Religion
Related: About this forumCatholic Church must reform confession, abuse survivor says
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-39475959He told the BBC it was effectively a "get-out-of-jail-free card".
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"What they are doing is saying we are more prepared to protect an offender than we are to take care of this child," said Mr Gogarty, who was 12 when he was abused by a priest in New South Wales.
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"I think its incumbent on the priest to say to the person - if you are sincere about this, if you want to absolved - then going to the authorities is part of the exercise," he said.
MineralMan
(146,192 posts)It's strictly a religious matter. Priests and ministers should be, if they are not, "Mandated Reporters." Just make it a felony not to report such knowledge of child sexual abuse. Throw a few priests in prison for not reporting such confessions and that would be that.
I do not believe, frankly, that anyone should be exempted from reporting such things. Period. Not religious leaders and not medical professionals. Sexual abuse of children is a horrific crime and anyone with knowledge of such a thing happening should be required to report it to the police.
We should not let some religious doctrine get in the way of protecting children. Period.
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)MineralMan
(146,192 posts)Deities are no more than figments of human imagination, I believe.
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)Lordquinton
(7,886 posts)They had a vision of a wounded child and God sent a man to him to tell the child's story and God told him to bring it to the authorities to save the poor child.
I mean, if they're basing their laws on spiritual beliefs they can't get him in trouble.