Trump administration intervenes to help block law requiring priests to report child abuse revealed in confessions

[Airyaman]

Not sure how to feel about this, but I will always lean towards protecting victims and not the perpetrators.

But I get why the Catholic Church is fighting this.

However, Trump should not be involved. At all. No administration should, but least of all this one.

Trump intervenes to help block law requiring priests report child abuse in confession

The Department of Justice had lent its support to Catholic leaders who said the new law would force them to choose between prison and excommunication

www.independent.co.uk

So what do you think, should protection of abusers be allowed in this instance as a "freedom of religion" idea?

 

[Greenbeard]

Not a good moment for the administration to appear weak on protecting children.

 

[Carjosse]

Are we really surprised the Trump administration is pro-pedophile?

 

[KingLeo]

There is NO excuse EVER that anyone protecting the sexual abuse of minors should be tolerated.

 

[uptower]

Pedo presidrnt protecting pedos?

Jesus whatever the pros and cons, the timing couldn't be better...

 

[Individual]

Do Priests confess?

 

[Stealers Wheel]

Not sure how to feel about this, but I will always lean towards protecting victims and not the perpetrators.

But I get why the Catholic Church is fighting this.

However, Trump should not be involved. At all. No administration should, but least of all this one.

Trump intervenes to help block law requiring priests report child abuse in confession

The Department of Justice had lent its support to Catholic leaders who said the new law would force them to choose between prison and excommunication

www.independent.co.uk

View attachment 67580782

So what do you think, should protection of abusers be allowed in this instance as a "freedom of religion" idea?

I believe that anyone who is in a position to report suspected child abuse should be obligated by law to do so. If protecting the confessional means a child will likely continue to be abused, I'll side with protecting the child EVERY TIME.

 

[Grand Mal]

Not sure how to feel about this, but I will always lean towards protecting victims and not the perpetrators.

But I get why the Catholic Church is fighting this.

However, Trump should not be involved. At all. No administration should, but least of all this one.

Trump intervenes to help block law requiring priests report child abuse in confession

The Department of Justice had lent its support to Catholic leaders who said the new law would force them to choose between prison and excommunication

www.independent.co.uk

View attachment 67580782

So what do you think, should protection of abusers be allowed in this instance as a "freedom of religion" idea?

I don't know how much this is about 'freedom of religion'.
The issue, I think, is that the Catholic church believes that confession is necessary for the soul's redemption and is the first step towards rehabilitation. If the sanctity of the confessional is removed, if priests are required to report crimes that are confessed, then crimes will no longer be confessed.

 

[j brown's body]

I have a hard time believing the supreme court would force priests to reveal what they are told in confession. They clearly side with religion over the wellbeing of children.

 

[roberthughey]

Not sure how to feel about this, but I will always lean towards protecting victims and not the perpetrators.

But I get why the Catholic Church is fighting this.

However, Trump should not be involved. At all. No administration should, but least of all this one.

Trump intervenes to help block law requiring priests report child abuse in confession

The Department of Justice had lent its support to Catholic leaders who said the new law would force them to choose between prison and excommunication

www.independent.co.uk

View attachment 67580782

So what do you think, should protection of abusers be allowed in this instance as a "freedom of religion" idea?

The administration supports the church here in this case and should.

The judge made this decision.

There was NO intervention.

 

[Airyaman]

I don't know how much this is about 'freedom of religion'.
The issue, I think, is that the Catholic church believes that confession is necessary for the soul's redemption and is the first step towards rehabilitation. If the sanctity of the confessional is removed, if priests are required to report crimes that are confessed, then crimes will no longer be confessed.

This could very well be true, but that means what? That they escape justice and face eternal damnation?

What a pickle!

 

[OrphanSlug]

Unsure about the intervention part, but this is a matter of the Constitution. We should all be concerned about that.

 

[Risky Thicket]

There has to be a political reason that isn’t obvious.

In addition, with his recent betrayal of MAGAs Trump’s SOP is to flood news sources with batshit crazy ideas to divert attention away from real concerns …like the Epstein files.

Expect more of the same.

 

[ColdHardTruth]

Not sure how to feel about this, but I will always lean towards protecting victims and not the perpetrators.

But I get why the Catholic Church is fighting this.

However, Trump should not be involved. At all. No administration should, but least of all this one.

Trump intervenes to help block law requiring priests report child abuse in confession

The Department of Justice had lent its support to Catholic leaders who said the new law would force them to choose between prison and excommunication

www.independent.co.uk

View attachment 67580782

So what do you think, should protection of abusers be allowed in this instance as a "freedom of religion" idea?

Agreed. Trump has ZERO business being involved in this situation.

This needs to be added to the list of reasons for his pending impeachment.

 

[mrjurrs]

Not sure how to feel about this, but I will always lean towards protecting victims and not the perpetrators.

But I get why the Catholic Church is fighting this.

However, Trump should not be involved. At all. No administration should, but least of all this one.

