Breaking with 600 years tradition -- through the resignation of a Pope -- provides the Catholic Church an opening to debate how institutionalized celibacy has created an ecosystem favoring sexual abuse.
Allowing priests to marry -- whomever they want -- would not eliminate sexual abuse but it would rearrange a protected balance of power inside the Church; a balance so far out of proportion as to nearly identify the Church as a safe harbor for social deviants. This cannot be the outcome Christ intended. For non-Christians who nonetheless have deep respect for religious freedom, it is a sad spectacle; committing the Church to cover-ups and denial.
The propensity for sexual abuse will rise in any church where absolute power is vested in those who obtained the privileges and authority of the priesthood. The difference, today, is the pressure of the 24/7 news cycle and the fact that through the internet, all is revealed.
With the Pope's resignation, -- no Pope has resigned in 600 years -- then surely other Church traditions can be broken, allowing the wounds of secrecy to heal. The Church can be healed from within, when abstinence is voluntary instead of compelled and where sexual needs are acknowledged for all the living.
Allowing priests to marry -- whomever they want -- would not eliminate sexual abuse but it would rearrange a protected balance of power inside the Church; a balance so far out of proportion as to nearly identify the Church as a safe harbor for social deviants. This cannot be the outcome Christ intended. For non-Christians who nonetheless have deep respect for religious freedom, it is a sad spectacle; committing the Church to cover-ups and denial.
The propensity for sexual abuse will rise in any church where absolute power is vested in those who obtained the privileges and authority of the priesthood. The difference, today, is the pressure of the 24/7 news cycle and the fact that through the internet, all is revealed.
With the Pope's resignation, -- no Pope has resigned in 600 years -- then surely other Church traditions can be broken, allowing the wounds of secrecy to heal. The Church can be healed from within, when abstinence is voluntary instead of compelled and where sexual needs are acknowledged for all the living.
4 comments:
Why is it women ( Nuns) can control their impulses and men (Priests) cannot?
The Catholic Church, and especially the Miami Archdiocese lead by Tomas Wenski, is in full retreat. They are being hit from all sides for problems it caused itself. Why didn't the Church have a zero tolerance policy to deal with pedophile priests? Why the cover ups? No wonder people don't trust the Catholic Church.
I think someone needs to do a TV show, "Modern Church Family" Think about it, you've got so much to work with.
Just another criminal enterprise taking advantage of poor people.
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