Friday, December 08, 2006
Bishops
These days the only type of Bishop I will listen to about moral issues are members of my own family. I see though that the Catholic Bishops have issued their statement of concern about the issues around the age of consent. Once again they use the language of shame and fear when speaking about issues of sexuality and refuse to move on in any way from their dated and damaging beliefs. Saying things like young people need to be protected from themselves is such negative language and only serves to remind me of how their demeaning way of inflicting rules about sexuality in the past has helped to create unbelievable amounts of sexual dysfunction. They also reminded us of their belief that sex before marriage is considered wrong in their eyes. Now you can say what you want about what age you think a person is ready to have sex. I think that is a moral discussion worth debating. However I think in a large crowd in 2006 their will be very few people who will believe in waiting till they are married to have a sexual experience. Their opinions on this issue are dated. When you accompany these beliefs with their stubborn stance on issues like the use of condoms in Africa you wonder why more people on the Radio today did not decide to finally dismiss outright anything the church has to say on the issue.
I have not even discussed the most obvious issue in relation to this matter. That of course being the Church's record of hiding the very predatory behaviour that brought about the reason for this discussion in the first place. In fact we all know that it was Irish Bishops that were very much involved in the cover up that kept instituional abuse going well into my own time in Ireland. Being a student in Ferns helps you to know about the issue. In fact Bishop Comiskey was the Bishop in my time in St. Peters and was quiet about my own principal whose behaviour was most definitely known to members of the clergy. As I have often said that Principal eventually went to jail but the chuch in my eyes has never properly acted in a way that warrants me to give them any moral authority again.
People might consider this to be reactionary. But I consider the total dismissal of the church's ideas on the issue to be absolutely vital if we are to find a new set of moral beliefs. Lets face it, who knows what to believe anymore. So much of so many peoples beliefs come from some religous source. I know to a certain extent that mine do. In listening to the radio today one thing seemed to be unanimous, that was the need to find out what we think is acceptable as a society in relation to certain issues including sex. That is one of the great things about the age of consent issue. We are all talking about it. But one thing I am not hearing at all is the voice of young people in all this. Thats why I hate when I hear things like young people need to be protected from themselves. It is so important therefore that we completely break free from the baggage of religous morality on the issue and believe it to be our own. Then we can own it and it is much easier to act and believe on it then
All day I heard adults talking about what was acceptable when they were young. But the thing is that they are not young now. Who has decided that 16 is in fact too young. It very well may be. But it is not too young just because you were 19. TImes have changed and young people have come to terms with the issue of sexuality free from alot of the jargon that previous generations have grown up with. So we need to know what they feel. If we are indeed in a moral transition period it is time to get some concensus. But is not only going to come by adults making all the decisions. They can only be part of the process. The church says the politicians should make the decisions. But we know from their behaviour in relation to corruption that they can also not be 100 percent trusted.
It is up to all of us to try to remain open minded on the issue and not just force our own experiences on everyone else. Experience is invaluable no doubt but for the record I was younger than 16 and I can gladly say that I have not regrets whatsoever. So who can say that one age is too young. Education is key so that when people do make that decision they behave responsibly and without shame.
Final Thought!
The church says it is a sacred act. Even that could be bullshit. Discuss?
Des
These days the only type of Bishop I will listen to about moral issues are members of my own family. I see though that the Catholic Bishops have issued their statement of concern about the issues around the age of consent. Once again they use the language of shame and fear when speaking about issues of sexuality and refuse to move on in any way from their dated and damaging beliefs. Saying things like young people need to be protected from themselves is such negative language and only serves to remind me of how their demeaning way of inflicting rules about sexuality in the past has helped to create unbelievable amounts of sexual dysfunction. They also reminded us of their belief that sex before marriage is considered wrong in their eyes. Now you can say what you want about what age you think a person is ready to have sex. I think that is a moral discussion worth debating. However I think in a large crowd in 2006 their will be very few people who will believe in waiting till they are married to have a sexual experience. Their opinions on this issue are dated. When you accompany these beliefs with their stubborn stance on issues like the use of condoms in Africa you wonder why more people on the Radio today did not decide to finally dismiss outright anything the church has to say on the issue.
I have not even discussed the most obvious issue in relation to this matter. That of course being the Church's record of hiding the very predatory behaviour that brought about the reason for this discussion in the first place. In fact we all know that it was Irish Bishops that were very much involved in the cover up that kept instituional abuse going well into my own time in Ireland. Being a student in Ferns helps you to know about the issue. In fact Bishop Comiskey was the Bishop in my time in St. Peters and was quiet about my own principal whose behaviour was most definitely known to members of the clergy. As I have often said that Principal eventually went to jail but the chuch in my eyes has never properly acted in a way that warrants me to give them any moral authority again.
