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 Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, left, greets Pope Francis during a March meeting at the Vatican gardens.
September 24th, 2013
02:05 PM ET
Ex-pope breaks silence, denies cover upBy Daniel Burke, CNN Belief Blog Co-editor [twitter-follow screen_name='BurkeCNN'] (CNN) - Retired Pope Benedict XVI says he never tried to cover up the sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests, breaking his post-retirement silence to address one of the greatest threats to his legacy as a church leader. In a lengthy letter published in La Repubblica, an Italian newspaper, the former pope answered theological and moral arguments from Piergiorgio Odifreddi, an Italian atheist and mathematician who had written about Benedict in 2011. Earlier this month, La Repubblica also published a letter to its atheist editor from Pope Francis, Benedict's successor. Since his retirement on February 28, Benedict has mostly stayed out of the public eye, living in a converted monastery behind St. Peter's Basilica and keeping his promise to steer clear - at least publicly - of church business. Benedict's new letter, coming on the heels of Francis' blockbuster interview published last week, makes for a remarkable week for papal communication. Most modern popes have been fairly inaccessible - to the media, at least. MORE ON CNN: Pope Francis: Church can't 'interfere' with gays In Benedict's letter, published Tuesday, the former pope said: "As far as you mentioning the moral abuse of minors by priests, I can only, as you know, acknowledge it with profound consternation. But I never tried to cover up these things." Benedict, who now has the title "pope emeritus," also said that even though sociologists have determined that the percentage of priests accused of abusing minors is not markedly higher than other professions, that's "not reassuring" for the church. Critics answer that it's the not just the crimes but the coverups that made the church's response to sexual abuse so scandalous. "Over a clerical career that lasted more than six decades, we can’t think of a single child-molesting bishop, priest, nun, brother or seminarian that Benedict ever exposed," said Barbara Dorris of the U.S.-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. Before he was elected pope, Benedict, formerly known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which assumed responsibility for handling priest abuse cases late in his career. As pope, he issued revised guidelines in 2010 making it easier to remove abusive priests from the ministry, apologized for the "shame" the scandal brought on the church and met with victims, including in the United States in 2008. Critics like SNAP dismissed those moves as too little, too late. In the United States alone, nearly 17,000 people have come forward with abuse claims, and the church has paid $2.6 billion in settlements, therapy bills, lawyers' fees and expenses related to removing priests from the ministry, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. MORE ON CNN: Can Pope Francis make his vision a reality? In Tuesday's letter, and on past occasions, Benedict has decried the "filth" of sexual abuse in the church. But, the emeritus pope said, it is not "specific to Catholicism." He also chided Odifreddi for neglecting the good the church has done. "If you do not remain silent about evil in the Church, we must not, however, be silenced even by the great shining path of goodness and purity, which Christian faith has traced through the centuries," Benedict said. Pope Francis said in April, in one of his first statements as pope, that the church must take "decisive action" regarding cases of child sexual abuse and protecting children.
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  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Made
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
The moon is not a "light".
And you're not too bright either.
nutty thinks she's so clever with her stoopid comments
Murdoch does every male look like a "She" to you?
nut cases make nutty comments
It was so bright in the middle of the night this weekend?
Try to stay away from drugs.
It's a mirror reflecting the light of the sun.
the moon is not a light, but its definitely a mirror......nerrrrrp
actually it is. It's just not a direct source of light. nerrrrrp
For goodness sake, Robert, haven't you opened a freaking science book in like...ever?
Godless Vagabond
Robert Brown, you are becoming as irritating as some of the spammers on this blog.
Set
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
God creates light and separates light from darkness, and day from night, on the first day. Yet he didn't make the light producing objects (the sun and the stars) until the fourth day (1:14-19). And how could there be "the evening and the morning" on the first day if there was no sun to mark them?
Godless Vagabond
Don't confuse him with facts.
