Why the abuse in religious organizations?

PS

Are we only discussing priest?  I think you'll find abusers find many ways to get contact and control of children, in all types of religious organizations.  I would also think by the time they become "priests" they will have abused numerous times.

DD,

Yes, we are basically discussing why pedophiles become part of religiosu organizations, if it is MAINLY to abuse or to try to STOP abusing and and they fail.

No time for suggestions, maybe others have some ideas.  That gravitation is too simplistic as they find out.

DD.............Boo

The Wrath of Godders, all of that energy spent perpetuating cruelty century after century. You imagined a supreme being who abuses and its found a home in those who choose Fundamentalism. At least there are Christian Denominations who have moved beyond that mental crutch.

DD, Jonathan and Stephen the Trinity of nut cases.

Designs

As you are someone who sees himself as a victim of justice, I can only imagine how you perceive a God who administers it.  I feel bad for you. I really do.

DD, nice ploy. Here you are an adult and you believe in this torture business, and more importantly you want to convert others to it. It is important for others to see what is at the core of your theology and philosophy and converting campaign.  Public Service r Us.

Go volunteer at the local Food Bank or Community Center, help out with the local environmental groups, do good everyday and pass this beautiful earth on to the next generations.

designs

Go volunteer at the local Food Bank or Community Center, help out with the local environmental groups, do good everyday and pass this beautiful earth on to the next generations.

They are nice things to do, but, do you think your "Community service" is enough to justify you in the sight of God?

DD, that shows you need to step away from the whole worrisome judgement thing for awhile, take a fresh assessment of things.  Being stewards of the earth and being our brothers and sisters keeper is simply the thing we do as humans. It is its own reward if you need to even look at it in that way.

Designs when are you going to be a man and start your own thread, and stop hyjacking the threads of others?

DD, this shows a deeper problem with you and Jonathan, he phrases challenges with fight terminology 'go toe to toe', you somehow think posting a topic is related to manhood. Somewhere in the conunbrum of your religiosity and the sermons, Bible Studies, and social network you have gotten a real twisted world view.

Shinning a little flash light on this world of the Fundamentalists will prove helpful as we try to rebuild our lives in positive ways.

Designs

Read the posting guidelines.

Under rule: 10 Posting an off-topic comment.

PS you have a PM

LOL !
Guys, as much fun as it is to see you trying to get under each others skin, not very appropriate in this thread.

Staying on subject never killed anyone ;)

designs, STOP HIJACKING THREADS!!! It is beyond annoying to have to read your OT nonsense in every thread.

I believe pedophiles seek out ways to target innocent, unsuspecting people.  And it's not just religion or boy scouts, they can use your friendship or their position of authority.  Look at the case of this "trusted"  Toronto police officer/pedophile  http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/701450 

That's why it's imperative that parents be vigilant about who they trust their children with.  If you have to leave your kids with a stranger, (such as daycare, Sunday school, etc), at least make sure that background checks have been conducted. A responsible church will do background checks, check references and have a rule that an adult is not supposed to be alone in a room with a child. Sadly, I have seen too many parents drop their kids off without a care and not even question if there is any kind of security policy in place. 

A valid point Saoirse,

The original popint of this thread was a question I had, that I noted in the first post with the #1.

It seems that some who knwo they are pedophiles join churchs to exploit and abuse, knowing that punishment may be far laxer than if cought in "public', but there are also those, it seems, that join to see if the Church can rid them of "their demons".

I wonder which makes up the majority?

I wonder how many join to see if a religious organization can cure them of their problem, and why they think that.

PS, no religious org can cure anyone of anything.  If someone believes that, they are simply misguided. Christians do believe that anyone who is born-again can make radical changes in their life, with God's help. But that's God doing that, not the church.  On any given Sunday, you can sit in a church full of people who used to be all sorts of things but have changed for the better.     However, no reputable church would allow a former pedophile to take part in the children's ministry.  That would be like sending a former alcoholic into a bar.  It's just plain foolish and that's something that parents have a responsibility to check out before they allow their children to join those programs.

I've been attending church fairly regularly for about the post 2 or 3 years. I think the vast majority of people I encounter there are honest, good hearted people with good intentions. My church is very strict about who they allow to work with the kids.  You can encounter bad people anywhere so it's good to be cautious but it's a bit unfair to assume that churches are overflowing with perverts. (Not saying that you think that) With the exception of the Kingdom Halls, people joining churches for nefarious means are probably a very, very small percentage.  Kingdom Halls on the other hand seem to be a pedophile paradise.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedophilia#Causes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_sexual_abuse#Offenders
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relationship_between_child_pornography_and_child_sexual_abuse
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_of_children
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_harassment_in_education#Sexual_harassment_and_abuse_of_students_by_teachers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_care_sexual_abuse_hysteria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scouting_sex_abuse_cases
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_sex_abuse_cases
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah%27s_Witnesses_and_child_sex_abuse

Perverts go where the children are.  Pervs will do anything to fit in and gain access to victims.  It has nothing to do with the nature of the orgs themselves.  The orgs are responsible where it comes to responding to/ preventing such threats the the children in their midst.

I remember reading a statistic in a book on womens' issues that stated that over 50% of sexual molestations (committed against girls) were committed by men who were active members (in good standing!) in Christian organizations...

Worship a Middle Eastern god, act like a Middle Eastern man...  Zid