Invisible 10 year old boy
Invisible 10 year old boy
(Pope Benedict)
picture: dunno source, via our lolcat builder. lol caption: Shane
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LMAO!!! That is just WRONG!!
Dude I dont understand why ppl cant just leave us Catholics alone. I mean good God Almighty, we all make mistakes, even non-Catholics, but the only Christian denominations you hear ppl makin fun of is Catholics and Mormons. It just really ticks me off that ppl wont just leave it alone, I mean the Pope came to the US to address that exact incident.
Because it was a particularly juicy scandal! And Catholics and Mormons ain’t the only ones getting picked on, I know some primo Baptist jokes and, as a Buddhist, I have access to some schmexi Buddhist jokes too.
I don’t believe the pope was touching the keikis, but I don’t care how pious and wonderful a person may be in public, what matters is that they are a good person on the inside and obviously the priests involved in the scandal were not good people in their hearts. Sure they’re the minority and many priests are wonderful people who would never dream of hurting children, but still.
I’m not going to go into the encyclopedic timeline of “Catholicism- Christianity, ur doin it wrong” that I could go into, I’ll just leave it at this one point:
Why is it that people have the hardest time laughing at themselves? Humor heals almost all emotional wounds, except maybe being dunno… molested. Learn to laugh at yourself, to feel empathy for the victims instead of claiming victimization by association with the victimisers, and also to live your life in a righteous manner and to it’s fullest enjoyment.
Besides, it’s just a damn dirty joke, next thing you know you’ll be strapping a bomb to your chest over a cartoon of the Pope in a European newspaper, but I’ve been known to ramble.
I was raised Catholic, and will continue to mock them, Emperor Palatine, and whoever else is involved with hurting little kids, supporting lying about birth control, and continuing to exert political control in a way that is harmful and wrong.
Make your religion better, and then I will think about shutting up. And trust me, anything I’m saying to you, I say to my mom.
That pix made up for the week of Yahoo News reporting on his every move, and making me want to throw up. I also make fun of cults, baptists, and anyone else that acts the same way.
Why won’t we leave it alone? Because Catholics are hypocritical holier-than-though pricks. How do I know? Because my family is Roman Catholic, I was brought-up in the church and left it as soon as I came to my senses and had to ability to differentiate a fairy tale (the bible) from fact (science). The whole molesting children thing just reaffirmed my decision to be the correct one.
As for Mormons….. yeah, pretty self-explanatory on that one.
You don’t have to be a good Catholic/Lutheran/Muslim/Hindu to be a good person (or to try and make a “proper life” only in hopes of having a “proper afterlife”….. why not just try being a good person for the sake of being a good person?
Whats so bad about Mormons? I’m LDS, no Mormon I know pretends to be perfect. We all know we make mistakes. All religions, all people, at times and in ways are hypocrites. We just try to be our best, thats all, we have certain standards, but by no means is it a law, there are consequences for what you do, and it should be that way. Our world is all too happy to get away with doing potentially harmful things to ourselves and others. It’s all choices, though, I try to make good choices.
And this picture could be interpreted in a few ways…
do you want to know why mormons were prosecuted, one reason is because they supported traditional marriage (like me, a catholic) and in califorrnia, that’s a very hot issue. i could list many reasons (including ignorance) also.
Hence, the irony so settle pettle and relax and have a laugh insted of getting on your high horse.
Perhaps it’s because Catholic and Mormon leaders practice a whole lot of oppression, repression, and hypocrisy?
As for the rest of the Christian denominations, the religious reich is its own joke, and the rest of them aren’t so insufferably arrogant.
And please, spare us the “we’ve been wronged” nonsense. Ever hear a Jewish joke?
I’m an ex-Catholic and a lapsed Unitarian. I can tell you UU jokes all day. It’s just that UUs don’t have things like Inquisitions in their past. Karma. She slaps.
You. I love.
Actually, I make fun of jehovah’s witnesses, pentacostals, AND every other religious affiliation. Don’t worry, you’re not alone in my ridicule, atleast.
