Cardinal Tipped To Become First Black Pope In Modern Times Blames Gay Priests For Abuse Scandals

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2281411/Cardinal-Peter-Turkson-blames-gay-priests-abuse-scandals-facing-Catholic-church.html

Would Cardinal Turkson be the best choice for the position of Pope, taking into consideration his criticism of gays, and also accusing Muslims of turning Europe into an Islamic continent?

[sandyRoe]

No. We need someone more emollient who can reach out the hand of friendship to our Islamic brothers in faith rather than antagonising them.
Someone who understood the difference between gays and pedophiles would help, too.

[youngmafbog]

On the Gays thing he is wide of the mark.

On the Muslim bit, he does have a point although he could perhaps have put it more eloquently.

Depends how accurately the paper is reporting too though.

[naomi24]

A man clearly way out of touch with the realities of life, but since you're talking about the Catholic church, nothing new there.

[jake-the-peg]

Well there's only ever been 1 pope who wasn't from Europe and Europe makes up a small part of the Catholic World so there's that to it.

A black pope would certainly send all the Nostradamus fruitcakes into a tailspin!

[AB Editor]

He does sound like he'd drag the Catholic church into the 1800's though :)

[naomi24]

^^ Ah, he's progressive at least! ;o)

[emmie]

the sex scandals wouldn't happen in African churches, oh really...

[sp1814]

Prominent Catholic leaders have previously tried to blame the child abuse scandal on gay priests.

They fail to understand that gay men who have sex with children are called paedophiles. The same way that straight men who have sex with little girls are paedophiles.

It's just another way some Catholics try to demonise gays.

The world is cottoning on.

[andy-hughes]

Let's see - demonises homsexuality as a reason for child abuse? Check. Reckons black people like him don't 'do' homosexuality? Check.
In line for the kost out-of-touch reactionary mysogynistic homophobic racist role on the planet? Check?

I think he's a shoe-in - who better?

[ChillDoubt]

Given the Catholic church's propensity for covering up for it's child sex offender's that's a very unfortunate surname he has.

[sandyRoe]

I must confess I'm not up to date with Nostradamus predictions. Does he hint that a Pope with skin other than white would presage the end for us all?

[FredPuli43]

Certainly not, because I've already got money on the Canadian bloke. Worried now that this other man's statements will get him elected instead . The Church's fear of Muslims taking over Europe is nearly as old as Jerusalem. There was a bit of a problem in Spain once, too. The present Pope is on record as saying that Turkey ought not to be admitted to the EU, his reasoning being that it was a Muslim country.

As for homosexual paedophiles, it's probably true that an organisation that requires its priests never to marry has got more than its fair share of those. But a man who says that there are none of something when none have been found and exposed really isn't being realistic.

[andy-hughes]

FredPulis43

Child abuse by priests is nothing to do with their celebacy.

It's to do with their utterly unatural status in Catholic society which leads them to virtual deification, and an attendent belief that they can behave exactly as they please with repercussions - and why wouldn;t they think that way? From the Pope down, this attitude of superiority is the bedrock on which their existance is built.

If you live a life where tou you can roll into someone's house and sh*t on the carpet and they will thank you because its good for the pile, the notion that everyone is there to make you feel good is a very short step away.

You won't eliminate child abuse from priests by not only letting, but insisitng that they are married, but you will eradicate the attitude that fosters it.

[andy-hughes]

Sorry - that should be ...'WITHOUT repercussions ...'

sometimes my temper gets the better of my typing!

You don't have to wear your collar the wrong way round to abuse children with impunity ... but it helps.

[atalanta]

I'm all for the cardinals electing a man with positively mediaeval views on the superiority of the RC church, the inferiority of women, the infallibility of hardliners, the dogmatic stuff nobody believes in any more - then folk will realise just how out-of-touch the RC Church is, and will turn away in droves.
If they haven't already.

[sandyRoe]

A few years back wasn't there a Prince of the Church from Africa who was called to Rome and has been imprisoned there ever since because of his religious eccentricities?

[modeller]

I was told by a vicar who was involved in the recruitment of would be priests that 50% of the applicants were gay. When he said that at the
Lambeth Conference he was sacked three days later.
It would appear from that it's not just a RC problem.

[FredPuli43]

True, Andy, that the culture of the Church means that sexual abuse is likely to be unreported; just as Jimmy Savile's was; and may even be seen as tolerated. But it must be an easier calling for those who are homosexuals, since they have no wish for intercourse with women, and therefore homosexuals are likely to be over- represented. And if that's so, then the percentage of homosexual paedophiles is likely to be higher too.

[andy-hughes]

Fred - I think you may be buried under an avalanche of outrage from any of our gay friends on here for suggesting that the priesthood is a cosy shelter from the world for homosexual men - inferring that they may need such a place to hide.

What ever else it may be - being a priest is an abnormal life for any man of any orientation, and to suggest that it provies a haven for gay men is franlly rude to both sections of society.