Lambert T. Dolphin, a physicist, in his article entitled “Notes on Genesis Chapter One,” on his website Ldolphin.org, provides a more plausible explanation, although it is somewhat difficult to comprehend. Dolphin states,
I believe the command “Let there be light” resulted in the creation of energy in the form of photons of all possible energy levels. . . . [I]t is reasonable that God’s raw material for the subsequent stages of construction of the universe consisted of atomic elements as building blocks, as well as a reservoir of universal energy which would be modified and placed, for example, into the sun and stars on Day Four.
[I]n some way we probably can not now grasp or adequately describe, light and darkness were divided on Day One by some kind of barrier.
http://www.armoursanswers.com/How%20Could%20Light%20Exist%20Without%20Sun%20and%20Stars.htm
HAHAHA... Dolphin is a christian apologist quack... using him as a reference to anything scientific would be like citing Dr. Seuss for astrophysics...
Isn't there an evening and a morning at the poles?
Yes – though only if you extend the concept of morning and evening to the near breaking-point. Regardless – the account of Genisis only makes sense from a pre-scientific understanding of the world (esp when you compare the 2 accounts against each other).
OT was not a single tome written by Moses. It was an amalgom of tribal history/myth when the tribes of southern Caanan joined to form the Hebrews.
blessed
And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
"She shall bring a lamb ... for a burnt offering, and... a young pigeon, or dove, for a sin offering."
After a woman gives birth, a priest must kill a lamb, pigeon, or dove as a sin offering. This is because having children is sinful and God likes it when things are killed for him. 12:6
And then god took back dominion and drowned evrything except for a small group of his favorites, because the whole world was "wicked", so god threw a fit and killed EVERYTHING.
"Replenish"? That's an odd phrase. How do you replenish an empty world unless it was previously populated?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=PSKJrgGqx_E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AS6rQtiEh8
Can you imagine being married to that?
that Wendy doesn't get out much..
so Obvi
One tiny hole that is; zero
Large porous spaces
Edges
Grass and critters. Critters crawling by; Crawling
Tiny little holes; giant tiny holes
One narrative of all perception; the position doesn’t change
You are right there
Hodo you know when it's time to go to bed at the popes house? The big hand touches the little hand 🙂 he he he
. Approximately half of all Americans say they have six at least once a week.
. Men have 16 percent more six than women do.
. Jews and agnostics are 20 percent more sixually active than Catholics and Protestants.
. People with Associate in Arts degrees have 32 percent more six than people with advanced college degrees and people who did not finish high school.
. Miami residents are 59 percent more sixually active than residents of Minneapolis-St. Paul.
. Smokers are 10 percent more sixually active than nonsmokers.
. People who rarely go to church have 31 percent more six than people who regularly go to church.
. People with a strong preference for jazz are 30 percent more sixually active than the average American.
. Artists and poets have as many as 233 percent more sixual partners than people who aren't artists or poets.
What about the atheists?
They seldom 'do it', they are busy on these blogs!
Atheists are the most $exualy active group of all, back hole, front, hole, middle hole and holes in the wall suits them as well. Everything that walks on two or four feet is ok with atheists.
Mommy left the trailer park!!!!.... time to fire up her computer and cause a hissy fit on the belief blog!.
That's not a new thing for you, is it?
I do great with the ladies in Vegas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=IgQmaVyBRsg
"People with a strong preference for jazz are 30 percent more sixually active than the average American."
Give me some raspy sixaphone and a rye manhattan and I am in the mood!
Someone mentioned the Big Band Theory earlier. I guess I didn't understand it then. But now...
"big band.."................ LOL.
A 'dirty' Manhattan?
Lol. It can be a little dirty, but no bourbon or blend for me. If you don't have rye whiskey you can use some Jameson or similar.
I am retired now, but I used to be a professional jazz musician. The babes didn't care much.
i'm also a professional jazz musician and retired. What instrument were you playing?
The skins my man. You?
I'm a Bass player. Played for 40 years and toured way too much, finally settled down and retired. Now just enjoying life like i never was able to before.