I LMFAO at that picture…
And the Catholic church deserves EVERY SINGLE “cheap shot” they get…
In stead of sending the molesting priests to jail, they just sent them to a 3rd world country, basically saying “enjoy your vacation, those boys won’t tell anyone…”
as for the whole ‘Don’t pick on my religion’ stuff:
“With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil — that takes religion.”
- Steven Weinberg
‘Nuff said…
people dont hate “Us” catholics, just the whiny little bitchs that cant take a joke. laugh alittle.
404 lolz not found
BWAAAA-HAAAA-HAAAAAA!!!!1!!!!!
spewing all ovah keebord…
ROTF LMAO!!!!!
lulz. with a german accent.
and popetacular.
l loves.
*Snarkle*
Ouch, I find catholic jokes funny (As I do all religious jokes) but this one is too wrong to be funny to me. Too each his own I guess, but the Pope?
My thoughts exactly. The priests who messed up sure, but the Pope? really?
Um… this one’s not funny to me. Not with the Pope. He wasn’t doing this stuff, and that’s just wrong to do to a major religious figure, even if I’m not Catholic. (I’m Christian, by the way…)
It’d be funny if it were a priest, but not the pope…
What’s the difference? A person is a person. Who cares what title they hold? They don’t even follow the bible anyway.
exatcly my pov on this
I’m Catholic, and I make fun of myself and my religion constantly, but I think this just kind of hit a sour note, especially after the pope came to the US to offer sympathy and consolation to victims of molestation. I’m not one to get offended easily, but this was just not cool.
Sympathy and consolation? WTF? Like having a private meeting and praying with them is going to do absolutely anything to help victims.
How about actually kicking out the priests who were involved, huh?
You do realize this is the same Pope who is on record as saying that warfare and capital punishment are lesser evils than abortion and euthanasia when it comes to deciding who gets to eat communion wafers, right?
See for yourself: http://origin.ewtn.com/news/blog.asp?blog_ID=2.
Sadly, there are probably few jokes that come close to the offensiveness of the Catholic church as an organization throughout history.
This is over the line.
boooooooooooooo
I’m not a Catholic, but this totally offends me. It’s disrespectful to both the Pope and the victims of the clergy abuse. Sorry, not funny.
HA! Shane – I’m loving you!!
So yeah, never mind that the pope is just a human being, like the rest of us. He’s not mother Theresa, or any specific miraculous figure. People forget that the office of the Pope is a political one, not that of a quasi-deity. In fact, it annoys me that there is more recognition and focus on the Pope and other mortal figures both current and in history than the actual relevant figures in Christianity. Personally, as far as I’m concerned, how dare mortal men try and proclaim to have the authority to speak God’s word in order to further their goals on this world. Hell, the office of Pope is an elected one, the dogma of papal infallibility didn’t even exist until 1870, and only in recent centuries has the Vatican focused on matters of religion more than political control and dominance using religion as leverage. It also has a long and persistent history of “do it because I said so” going back to the first few centuries AD, including when we celebrate Easter and the consolidation of authority amongst several areas claiming leadership of the world’s Catholics.
All I’m saying is do some research and some soul searching and for God’s sake, try and figure out what’s actually the important focus of your faith before you elevate a mortal, essentially political figure to the reverence, perfection, unconditional respect and love reserved for a true deity.
Then again, education has long been the only enemy capable of restraining and shrinking the influence of the Catholic Church, so don’t look into it if that’s your thing. It’s whatever.
I’d also like to add, just for the record, I’m a very convicted Christian. I just don’t like how a certain denomination has screwed it up over the last 1800 years. You have to focus on the devine message, not 1800+ years of meddling by mortal man.
You go, Shane
“He’s not mother Theresa, or any specific miraculous figure.”
Heh…Mother Theresa had her flaws too.
I’m practically agnostic and I find this in bad taste. There are so many things you could make fun of this guy or the Catholic church for, but not this. This joke is getting old anyway.
Of course it’s in bad taste…
If I had to live in a world restricted to inoffensive fluff, I think I’d want off it, quick.
I’ll begin by saying that I, too, find this to be offensive. I can take a joke, but this definitely crosses the line. All throughout the past week, the Pope has been working tirelessly to heal the wounds that things like this seek to perpetuate.
