Court to Force Priest to break Confessional Seal

[Skappola]

So if you don't know, the Catholic Confessional Seal is essentially says that Catholic priests are not allowed to disclose any information given to them during confession by the confessor. This includes whether he did or did not commit a crime, like murder. As you can imagine, this is to encourage people who have commited "Mortal Sins"- Horrible sins that can send you to hell unless you repent in confession - to come to confession and repent.

So now a Louisiana court is attempting to force the priest to disclose information about a child molestation, which he can't do because of the Seal. If he does disclose the info, in all likelyhood he'll be excommunicated or stripped of his priesthood at the very least. If he doesn't, he'll be sent to jail. (Unless the Diocese actually does take the case to the Supreme Court, as they've been threatening to) As a Catholic, I think it would be a massive breach of religious freedom to force the priest to do this, but I'm interested in what a bunch of atheists on an obscure political forum think.

(Secondary Debate Forum Threads)
http://personalitycafe.com/debate-forum ... ost8449626
http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=894995

(Sources)
http://dailycaller.com/2014/07/08/louis ... onal-seal/
http://www.nola.com/crime/baton-rouge/i ... ny_lo.html
http://theadvocate.com/home/9662394-125 ... anctity-of
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/hea ... ryid=21954
http://www.hngn.com/articles/35569/2014 ... isiana.htm

[Genivaria]

So if you don't know, the Catholic Confessional Seal is essentially says that Catholic priests are not allowed to disclose any information given to them during confession by the confessor. This includes whether he did or did not commit a crime, like murder. As you can imagine, this is to encourage people who have commited "Mortal Sins"- Horrible sins that can send you to hell unless you repent in confession - to come to confession and repent.

So now a Louisiana court is attempting to force the priest to disclose information about a child molestation, which he can't do because of the Seal. If he does disclose the info, in all likelyhood he'll be excommunicated or stripped of his priesthood at the very least. If he doesn't, he'll be sent to jail. (Unless the Diocese actually does take the case to the Supreme Court, as they've been threatening to) As a Catholic, I think it would be a massive breach of religious freedom to force the priest to do this, but I'm interested in what a bunch of atheists on an obscure political forum think.

http://dailycaller.com/2014/07/08/louis ... onal-seal/
http://www.nola.com/crime/baton-rouge/i ... ny_lo.html
http://theadvocate.com/home/9662394-125 ... anctity-of
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/hea ... ryid=21954
http://www.hngn.com/articles/35569/2014 ... isiana.htm

If his religious beliefs require him to protect child molesters then they don't get to be respected by the law.
That simple.
You have freedom of religion, but you can't practice anything that actually harms someone.

[Washington Resistance Army]

So if you don't know, the Catholic Confessional Seal is essentially says that Catholic priests are not allowed to disclose any information given to them during confession by the confessor. This includes whether he did or did not commit a crime, like murder. As you can imagine, this is to encourage people who have commited "Mortal Sins"- Horrible sins that can send you to hell unless you repent in confession - to come to confession and repent.

So now a Louisiana court is attempting to force the priest to disclose information about a child molestation, which he can't do because of the Seal. If he does disclose the info, in all likelyhood he'll be excommunicated or stripped of his priesthood at the very least. If he doesn't, he'll be sent to jail. (Unless the Diocese actually does take the case to the Supreme Court, as they've been threatening to) As a Catholic, I think it would be a massive breach of religious freedom to force the priest to do this, but I'm interested in what a bunch of atheists on an obscure political forum think.

http://dailycaller.com/2014/07/08/louis ... onal-seal/
http://www.nola.com/crime/baton-rouge/i ... ny_lo.html
http://theadvocate.com/home/9662394-125 ... anctity-of
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/hea ... ryid=21954
http://www.hngn.com/articles/35569/2014 ... isiana.htm

If his religious beliefs require him to protect child molesters then they don't get to be respected by the law.
That simple.
You have freedom of religion, but you can't practice anything that actually harms someone.

