1. Comment #435568 by Sally Luxmoore on November 26, 2009 at 9:50 pm

"Trivial"?

These churches should be disbanded NOW!

Put crowds of people together who all believe in some mythical rubbish and tell them not to touch each other or anyone else -- Insane. It's just not going to work.

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2. Comment #435569 by Kiwi on November 26, 2009 at 9:51 pm

Nuns are brides of Christ, priests are the bodily representation of Christ on earth. It's a small segue to sexual activity. Reminds me of the "Lesbian nuns, breaking the silence" book. These people are fighting their own natures.

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3. Comment #435581 by j.mills on November 26, 2009 at 10:18 pm

"How far what she says is well-founded I can't say, but the issues are not very serious. We're living with human beings in a community and she should realise this is part of human life," he told the Daily Telegraph.

Sexual abuse not very serious: you heard it here last. Yes, this is a part of human life, which is why the church's vow of celibacy is a dumb and evidently dishonest posturing.

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4. Comment #435582 by Bonzai on November 26, 2009 at 10:18 pm

We're living with human beings in a community and she should realise this is part of human life

This is rich. If the Church realizes sex is a part of human life it wouldn't have made up all its absurd rules and dogmas about sexuality in the first place.

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5. Comment #435583 by the great teapot on November 26, 2009 at 10:20 pm

Bookshops throughout christian communities have sold out with Tales of Amen.
She did what, disgusting, and then they, oh I have never been so, wait, and then they, ooh, a priest and a nun, oh no, wait there's more next they, well, have you ever.

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6. Comment #435590 by j.mills on November 26, 2009 at 10:33 pm

Heh! Good point, the. Titillation for the masses, legitimised as 'reading research'.

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7. Comment #435594 by Sandra S on November 26, 2009 at 10:42 pm

Not at all surprised -- disgusted, but not surpised. In the most sexually repressed corners this is exactly what you should expect to happen. That someone would dare claim it trivial is very shocking, on the other hand. He should have what he said read back to him, if he still doesn't realize how utterly devoid of sense it was he should be put in an insane asylum.

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8. Comment #435601 by Nunbeliever on November 26, 2009 at 10:51 pm

Well, what would you expect??? If you suppress peoples sexual desire for their whole lives a lot of perverse behaviours will arise.

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9. Comment #435603 by Rawhard Dickins on November 26, 2009 at 10:58 pm

Nothing wrong with being in contact with your mammalian roots.

And it gives the choirboys a rest!

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10. Comment #435604 by BigJohn on November 26, 2009 at 11:02 pm

I didn't like the part about forcing novices, but, there's nothing wrong with sex between consenting adults. A little hypocritical when it's priests and nuns, though. I guess that's what happens when people are expected to live an aberrant lifestyle. Hey, wait a minute, isn't aberrant what the Catholics call the LGBT lifestyle? Hmmm...

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11. Comment #435613 by glenister_m on November 26, 2009 at 11:25 pm

Mr. Diety wasn't far off in his punishments for christians episode.

On the other hand, I think Blackadder II hit the mark with the 'Baby-eating Bishop' episode, in which the bishop sounds like the priest known for his piety "I drink, I kill, I fornicate, but as far as my flock knows I'm completely virtuous." (or something similar).

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12. Comment #435614 by aquilacane on November 26, 2009 at 11:26 pm

He thinks it's trivial because he's had a few bad habits(pun intended)himself. He can only live with it if he feels it's tivial. If he agrees that it is serious then he agrees he's guilty.

I'm guessing

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13. Comment #435620 by aquilacane on November 26, 2009 at 11:40 pm

I noticed there is another Catholics fucking stuff article today. Only the Catholics could have two in one day.

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14. Comment #435621 by Kiwi on November 26, 2009 at 11:41 pm

"He thinks it's trivial because he's had a few bad habits(pun intended)himself."

Come on nun of that, you'll make me cross, and that's no waferward.

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15. Comment #435635 by alexo on November 27, 2009 at 12:38 am

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8381090.stm

I stopped reading at "A study funded by the Church of England....."