Now, on to my main point. As a Catholic, I noticed a few things wrong with what you said, Shane. First of all, the Pope is not merely a political figure. He is first and foremost a religious leader, and his responsibility is to guide the people of the Church and bring them closer to God. Yes, sometimes this involves speaking about “political” issues, but his role is primarily a religious one. Second, we do not elevate the Pope to the level of a deity. We don’t worship him, and we don’t think he’s perfect. We do, however, believe that he is Christ’s representative on earth. This does not mean that he IS Christ, or that we think he is God, or that he can’t make a mistake. Third, the DOGMA of papal infallibility didn’t exist until the 1800s, but that doesn’t mean that just because it wasn’t formally declared doesn’t mean that the Pope was not infallible before then. It just means it wasn’t formally declared. Also, papal infallibility does NOT mean that every word that comes from the mouth of the Pope is doctrine and must be believed. It is limited only to matters of faith and morals, and it has to be a formal declaration “ex cathedra” (from the chair of Peter). There are only a few times that a declaration has been made in such a way.
It is true, though, that Catholics have a great deal of respect and reverence for the Pope because, as I said, he is the visible head of the Church on earth. Christ established this succession with Peter. The Pope does not give us new teachings; he simply clarifies and teaches what has been handed on by Christ Himself.
Finally, regarding your comment about education, I must say that I strongly disagree. There are many who have been drawn to the Catholic Church after a great deal of study and searching. The Catholic faith is consistent with reason; it is not irrational blind belief.
Hope this helps clear some things up.
Peace,
Laura
1. He is too a significantly political figure, elected by his political peers in a political process.
2. Belief that a mortal man, elected by mortal men, is Christ’s representative on earth (with the exception of the first “pope”, then not even called a pope but designated by Christ himself) is, well, thin at best.
3. History has shown that not only does the Vatican issue some very questionable edicts, but questioning the Vatican’s edicts, no matter how wrong they are, result in harsh retribution. Just ask Galileo.
4. As a follow up to #3, one of those questionable edicts that they have gone back and forth on, up to a final ban on, is allowing priests to marry. This was done as a land grab, as at the time, illegitimate children were prohibited from inheriting land, thus consolidating and growing the Vatican’s (and the extended church’s) land holdings. In environments where female contact is prohibited, human males will sometimes resort to homosexuality; see prison. Now in a situation where females are absent and getting turned in for homosexuality is both a high risk and high likelihood, where is a repressed priest to turn? Yes, the Vatican is directly responsible for child molestations. If they would address problems created by their meddling with actual issues of the faith for their corporeal gain in a timely fashion, instead of ignoring them until they exploded leaving a centuries long trail of damaged faithful behind them, it would be a different story. However, the truth is they simply do not.
5. As far as education, the Catholic church was still mandatorily delivering masses in Latin up until 1964, instead of the local languages. You can’t tell me for one second that education was repressed, even education of the word of God.
6. The Catholic religion demands the utmost blind faith as the cornerstone of its existence. The crushing contradiction with reality and often times the intent and message of the whole Christian faith would implode the Catholic church without this blind faith. Reason has long been the enemy of the church, with science as the standard issue effigy to be burned as an offering to the power the church holds over its subjects.
The Roman Empire never fell; it just changed strategies.
I admire the strength it takes to hold to your beliefs, and to be faithful in today’s world. However, ur doin it wrong. No hard feelings meant, and I’m not insulting you (at least in intent). This is just an intervention, and it’s entirely your place to believe whatever you want.
“Now in a situation where females are absent and getting turned in for homosexuality is both a high risk and high likelihood, where is a repressed
priest to turn? Yes, the Vatican is directly responsible for child molestations.”
Off topic, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not confuse homosexuality with pedophilia- unless of course, you believe repressed heterosexuality also leads
to child molestation.
The Vatican did “address” the problem, using this logic, by banning gay priests.
I am not confused one bit. I’m pointing out the progression of limitations and where it leads, not some sort of parallel nature between pedophelia and homosexuality. To clarify, homosexuality won’t work out because of the risks of getting caught. They will then turn to the most vulnerable (and controllable) outlet.
