Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
While I realize that issues such as this one need to be acknowledged, many of these sexual abuse situations within the Church are now of a 'historical' nature. Many of the 'perpetrators' are now dead and many of the 'victims' are now aged men, if not also deceased.
What is the REAL point of incarcerating a 70/80 year-old man for historical cases of abuse? Is he going to be taught a lesson for his offenses? Is he going to be rehabilitated? Does his incarceration serve as anything other than as a means for the vindictive among us to gloat sadistically?
These things happened and it's unfortunate but we can't continue to go on and on and on regurgitating the same bursts of outrage on a forum that, at the end of the day, really don't amount to a hill of beans. Sexual and other forms of abuse will be a part of human-kind until the end of time. Yes, it's unfortunate. Yes, we know it's wrong. Yes, yes, yes ...we get it! The facts are, however, that, as we speak, there are any number of 'innocent' children today who will become the abusers of tomorrow. And that is just the way it is. No one can deny the facts that some human beings are broken, or will, become broken. In 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years time we'll still be talking about these very same things because they will never go away ...if not within the Church, then elsewhere.
I'm not condoning anything, simply relaying undeniable facts about human-kind. And, another undeniable fact about human-kind is that they MUST have someone or something to hate. If we had a society of angels (a tad above humans but lesser that God) it wouldn't be too long before this insatiable desire to hate would kick in. They would find something. Right now the hatred of pedophiles satisfies this inner human need. That said, God also hates according to Christian fundies ...correct?
While I realize that issues such as this one need to be acknowledged, many of these sexual abuse situations within the Church are now of a 'historical' nature. Many of the 'perpetrators' are now dead and many of the 'victims' are now aged men, if not also deceased.
What is the REAL point of incarcerating a 70/80 year-old man for historical cases of abuse? Is he going to be taught a lesson for his offenses? Is he going to be rehabilitated? Does his incarceration serve as anything other than as a means for the vindictive among us to gloat sadistically?
These things happened and it's unfortunate but we can't continue to go on and on and on regurgitating the same bursts of outrage on a forum that, at the end of the day, really don't amount to a hill of beans. Sexual and other forms of abuse will be a part of human-kind until the end of time. Yes, it's unfortunate. Yes, we know it's wrong. Yes, yes, yes ...we get it! The facts are, however, that, as we speak, there are any number of 'innocent' children today who will become the abusers of tomorrow. And that is just the way it is. No one can deny the facts that some human beings are broken, or will, become broken. In 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years time we'll still be talking about these very same things because they will never go away ...if not within the Church, then elsewhere.
I'm not condoning anything, simply relaying undeniable facts about human-kind. And, another undeniable fact about human-kind is that they MUST have someone or something to hate. If we had a society of angels (a tad above humans but lesser that God) it wouldn't be too long before this insatiable desire to hate would kick in. They would find something. Right now the hatred of pedophiles satisfies this inner human need. That said, God also hates according to Christian fundies ...correct?
Hating doesn't serve a purpose, but there is a need to protect the innocent.
Although, I agree with much of what you have conveyed within your words.
A school classmate of mine flew up from TX to NJ last year to testify against a priest who molested him when he was 13. We are 60 now. The priest has to be in his 70s. Back when he molested Jimmy and other kids at our local church, he was sent away and ended up at a juvenile detention center for boys. His crimes there are what eventually brought charges against him.
It probably made Jimmy feel that he got some justice after all these years, being able to speak up about what had been swept under the rug so long ago, and maybe that's your answer. The victims get to feel as if there was justice, that the crime done against them is no longer being ignored.
I think that more practically, it sets a precedent. "You let Father Dick off the hook with a slap on the wrist, so I shouldn't have to go to prison, either."
What you say is true about the future molesters, but you could apply that to any type of crime. I am interested in serial killers, and I once read that at any given time, there are about 100 serial killers in operation in the U.S. Some people who are little kids now are going to grow up to be serial killers, too. Should we not prosecute someone who killed decades ago because there will be more behind him? There's no logic to that.
I just know that I'm going to have to duck for cover for saying this but I don't believe that pedophiles are usually also guilty of murder.
You're better than that and know that's not what he meant.
Obviously he is saying that someone shouldn't get away with a crime just because time has passed.
It sounds noble but it's really little more than rhetoric. We live in a vindictive society, probably more so today than any other time in history.
Well, think about that. I don't know if you have kids or how old they are, but if your kid was molested by someone and the legal system just dismissed it, you might get vindictive on your own. I know I would have done so when my daughter was a child if someone had harmed her.
Obviously he is saying that someone shouldn't get away with a crime just because time has passed.
But it wouldn't be because of revenge or a vindictiveness called vengeance.
Quote:
I don't know if you have kids or how old they are, but if your kid was molested by someone and the legal system just dismissed it, you might get vindictive on your own. I know I would have done so when my daughter was a child if someone had harmed her.
In the heat of the moment, anything is possible and more than likely to happen.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
