Catholic League president defends pedophile priests: It's not rape if there was 'no penetration'

[Soph0571]

“How many of the 300 were probably guilty? Maybe half. My reasoning? The 2004 report by the John Jay College for Criminal Justice found that 4 percent of priests nationwide had a credible accusation made against them between 1950-2002,” he continued. “That is the figure everyone quotes. But the report also notes that roughly half that number were substantiated. If that is a reliable measure, the 300 figure drops to around 150.”

This is Donohue’s “debunking” of the story. It gets worse.

At one point in the rambling piece, Donohue declared that rape accusations against the priests are a “myth.”

“This is an obscene lie,” Donohue declared. “Most of the alleged victims were not raped: they were groped or otherwise abused, but not penetrated, which is what the word ‘rape’ means.”

Donohue goes on to say that his assertions are not meant to be a “defense,” but an attempt to “set the record straight and debunk the worst case scenarios attributed to the offenders.”

In other words, it’s a defense.

[link:http://deadstate.org/catholic-league-president-defends-pedophile-priests-its-not-rape-if-there-was-no-penetration/|

This is what happens when you are committed cult member - you end up spending your time defending the indefensible

[janterry]

1. Most Catholics I know

and that includes a fair number of 'religious' (we have a nun in the family)
pretty much can't stand Donohue.

He's an old blowhard -and while he must speak for some faction of the church......he's way out there.

No one in the church leadership would stand behind most of his statements. Certainly not these.

[Mariana]

2. You say they certainly won't stand behind the statements in this piece

but will they condemn those statements? Can we expect to see a flurry of press releases and LTE's addressing Donahue's disgusting attempt to minimize and excuse the crimes that were perpetrated?

[janterry]

3. They haven't stood behind his statements

The hierarchy has been in the press. They are contrite, take blame, and say they are embarrassed - and clearly in the wrong.

I don't know what else they will do. He's really an outlier - though he gets a lot of press.

FWIW, while I have a great deal of affection for the church - I'm not Catholic anymore and I'm not (and never was) in the know.

You are right that his statements should be responded to - but my only point is that the press he gets is out-sized. While he must speak for some in the church (he does have his little platform), it's an exceptionally small circle. Clearly, he's no mouthpiece for the Vatican. The cardinals and bishops do not stand behind his statements. They have been clear in their views.

[trotsky]

6. Remaining silent isn't speaking out against them.

Until and unless this alleged large majority of Catholics who oppose all this child rape and coverup *ACTUALLY* speak up and do something, nothing will change.

[MineralMan]

4. That's like the head of the Police Benevolent Society claiming

that a cop who shot an unarmed black kid in the back was justified in doing so, because "some black kids have guns."

Bill Donohue can be counted on to defend almost anything any member of the RCC hierarchy does. It's, like, his job and stuff.

[Major Nikon]

5. It's hard to decide which is worse, child rapists or their enablers

In the case of Donohue, he has been defending child rapists for a very long time, both publicly and monetarily. He also has direct support from the diocese in New York. Very telling that.

Regardless of whether a majority of rank-and-file Catholics support Donohue, there’s unquestionably a great number who wish all the bad press on the subject would just go away. This includes a number of even DUers. So it’s hard to image he doesn’t have more support among Catholics at least in spirit. The lack of condemnation from mainstream Catholics and the Vatican speaks volumes.

[struggle4progress]

7. "Buy Donohue's 'Best-Forgotten Bloviations' right now and we'll throw in a free case of laxatives!"