Secondly, the Vatican didn’t properly address anything. Chasing the problem after it happens, with full knowledge that it will likely happen again instead of fixing the source of the problem is a load of crap. I have no problems with homosexual priests; some of the most well adjusted people both spiritually and otherwise that I’ve known have been homosexual.
Banning homosexual priests to fix the child molestation is like invading Iraq to stop Al Quaida.
I realize this is long done and overwith, but I don’t understand…
If one is supposed to be chaste to enter the priesthood, why should homosexual priests feel a “risk” of being caught? I don’t expect an answer because this is a long done topic.
The only way one runs a risk of being caught would be to have sex and BE caught. Anyone caught having sex while being a priest would be, I would hope, removed from their status, regardless of sexual orentation. The idea that homosexual priests couldn’t keep their pants on like straight priests is rather insulting to gay priests who serve their chosen god in their own way and do so with reverance.
I also take issue to your use of the word “resort” as it relates to your sentence of prison sex. It’s rape. Prison inmates resort to rape. Homosexuality isn’t rape. The deviant priests resort to trickery and rape, not homosexuality.
Your first paragraph in this reply is also rather insulting. Stating that it’s homosexuals that resort to raping altar boys because their sexual “frustations” aren’t being met is extremely homophobic. In many of these cases, the rape is a result of what’s the easiest to obtain. They are, by any stretch of the imagination, ALL homosexuals. If there were altar girls, I’m sure we would see the SAME thing happening to them. It’s opportunity, not homosexuality, that’s getting the best of these priests who want their cake and eat it too.
Homosexuality isn’t about SEX, much like Heterosexuality isn’t about SEX. Sex isn’t something that’s necessary in a relationship. Get past the hangup that gays and straights function differently and then work on the idea that gay’s don’t join the priesthood to rape boys.
Sounds like you have a thing against the catholic church.
I’ll stay on topic and simply say that the priests should practice what they preach and exhibit some self-control, like the rest of the catholic priests do.
What was done is despicable, but was not something the catholic church forced onto people. They volunteered for this position, they knew what it entailed. Sex isn’t needed to live, it’s for pleasure and to procreate. It’s not breathing.
Hey look, one of my replies is below this one, that’s usually a sign that I need to stop. XD
Heh… it’s all good. However, I don’t have any agenda to single out the Catholic church organization. I do, however, have a major issue with organizations that have screwed with people’s faiths for corporeal and personal gain. I have the same problem with the Catholic church as I do with the FLDS or Westborough Baptist.
One more thing…
Sex is a fundamental cornerstone of what it is to be human. Sex is, in fact, needed to live when you consider the species as a whole. We are designed to procreate, it is an instinctual urge of the body and the mind. A well disciplined mind can live without it; however, it isn’t easy. As humans, when things aren’t easy, we tend to falter. Anyone who says they are happily living without sex is either doing so out of a) strong discipline or b) failure to obtain or c) some sort of experience or deformity that makes sex unpleasureable for them.
The only thing wrong about sex and the priesthood is that the Catholic church still forces people to subscribe to going cold turkey on the former to obtain the latter.
That’s pretty far off topic XD
Regardless of the Pope’s habits, the catholic church’s mistakes, and the various things you mentioned (And I agreed on a bit).
Still a really messed up caption.
Mother Theresa wasn’t a human?!
If Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had not been the main attack dog of the Vatican on the issue of the child molestations, I would question the caption. However, he was the pit bull on this issue long after it was clearly apparent that this was not a media creation, but a very real problem that was allowed to go on too long.
Yeah, I heard that, too. Ratzinger counselled JP2 not to worry; to let the matter blow over. I don’t know how reliable that information is; I sort of remember hearing it on NPR as I was moving from one room to another doing laundry today. It was pretty early and I had only had one cup of coffee, too. Take it with a grain of salt – or google it!
YEah, think I’ll go try that. brb
hmmm…. he said/ he said stuff go look for yourselves
My goodness, people get so fired up about religion. :S
The story of earth’s history.
Though maybe “People get so fired up about their beliefs” since many people aren’t religious, but still have beliefs.
““People get so fired up about their beliefs” since many people aren’t religious, but still have beliefs.”
This is absolutely true, but many people don’t take their beliefs too seriously, while religions have no room for laughing or discussion, they are always serious matter.
