for someone who clocked out.

what I post. I'm just exercising a little more caution as I write. I'm still here, being a thorn in the sides of some.

However, sexual abuse is highly prevalent throughout history within the human race. It makes me wonder if the extreme views expressed in the Gospel According to Matthew reflects that understanding and a desire to motivate us to treat each other with respect. Just my 2 cents

Because the promise of celibacy is likely to attract homosexuals and abusers too, when homosexuality is considered as much or more of a problem than abuse. I suspect many of them went to the church to hide, or to hope celibacy will cure their sinful desires. Well of course it doesn't cure them, instead they find other men hiding from their own desires.

But now they can quietly live the lives they want. The church protects them and their secrets under a veneer if holiness. But gives safe haven for abusers too, who have their own secrets. It gives abusers power and access to children. And when everyone knows everyone else's secret, it's in all their interests to keep it quiet.

This is why, I think, the Church is ramping up attacks on homosexuals. They know they have many of them. If they make homosexuals the issue, they can ignore the abusers. Paradoxically treating consensual sex as a bigger problem than child abuse.

The Church needs to change it's whole repressive attitude towards sex. I don't know how bunch of old men with "sinful" secrets are going to do that. Probably not very well at all.

I have long been interested in how often those whose strong outward manifestation of values or beliefs include being severely judgmental toward others seem to be covering or trying to compensate for their inability to live up to their own standards. In addition to the RC church I think of Haggard, Swaggert, and the Bakers.

In another vein, I see similar behavior among Americans who believe they achieved everything in life on their own, without thinking about the benefits of this country. Our President is a pretty good example.

It can seem like a life without it might be easier. I think that is often a factor for those who adopt the life of a religious. However, it does not just go away. As a powerful biological imperative, it's almost impossible to ignore. That creates conflict.

Some people become incels. Others become priests and nuns. Sadly, the issue does not go away, which can lead to strange and anti-social behavior. Not for everyone, of course, but for some.