Suzeonline,

"Further, they(Runner and Proxy) would have us believe that the Catholic Church are dealing with child sex abuse by these 'homosexual paedophile priests' by 'stopping' them from entering the priesthood in the first place?
Am I right?

So, when young men line up to take on the priesthood training, they will be asked "Are you homosexual?" as a first line question?
Naturally, if they are gay or have paedophile tendancies, they are bound to admit to this of course."

I have read that they use psychology tests to screen them before entering the seminary to avoid paedophiles from being admitted. Personality tests typically include scales to check whether or not people are responding honestly based on group norms for answering the scale questions. If the instruments merely used direct questions on personality items of interest people would do exactly what you suggested. The main instruments are well researched so hopefully they do their job. Otherwise the Church will no doubt face future harsh condemnation for admitting more paedophile priests.

Oliver,

Ah yes such a lovely, spiritual and inspiring passage of the Bible Numbers 31. NOT! How can anyone accept the listing of virgins along with animals.

"The plunder remaining from the spoils that the soldiers took was 675,000 sheep, 72,000 cattle, 61,000 donkeys and 32,000 women who had never slept with a man"

Beautiful stuff, they didn't even list the virgins first!

Most Christians don't read that one though...It conflicts with Jesus' teachings. AS I said earlier "Moses was not a nice man!"

Please be assured I never just lump people together, I don't have anything against Christians at all BUT I do heavily question most Christians understanding of their Bible.

If what was alleged in the You Tube video link you gave are true, then should the Pope and others who knew about the scandals just resign? OR Is it way past time and the law should intervene?

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/pope-must-answer-for-crimes-against-humanity-20100403-rkro.html

What possible act or gesture can the Pope do or take to redeem the situation if he was, as alleged in the video, "an accessory before or after the fact"?

It will be interesting to see how Governments act on this matter. I think that the world's population is demanding swift and stern action.

I wonder what Tony Abbott and Kevin Rudd will say and do?

The world is watching....

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article7077196.ece

and the legal too-ing and fro-ing begins

http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/should_the_pope_be_tried_for_crimes_against_humanity/

And the Pope's willingness to meet victims. Is this a little too late?

Remember World Youth Day 2008?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/10/2869180.htm

and did Anthony and Christine Foster get to meet the Pope after Bishop Anthony Fisher allegedly said as quoted in this article "by saying a few people were ...dwelling crankily on old wounds"."....http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/17/2306490.htm

or "...rather than dwelling crankily, as a few people are doing, on old wounds" as this article alleges..http://www.theage.com.au/national/outrage-over-bishops-abuse-remarks-20080716-3gcr.html?page=-1

afterall the Pope found it in his heart to meet some victims...http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSYD21881620080720

If not why not?

And did Cardinal Pell, really say "if you don't like it, take it to court" as the article alleges?

What would Jesus say to this?

Proxy, you say that removal of homosexuality from the compendium of psychiatric disorders (DSM) was a political act.

Don't you think that including it in the first place was a political act too?

Here's another example, amongst many (like hysteria or dementia praecox - where the definition and criteria have changed over time).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drapetomania

Mental health diagnoses are based on a mixture of what the client says (and deems problematic); opinions of others like family; observation; science (where available and it's never final) and prevailing socio-cultural values. Diagnoses are always provisional.

I wonder why all the State and Federal Ministers for aboriginal affairs have not been sacked. I am no fan of the Catholic church but any one with any honesty knows that child abuse among aboriginal communities has been going on for years at much higher rates than even State school teachers and catholic priest and yet the only casualty (Hollingsworth) was a political one. Seems like another political witch hunt with the lefties again trying to draw attention away from their own backyards.

pynchme,
Your drapetomania example is just an extension of the already bizarre sexual orientation/race analogy that homosexuals have disingenuously employed to portray homosexual activism as a civil rights issue, in the same vein as equality for African Americans.
Interestingly, blacks don't buy this false analogy either.
70% of them voted against California's Proposition 8,
making them, overwhelmingly, the demographic most opposed to same-sex marriage.
Only bleeding heart liberals buy the lie.
Blacks can't change their race.
Homosexuals can change their sexual behaviour.
This is evidenced by the existence of ex-gay organisations and the "coming in" stories of former homosexuals.
There are no ex-black organisations or stories by former blacks.
Blacks are genetically black.
Homosexuals are not genetically homosexual.
The mutable nature of homosexually is sufficiently demonstrated by the very existence of reparative therapists for homosexuals who want to leave the lifestyle.
There are no reparative therapists for blacks who want to leave the black lifestyle.
It is further evidenced by the hatred of homosexuals toward ex-homosexuals and reparative therapists,
because they reveal the lie.

Dear Proxy,

You wrote that "Blacks can't change their
race." Two words - Michael Jackson!
(died trying).

As for gay priests?
Well Dr Paul Collins knows more about that
issue then any of us. He tells us in his
book, "Believers: Does Australian Catholicism
have a future," :

"It is clear that the accusation that gay priests
are more likely to be child molesters is totally
wrong, and lay Catholics have no problem with gay
clergy whether they are "out" or, more likely,
quietly integrating their sexual preference.
What people find intolerable are the "closet queens"
who, in bouts of self-hatred and denial, are often
vicious in their attack on other homosexual persons
demanding all types of punitive measures against
them. Self-hating clergy not only destroy themselves,
but are much more likely to project their venom
outwards and that can lead to extremely rigid and
destructive behaviour, especially for vulnerable
people in pastoral situations.

What the Church needs to guard against specifically
is admitting this destructive type of person into the
seminary. Their rigidity and claims to pseudo-orthodoxy
are extremely dangerous and detrimental in pastoral
ministry..."

Hope this helps.