Terms like “sacrilege” and “blasphemy” are almost always used in religious context and have zero meaning outside belief systems. I find it funny.
Pope is the head of the church, so he’s responsible for everything, at the end.
So, the CEO is responsible for the employee who rapes a customer or another employee? Sure, he should do something about it, but it’s not like he personally interviews each and every employee.
And “sacrilege” and “blasphemy” are used outside of religious contexts all the time. They just masquerade as different words. You don’t need a God to worship something, sometimes people worship things a little more down to earth, and a little more physical. They can be just as protective and vindictive in the name of those beliefs as religious folk can.
Many religious people don’t take their religion seriously either.
Yes, the CEO is responsible for the conduct of his employees to his customers, especially when proper corrective actions have been avoided for centuries. Violations by “employees” of the Catholic church, on the historical whole, have been swept under the rug instead of dealt with.
Ooh, ooh! Do one about the Imam next!
Mwhaaahahahahhaaaaa!!
That’s awesome!!!
For those of you that can’t take a joke, stay off the internet and never leave your house. The world is better off without ya!
Just cause something is a joke, doesn’t make it funny.
And something a joke, doesn’t excuse what’s said.
I found this offensive, mainly because of the implication. Making a joke about such things hurts quite a lot, and someone who came over to try to make it better shouldn’t be made fun of.
I think the point that you (and many others) have missed is far too little, far too late. If they were actually looking to fix this problem, instead of just do a little public relations damage control, they’d allow the priests to get their winkies whacked in a healthy, proper way, instead of painting them into a corner where they commit the utlimate unspeakable perversion.
Being a priest is a volunteer position, if they wish to have sex, stop being a priest. The church didn’t put them into this situation, the priests did and their lack of self control mixed with some effed up perversions.
What the church needs to do is to fix its system by which it trains and selects its priests. Cause it’s obviously got problems.
Agreed, somewhat. However, there’s still the fundamental problem with policy in that bad policy has been tied in with a significant calling.
Becoming a preist isn’t like deciding you want to work at Kinkos, or even enlist in the military. It is a higher calling, where a young man walking the path towards serving God in the best way he understands doesn’t know how he’ll behave in 20 years, let alone maybe doesn’t understand certain things about themselves. Young people tend to be idealistic and optomistic about their future, and once you’re in you’re in. I think it’s awfully screwed up to bind and restrict such a fundamental part of human nature as payment for wanting to serve God. It was a pagan idea to start with, adopted by the church to grab land. I think they can let it go by now.
Certainly true, and I think removing it would be a great idea. But in the mean time, it’s the rule, and as such is enforced until it’s removed.
LMAO!!!!! that is awesome. it will never get old…
Hahahahaaaaaaa I love it!
HAHAAAAAA
Shane and everyone else who believes this caption to be funny,
I’d like to share a couple things.
First, yes, Catholics can be very hypocritical, but not all, please don’t stereotype.
Second, the Priest gives up his life not because he “feels” called, or because he wants to simply serve God; we are ALL called to know, love and serve God. The Priest lays down his life because he loves Christ and wishes to sacrifice his life completely for Christ, BUT his Priesthood makes him no less human and in fact the Priesthood will only bring more temptations because the devil despises those who wish to lay their life down for Christ. The fact that some priests have committed these acts is a testament to their PERSONAL fallibility and weakness to temptation, and the Holy Father is OBVIOUSLY deeply upset about these acts as he stated multiple times on the way to and during his trip in the US.
These acts, committed by a very few, cannot be allowed to overshadow the OVER 1 MILLION clergy and religious brothers and sisters who work throughout the entire world to promote peace and justice for all people.
Third, let me assure all of you that admission into the seminary in the United States these days is no laughing matter. They ask you the questions straight up. “Have you ever had homosexual feelings?” “Have you ever had sexual thoughts or actions with children?”, etc etc. Not to mention the rigorous psychological exams, FBI background checks, and constant analysis of your habits. I know all this because I was in the seminary recently.
