Archive for juni 2011
Marine Le Pen compare le mariage homosexuel à la «polygamie» [avec video] [France]
La présidente du Front national, Marine Le Pen, a exprimé mardi son opposition au mariage homosexuel, estimant qu’on pouvait aussi se demander “pourquoi pas la polygamie!”
Parmi “les règles de notre société”, “le mariage s’effectue entre un homme et une femme”, a déclaré Mme Le Pen sur France Inter.
“Je ne pense pas qu’il soit positif de changer cette règle, parce que si on part de ce principe, on peut aller à la limite très loin dans la modification de notre civilisation”, a-t-elle jugé.
“Pourquoi pas l’autorisation de la polygamie!”, a-t-elle poursuivi. “Il existe des familles polygames, pourquoi est-ce que demain un certain nombre de groupes politico-religieux ne demanderaient pas que la polygamie, sous prétexte d’égalité des droits, soit inscrite dans le code civil français?”, a-t-elle ajouté. “Et bien, c’est une autre civilisation”, a-t-elle estimé.
Male domination in Church “a question of power” [Switzerland]
by Eveline Kobler
The insistence of the Roman Catholic Church that priests have to be male reflects the power of men and not Christian theology, says Swiss theologian Doris Strahm.
Strahm is co-author of a recent study into women in leadership roles in the Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths.
We may all be equal before God, but the study by the Inter-religious Think-Tank shows that this is not the case in certain religious communities.
The study looks at three branches of Judaism, the Protestant and Roman Catholic churches and the Islamic community in Switzerland. In liberal Jewish communities and in the Protestant church, women can hold leading clerical roles.
swissinfo.ch: The study shows that many women work for the Catholic Church but they are not allowed to serve as priests. Why?
Doris Strahm: The Catholic Church justifies this on the grounds that Jesus only called men as his apostles and on Catholic tradition. But this is an untenable argument, as Jesus was a Jew and he did not found a church. The office of priest only goes back to the fifth century.
Even the papal Bible commission, when it debated this issue in 1976, came to the conclusion that the Bible could not be understood to exempt women from the office of priest.
Until the 1980s the ban on women’s ordination was justified by reference to the sacramental character of the office of priest: the priest in his priestly functions represented Christ, who was a man, and therefore the priest had to be male.
swissinfo.ch: What criteria still apply – apart from gender?
D.S.: There are no other special criteria apart from gender. The priests have the same theological training as women theologians.
The fact that the male sex is so important is, in my view, to do with the patriarchal nature of our culture and in particular of Christian theology, with its male images of God as father, lord, creator, judge and a redeemer who was a man.
The man was seen as the standard form of humankind and as the image of God and there was the idea that woman was subservient to man as a created being – these things helped consolidate the view that men are closer than women to God. The church leaders, who have the last word, seem to see it still in the same way. It’s simply a question of power.
(…)
swissinfo.ch: Do you think there is a chance that the Roman Catholic Church will move in the direction of equality?
D.S.: I don’t see this development coming from above, from the official Church. If anything does change, it will come from below. The local churches need the courage to go in new directions and to break through the centralised structures.
Numbers tell a terrible story [United States / Australia]
Dick Gross
After a five-year wait, the second report of the academic institution examining the allegations of sex abuse against US priests has just surfaced, giving a more nuanced view of Rome’s shame.
In 2004, the first report of John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York was released, verifying some shocking allegations of child abuse in the American Catholic Church. Here was some seemingly independent research on the nature and extent of the complaints that changed the world’s perceptions of the abuse phenomenon and cover-up.
And, because the John Jay report was the first objective study, its numbers became holy writ. In short these were as follows: a total of 10,667 individuals had made allegations of abuse, 6700 accusations were upheld against 4392 priests in the US, about 4 per cent of all 109,694 priests who served between 1950 and 2002 – a heinous overrepresentation when compared with the general community.