Nut case,
I heard you also play a mean rusty trombone.
Ah, I salute you, Apple, sir.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOKVoaKxR-0
Other than acting like an idiot, what else do you do?
I deny Jesus is god....so we have something in common.
And what do we have in common?
Awww, you made Baby Jesus cry....
Stay away from drugs, its not good for you.
"Other than acting like an idiot, what else do you do?"
Not sure that was directed at me but if the shoe fits. I am a producer and director of a small theatre company and I run my own Web Hosting and Design business.
If I were an alien and visited this planet I would check the box: PRIMITIVE
Dominate species suffers from delusional god complex (DGC). Do not recommend.
Earth....mostly harmless.
Ok, I won't panic.
Musings: Jesus wore sandals... therefore sneakers with Velcro fasteners were invented because Christians' believe shoelaces are the work of the Devil... [sounds as reasonable to me as most of the other dumbshit they believe]
That is THE one thing I agree with Christians about. Shoelaces are evil.
Innocent until proven guilty, and this matter is not one indicating the need for a trial of the previous Pope.
Hmmm. So, no trial... no guilt. Forever innocent! Wow, the Catholic Church has an awesome legal system...
Pete you missed the bit about diplomatic immunity that the old Rat hid behind or he would be doing homilies in jail.
Immunity wasn't used to protect the pop emeritus from criminal prosecution. It was granted after the fact when a civil suit he was charged in was dropped. The question of statute of limitations was going to be decided in court and the plaintiff's attorney feared that a ruling favorable to the Vatican would harm his other pending cases. I guess someone was right when they said it's all about the benjamins.
It is time to tell the truth...the whole truth and nothing but the truth... about the sin at the bottom of the
abyss -the molestation and r-a-p-e of children.
Jesus has NO mercy for child abusers.
Jesus said in Luke 17:2,
"It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."
(In other words you are going DOWN fast!)
Up with celibacy if you have no self-control...celibacy is the safe way out for fornicators and molesters, LGBTQ and
straight alike.
Why do you need to quote Jesus? You wouldn't know better without the Bible? Scary.
Strange reply...
I thought this was the Belief Blog and the subject of this story is Christian Catholic leaders
and their response to child abusers in their ranks. They are bound by the Bible and must
obey its command.
As an atheist you just don't get it.
As an atheist I don't get what?
I get it... Christians are too stupid to do the right thing if it's not laid out in your special book... See, I understood you just fine.
More like they know what is right but have to pretend that they get heir morals from a stupid book so that they can go on pretending that their god exists.
Celibacy is not a safe way out. It can lead to physiological problems later in life, and can cause mental health issues. A healthy $ex life is far healthier than celibacy.
Having an active $ex life is a stimulant for brain cells? When did they let you out?
Yes, it is.
And they had to let me out. I was convincing all of the doctors that THEY were the insane ones.
Do you see fairies in your backyard too?
Hey Dagwood,,, hear any good news from your talking snake friend lately?
Celibacy is precisely what is needed.
Children and families were hurt because priests BROKE their vow of celibacy.
It is not unlike a married couple where the man cheats on the woman or vice versa.
Hearts are broken and trust is lost.
Vows mean something...but in our disposable world where narcissism has a stranglehold on morality,
the absence of celibacy has led to HIV/AIDS, unwanted pregnancies, child abuse, r-a-p-e and horrors
unmentionable in this forum.
It's all about self control...sin is always there...it is up to us to push back and defeat it with the help of the Holy Spirit.
The next time a priest is putting the 'Holy Spirit' (i.e., ass raping) in you in the confessional... make sure you tell him "Celibacy is precisely what is needed."
Fear not, Douglas. Healthy sex is in the palm of your hand.
That depends on what you're holding in that hands of yours.
LOL – we shouldn't have to worry about Douglas and his kind for very long. Look how long the Shakers lasted.
Unlike you Doris, not everyone are able to spend their entire life sitting in front of a computer in search of religious blogs to laugh at people.