Forth, on a basic, “let’s leave religion aside” level, this man has devoted his life to the promotion of peace and justice for all life, especially human. Is he perfect? Absolutely not; none of us are. Yet, of all people to “pick” on, an 81 year old man is in extremely bad taste. This man is a father to over a billion people. I wouldn’t tag your father or grandfather like this even if it were the truth.
Lastly, each of us has our sins. Regardless of how scarlet they are, they are all against God and therefore carry an immense weight. Please read below:
~ They said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus looked up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again.”
~ John 8:4-11
My prayers, peace and love to you all,
Tom
PS Feel free to contact me to chat: twilson@salesianym.com
tl;dr…
PS. Your religious dogma is too weak to defeat my logic and reason. When the majority of the followers of your religion have political views that support people like George W. Bush and John McCain, you have no credibility when you say “religious brothers and sisters who work throughout the entire world to promote peace and justice for all people.”
If these so-called brothers and sisters care so much about peace and justice, maybe they should start in their own backyards – namely the Bible belt – instead of proselytizing in countries where they’re not welcome or their presence creates animosity towards the country they claim to represent.
Grizzleh
I think you’re lumping some very, very different facets of the overal Christian entity together incorrectly. They all have their faults, but the two entities that you have combined are of entirely different and incompatable agendas and philosophies.
Tom
It seems like you actually know what you’re talking about, which is both rare and refreshing in debates involving religion. Usually it’s the mental equivilant of monkeys flinging poo and I appreciate you bringing an edcuation and general lack of ignorance to the table.
However, I think we disagree where the line is drawn particularly on the issue of responsability and accountability for actions. The conclusion that I have drawn is that it’s far too little, far too late, and that we’re still waiting for the real situation to a very grave problem. However, I don’t feel that they’re very willing to consider it, because to do so would be undermining well over 1000 years of the “We’re right because we say so” atmosphere prevelant in the Catholic hierarchy.
As for motivation to stray from the calling and the discipline it demands, the human spirit is both strong and persistant. After years of bottling up one’s natural urges, the devil is playing second fiddle to an inner struggle created by the artificial restraint of a basic human drive and urge. The devil didn’t restrain this urge, you have to remember that the Church adopted the policy as a political move to consolodate power. If that isn’t a masterpeice of evil and a prideful crime against God and the faith, I don’t know what is, never mind that it is being perpetuated to this day and probably will be for the forseeable future.
As for the acts of the few overshadowing the good of the many, I would normally agree with you. However, the complacancy of the many over the crimes of the few is the issue at hand, up to and including the man in the picture. People that allow bad things to not only happen, but to continue to happen, are accomplices to the undertaking of said bad things. Case in point; if you help a murderer by covering up the murder, you can be brought up on accomplice to murder charges. Why should accountability be voided in this particular case?
In short, people are not just picking on any 81 year old man. First and foremost, by taking the reins of any organization, you become the primary person responsable for its conduct. While I think it’s a long time coming that he’s addressing the issue, the fact that it took up until now for the organization he now heads to do it severely deminishes the effort. Secondly, the issue is not getting addressed properly. You can apologize all you want for an infraction, but if you do not remove the source cause of the infraction so that it does not happen again, the apology is pretty much hollow and void; simple political face saving and rudimentary half-assed damage control.
I think the conduct and policy of the Vatican and its office holders over the last 1800 years quite handily voids the reverence and respect that it demands of the world, and it should be gratefull that it still has people like you who still give it unconditionally. Draw your own conclusions as to to the meaning of that.
3rd paragraph, situation = solution. Yeah… type-os > me.
Shane,
I really don’t know where to begin.
First off, where do you get the idea that these men who have committed these crimes are still out there and nothing is being done?
Many of these crimes took place in the 70’s and 80’s. Many of the people who committed these crimes are either very old or deceased. The ones that are still alive are either in jail or have been removed from any contact with children, period. If you think any clergy or religious are going around today molesting children, you may be right, but they would have to be EXTREMELY bold (and by bold, I mean stupid, but I don’t like to call people stupid
.
Every Catholic Diocese has adopted strict policies about making environments safe for kids. Every person who works with youth, whether you are an ordained minister (bishop/priest/deacon) or lay person (us) MUST take classes and sign documentation that they understand the necessity of keeping children safe.
In my Diocese an FBI background check is required for all people working with youth.
