this post was submitted on 09 May 2025
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The Catholic Church has issued a warning to its clergy in Washington state: Any priest who complies with a new law requiring the reporting of child abuse confessions to authorities will be excommunicated.

https://www.newsweek.com/catholic-church-excommunicate-priests-following-new-us-state-law-2069039

(page 3) 50 comments
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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I support this state law, though I think it's unlikely to directly have the intended effect and will probably just prevent people from confessing instead.

I don't think people with a guilty conscience should have a way to clear their conscience other than behaving better and making up for their wrongs with better behavior.

At the same time, I get why the Catholic Church opposes the state law. And it's one of the biggest reasons I'm against all Christian religions, Evangelicalism included: they're more concerned about power than about people. And yeah, I think the Catholic Church's stance on this issue is fucked up, just like most Christian stances on political moral issues are fucked up these days.

But the timing of this article, and the right wing motivations against Catholicism make it clear that this article is also more concerned about power than about people. The state law doesn't stop child abuse or result in any more reporting of child abuse.

The way I see it, this article is actually right wing propaganda targeting the Pope because he supports Europe and Ukraine against Russia.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

though I think it’s unlikely to directly have the intended effect and will probably just prevent people from confessing instead.

That's the thing, if you violate the confidentiality of confessionals then people simply won't confess, and then you lose the avenue for a priest to try and convince someone to address their behaviour. Maybe that's not very effective, but it's more effective than not having it.

In line with your assessment of the article's agenda, I have to question how much of an issue this even is. Like, the Catholic church has a long history with child abuse, but wasn't that primarily about Priests abusing children in their parish, and the church protecting its priests? This is an accusation that Catholics themselves are a bunch of child molesters, which is not something I've seen any evidence in support of.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

I also wonder logistically how it would work with the confessional booth. The church allows you to confess without the priest ever seeing your face or knowing your name. Would they be required to perform citizens arrests upon hearing of a crime?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 day ago

We'll kick you out of our kiddy diddler club

Is quite the threat

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 day ago

Priest: I’d like to report child abuse because that’s the law. Church: You’re out! Go to hell, dickbag.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago (3 children)
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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago

It means the law works.

If they truly believe in their faith, then they will serve their sentences faithfully, as a show if their devotion to their god.

Protecting child abuse should have a cost regardless of the motivation.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

requiring the reporting of child abuse confessions to authorities

So they aren't blatantly evil at least. Confessions remaining private is the foundation of how they work. Either way, the church loses on this one.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 day ago

Still blatantly evil. Telling someone your crimes in confidence shouldn't be a get out of jail free card.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

So the new pope is off to a GREAT start, I guess 🤷

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago

Pedophiles protecting pedophiles? Who would have thunk!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Any priest who complies with a new law requiring the reporting of child abuse confessions to authorities will be excommunicated.

Oh, are we going to play that game?

Why does the Catholic Church have to be so fucking evil?

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago

Well, glad I'm not catholic. Fuck these assholes

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