Since then, victims’ groups have attacked the data saying that it relied upon the Church providing information. Moreover, victims’ groups complain that as the Church paid for the John Jay research, it cannot be trusted. The site is a mine of information and provides different data. Put simply, it is argued that if the figures were not reliant on Church reports, then the John Jay numbers could be multiplied by a factor of two. In April of this year, the numbers of ”not implausibly” accused priests based upon Church provided data were 5948 priests and involved 15,736 victims.
Last month, the second report looked at the context in which the abuse arose. In short it showed that the abuse peaked from 1965 to 1985 and since that time has declined. Indeed in recent times it has slowed to a trickle. The suppression of allegation has ceased. In short, the crisis is over . . . or is it?
Whatever the arguments over the data, this priestly sexual probing has had incalculable implication for all of those interested in the nature and consequences of belief. I will address several issues:
Is this a theodicy issue undermining faith?
What does this tell us about godliness and goodness?
What do we make of the priests who are left?
(…)
The question that is still open to debate is the causal factors. The second John Jay report argues that predictable factors were at play here. The organisational factors include the overzealousness of bishops protecting the brand, the role of forgiveness and concern for the perpetrator over the victim by way of speedy reassignment to another parish.
The psychology of the offenders is interesting. Offenders were not gay or even paedophiles. Critics of Catholicism naturally assume that it is celibacy at fault here.
The logic is that sexual repression leads to weird outcomes. But the report is a bit half-pregnant on this issue. It says offenders were a pack of sad bastards ”with little or no exposure to a curriculum of what is now understood as ‘human formation’; the training in self-understanding and the development of emotional and psychological competence for a life of celibate chastity”, which is a partial exoneration of celibacy. However, they wouldn’t need the training if they weren’t celibate. Is it the training for celibacy or celibacy per se that is the problem? But then later the report argues that offenders had poor social bonds and negative views on sex, which would be produced by the very ideological milieu that defends celibacy and all those other crazy sexual and contraceptive ideas of Catholicism. I believe the report is yet another opportunity to converse on the evils of celibacy rather than a definitive repudiation.
And so people will want to ”move on”. The crisis is under control. Benedict has apologised. It’s all good.
“Sex ist Vorläufer des Paradieses” [Deutschland]
Von Stefan Beig
Die deutsch-kurdische Feministin und Buchautorin Seyran Ates fordert heute eine sexuelle Revolution im Islam
Seyran Ates meint, der Islam bewerte Sexualität ursprünglich positiv.
Wegen ihres Buches “Der Islam braucht eine sexuelle Revolution” gab es Morddrohungen.
“Wiener Zeitung”: Ihr Buch geht häufig auf die islamischen Länder ein. Betrifft das Thema des Buchs auch die Muslime in Europa?
Seyran Ates: Das Thema betrifft Muslime in der ganzen Welt. Es geht um eine sexuelle Revolution, wie sie Christentum und Judentum durch die 68er und die Frauenbewegung erlebt haben. Die heutige Gesellschaft ist unter anderem auf diesen Veränderungen aufgebaut.
Den Begriff “sexuelle Revolution” hat der Psychoanalytiker Wilhelm Reich (1897 bis 1957) geprägt. Zu ihm kamen Menschen, die nur geheiratet hatten, um Sexualität zu praktizieren. Das gibt es heute auch bei Muslimen, die sich schnell scheiden lassen.
Sie verstehen die “sexuelle Revolution” im Sinne Wilhelm Reichs?
Wie Reich geht es auch mir nicht nur um den Geschlechtsakt, sondern um ein selbstbestimmtes Leben. Die sexuelle Revolution ist eine politische Bewegung, die auch das betrifft, was Religion von Menschen verlangt. Wie Christen und Juden fragen sich heute Muslime: Was darf mir der Imam aufzwingen? Ist mein Leben mit meiner Religion vereinbar? Kann ich vorehelichen Geschlechtsverkehr haben oder Homosexualität praktizieren und dennoch gläubig sein? Das sollen die Muslime selbst entscheiden.
Außerehelicher Geschlechtsverkehr und gelebte Homosexualität sind auch in den anderen monotheistischen Religionen verboten.