I cannot even drive a senior in high school, a 17 year old man who is bigger than I am and could kick my ass easily, to his home to drop him off without another adult unless I want to be in complete violation of the rules, which could result in my never doing youth ministry (which I love) again. All simply because he is “under 18.” As you can tell, I’m a little bitter about it only because the wrong actions of a few have made our jobs as ministers increasingly difficult, but it is what we are asked to do to make things safe.
So am I saying a situation like this never arises, or people don’t break the rules? No. All I am trying to show is that the Catholic Church is serious about preventing this from happening again. I don’t think many other Christian denominations can claim the same. (You do know that other denominations are dealing with this too right?)
I don’t know what you believe should be done to these criminals, but we believe in forgiveness.
Now as for this current Holy Father, who was voted into this position only 3 years ago, which was after this whole ordeal began, you are wrong to label him as “responsible” for these actions. He walked into the office to a hand that was already dealt.
In the Church each local Bishop is the primary shepherd of their given See (or Diocese). Therefore it is up to the Bishops in the US to deal with this nation’s problems, not the Holy Father himself. It is up to the Pope to urge them to continue to do something about it, as he did strongly last week and as John Paul II did when the problem first arose. We cannot be so small minded to think that this is the only issue the Pope must deal with; the United States is but a small part of the Church, albeit an important part.
The Pope is no more responsible than a father is when his son shoots someone. Unless he handed his son the gun or a plan, he has no involvement and cannot be held responsible. The Pope certainly hasn’t given anything to these men to make him responsible for their actions.
My girlfriend has been reading this also and has asked that I say something about celibacy because it bothers her (a woman, obviously) that people cannot accept this discipline of the Church. It bothers me too. Yes, this is a discipline of the Church, not a rule. There are some priests, even in the Roman Rite in the US, who are married (approx. 100). This is because they were converts from another church (usually Episcopal) and the Catholic Church has allowed them to stay in this form.
Celibacy is NOT made up by the Church in the Middle Ages though for its own benefit. Please consider this:
~ But he [Jesus] said to them, “Not all men can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it.” ~ Matt 19:11-12
and the promotion of celibacy by St. Paul:
~ I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord. If any one thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry — it is no sin. But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. So that he who marries his betrothed does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better. ~ 1 Cor. 7:32-38
Therefore, it is for the benefit of the Church and for themselves that clergy remain unmarried, and honestly it is NOT a hot topic in the seminary; seminarians understand fully what they are agreeing to and are glad to do it.
In closing I want to address your feelings that the Church does things as political power plays and that “the devil is playing second fiddle to an inner struggle created by the artificial restraint of a basic human drive and urge.” You never really state what these “natural urges” are, but since you compare them to the devil I’d have to assume they are urges to do evil? Please clarify this for me.
In the meantime, open your eyes. This world is not about my or your personal struggle with doing right or wrong. I deal with people all the time who cannot get past this because they are too focused on it.
Christ asked us to be charitable, and from this all things will come: peace, justice, joy, love, contentment, fulfillment, and eventually salvation. Put your focus off of your own struggle and on being charitable and your inner struggle will lessen greatly. Trust me, I’ve been there.
Prayers, peace, and love,
Tom
twilson@salesianym.com
You know what i love about this? Everyone here is assuming that this is a BAD photo. So in essence, you are making this image corrupt. The pope could be blessing the invisible 10 year old boy for being….i dunno invisible. I think people need to take a chillax pill and come to terms of what has happen and what will happen. People will make jokes of this for so as long as people will get offened by them. That is a lesson we learned back in elementary school people! So laugh with it or ignore it. just dont complain about it…or else we will keep it up =P
You know, ignoring the problem didn’t help in grade school either. It just made the teacher’s job easier cause they had less to do.
And wasn’t the pope criticized for ignoring problems?
BTW, if you Google this topic up, what do you come up with. Oh right, my bad, priests blessing kids. You’re right, we should take this joke as it’s meant, as a simple image of the pope blessing a kid, cause their certainly isn’t any controversy going on right now pertaining to any other possible interpretation.
