A psychologist who treats priests was not surprised by continuing revelations of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. But there was something that surprised him:
“It was a surprise for me to see how many psychopaths I met in the priesthood,” Dr. Leslie Lothstein said. “Glib, callous, could say anything to you and be charming.”
Read A psychologist steeped in treatment of sexually active priests, on nytimes.com.
Link suggested by a Lovefraud reader.
Buttons
Matt, it’s a Men Only Club, of course! Women can’t be ordained, but they sure can “serve,” can’t they? Holy shitballs….
Ox Drover
Well, the papers reported that a lot of the serious beatings in Ireland of the orphans and school kids was carried out by Nuns, and they are not all Mother Theresa that’s for sure!
The apparently high number of people (male or female) in religious “positions” of authority over the flock MYABE being somewhat higher in psychopaths than the “general population” might go along again with the “positions of authority” and status that the psychopaths seem to crave: ceos, lawyers, doctors, police, politics, religious authority etc. and then yo0u have the other spectrum of the “crime bosses,” “gang leaders” etc. so those of us in the middle seem to get squeezed from both ends!
Wini
I’m just shaking my head. If anyone should know what Jesus taught us by reading his letter to us (the Holy Bible) is that we are born into carnal flesh and Jesus came down to earth to teach us how to think, live and then follow through by conducting spiritually. That’s why He tells us to stay HUMBLE. When we humble ourselves and admit we don’t know His wisdom yet, is when we release the ego, keep our minds open to comprehend His TRUTH.
His TRUTH is simple, people make it difficult and therefore, revolt against His wisdom (ego again which means ERASE GOD OUT). What part of His truth didn’t the nuns comprehend? If they got it, they’d be able to relay this truth of Jesus to the carnally lusting men who wear the robes of priests.
one/joy_step_at_a_time
Wini – given the structure of the church, the rigid hierarchy, with nuns very firmly beneath the priests, i do not believe that anything less than a full scale revolt by ALL the nuns would have an affect.
And i beg to delineate the difference between carnal lust and ‘power, control and corruption’.
Wini
one step, power, control and corruption is lusting in the carnal flesh. Jesus gave man marriage to sanction his carnal craving. He knew most would revolt from learning His spiritual teachings … so he gave us that bread crumb that is to be sprinkled in front of them to peck at by the women. Women’s duties are to bring men to follow Jesus.
With that said, I keep coming back to the reasoning why men have this disdain for women over the years …
Peace.
one/joy_step_at_a_time
wini – i delineate between sexual desire, and the lust for power control and corruption. i do not see them as one and the same. i see that i wasn’t clear, and that i am using the term ‘carnal lust’ differently than you are – not suggesting that we hold the same opinion ;), just realized i was not very clear.
i have certainly known many women who think it is their duty to bring men to right thought and action, but have never thought or discussed with anyone that sex within marriage was a small outlet for men’s wickedness; which having been somewhat sated, would make men more amenable to the right action and thought. but as i write this i realize that some of what i have seen between men and women could definitely be ‘broken out’ this way. very interesting.
and very interesting to make this connection about disdain. i don’t know why there is this disdain – what the roots truly are. i can give a lot of opinion – but i do not really know. but i have some ideas on how to stop the social manifestation of it. and one of the most basic things is to not allow ourselves to be treated wrongly, nor allow our sons to act in this way, nor allow our daughters to accept it.
personally, i think it is an individual’s duty to bring themselves to right action and thought; to take that responsibility. to try to do this for another, invariably bites us in the a**.
as ever, you give me something meaty to chew on; thank you. i suspect that in general, our beliefs and views probably couldn’t possibly be further apart, but you are fiery and resolved and i get a great deal from interacting with you.
one step.
silvermoon
I pulled this from the skeptic Dictionary- It spoke loudly to me in that context….
The attractiveness of Wicca may be due to its friendliness towards women, its naturalistic view of sex and its promise of power through magick. It is very popular among women, and it is tempting to say that Wicca is women’s revenge for the centuries of misogyny and “femicide” or “gynicide” practiced by established religions such as Christianity. Wicca, like the Celtic religion, allows women full participation in the practice. Women are equals, if not superiors, of men. Women in Celtic mythology are unusual, to say the least. They are intelligent, powerful warriors, ruthless, sexually aggressive, and leaders of nations.
one/joy_step_at_a_time
Silver –
a book i have had for many years: http://ncronline.org/news/people/art-and-spirituality-name-mother
i have been trying to find the name of a movie i saw in the 80’s about a woman who, a devotee of Mary is cloistered underneath a christian church. She was creating textiles based on Mary, and when the priest tells her her visions are ‘incorrect’, she literally digs her way out from under the church. It moved me greatly when i saw it…and i have never been able to find the title for it.
silvermoon
One, what an absolutely beautiful woman- Meinhead.
She would be someone with who I can imagine it would be a great pleasure to spend an evening dining and talking with.
I am fantasizing today. I am dreaming into the ancient and resident visions of my youth. Looking for what is still there. Why it isn’t here now and what it means to be authentic and live life that way.
I dream about making a beautiful garden filled with healing herbs and making them into teas, tisanes, and tinctures.
I am dreaming about my resturant. I am am dreaming impractically but my view of what and who I wanted to be is so clear and the separation from who and what I became, so different.
It was all about pleasing others it was all about conforming. And it has in the recent episode brought to my attention that in fooling myself, I allowed someone else to hitchhike on that deception for purposes of his own.
The hithikers only interest was in where HE was going. And he was ok with taking a ride at my expense because on his terms it was offered.
I am trying to sidestep the fear of what I have to do to merely survive and how lonely I feel in making the decisions.
It is the blessing and the burden of being in charge of a life.
Shall I continue on the path I walk or stray off in another direction? What really are the options?
I remember Adrienne Rich” Murder, madness, suicide; is there no way out but these?” Somewhere there is.
Beginning with a dream then mixed with energy, prayer, luck and hope.
And more, so much more than these.
This is the dream WE dreamed together.Shall I go one one way alone or proceed another? What is true to myself?
Who am I who is in the image of GOD and the figure of the Godess? At the beginning and the end of life, they are one and I with them.
Why does our experience divide us so far from it?
On these things, I think.
one/joy_step_at_a_time
Silver – i am going t copy your post and reply in depth later; I have a friend coming over for her birthday cookies soon. 😉
i am having a similar conversation with myself. not only in form, but in content.
‘Why does our experience divide us so far from it? ‘ i don’t know that it does…i think our work is to find how to express it here, in this life….it is a finding, and in the experience we have choices – to sin (original meaning (an archery term): to miss the mark) and stay lost or to sin and continue to seek.
xx one step