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16. Comment #435641 by jcob82 on November 27, 2009 at 1:07 am

Anybody read Giovanni Boccaccio's The Decameron? The priests and nuns were having more sex than some prostitutes. Well I'm glad these priests and nuns take their oaths seriously unlike us atheists who can't be trusted.

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17. Comment #435653 by BlueCollar8theist on November 27, 2009 at 3:13 am

"...Part of human life"??? *takes several deep breaths* Maybe a part of the humanity you witness. Maybe part of the sick, backwards, primitive, and repressed church with which you ally yourself. Everyone (outside of religious mindsets, naturally) knows that rape, molestation, abuse are NOT tolerated by any forward-thinking society!! I can see the bastard giving this quote with a knowing leer and a shrug, and it makes my blood boil.

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18. Comment #435655 by Logicel on November 27, 2009 at 3:31 am

I recall on a late night French TV show, a former monk was chattering away about though he first thought his monastery life would be one of discipline, the reality was that every day, he would lie in his little hard bed, masturbating for hours. The monks should advertise this reality, they would get many more recruits.

I also remember how disgusted one panel participant was when hearing of this continuing and daily masturbation. She wanted so much for someone else to carry the chastity burden. Some humans want others to be chaste.

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19. Comment #435659 by Spinoza on November 27, 2009 at 4:22 am

Sex sex sex that's all they think about.

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20. Comment #435662 by Alternative Carpark on November 27, 2009 at 4:47 am

Let them fuck each other - nothing wrong with that - then they might leave the kids alone.

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21. Comment #435665 by Fuller on November 27, 2009 at 5:27 am

Duh

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22. Comment #435677 by Aztek on November 27, 2009 at 8:21 am

Why am I not surprised? We are all sexual beings. Some of us just go to great lenghts trying to suppress these natural needs based on the commands of a non-existent creature who supposedly cares about our sex lives.

I don't care if they have sex with each other and how. It's all good as long as they enjoy it. The problem is that they claim to be morally superior for being god's servants and being abstinent. Oh, the hypocracy.

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23. Comment #435681 by Ignorant Amos on November 27, 2009 at 8:53 am

"How far what she says is well-founded I can't say, but the issues are not very serious. We're living with human beings in a community and she should realise this is part of human life,"

There ya have it then.....it's only very serious when the rest of us do it....HYPOCRITICAL bastards.

HYPOCRITICAL
–noun 1. a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, esp. a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.
2. a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, esp. one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements


Apart from what the dirty, slimey, perverted, paedo bastards are doing....something that breaks my heart is the thought of all those seedy wee fuckers that get a "punishment" posting to some obscure third world backwater where they can carry on their debased debaucherism on children that haven't any recourse or retribution whatsoever. Some punishment, what? And that cunt, because that's what he is, Ratzinger, has known all about it.

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24. Comment #435684 by keddaw on November 27, 2009 at 9:04 am

I'm going to wait for the film adaptation.

With Rhona Mitra, Megan Fox, Thandie Newton and Freida Pinto...

Other Comments by keddaw

25. Comment #435696 by John Locke on November 27, 2009 at 9:53 am

good on em really if they want to have sex, but as usual it can only manifest itself in abusive spurts (excuse pun) but i applaud the spokesman at the bottom of the article saying "well yeah, can't blame em really, shit happens" rather than trying to backpedal pathetically.

shame the rest of the catholic church isn't a bit more open.

(sorry that was a godawful pun...and was typed before thinking, just came out...i'll get my coat)

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26. Comment #435701 by Gaz on November 27, 2009 at 10:18 am

...."still only human"......[Agent, Matrix Reloaded]

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27. Comment #435705 by Ignorant Amos on November 27, 2009 at 10:23 am

25. Comment #435696 by John Locke

I'm not sure if I've got ya right John. Am I right in the assumption that you applaud Dr Paul Thelekkat, a spokesman for the Syro-Malabar Catholic church, because he's admitting that the Priests are prone to a bit of hanky panky, like we all are of course....even though some of it was not consensual, regardless of the fact that these same people throw scorn at the rest of us for even thinking such things. Shit does happen, but I don't think that people in glass houses should be hurling stones about. If they want to sit in their ivory towers and lecture that's one thing, but to criticise their on congregation for their sexual antics while carrying on themselves, well that's quite another.

