Does celibacy produce paedophilia?

[chakka35]

The other day I heard a senior Catholic clergyman dismiss as nonsense the idea that the celibacy imposed on RC priests has a connection with the appalling revelations that are coming out about the abuse of children by many of those priests.

I am not convinced. It seems to me that there is a logical connection, thus:

Human beings have the urges that evolution has produced in them (or, as they would say, God has built into them) regardless of any white dog-collar they might wear. Faced with the arbitrary celibacy imposed on them, with no scriptural basis, priests cannot assuage those urges easily by sexually accosting adults - who will protest loudly to the the priest, his bishop and probably the police.

Children, however, can be cowed by the awe of that priest that has been bred into them, and by threats of burning in hell if they tell anyone.

Any RC priest here who would like to comment? Or anyone else for that matter?

[ummmm]

No I'm not a religious fanatic...but I do believe in God (my Mums a religious fanatic)

Celibate Ankou....I would say his sexy days were over by then. He was married and had kids...and grand kids.

It's something you are...not something you learn to be. Just because you're not getting any action it doesn't mean you start finding children sexually attractive.

[Ankou]

agreed umm, as wizard said, born not made.

[naomi24]

Yes, that's true Wiz, but no one's saying that all priests are paedophiles. As ummmm says, maybe some paedophiles do enter the church with the specific purpose of targeting children, but like Chakka, I do feel that religious indoctrination where sex is concerned is likely to produce psychological problems in some people. For whatever reason, one thing is sure - the Catholic church has more than its share of paedophiles.

[jno]

I'm not sure celibacy is 'imposed on them'. It's just part of the job. It'd be like saying that counting out money is imposed on bank clerks. If you don't want to count out money, don't join a bank; if you don't want to be celibate, don't become a priest (and most people don't). If paedophilia was ordinary, but suppressed, sexuality finding another outlet, you'd expect to find nuns displaying it in equal measure; but I know of no evidence suggesting that this happens.

It seems more likely that paedophiles join the church for the opportunities it offers (as others become scoutmasters). But I don't know, and I don't know if anyone's studied the matter.

[ummmm]

Life Wizard....get straight to the point :-)

[naomi24]

jno, unless you're Ebenezer Scrooge, you don't have the unbearable urge to count money.

[Ankou]

"the Catholic church has more than its share of paedophiles"

compared to what ? the teaching profession, the cub scout organisation, the media industry......?

[naomi24]

Now there's a thought. You tell me.

[Ankou]

well it was a bland statement.

one paedophile anywhere is one too many.

[jno]

naomi, I was referring to chakka's suggestion that celibacy is imposed on anyone against their will. It isn't. Joining the priesthood is a voluntary act (and you can leave it). I don't think anyone is somehow turned into a paedophile by the demands of priesthood; I think they're already paedophiles - whether they know it or not - before they join.

[ummmm]

Paedophiles are opportunists.

My Mum found out what was happening to me by accident.....she beat sh!t out of him....Go Mum..!!!

He left England......

[ummmm]

Went back to Ireland....

[jno]

...joined the church... (?)

[ummmm]

I don't think so....

He just couldn't stay in town.

[ummmm]

Nowhere else to go....

[brionon]

Do you really think that if you can't get a Woman you'd start fancying Kids ?

[chakka35]

No, brionon, but I did suggest that it might be that a man with normal sex urges but forbidden to assuage them openly (well, you know what I mean!) would want covert sex. But forcing himself on an adult would bring the law down on him, whereas a child can be silenced with threats. It was only a suggestion and I might well be wrong.

I agree that, strictly speaking, celibacy is not imposed because joining the RC clergy, and staying in it, is voluntary. But not everyone is prepared to give up a job that he (presumably) loves just because of one restriction; he prefers to get around that restriction somehow.

i don't see why the RC Church should not abandon its celibacy rule. It would be interesting to see what would happen to child abuse then. Where did that rule come from? Can some Catholic please explain? And do we really not have an RC priest who reads this site?