Paedophiles sick not criminal says priest..how convenient

[Rum]

Seems that it isn't about criminality but these poor priests have been suffering from a medical condition. Now I'm not arguing otherwise, because it is no doubt complicated and life doesn't often fall neatly into black and white categories, but it does seem a very useful excuse for Catlick priesties doesn't it?

From the Beeb:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21810980

'Paedophilia not criminal condition' says Durban cardinal


The Catholic Archbishop of Durban, Wilfrid Fox Napier, has described paedophilia as a psychological "illness, not a criminal condition".

The South African cardinal told the BBC that people who were themselves abused as children and then abused others needed to be examined by doctors.

He was one of 115 cardinals who took part in the conclave at the Vatican to elect Pope Francis earlier this week.

The Church has recently been dogged by scandals over clerical sex abuse.


In an interview with the Stephen Nolan programme on BBC Radio 5 live, Cardinal Napier referred to paedophilia as "a psychological condition, a disorder".

"What do you do with disorders? You've got to try and put them right.

"If I - as a normal being - choose to break the law, knowing that I'm breaking the law, then I think I need to be punished."

He said he knew at least two priests, who became paedophiles after themselves being abused as children.

"Now don't tell me that those people are criminally responsible like somebody who chooses to do something like that. I don't think you can really take the position and say that person deserves to be punished. He was himself damaged."

Cardinal Wilfrid Napier's comments triggered immediate criticism.

Barbara Dorries, who as a child was abused by a priest, works for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, which is based in Chicago. She told the BBC: "If it is a disease that's fine, but it's also a crime and crimes are punished, criminals are held accountable for what they did and what they do.

"The bishops and the cardinals have gone to great lengths to cover these crimes to enable the predators to move on, to not be arrested, to keep the secrets within the church."

Michael Walsh, who has written a biography of late Pope John Paul II, said Cardinal Napier's remarks were similar to the position once taken by the Catholic Church in the UK and the US.

"They did actually at one time believe it was a condition that could be dealt with. Many bishops were simply moving priests and trying to disguise the fact that they'd been committing these crimes," Mr Walsh told the BBC.

Marie Collins, who is a victim of abuse, told the BBC: "I think it is appalling that we have a cardinal, a man at this level in the church that can still hold these views. He is totally ignoring the child."

[Gawdzilla Sama]

"I was born that way!"

"With a choirboy stuck on your dick?"

"Yeah, that. Be nice to me or I'll call you a marxist!"

[PsychoSerenity]

Seems that it isn't about criminality but these poor priests have been suffering from a medical condition. Now I'm not arguing otherwise, because it is no doubt complicated and life doesn't often fall neatly into black and white categories, but it does seem a very useful excuse for Catlick priesties doesn't it?

The stupid thing is they are taking a completely hypocritical stance - first they say that crime needs to be punished, then they say that their particular crime has a psychological cause, and it needs treatment instead. Well by that definition all crime needs treatment rather than punishment. There isn't any action taken by anybody that doesn't have some sort of prior psychological cause.

- And actually I would argue that the justice system does need to be radically changed to remove the idea of punishment and to make it about prevention first and after the event, entirely about rehabilitation, treatment, or in unfixable cases permanent separation to whatever extent is necessary to prevent re-offending - either from society entirely i.e. prison, or from certain positions of power in society or over other people.

If they had spent the last hundred years campaigning for that, rather than continuing their warped views of everyone needing either punishment or holy forgiveness, then they might have found themselves facing a kinder society when their abuses were discovered. - But it wouldn't change the fact that in cases with this sort of abuse, and high level cover-ups, very serious action needs to be taken to prevent it from continuing. They are just trying to wriggle out of it as best they can.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Well, they're trying to justify a moral reprehensible lifestyle with the holier-than-thou attitude that goes with wearing the robes. That irresolvable issue creates confusion.

[Audley Strange]

This smells like their idea of a trap. "If paedophiles aren't born that way then neither are gays!!!" Dumb bastards

[Rum]

Illnesses, until not that long ago, were often seen as 'punishment' for sins too. What a mighty muddle!

[cronus]

Shoplifting and shirtlifting...all the same thing...maybe not?

[Bella Fortuna]

Too fuming to write anything cogent about this... what a fucking idiot.

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

Sick or not, doesn't alter the fact that they need locking up for the safety of others.

[mistermack]

This smells like their idea of a trap. "If paedophiles aren't born that way then neither are gays!!!" Dumb bastards

Yeh. Even if paedophiles are born with a latent tendency, there's nothing guilty or illegal about that.
It's when they start fiddling with kids that they deserve all, ( and a lot more ) that they get.

Unless they are insane. In which case, they ARE sick, and need locking up for life.

[JimC]

Sick or not, doesn't alter the fact that they need locking up for the safety of others.

Exactly. One can view it as both a psychological condition, sometimes generated by experiences in childhood, and a major criminal offence, requiring a prison term.

Treatment could occur in jail...

[Gallstones]

As long as they never act on it it is a psychological state and not a criminal one.
Thoughts can't be crimes, only acts can.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

As long as they never act on it it is a psychological state and not a criminal one.
Thoughts can't be crimes, only acts can.

Not a point of view shared by most clergymen! They are usually pretty big on thoughtcrime in the catlick church. Oddly less so in this case...

[aspire1670]

As long as they never act on it it is a psychological state and not a criminal one.
Thoughts can't be crimes, only acts can.

The law relating conspiracy says you're talking out of your arse; again.

[Bella Fortuna]

As long as they never act on it it is a psychological state and not a criminal one.
Thoughts can't be crimes, only acts can.

The law relating conspiracy says you're talking out of your arse; again.

Why do you come here just to harass certain members?