Well, Nut Case, being retired helps, but I have no complaints – plenty to do, see and experience.
Welcome to the old fart club. Retired here also.
nut case is so nutty she doesn't know she's spending their entire life sitting in front of a computer in search of religious blogs to make nutty comments on.
Murdoc, if what you're saying make sense to you, then it's ok with me. lol
bartender of drunken thieves and killers
drinking blood cocktails and eating the olive eye balls with a stick
the screaming banshee is you; shut up please
cranking sausage like pasta like play doe in my kindergarten class where one little boy got to drink grape juice because he was allergic to milk
spinning with crackling promise; a solid meal and one less believer to waste paper and talk all about nothing not something which would be something, not nothing
the screaming bartender is without remorse or empathy; he sees you and you are older
I wonder if non-believers are equally vigilant against teachers and others who have abused children at a much higher level - or are they magically exempt because they are secular?
All people that work with kids must be suspect. We should always be vigilant.
I myself was molested by the boy's Choir director when I was around 10 or 11. I did not tell anyone about it for over 30 years.
I agree, specially atheists, they have no morals. I wouldn't trust them around any children.
Haha. This is sophisticated trolling.
@ Darwin The Nut Case
nope.
No morals???? haaaaaaaa!!!!!...... lies make baby Jeebus The Nut Case cry.
I'd be vigilante against anyone who harbors offenders, be it a teacher; a relative; a Doctor...whoever. The RCC has failed to turn over the abusers for prosecution and thus the reason they get called out so often.
Erm, "vigilant" is NOT how I would describe the church's handling of pedophile priests.
The Devil is just evil with a capital D. That's why you shouldn't capitalize his name no matter what capital crimes he has committed.
He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.
Now get a job children and raise some capital, not hell.
"Now get a job children and raise some capital, not hell."
Like you, eh?
"A murderer from the beginning..." but created by God, right?
Has to be man's beginning, split tongue debate and all. Could be referencing the vege incident too, and Cain's temple forfeiture.
It wasn't the Devil that killed everyone in the entire world with a flood. Big D ain't got a thing on God when it comes to mass murder.
Hijack the word "murder"??
I think the coverups just come from too much reverence for priests - its an unfortunate consequence of Catholic culture. Maybe the coverups then almost happen subconsciously. If so, then the root of the problem is in this part of Catholic culture, and so will probably be around for a while longer.
Maybe you should read this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_atheism
Your ignorance is unriveled. One should never site Wikipedia as a source of valid information. It is not reliable.
Of course, typical reaction of an atheist when something doesn't go their own ways.
Sieg Hiel !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=PLySvI7KMGY
Weak....
ha ha funny!
Atheists on this blogs thinks they are educated more than anyone else, they think they are geniuses. and scientists. They're more like wannabes than anything else. Im sure they are the low class atheists scientists wannabes who can't find a job anywhere. Those atheists on these blogs are a disgrace to their community. If these low IQ atheists on these blogs think for a moment that they are credible then they're more stupid than i thought. Geniuses and scientists are not spending their precious time babbling their mouths on the internet about a deity they don't believe in. They have more important things to take care of. Atheists on this blogs should be rejected from their community, they are a disgrace for their companions.
Gonna fix that for you:
"Theists on this blogs thinks they are educated more than anyone else, they think they are geniuses. and scientists. They're more like wannabes than anything else. Im sure they are the low class theists scientists wannabes who can't find a job anywhere. Those atheists on these blogs are a disgrace to their community. If these low IQ theists on these blogs think for a moment that they are credible then they're more stupid than i thought. Geniuses and scientists are not spending their precious time babbling their mouths on the internet about a deity they believe in. They have more important things to take care of. Theists on this blogs should be rejected from their community, they are a disgrace for their companions."
Although honestly I wouldn't be quite so ignorant. My disbelief in god has absolutely nothing to do with who I am as a person in general. I do however believe that if any belief system attempts to interfere and ingratiate themselves in the lives and equal rights of others, then it deserves to be called out.