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28. Comment #435711 by John Locke on November 27, 2009 at 10:56 am

i think you have got me.

i'm not condoning non-consensual hanky panky of course, but rather feel it's nice for a spokesperson not to make pathetic excuses like "this was an isolated incident" or even completely denounce the lady as a liar. i dont know how much the catholic church in india preaches and lectures, religion (in general, and in my experience) in india is more passive than most countries, and the clergy tend to take a live and let live approach on the whole. what i mean to say is that im assuming the indian catholic church has a less holier-than-thou attitude than most other catholic organisations.

i may be wrong though. anyone else have more experience on the matter?

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29. Comment #435712 by Philip1978 on November 27, 2009 at 10:59 am

Typical handwaving aside of the problem - TRIVIAL - good grief does this man know what he is talking about?

Like Anne Widdecombe in that debate that Stephen Fry and The Hitch demolished her in, these people are not in the slightest bit concerned with human suffering, they are only focused on their religion and that is all that matters.

The Catholic Church is revealing itself to be more and more disgusting every day - covering this and that up, handwaving away accusations of the rape of children and people like this poor woman in the article - AIDS epedemic? Well don't have sex then or use condoms, there you go, it will be all fine! These people are reprehensible, above the law, above reason they act like they cannot be touched and all because God is on their side.

Well I am glad they are being shown up for who they really are and I hope that this prompts more and more people to question their religious affiliations. I doubt it very much, if people like this idiot Dr Paul Thelekkat are the standard of the train of thought, I am sure people can mould their religion into something less frightening than the reality and cocoon themselves away from it.

Still, I will not give up hope that the message will get through to some people, the more the better.

Other Comments by Philip1978

30. Comment #435713 by irate_atheist on November 27, 2009 at 11:05 am

Nuns! Nuns!

Reverse! Reverse!

Other Comments by irate_atheist

31. Comment #435717 by Ignorant Amos on November 27, 2009 at 11:22 am

28. Comment #435711 by John Locke

I knew I had the wrong end of the stick, mate. I'm glad that you cleared it for me though, but as Philip1978 has said....this Dr. is more than likely talking out of school and is more a rare find among the death cult theocrats than we are used to experiencing.

Other Comments by Ignorant Amos

32. Comment #435721 by Logician on November 27, 2009 at 11:32 am

Gosh, who'da thunk it?

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33. Comment #435766 by CaptainMandate on November 27, 2009 at 1:07 pm

I do hope they use protection

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34. Comment #435780 by anonbloger on November 27, 2009 at 1:42 pm

"Dr Paul Thelekkat, a spokesman for the Syro-Malabar Catholic church said he had some sympathy for sister Jesme, and respected her freedom to express her views, but he believed her claims were trivial. "How far what she says is well-founded I can't say, but the issues are not very serious. We're living with human beings in a community and she should realise this is part of human life," he told the Daily Telegraph."

How many people here think rape and assault is "part of human life" for them?

http://carnifexinsania.blogspot.com/

Other Comments by anonbloger

35. Comment #435784 by seabala on November 27, 2009 at 1:52 pm

anyone else have more experience on the matter?

The catholic church is well rooted in India. Especially in education. Praying and singing gospels is compulsory for all students of all faiths in catholic schools (even though it is against our constitution). But all faith schools do it and no one complains.

They even managed to get the Da Vinci code movie banned in some states. One of the few places in the world that banned the movie. Not that I cared for the movie but, it just goes to show the amount of political power they can wield in the supposedly secular democracy.

But more than the sex scandals, what irks most Indians, especially Hindus, about the catholic church is their conversion spree. They especially target poor people in the lower rungs of society, and bribe them to convert to Christianity. At first I didn't like it, but later I didn't mind, coz practically speaking, when your family is starving and a missionary nun comes and gives you money and in return you have to change your name and pray to another god, why not? It would be more immoral if those poor people said they'd rather let their family starve than swap imaginary friends.

