February 11, 2013
I was going to write about Gays in the boy scouts (or is it pedophiles in the boy scouts?) – when I learned today that the pope was retiring: which I gathered has turned the Catholic world on its ear – as this reportedly hasn’t occurred since the Middle Ages (some 600-years-ago). But I’m betting that no previous pope; nor any missionary priest, could have anticipated the advent of the American lawyer and the myriad interpretations of the American Constitution and state statutes surrounding child abuse.
Mahoney got out of Dodge when the shit really hit the fan; and now, the pope himself realizes it’s time as well: because it doesn’t seem like the drain on the Vatican bank will stop anytime soon (and we know that what negatively impacts Vatican banking is also injurious to Bank of America). Giti has got me watching “The Borgias” and I have a much clearer picture of the Catholic Church than ever before. Damn! The Catholic Church is the place to make your money and get your sex in!! Forget Vegas!!!
Which leads me to what I really wanted to reflect on – and that is the strange nexus of priests, pedophiles, Gays and boy scouts. But before I alienate or piss off any of my Gay readers, I must remind them that I believe being gay also has a cultural component: reflected in lifestyle; mannerisms; and even, language usage. And I still differentiate being Gay from being homosexual. So my focus is on determining whether priests and boy scout leaders are homosexuals or pedophiles or homosexual pedophiles? I don’t know that a Gay Culture has ever taken hold in the boy scouts – nor have I met boy scout leaders or scouts who “behave” in a “gay fashion”: which gays are wont to do…but homosexuals and pedophiles don’t seem to do.
Comparatively, I’ve met more than one priest who behaves in a fashion that might be construed as “gay”; and, may or may not have relationships with boys and other males. Are these priests Gay and pedophiles; or, homosexual and pedophiles? I’m sure a few dissertations on this subject can bring us closer to the nuts-and-bolts of this social dynamic – because I doubt we can lump these four categories together into a synonymous group.
So, when the boy scouts announced that they were contemplating admitting Gays into the scouts – I became a bit confused – as the boy scouts (judging by sexual abuse reports) have long been habituated by homosexuals and pedophiles. Are the boy scouts simply attempting to sanction long-practiced behavior by inviting overtly homosexual behavior into their midst or; are they simply coming out of the closet with this invitation?
And while pedophilia was the norm in a number of ancient cultures – its practice has certainly been frowned upon for a few generations and can land the layman (like Jerry Sandusky) in jail: Yet priests and boy-scout types (like Jerry Sandusky) are apparently still stimulated by the practice and seem to delude themselves that they are not harming their victims (these were the only cases I could not handle while practicing psychotherapy). By-the-way: What is the Gay posture on when sexual activity can begin (I welcome insight from any of my Gay readers on this note)?
One thing I know for sure – and can’t rightly figure out – is why I consider Gays to be some of the best singers, composers and artists around?! Still, we need to let all children have a childhood – and a pox on anyone who would sexualize a child of any gender whether they be priests, Gays, boyscouts or homosexuals.