Ich werde nicht müde, alle drei monotheistischen Religionen zu bemühen. Aber innerhalb der beiden anderen Religionen hat es eine progressive Bewegung gegeben. Die Menschen dort wollen ihre Religion zeitgemäß leben, ohne sich von ihr zu verabschieden.
(…)
Wie stehen Sie zur Polygamie?
Sie ist nicht zeitgemäß. Frauen müssen gleichbehandelt werden. Die Gleichwertigkeit vor Gott reicht nicht. Ich kann sie auch als Juristin nicht akzeptieren – wegen der Rechte der Ehefrauen und der Machtstellung des Mannes.
Buiten de deur scharrelen lijkt bij zebravinkjes genetisch bepaald [Duitsland]
Door: Nadine Böke
Voor mannelijke dieren is het logisch dat ze met zo veel mogelijk vrouwtjes willen paren: zo krijgen ze meer nakomelingen. Maar wat schieten vrouwelijke dieren ermee op om, naast met hun vaste partner, ook met andere partners te rommelen?
’Rabbi used mystical threats to force girl to have sex’ [Israel]
By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Netanya Rabbi David Ben-Haham Hafuta charged with forcing a 13-year-old girl into having sex with him by exploiting his authority.
A 64-year-old community rabbi from Netanya was charged on Monday at the Petah Tikva District Court with forcing a 13-year-old girl into having sex with him by exploiting his authority and using “mystical threats” to intimidate her.
The defendant, named as Rabbi David Ben-Haham Hafuta, was arrested on May 30, and is charged with carrying out sexual acts on three occasions with the girl, after telling her that she had to “repair her sins” and that she would be “the mother of the messiah.”
“The defendant used sayings and threats which were apparently based on mystical foundations in order to intimidate and enchant the minor, and convince her to hold sexual relations with her,” said the charge sheet.
The girl was interviewed by a child investigator and found to be credible, state prosecutors said.
Jason Berry: Author and Expert on Catholic Sex Abuse Scandal in St. Louis Tuesday [United States]
By Chad Garrison
Perhaps no other journalist in the world has devoted as much time or penned as many words covering the Catholic Church and its sex abuse scandals as Jason Berry.
The New Orleans’ journalist has written three books on the subject with his latest (released just last week) Render Unto Rome detailing how the church spends its fortunes and what amount of that money eventually makes its way to the victims of sexual abuse.
His 2004 book Vows of Silence (co-authored with Gerald Renner) chronicled the church’s cover-up of the sex abuse scandals and was later made into a movie. Before that, Berry’s 1992 book Lead Us Not Into Temptation, was one of the first works to report about the sexual abuse of children at the hands of Catholic priests.
Berry will be in St. Louis tomorrow (Tuesday) for a reading at the Schlafly Tap Room from 7 to 9:30 p.m. The reading is being hosted by The Faithful of Southern Illinois (FOSIL), Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) and the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP). Books will be available for purchase and signing through Left Bank Books.
In an interview Sunday with the Toledo Blade, Berry — a practicing Catholic — states: “I am severely disappointed and still shocked by the incompetence and corruption in the government of the church. But I don’t want bishops, some of whom act like moral thugs, to drive me out of the place where I practice my faith. And I think a lot of Catholics feel that way.”
Priests to stress the celibate life [India]
Priests working in the east of the country have decided to formulate “healthy boundaries” so that they can lead a meaningful celibate life.
About 35 priests from 20 dioceses in Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal reflected on a workshop entitled Response to Priestly Challenges Today with Reference to Celibate Life.
The June 7-10 workshop in Barasat, near Kolkata, suggested each diocese and region draw guidelines for priests.
The the Latin rite’s bishops’ conference is organizing similar workshops all over India.
Father G Arulraj, executive secretary of the conference’s commission for family, said the workshops aim to educate priests on cases of sexual abuse and pedophilia among the clergy that have been reported worldwide.
Father Johnny Nedungatt, the workshop organizer, noted that priests in parishes and schools interact with vulnerable people and there were cases of “boundary violations” with regard to sexual behavior.