Trump intervenes to help block law requiring priests report child abuse in confession

The Department of Justice had lent its support to Catholic leaders who said the new law would force them to choose between prison and excommunication

www.independent.co.uk

View attachment 67580782

So what do you think, should protection of abusers be allowed in this instance as a "freedom of religion" idea?

There is a reason wsse use mandated reporters. Religious leaders should be included

 

[ColdHardTruth]

There is a reason wsse use mandated reporters. Religious leaders should be included

In Colorado, they are.

 

[ElChupacabra]

I don't know how much this is about 'freedom of religion'.
The issue, I think, is that the Catholic church believes that confession is necessary for the soul's redemption and is the first step towards rehabilitation. If the sanctity of the confessional is removed, if priests are required to report crimes that are confessed, then crimes will no longer be confessed.

This.

 

[Cosmo]

I don't have a problem with priests being subject to subpoena like everyone else, including things said during confessions. But this seems to go further, forcing people to be informers in general.

 

[Lursa]

I don't know how much this is about 'freedom of religion'.
The issue, I think, is that the Catholic church believes that confession is necessary for the soul's redemption and is the first step towards rehabilitation. If the sanctity of the confessional is removed, if priests are required to report crimes that are confessed, then crimes will no longer be confessed.

Correct IMO, but psychiatrists and therapists have the same dilemma re: reporting statements when they hear of crimes or seriously fear harm.

We hear it all the time related to trying to end violence by the mentally ill by better documentation, standards, and reporting...and then also recognizing that it means fewer mentally ill people will get treatment because of the stigma.

So also IMO...since when does the 1A have to supersede the 4th? For the mental health professionals, they do have an obligation to report certain things AND probable cause applies to them to produce evidence/statements. We dont allow the exercise of Sharia law for honor killings either, right?

 

[Lursa]

In Colorado, they are.

So WA St isnt the first state to do this? Was it challenged in CO?

 

[ColdHardTruth]

So WA St isnt the first state to do this? Was it challenged in CO?

Not that I can recall.

Here is the law itself.

C.R.S. 19-3-304 – Persons required to report child abuse or neglect

Except as otherwise provided by section 19-3-307, section 25-1-122 (4)(d), C.R.S., and paragraph (b) of this subsection (1), any person specified in…

colorado.public.law

 

[MAGAnificent]

Not sure how to feel about this, but I will always lean towards protecting victims and not the perpetrators.

But I get why the Catholic Church is fighting this.

However, Trump should not be involved. At all. No administration should, but least of all this one.

Trump intervenes to help block law requiring priests report child abuse in confession

The Department of Justice had lent its support to Catholic leaders who said the new law would force them to choose between prison and excommunication

www.independent.co.uk

View attachment 67580782

So what do you think, should protection of abusers be allowed in this instance as a "freedom of religion" idea?

Maybe I missed it, however I did not see anything in the article suggesting that Trump personally intervened.

 

[Grand Mal]

Correct IMO, but psychiatrists and therapists have the same dilemma re: reporting statements when they hear of crimes or seriously fear harm.

We hear it all the time related to trying to end violence by the mentally ill by better documentation, standards, and reporting...and then also recognizing that it means fewer mentally ill people will get treatment because of the stigma.

So also IMO...since when does the 1A have to supersede the 4th? For the mental health professionals, they do have an obligation to report certain things AND probable cause applies to them to produce evidence/statements. We dont allow the exercise of Sharia law for honor killings either, right?

No, we don't allow religious justification for breaking laws and that probably prevents the laws being broken.
I don't care much about the sanctity of the confessional, I just don't see the point in requiring priests to report confessed-to crimes. Besides other considerations, I can see priests ignoring the requirement. Given having to chose between the consequences to them of ignoring a secular law and the consequences of ignoring the Vatican requirements of the priesthood, meaning what God expects of them, I think I can guess how they'll chose.

 

[Lursa]

No, we don't allow religious justification for breaking laws and that probably prevents the laws being broken.
I don't care much about the sanctity of the confessional, I just don't see the point in requiring priests to report confessed-to crimes. Besides other considerations, I can see priests ignoring the requirement. Given having to chose between the consequences to them of ignoring a secular law and the consequences of ignoring the Vatican requirements of the priesthood, meaning what God expects of them, I think I can guess how they'll chose.

I do see them ignoring it. I sure as heck see requiring it anyway to protect kids esp. And also to go after clergy that dont report it.

Such ignorance (their consequences) in the manufactured dogma of Catholicism in the name of the Lord sickens me as a Christian.

 

[Grand Mal]

I do see them ignoring it. I sure as heck see requiring it anyway to protect kids esp. And also to go after clergy that dont report it.

What about wife-beating? Should priests be required to report when a parishioner confesses to wife-beating?

Such ignorance (their consequences) in the manufactured dogma of Catholicism in the name of the Lord sickens me as a Christian.

If a law required you to do something you consider morally repugnant and against your religion, would you obey it?