Equal rights my a$$, you're just a bunch of crying babies and nothing else. You're spending more time joking about religions on these blog than you are spending on human rights and equality.
You have no clue about any of us outside of this grand delusion you have been lead to believe. You're no better than anyone and in fact if anything your belief makes you nothing but an ignorant ass who doesn't merit respect of any form. Grow up and act like the moral person you claim to be...you know your imaginary friend hates judgmental losers like you...it is your hell, you enjoy it!
Me judgmental? When did they let you out of the asylum? I'm just pointing out the fact that you are laughing at people here about their beliefs and you are denying doing this? You have more mental issues that i previously thought.
Wow, you made the first assumption here by making the absurd claim about Atheists and painting everyone with a broad brush. The only thing I guarantee that I am sure to have in common with any of my fellow non-believers is a disbelief in god. My education is not likely to be the same nor my lifestyle.
When it comes to your belief, I personally find no value in it. I do see how dangerous it can be..praying instead of seeking medical attention for innocent children; using the belief to impede on basic rights and freedoms. I do not believe that it has any place in the public square due to the simple fact that it is not everyone's belief. You're free to believe as you wish but the second that belief impedes on anything outside of your church or home and starts to affect the lives of other people, then your belief will be called on it. If you want respect, than you must give it in return.
That's exactly the problem with you atheists, you are paranoid and you feel like you are persecuted by everyone who says the word Religion, Jesus or God. Medications are what you need to help you.
Godless Vagabond
Darwin, please don't stop posting on this blog. You are a great testimonial for atheism. Keep up the good work.
What...you can't add your own comments?
You can't add your own comments? What you atheists are doing here are not having a civilized discussion at all. You are here to ridicule people about their beliefs, which makes me right about you.
I could have and DID but I also wanted the original poster to comprehend (hahahaha) how absolutely pathetic they sounded and how easily what they said can go both ways.
Darwin wants a civilized discussion? HAH! The leaders of the churches are out there raising money to stop gay marriage, yet do nothing about molestation allegations. Shall we talk about the number of times we see the Leviticus quote about lying with a man, versus the lack of quoting the Leviticus quotes about hair trimming and wearing clothing from different fibers? The powers that be are cherry picking which sections of the bible they want to enforce, which makes them seriously hypocritical.
So, care to discuss any of that????
I'm betting not.
H0m0$exuality is not normal and immoral and please don't come crying about they are born that way. They are gay by choice, just like every hetero prisoners who turned gay by choice in prisons. This whole thing was evaluated and redefined to quiet down the LGBT movement who were crying out loud about discrimination because of their deviant lifestyle.
Darwin: Where the hell did you get that from??? When did you decide to be straight??? You are clueless!
Oh please, take your medications.
But seriously I decided to be straight after giving 10 dudes a BJ.
I'd like the world to know that i'm proud to be gay. I'm not mentally ill, am i?
heh heh heh, I am an ignorant troll. Ignore me please.
I wear a tin foil hat because i see trolls all over the place.
You mad bro?
Is this "Einstein" from last evening? No matter, you are obviously sure about a few things that you have little knowledge of (maybe quite a few things): "Im sure they are the low class..." Have you though about increasing your general level of education and maybe getting out and discussing issues with well-educated people of a variety of opinions?
these blogs are a disgrace to their community
------
"You're a disgrace to us."
– signed,
The English Language, and Punctuation
Pro 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
lol??,
Sounds like you are saying that *your* (and some ancient Israelite's) way is right.
What does that tell you??
You call them ancient??
Dan 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow,...."
Science calls em modern, almost like the new and improved pwogwessive model.
Go now and tell the fools the truth of their misplaced worship.
Speak loudly that religion is the true great evil on this Earth.
This Evil affects every plant and animal the Mother gave us.
Tell them and care not if they are vulgar, for you are the light.
The Atheists must rise now and prepare the planet for the future.