People might consider this to be reactionary. But I consider the total dismissal of the church's ideas on the issue to be absolutely vital if we are to find a new set of moral beliefs. Lets face it, who knows what to believe anymore. So much of so many peoples beliefs come from some religous source. I know to a certain extent that mine do. In listening to the radio today one thing seemed to be unanimous, that was the need to find out what we think is acceptable as a society in relation to certain issues including sex. That is one of the great things about the age of consent issue. We are all talking about it. But one thing I am not hearing at all is the voice of young people in all this. Thats why I hate when I hear things like young people need to be protected from themselves. It is so important therefore that we completely break free from the baggage of religous morality on the issue and believe it to be our own. Then we can own it and it is much easier to act and believe on it then
All day I heard adults talking about what was acceptable when they were young. But the thing is that they are not young now. Who has decided that 16 is in fact too young. It very well may be. But it is not too young just because you were 19. TImes have changed and young people have come to terms with the issue of sexuality free from alot of the jargon that previous generations have grown up with. So we need to know what they feel. If we are indeed in a moral transition period it is time to get some concensus. But is not only going to come by adults making all the decisions. They can only be part of the process. The church says the politicians should make the decisions. But we know from their behaviour in relation to corruption that they can also not be 100 percent trusted.
It is up to all of us to try to remain open minded on the issue and not just force our own experiences on everyone else. Experience is invaluable no doubt but for the record I was younger than 16 and I can gladly say that I have not regrets whatsoever. So who can say that one age is too young. Education is key so that when people do make that decision they behave responsibly and without shame.
Final Thought!
The church says it is a sacred act. Even that could be bullshit. Discuss?
Des
Comments:
Its true young people do need to be included in the discussion. They need to be consulted and included after all its their generation and we need to know what kind of presures they are facing, not just jugde theirs on what we have gone through in the past. The world is to fast a changing place for us to make this assumption. The very nature of young people is discovery and I really doubt a majority will be confined by an Institution like Religon to make their jugdement. Its just a pity Religon cant move with the times to give young people boundaries they can believe in and that respect their presures.
Its true young people do need to be included in the discussion. They need to be consulted and included after all its their generation and we need to know what kind of presures they are facing, not just jugde theirs on what we have gone through in the past. The world is to fast a changing place for us to make this assumption. The very nature of young people is discovery and I really doubt a majority will be confined by an Institution like Religon to make their jugdement. Its just a pity Religon cant move with the times to give young people boundaries they can believe in and that respect their presures
Funny how a plastic paddy can comment on the the Irish way of life. Not all of the church is bad and you can't paint all with the same brush.
question ?, if the church is to change its viewpoint then does this mean that it should rewrite the word of god, the word that has been with us for over 2,000 years, i know most of what we as roman catholics understand as the word of jesus is infact the word of paul, it has however served manknind for 2,000 years, i personally may not agree with it, but i do understand that for the church to move in to the 21st century it would mean dismissing most of its teachings, this would not be acceptable to catholics the world over and would result in the end of the church, a church we may not competley agree with but none the less a church we turn to when we are in trouble. I have known priests who will end their days in hell, I have also known priests that were and will always be in my eyes saints, these same saint all had one thing in common, they followed the teachings of the church, the word of god, while i can see where you are coming from des i do not know enough about the teachings to challange the church as you choose to, the one thing i do know is that long long after i have left this earth, the church will still be there
hey i just wanna say i am a HUGE fan of yours!!! and i really agree with what you are saying, the age of consent is primarily based on the well beeing of todays youth, and they should have a part in the decision! i'm 14 years old in my opinion i'm not old enough for sex but i know that lots of my peers have been there done that bought the t-shirt! and i've talked to them about it and for most of them it was a drunken regret! so i think underage drinking is more of a concern than age of consent, because no matter what age you are once you've gotten a couple of wkd's or bacardi breezers into ya you'll shag anything, so maybe irish government should be taking a little bit more action and giving a little few more concequences, because changing the age of consent isn't goin to change change the reson for under age sex!! aaah well thats my opinion. i'd like to see responses! wb x x
oh em if ya wanna respond to me my hotmail is tayla61@hotmail.com and my myspace is www.myspace.com/taylab or get me on my bebo http://pinkalicious-baby.bebo.com please do respond i'm interested i'm a first timer at this whole blogging thing ha!
Des, I totally agree with you. The churches opinions on the issues of sexuality, contraception etc are totally dated and need to be change ASAP if the Catholic church is going to survive in this country. If the opinions don't change, 'youngsters' like myself are going to become frustrated and abandon the church completely. I do think that Religion should play a part in young people lives but it can't if the church continues to have these opinions of us.. Anyone agree??
Here's a sort of open letter to Sean Brady in response to his remarks about the age of consent.
http://bocktherobber.blogspot.com/2006/12/sen-can-i-call-you-that.html
By the way, maybe it takes a plastic paddy to see past all the home-grown nonsense.
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http://bocktherobber.blogspot.com/2006/12/sen-can-i-call-you-that.html
By the way, maybe it takes a plastic paddy to see past all the home-grown nonsense.