“Priests have the primary responsibility to keep within boundaries even if the other person tries to seduce him,” the Salesian priest said citing various cases.
Father Nedungatt, who has counseled priests and nuns for the past 20 years, asked participants to view their celibacy as God’s gift and that they should use it to serve those in their care.
Gay: Born this way? [United States]
The debate about what makes people gay has been raging for decades. Now scientists aim to settle it for good, says Jeremy Laurance
“Sexual orientation is not a matter of choice, it is primarily neurobiological at birth.” So said Jerome Goldstein, director of the San Francisco Clinical Research Centre, addressing 3,000 neurologists from around the world at the 21st meeting of the European Neurological Society (ENS) in Lisbon last month.
In doing so he was attempting to settle a debate that has raged for decades: are gays born or made? It is a puzzle because homosexuality poses a biological conundrum. There is no obvious evolutionary advantage to same-sex relationships. So why are some people attracted to others of the same sex? Sexual attraction provides the drive to reproduction – sex is a means to an end not, in Darwinian terms, an end in itself. From an evolutionary perspective, same-sex relationships should be selected out.
Despite this, they are common in the animal kingdom. Birds do it, bees probably do it and fleas may do it, too. Among the many examples are penguins, who have been known to form lifelong same-sex bonds, dolphins and bonobos, which are fully bisexual apes. Various explanations have been advanced for the evolutionary advantage that such relationships might confer. For example, female Laysan albatrosses form same-sex pairs, which are more successful at rearing chicks than single females. Homosexuality may also help social bonding or ease conflict among males where there is a shortage of females. Gay couples will not preserve their own genes but they may help preserve those of the group to which they belong.
The existence of homosexuality in the animal kingdom has been cited to demonstrate that it is not a sin against nature. The American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its list of recognised mental disorders almost 40 years ago in 1973 and the World Health Organisation followed suit in 1992. The UK Royal College of Psychiatrists does not produce its own list of disorders but tends to follow the WHO.
Liberal U.S. Catholics say Church not listening [United States]
By Scott Malone
(Reuters) – Members of a liberal group of U.S. Catholics called on Sunday on Church leaders to open talks with their members on controversies ranging from the ordination of women to allowing priests to marry.
Members of the American Catholic Council, meeting in Detroit, said they had grown concerned that the Church hierarchy was not listening to its members on issues such as the role of women, married clergy and the treatment of homosexuals.
The meeting comes as the Roman Catholic Church in the United States is struggling with a sexual abuse crisis, loss of membership and a dwindling number of priests.
“When in God’s name are the conversations going to begin?” asked Joan Chittister, a Benedictine nun who addressed the meeting of about 2,000 people — part of a liberal wing that represents a minority in the 1.2 billion-member Church.
She likened the structure, with bishops and archbishops answering to the pope in Rome, to “a medieval system that has now been abandoned by humanity everywhere, except by us.”
Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron had warned before the meeting that any members of the clergy who attended the group’s mass would be at risk of being defrocked.
“All of the invited keynote speakers have manifested dissent from Catholic teachings or support for dissenters,” the archdiocese said in a posting on its website.
Robert Wurm, a retired priest from Ferndale, Michigan, who officiated at the closing mass, said he was not worried the archbishop would take action against him.
“He was careful about that. He said they could be defrocked, not that they would,” Wurm told reporters.
Under Church law, an archbishop has authority over all masses held in his area. A spokesman for the archdiocese declined further comment.
Zie ook:
- Archbishop blasts Ferndale priest’s leading of liberal Mass; orders review of his actions [US; Detroit Free Press] http://alturl.com/zqrks
- Mass for liberal believers angers archbishop / BY NIRAJ WARIKOO [US; Detroit Free Press; #liberalcatholics] http://alturl.com/fbe4x
- Archdiocese to review Mass at progressive Catholic conference at Cobo [US; The Detroit News; #liberalcatholics] http://alturl.com/43jaq
Polyamorie 