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36. Comment #435792 by Border Collie on November 27, 2009 at 2:11 pm

Wow! Religious people having sex and abusing minors. The intensity of the forbidden fruit must be fantastic and the guilt afterward, just devastating ... something like a rubber band stretched almost to the breaking point. Beat me, f'ck me, make me write hot checks! What next?! Stay tuned ...

Other Comments by Border Collie

37. Comment #435794 by seabala on November 27, 2009 at 2:20 pm

And even after such revelations, people still throng to the church in their thousands, and donate their hard earned money even though they are making a hand-to-mouth living themselves.


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38. Comment #435852 by stptrck75 on November 27, 2009 at 7:34 pm

"the issues are not very serious". Wow

Rape and molestation are "not very serious".

They are "trivial".

Yep. That's religious ethics for ya.

Jebus, your days are numbered. People won't put up with this crap much longer.

Right?

Other Comments by stptrck75

39. Comment #435862 by TIKI AL on November 27, 2009 at 8:11 pm

"60 Minutes" should send out their minions to check the various Catholic garbage containers for used birth control packages and condoms.

There is a scandalous scoop here just waiting for some ambitious investigative reporters with nose plugs, latex gloves, and aluminium can grabbers.

Other Comments by TIKI AL

40. Comment #435890 by SASnSA on November 27, 2009 at 10:34 pm

I firmly believe that the Italian Mafia learned some of their best tricks from the Vatican

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41. Comment #435946 by godsbelow on November 28, 2009 at 3:18 am

Sandra S:

'He should have what he said read back to him, if he still doesn't realize how utterly devoid of sense it was he should be put in an insane asylum.'

Too late, he's already in the Catholic Church.

Seriously though, only a truly sick mind could possibly brush off that kind of trauma, or even the mere possibility of it, as 'trivial.' So where's the compassion Catholicism is supposed to inculcate in its adherents? It's clear that compassion isn't as important for the church as covering its own ass in yet another case of sexual assault.

Other Comments by godsbelow

42. Comment #435953 by quantum_flux on November 28, 2009 at 4:05 am

I never understood why Nuns don't wear underwear beneath their skirts.

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43. Comment #436042 by Border Collie on November 28, 2009 at 3:10 pm

It's trivial if they do it. It's punishable for eternity in hell if we do it.

Other Comments by Border Collie

44. Comment #436171 by Chatsubo on November 28, 2009 at 9:52 pm

Wow, ya know, suddenly the catholics sound like a viable option...

Can't I have some more peril? I like peril!

Other Comments by Chatsubo

45. Comment #436232 by rugby on November 29, 2009 at 1:25 am

Hardly surprising. When we had world catholic youth day, or whatever the fuck it is down here in the antipodes recently, the brothels went into overdrive and couldn't keep up with demand. Young men looking for sex. Nope, apparently every where this travelling side show goes the priests make the prostitutes work hard for their money!

Other Comments by rugby

46. Comment #437107 by SomersetJohn on December 1, 2009 at 12:52 am

If a catholic appologist says rape, sexual abuse and child molestation is trivial, is that the same as the catholic church saying rape, sexual abuse and child molestation is trivial?
Personally I would say yes, and broadcast it as much as possible.

Other Comments by SomersetJohn

47. Comment #437236 by fan_of_dawkins on December 1, 2009 at 9:11 am

It pains me to witness sexual abuse of this kind. What makes it worse from an Indian viewpoint is, when somebody tries to speak against this in any meaningful forum, they are accused of not being "secular" and "targeting" a particular community, thereby shifting the focus from the real issue.

Other Comments by fan_of_dawkins

48. Comment #440208 by MatthaiNazrani on December 9, 2009 at 7:56 am

Okay, I'm in Kerala and an Ex-Syro-Malabar Catholic. My father has the book and I only thumbed through it--it seemed pretty explicit. Very daring, considering the Victorian attitudes to sex people here in general have. All power to her if she's telling the truth.

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49. Comment #440209 by MatthaiNazrani on December 9, 2009 at 8:04 am

Also, there was another controversial incident some years ago, where a nun witnessed another nun and two priests in some compromising sexual scenario at night and got murdered. The case is still in the courts and nearing a verdict despite the Catholic Church's efforts to make it "trivial".

Other Comments by MatthaiNazrani