The Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report is an 800-page study of the systemic rape and molestation of children on an industrial scale by hundreds of Catholic priests over decades in the state of Pennsylvania. The horrors include beating and raping children, making child pornography, hitting children with whips, forcing children to commit sexual acts on priests, and […]
pedophilia
Are Gay People More Likely to be Pedophiles?
Christians have long associated homosexuality with pedophilia. In an article titled “Facts About Homosexuality and Child Molestation,” Gregory Herek (Professor of Psychology at UC, Davis) observes that this kind of association is part of a common pattern of marginalizing outgroups: “Members of disliked minority groups are often stereotyped as representing a danger to the majority’s most […]
On Praying for Milo
We live in an age where extreme and hateful voices like that of Milo Yiannopoulos get way more attention than they deserve. I was disgusted when Bill Maher hosted Milo on Real Time last week (and I applaud Jeremy Scahill for withdrawing from the show in protest). By the time the video surfaced of Milo advocating for […]
If Woody Allen is a pedophile, should we boycott his movies?
I’ve been planning to watch “Blue Jasmine” for some time now, Woody Allen’s critically acclaimed 2013 film starring Cate Blanchett. Except that now the disturbing charges of pedophilia have resurfaced. The charges that Allen molested his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow first appeared two decades ago. They were investigated, and charges were not filed. Case closed? […]
Pedophiles and rock stars: A reflection on “The Woodsman”
“The Woodsman” opens with convicted pedophile Walter (Kevin Bacon) returning home after a twelve year stint in prison. Not surprisingly, he finds that his entire support network has evaporated. After all, who wants to be associated with a pedophile? But how blurred the criteria of social condemnation can be. In the late eighties the glam metal band “Winger” had […]