I have a few more thoughts on my recent post about Bishop John Steinbock of Fresno punishing a priest who came out against a California initiative that would prohibit gay marriages. The prelate yanked his priest’s salary and benefits, removed him from ministry and wrote in a disciplinary letter that “your statement contradicted the teaching of the Catholic Church and has brought scandal to your parish community as well as the whole Church.”
I pointed out the hypocrisy of coming down hard on a priest who advocated gay marriages–an act that causes no physical harm to innocent children–while Steinbock and his fellow bishops spent years protecting child rapists and lying to the victims’ families. These acts brought scandal to the church to the tune of more than $1 billion — and who knows how many murdered souls and fallen Catholics?
I’m still waiting for a single bishop (not caught as a molester) who contributed to this scandal to be punished by the church.
There’s so much more hypocrisy to this story. The priesthood historically has attracted a high percentage of homosexuals — no one knows the exact number, but some experts put the percentage at about 50% (it’s gotten to be such a “problem”‘ that the Vatican recently decided to try and ban gays from its seminaries — good luck with that!). In Catholic doctrine, being gay isn’t a sin. The practice of homosexuality is the problem. Guess what? Most priests are not celibate, especially when you consider masturbation a breaking of their vows.
But many priests have had or are having sexual relationships with an adult partner. And within the priesthood, it’s just not seen as that big of a deal–as long as it doesn’t become a scandal. I know one diocese that had a top-ranking priest living openly with his male partner. The priest even sent out Christmas cards annually that featured a photo of the couple. One said a word about relationship until a conservative group threatened to go public with the affair. Only then did the bishop order his priest to stop cohabitating with his lover.
The point is that many, many priests and bishops are compromised sexually. It’s one major reason behind the Catholic sex scandal — how could a superior (who has sexual skeletons in his closet) punish a priest when both were doing basically the same thing (and people probably knew about both “sins”)?
The swift and harsh punishment recently given to the priest who favored gay marriages would be understandable if the church bothered to crack down on homosexual behavior within the priesthood. But for the most part, it doesn’t. So why pick on one honest priest?
3 responses so far ↓
1 hrh // Oct 15, 2008 at 5:55 am
Mr Lobdell, you’re making altogether too much sense. You see things too clearly.
What you need to do is start drinking that Bish Club Kool-Aid again and you’ll be an obedient sheep in no time. Remember, you exist to PRAY – PAY – OBEY. Especially the last two. Now get cracking. -:)
2 Becca // Oct 15, 2008 at 10:48 am
William, I would think that now since you have lost your religion, you could finally find God. Posts such as this one is trite (I write this not trying to flame you – just telling you my opinion which you can take or leave). It is EASY to find examples of people doing wrong – sinning. My goodness, I don’t even have to leave my own house for that! We are ALL sinners. Yes, it’s downright disappointing to see someone who claims to serve God, like these priests, making questionable choices.
But rather than questioning the God whom they claim to serve and concluding He is not real, or not worthy to serve, I think the question would be, “Did these men/women have a genuine relationship with God to begin with?”
You can find people who do have a real relationship with God. You can probably find them in your own hometown. God says you can spot them by their fruit. Galatians 5:19-26 says,
“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”
Love,
Becca
3 Tim Stroud // Oct 16, 2008 at 3:13 am
Religion has let us down. The purveyors of all religion become corrupt with any mote of power that we give to them. And certainly if we ascribe to them special connection to the God idea then we give them great power.
Simpler in our private thoughts to tear down the God idea, in an attempt to take away their corrupted power, than to merely watch as human justice is rendered impotent and people are destroyed.
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