Church guilty of child abuse

[criselkins]

Below is a very good letter posted to one of the PFLAG listserves. For years I have been calling the church's spiritual abuse of gay teens for what it is, child abuse--teaching them to hate who they are so much that they want to die. In 1989 the CDC estimated that a gay teen attempted suicide every 35 minutes. About once ever 6 hours one succeeds. How can we hold them accountable? No one is entitled to a religious belief that is detrimental to the well-being of another human being!
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Letter to the editor, June 15, 2006, St. Lucie News (Port St. Lucie, Fla.)
(Sorry the URL was not given)

Dear Editor,
Imagine the time in your adolescence when you were discovering your sexual
awareness. Now Imagine being told that your feelings of sexual attraction make
you a worthless deviant because you feel them toward the same sex. So to
survive you hide this secret and stifle the growth of your emerging identity and
learn to hate yourself. This is psychological child abuse at its worst.
Then imagine the miracle of courageously overcoming this self loathing
imposed by your past abuse. This epiphany restores your sense that you are a
person deserving of happiness, equal worthiness and love. A hard fought internal
struggle won by myself and many other gay people.
Now imagine being told the same false message by your state, your congress
and even your president. Our leaders claim they are entitled to legislate their
hate toward gay people and permanently incorporate it into our nation's
constitution. This example sends a message of sanctioned malevolence and
inequality to our children learning in school today. This is homphobia at its most
shameful.
Some say being gay is a choice. They are half right. You can choose to be
true to your nature and experience passion, romance and love, all essential
parts of a balanced normal life. Or you can falsely pretend to be attracted to
the opposite sex and live an empty passionless lie.
The undeniable battle for equal civil rights for gay people is on in
Washington. I believe our nation's destiny is to overcome homophobia. However we
need to stop permitting the psychological abuse of our children. A pivotal point
of history is in the making. Ask yourself. Do you wish to align with those
who hate, fear and discriminate or those who will help overcome obstacles in
pursuit of the ideal of equality and healing?
Scott W. Snedeker MD.
June 7 2006
1095 NW PORT ST. LUCIE WEST BLVD
PORT ST. LUCIE FL
34983
TEL# 772-785-5590

[Rick336]

Some say being gay is a choice. They are half right. You can choose to be true to your nature and experience passion, romance and love, all essential
parts of a balanced normal life. Or you can falsely pretend to be attracted to
the opposite sex and live an empty passionless lie.

I love this. This says it all.

[Vanessa White]

What a compassionate letter, and it makes a point without going over the top, just being real with it. I hope some readers get the message. I wonder if any readers responded to the editor in regard to his letter. It sounds like he should join us here at Soulforce- we could use his passion and caring!

[Liberal Crozier]

I wish to associate myself with Dr. Snedeker's remarks, as well as with my fellow Soulforce contributors to this thread.

There are many clergy who engage in this sexual theological heresy for many different reasons. The Roman Catholic Magisterium has silenced all major periti in support of a more clear interpretation of scripture in our regard. There are cardinals, archbishops and bishops who have silenced these periti ( doctors of sacred theology known for their expertise in the many theological disciplines. ) have often done so out of fear and reprisal for their enabling behaviours during the paedophile scandals.

Does it matter that many biographers have either hinted or stated clearly that modern popes like the current Joseph Ratzinger as well as Eugenio Pacelli and Giovanni Batista Montini and Albino Luciano were gay? It is an historical and psychological fact that self-loathing homosexuals have always been the most homophobic in word and deed.

This observation extends to many other Christian denominations. "Sex Scandals" at Roman Catholic, Episcopal/Anglican and Orthodox major theological seminaries are matters of public record, and involved homosexual activity with either "celibate" or heterosexually-married students willing to go on the down low for a favourable grade or other special favours.

The anger demonstrated by many hierarchs is that the centuries-old " old boys club" or "public school activities" homosexual activity was time-dated and either ended with a heterosexual marriage - or was engaged in with a very safe partner....i.e., another clergy, or a bisexually married man. This, IMHO, informs the reason that bishops transferred paedophilic priests from one diocese or parish to another. The " pipeline " knew which priests were gay but in adult consentual relationships, but they knew that the laity would not make such a differentiation given homophobia and theological beliefs.

Roman Catholics especially, had "high school seminaries" where students started during the first full years of puberty. This proceded through undergraduate university seminaries - all unnecessary formations since only major theological seminary - a theological degree after earning an undergraduate degree elsewhere - is canonically required for ordination. The majority of baby-boomer priests and religious were trained in these nests of psychosexual oppression.

Again, I support this position. PFLAG, GLESEN and COLAGE are such great support groups.

[scott snedeker]

Thanks for your comments! I have just joined Soul Force and I look forward to new associations. I have a new website www.newdawning.bravehost.com ---http://newdawning.bravehost.com Scott Snedeker MD

[tdogg]

Welcome Scott! Great letter.

A lot of hearts are broken and sad - not only our own - when we aren't true to ourselves, and when we attempt to enter and stay in a relationship that isn't what we really want or need.

Thanks for sharing and again a warm welcome to you!

Tdogg

[scott snedeker]

Thanks for all your welcome!