BTW, saying that people need to “laugh with it or ignore it. just don’t complain about it…or else we will keep it up =P”
So, we, meaning those you disagree with, need to not say anything contrary, or you’ll keep it up… We need to be quiet, and not disagree with you?
Right.
Does this count?
This isnt a problem. ITS A JOKE!!! If you seriously cannot look at yourself and take humor to a religion, belief, sports team, or whatever the case may be, then by all means complain away at the fact that more than likey most of these people will look and laugh at simlar situations that do not hit as close to home as this. Frankly, I dont care. I will contine to make fun of things for the sake of letting people laugh and actually enjoying life for a change. So go ahead and complain. I’ll just make fun of you for complaining. Because in essense, I will not let myself empower you to control MY life and the things I choose to do. If YOU dont like what I say. TOUGH. I dont care. I dont mean to offened, but I’m not going to change because YOU decide you dont like what I say. Also, your points are a tad onesided in my opinion. Becasue fact of the matter is you expect us to play nice and say what only makes you happy…. funny. all I asked you to do is ignore it. Most people who seem to have a problem altogether want us to hush as well. soooo let me get this straight
you want me to not make fun of a situation that holds close to you and your religion.
All I ask is that you ignore it and let us have our fun since this is the hot topic of religion.
Like I said, YOU DONT LIKE IT? WALK AWAY!
Oh….by the way…that whole “You know, ignoring the problem didn’t help in grade school either. It just made the teacher’s job easier cause they had less to do.”
Teachers have A LOT to do. Make no mistake. Teachers have a lot on thier plate. the last thing they have to do is keep the peace becuase some kid cant handle being made fun of once in his entire life. besides, what CAN they do? tell them to stop so they can turn around and make fun of that kid for being a sissy or wuss? get over yourself. they cant shelter kids from being made fun of anymore than the internet can protect us from ranting and raving bigots who seem to apply thier one sided laws upon me. TAKE A JOKE AND WE WILL MOVE ON!
BTW, I shouldn’t use BTW ever again -_-
So many issues with the many religions of the world. The fact is, teh Vatican are hiding some of the most important documents and they absolutely refuse to make them public. The want to remain in control of the church so they hide the truth: God doesn’t exist.
Jesus did exist, there’s proof. But the only way he walked on water was because at the time he supposedly did this, the water he walked on was frozen in the time period.
All religions started out the same, as a cult. I’ve done enough studying on this subject to know better.
Ya’ll are to long winded. It’s a picture with a funny caption. If you can’t take a joke, then find somewhere else to find your humor.
I see… and I presume you know all this from experience?
Best ever!
WTF is this BS!? Where is the report button?
Yikes. I don’t care if it’s a pic of the pope or the bum down the street. I just don’t
laugh about the idea of a 10 year old boy giving a blow job.
Seems pretty simple to me.
Where his hands are (head & shoulder?) didn’t make me see what you saw. Still, I see both sides of this… we find a way to laugh so we don’t have to deal with the horror of the truth… but for those who’ve been IN the horror, there’s no laughing. It’s truly a tragic situation that could (should) have been addressed long ago, but he’s one of the ones who opted to bury the truth instead. He gets no accolades from me.
Get over it. Religion is dead. God is just an imaginary friend for adults.
Because obviously you’ve died and been to the afterlife, then came back to tell us the afterlife wasn’t even there?
No one needs to! It’s a plain FACT. Something Catholics know little about.
i dunno what alll you peepz are on about this is funny, the pope is a high status guy, but isnt anything to me. he is just another catholic. lolz
I actually found this funny.
I am laughing because
A. He was the jackass helping to hide the priests in the first place.
B. Catholics aren’t just people who have made mistakes, they have made a LOT of mistakes. Crusades, indulgences, long line of corruption, etc, etc etc…
C. I’m an asshole with a morbid sense of humor.
lol
benedict is an evil wanker
Catholics have booty humped more little boys than NAMBLA
pretty sure whoever finds this picture funny is going straight to hell when they die….even if they don’t think it exists. (die and get back to me on that one…try to prove me wrong)
Lol…and you KNOW that hell DOES exist? How? Did somebody who definitely knows tell you that? Lol how about you try to prove yourself RIGHT.
Ololoollolollol I love it!
down with religion ^^
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