Is This Why Ratzinger Resigned ?

[modeller]

On the news 400 priests defrocked by the Vatican in past two years and not one handed over to the by the civil authorities.

The numbers are being disputed but over 600 cases have /are being investigated.

https://www.google.co.uk/#q=vatican+defrocked+priests&safe=active&tbm=nws

[andy-hughes]

Doubtful.

In order to rise up the slippery pole of the Catholic hierarchy, you will already have to have proved that - not only do you know about the church's vile practice of simply moving paedophile priests to other parishes, but you are willing to perpetuate it.

On that basis, Ratzinger would be right at home - no need to move anywhere, unless he suddenly had a conscience about sanctioning and perpetuating child abuse?

Oh no, he's a member of the church hierarchy - see above.

[Jeza]

Bit harsh Andy coming from you. I always thought you were a man of reason,or do you just hate the Catholic Religion.

[andy-hughes]

Jeza - I am a man of reason, and no, I don't hate the Catholic religion.

I hate the way it allows its priests to continue furthering the belief that they are completely above any law - moral, spiritual, or legal.

The church has a vested interest in not seeing what does not suit it - this being the most obvious and damaging example.

So no, I don't hate the Catholic church per se - I hate its on-going connivance and wilful protection of the paedophile priests it is aware of within its ranks.

[Peter Pedant]

Oh my god
there isnt video of a papal election or something
and his hand stuck up a monk's doo-dah ?

young monk - or even novice to make it more disgraaaaaaaceful

I refer if any of this is opaque to the video evidence played at Preston today.

[Peter Pedant]

whateva Popes do ....

Paul VI was asked how many priests worked at the Vatican
and he said oh about half of them I think.....

ter daaaaa !

[Khandro]

The answer is unquestionably,YES! He was never cut out for that role, all his life his great love has simply been Jesus, he has written several books on the subject, (one very recently) , and talks constantly about Jesus and the new testament.
When he visited England, all everyone wanted to talk to him about was sex, and all he wanted to talk about was Jesus, - I suppose that is what you should expect from a true Christian. What happens in the Vatican has nothing to do with Christ's teachings, or do you think otherwise?

[modeller]

I have found all the clerics I've spoken to only want to talk about Jesus to the exclusion of all other subjects. It's disingenuous but understandable because they know most other subjects on which they are challenged are indefensible. They don't even want to talk about the actions of God.

[Khandro]

modeller; As Jesus never claimed he was God, isn't it commendable that your clerics prefer to speak about what he said and did - like Ratzinger does- rather than speculate on the unfathomable.

[Jennykenny]

Is there a list of the names available?

[joggerjayne]

Even before he was Pope, he had a track record of shuffling pervert priests off to jobs beyond the reach of the authorities.

When he was a Cardinal, he declared that any priest who reported another priest to the authorities would be ... what's that word when they cut you off ... oh, excommunicated. Ostensibly, because it undermined the power of the church to investigate these things. In reality, so that the offending priests could be given safe jobs elsewhere, and let off scot free.

[modeller]

khandro // modeller; As Jesus never claimed he was God.....................//

The problem I have with that is that the NT does say he is the son of God. Jesus himself constantly referred to God and the teachings of the OT . He supported the OT's attitude to women as inferior to men and the punishment of children , the 10 commandments. and the punishment for breaking them . He supported the OT's hell fire and the Devil. He strongly supported the the words of the ancient prophets. I could go on but my point is you can not divorce/ deny the OT from Jesus.

Personally I believe there is a great difference between Faith and Religion.
I have several friends who are Theists but do not believe in a Religion.

[Hypognosis]

All answers to your question can be no more than opinion.
If you want mine I will say that he either couldn't stomach the task or, worse still, he had personal friends on the list and couldn't bring himself to betray a friendship, no matter how serious the crime.

Also, I must have misheard the telly yesterday. I said "about bl**dy time" out loud but have only just noticed that, as you said, it's merely defrockings, not arrests.

[Khandro]

modeller; On what do you claim these extraordinary assertions eg. "He [Jesus] supported the OT's hell fire and the Devil." ?

[Hypognosis]

I'm not religious myself but my abiding recollection is of Jesus instructing people to abandon all the harsh aspects of the OT and stick to the forgiveness stuff.

World's first hippy etc. Peace and lurve and flowers down your gun barrel. ;-)

[modeller]

khandro //On what do you claim these extraordinary assertions eg. "He [Jesus] supported the OT's hell fire and the Devil." ?//

Time and time again he rebuked the Devil and drove out dewmons and devils. W

[modeller]

Wasn't he tempted by the devil and had a conversation with him.
I suggest you read Matthew 25-41, ( eternal fire, devils and angels ) or Luke14 which deals with demons and Satan. All good OT stuff.

[modeller]

Khandro If you want to see how the NT sees the Hellfire of the OT try this.
http://www.9marks.org/journal/hellfire-and-brimstone-interpreting-new-testament%E2%80%99s-descriptions-hell

May I [point out Christianity isn't just the sayings of Christ but the whole package. from Matthew to the Revelation. and how it supports the OT.

[modeller]

I see that the Vatican first denied the 400 figure but now agree it's correct.

[Khandro]

But these are not the words of Jesus.