholic bishops dictating health care policies for United States citizens is not as horrific as the child abuse cases, but the potential for future horrors is unlimited so long as the authority of these poseurs remains unchallenged.

[Rob H.]

3. I think your link is wrong...

In the meantime, I'll just wait over here for the inevitable "But a certain percentage of people in any organization are likely to be child molesters!" defense to rear its ugly head. Again.

[humblebum]

4. Oh? So you are saying that only Germans are child molesters? nt

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Rob H.]

7. That's not what I'm saying at all

There have been some recent threads in R/T where stories have been posted about pedophile priests and usually someone chimes in with something like, "Why is this news? It isn't only the Catholic Church that protects child molesters! Besides, it's possible that a certain percentage of people any organization are child molesters!" as if that somehow makes it less heinous and horrifying.

But I suspect you already knew that.

[humblebum]

11. In a forum like this any chiming in is warranted. nt

[humblebum]

12. Oh, then you mean German priests? Or maybe atheist German priests?

Or German gay priests? Or gay priests? I wonder what percentage of all child molesters are priests? Or Atheists?
However, within any organization that defines itself as a trusted element of society, the behavior is atrocious and there is no excuse. But by your language, it is quite evident that you are willing to overlook other groups.

[Rob H.]

13. "But by your language, it is quite evident that you are willing to overlook other groups."

I'm not willing to overlook or make excuses for anyone. What I am saying (for the third time, now) is that there are people here on R/T who seem to try to minimize the negative publicity that these stories bring to the church by claiming that, well, any organization, once it gets big enough, might have child molesters in it. I don't disagree with that hypothesis, but if I were a member of any organization that not only shielded such offenders from the authorities but moved them to new locations that offorded them ample opportunities to re-offend, I wouldn't try to step in and try to defend the organization's behavior or rationalize remaining a member of that organization: I'd be an ex-member in a hot minute.

[humblebum]

14. I do not think that anyone is minimizing anything. This is abhorrent behavior and

the Catholic Church needs to accept responsibility for its actions. However, when the organization comprises around a billion people, the odds ARE much greater that a certain percentage will be molesters.

What percentage of Americans are molesters? Are you now going to revoke your citizenship? Assuming that you are American. How about Muslims? Any molestation there? Or Hindus? Or Atheists? Is there a problem in these groups also of molestation? Probably is.

[cleanhippie]

5. Thanks, I just fixed it.

That was weird.

[EvilAL]

8. Crucify the prick. nt

[rrneck]

9. Lock him up till JC comes back.

Which is to say forever.

[edhopper]

10. I think an organization must be over 50%

pedophiles for it to be considered a pedophile organization. To be fair the worse we can say about the Church is it is a pedophile enabling organization. You know like the GOP is not a bigoted, fundamentalist organization, just a bigot fundamentalist enabling one.