This pretty much hits the nail on the head.

[Galloism]

So if you don't know, the Catholic Confessional Seal is essentially says that Catholic priests are not allowed to disclose any information given to them during confession by the confessor. This includes whether he did or did not commit a crime, like murder. As you can imagine, this is to encourage people who have commited "Mortal Sins"- Horrible sins that can send you to hell unless you repent in confession - to come to confession and repent.

So now a Louisiana court is attempting to force the priest to disclose information about a child molestation, which he can't do because of the Seal. If he does disclose the info, in all likelyhood he'll be excommunicated or stripped of his priesthood at the very least. If he doesn't, he'll be sent to jail. (Unless the Diocese actually does take the case to the Supreme Court, as they've been threatening to) As a Catholic, I think it would be a massive breach of religious freedom to force the priest to do this, but I'm interested in what a bunch of atheists on an obscure political forum think.

http://dailycaller.com/2014/07/08/louis ... onal-seal/
http://www.nola.com/crime/baton-rouge/i ... ny_lo.html
http://theadvocate.com/home/9662394-125 ... anctity-of
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/hea ... ryid=21954
http://www.hngn.com/articles/35569/2014 ... isiana.htm

If his religious beliefs require him to protect child molesters then they don't get to be respected by the law.
That simple.
You have freedom of religion, but you can't practice anything that actually harms someone.

Hmm.

I wonder if this line of thinking also extends to things like the spousal exception (in certain states) when it comes to testifying.

[Skappola]

So if you don't know, the Catholic Confessional Seal is essentially says that Catholic priests are not allowed to disclose any information given to them during confession by the confessor. This includes whether he did or did not commit a crime, like murder. As you can imagine, this is to encourage people who have commited "Mortal Sins"- Horrible sins that can send you to hell unless you repent in confession - to come to confession and repent.

So now a Louisiana court is attempting to force the priest to disclose information about a child molestation, which he can't do because of the Seal. If he does disclose the info, in all likelyhood he'll be excommunicated or stripped of his priesthood at the very least. If he doesn't, he'll be sent to jail. (Unless the Diocese actually does take the case to the Supreme Court, as they've been threatening to) As a Catholic, I think it would be a massive breach of religious freedom to force the priest to do this, but I'm interested in what a bunch of atheists on an obscure political forum think.

http://dailycaller.com/2014/07/08/louis ... onal-seal/
http://www.nola.com/crime/baton-rouge/i ... ny_lo.html
http://theadvocate.com/home/9662394-125 ... anctity-of
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/hea ... ryid=21954
http://www.hngn.com/articles/35569/2014 ... isiana.htm

If his religious beliefs require him to protect child molesters then they don't get to be respected by the law.
That simple.
You have freedom of religion, but you can't practice anything that actually harms someone.

Keep in mind that this Confessional Seal has been around since a couple years after the Creation of the first Christian church with Peter as the leader. In other words, it's been around for nearly 2000 years. This Seal is one of the most central pieces of the Catholic Church. Priests are told to strongly encourage the confessors to admit their crimes to the police. Not a counter-argument, just food for thought.

[Genivaria]

If his religious beliefs require him to protect child molesters then they don't get to be respected by the law.
That simple.
You have freedom of religion, but you can't practice anything that actually harms someone.

Hmm.

I wonder if this line of thinking also extends to things like the spousal exception (in certain states) when it comes to testifying.

What do you mean?

[Northwest Slobovia]

Given how long the US has been around, I'm sure there's case law on the matter, but I'm just not finding it.

[Galloism]

Hmm.

I wonder if this line of thinking also extends to things like the spousal exception (in certain states) when it comes to testifying.

What do you mean?

In certain states, a husband or wife cannot be compelled to testify against his/her spouse.

[Unified Soviet Socialist Republics]

Sentence the molester to religious community service. Send the matter the papal nuncio.

