Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

trotsky

(49,533 posts)
Mon Mar 18, 2019, 09:43 AM Mar 2019

After Years Of Abuse By Priests, #NunsToo Are Speaking Out

https://www.npr.org/2019/03/18/703067602/after-years-of-abuse-by-priests-nunstoo-are-speaking-out

...It's very hard for a nun to report she's been raped by a priest, says Scaraffia, because of the mindset that, in sex, women can always say no.

"These nuns believe they're the guilty ones for having seduced that holy man into committing sin," she says, "because that's what they've always been taught."

Adding to the trauma, she says, raped nuns who get pregnant become outcasts from their orders.

"These poor women are forced to leave their order and live alone raising their child with no help," she says. "Sometimes they're forced to have abortions — paid by the priest because nuns have no money."


The same church teachings that led to so much abuse of children, led to this.
5 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
After Years Of Abuse By Priests, #NunsToo Are Speaking Out (Original Post) trotsky Mar 2019 OP
Another benefit of religion...nt N_E_1 for Tennis Mar 2019 #1
The doctrine of the "original sin" is pretty nefarious Major Nikon Mar 2019 #2
Not all sex between priests and nuns is coercive, though. MineralMan Mar 2019 #3
Perhaps not all, but it's still sex with a subordinate Major Nikon Mar 2019 #4
Yes. It's all connected with the authority thing. MineralMan Mar 2019 #5

Major Nikon

(36,827 posts)
2. The doctrine of the "original sin" is pretty nefarious
Mon Mar 18, 2019, 10:13 AM
Mar 2019

Eve was "deceived" by satan. As such women are regarded as a conduit for the devil to reach men. That's why modesty enforced by religionists is so disparate among gender. Victim blaming becomes much easier when the foundation for it has been indoctrinated into the masses.

MineralMan

(146,295 posts)
3. Not all sex between priests and nuns is coercive, though.
Mon Mar 18, 2019, 10:59 AM
Mar 2019

Humans are sexual animals. Celibacy and sexual abstinence go against our very nature, so it is hardly surprising that there is sexual activity among those groups, either consensual or coerced. One of the reasons for requiring abstinence from the religious is to test their dedication to their faith.

Those who are able to maintain sexual abstinence are considered to be more trustworthy, since they are turning their backs on a basic need of human beings. If they will submit to authority in that, they are likely to submit in many other ways. Those who fail in being abstinent have often been cast out of the organization in shame. However, failure to abstain is more common than we imagine, so adjustments are made in many cases to retain people in their orders.

The entire thing is hypocritical from the very start. Denying one's basic needs has become central to the Roman Catholic Church's basice doctrines for the religious. That contradicts the very nature of the human experience. So, it's a false doctrine, if you believe that an all-knowing deity created humans. Hypocrisy in one area tends to lead to hypocrisy in many other areas, as well.

Major Nikon

(36,827 posts)
4. Perhaps not all, but it's still sex with a subordinate
Mon Mar 18, 2019, 11:40 AM
Mar 2019

Certainly the RCC prohibits all sexual relationships from priests and nuns, but most other large organizations prohibit sexual relationships with subordinates for different reasons. It's pretty much impossible to prevent quid pro quo under such circumstances. Usually the policy is only enforced on the person in authority. In the case of the RCC the situation is far worse because the subordinate is far less likely to report abuse because they are also guilty of a violation of policy along with the addition of a break with imposed moral obligations and the shame that goes with that.

As far as the priests go, not only do they have the authority given within the organization, but the implied authority of allegedly being closer to their three avowed deities. As such the abuse of that authority is multiplied.

MineralMan

(146,295 posts)
5. Yes. It's all connected with the authority thing.
Mon Mar 18, 2019, 12:01 PM
Mar 2019

The real point is that it is officially forbidden, but ignored for the most part. Only when it becomes public knowledge is anything done.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Religion»After Years Of Abuse By P...