[Britanno]

If he's prepared to allow serious criminals to walk away free, he deserves to be in jail.

[Genivaria]

If his religious beliefs require him to protect child molesters then they don't get to be respected by the law.
That simple.
You have freedom of religion, but you can't practice anything that actually harms someone.

Keep in mind that this Confessional Seal has been around since a couple years after the Creation of the first Christian church with Peter as the leader. In other words, it's been around for nearly 2000 years. Priests are told to strongly encourage the confessors to admit their crimes to the police. Not a counter-argument, just food for thought.

It's irrelevant. If the welfare of a child is considered less of a priority then protecting a child rapist then I have no sympathy for them when they go to jail for it.

[Genivaria]

What do you mean?

In certain states, a husband or wife cannot be compelled to testify against his/her spouse.

Why's that?

[Galloism]

In certain states, a husband or wife cannot be compelled to testify against his/her spouse.

Why's that?

Sacredness of marital communication or something.

[Polski Swiety Imperium]

All the above.

[Genivaria]

Why's that?

Sacredness of marital communication or something.

That's absurd.

[Namidia]

No aspect of religion should override the law. Sure, give people the freedom to practice it within the bounds of the law, but as soon as they start demanding special treatment, exceptions to the law, or that the law be made based on their religious values, that is where their freedom of religion ends and common sense and secular law override.

[The Republic of Llamas]

Usually I'm on the state's side in state vs. religion disputes, but the problem with this is that it won't even help you catch more criminals. If you force priests to testify, criminals will stop confessing to priests.

Also, striking this down while having spousal privilege seems to be at least a wee bit hypocritical.

[Geilinor]

If you know that someone has committed a crime, your religion does not give you a license to protect them from officers of the law.

[Geilinor]

Usually I'm on the state's side in state vs. religion disputes, but the problem with this is that it won't even help you catch more criminals. If you force priests to testify, criminals will stop confessing to priests.

Also, striking this down while having spousal privilege seems to be at least a wee bit hypocritical.

Spousal privilege shouldn't be applied in murder or rape cases. Spousal privilege doesn't exist in all states and it may not exist in the state in question.

[The New Sea Territory]

If his religious beliefs require him to protect child molesters then they don't get to be respected by the law.
That simple.
You have freedom of religion, but you can't practice anything that actually harms someone.

Keep in mind that this Confessional Seal has been around since a couple years after the Creation of the first Christian church with Peter as the leader. In other words, it's been around for nearly 2000 years. This Seal is one of the most central pieces of the Catholic Church. Priests are told to strongly encourage the confessors to admit their crimes to the police. Not a counter-argument, just food for thought.

Unless those crimes include systematic child molestation.

[Galloism]

If you know that someone has committed a crime, your religion does not give you a license to protect them from officers of the law.

Are you required to report every crime you hear of? Y/N

[The Republic of Llamas]

Usually I'm on the state's side in state vs. religion disputes, but the problem with this is that it won't even help you catch more criminals. If you force priests to testify, criminals will stop confessing to priests.

Also, striking this down while having spousal privilege seems to be at least a wee bit hypocritical.

Spousal privilege shouldn't be applied in murder or rape cases.

And then, again, you convince people not to admit crimes to their spouses and bring in the ability for conflicts of interest.

[Genivaria]

If you know that someone has committed a crime, your religion does not give you a license to protect them from officers of the law.

Are you required to report every crime you hear of? Y/N

Not all crimes are equal.

[Lyras]

Just more food for thought, if confessors can't trust that their priest will keep their confidence, then they won't go. Then the (theoretical) voice of conscience won't be heard. Thus, nothing is gained, and a social good is lost.

[Genivaria]

Spousal privilege shouldn't be applied in murder or rape cases.

And then, again, you convince people not to admit crimes to their spouses and bring in the ability for conflicts of interest.

And? Psychologists have the same requirement when someone confesses they're having homicidal or suicidal thoughts.