Clergy Shouldn't Be Required To Report Child Abuse In South Dakota, House Decides

[Th3Scourge]

Oh, no, this is constitutionally sound. The Fifth Amendment protects the clergy of having to report child abuse.

Bravo 10/10

[jeezusisacasual]

This is close to my neck of the woods and while i do not love South Dakota ( one of my earlier partners was from Rapid City ) this congress person is correct with regards to all faith based institutions. While it may be popular to bash the Catholic Church for their list of wrong doings the idea is to be fair to all. I am sure if they feel strongly about the entire argument they will reword the bill in question.

[Celista]

Oh, no, this is constitutionally sound. The Fifth Amendment protects the clergy of having to report child abuse.

You win an internet point.

[Yuujin]

The link is blocking EU so I can't read up on it but I can honestly say you are talking out of your arse. I'm guessing they are talking about confessions, which is basically like doctor-patient privilege, it sucks but if you make them do it than you have to do the same with doctors, lawyers etc...

Oh boy, someone has been watching way too much TV.

[PosPosPos]

Yeah, no problems will result! It's not like there could be annnny negative consequences for a false report. I'm sure everyone will treat them exactly the same and they won't have to deal with any problems or rumor-mongering in their church or community.

Yeah, so police hotlines shouldn't exist because there's a small chance they might be abused. Let's throw the baby out with the bathwater.

I hope this is a joke and you aren't actually stupid enough to not see the difference between knowing someone is going to committing a crime, and witnessing something that might be evidence of a crime possibly being committed.

Eh, I do know what's stupid though, you not understanding what confessions are(you know, people confess stuff they did wrong or are thinking of doing).

No, it's stupid because you made a retarded strawman argument about how not being legally obligated to report something means you can't report it.

Based on your posts so far, I am pretty you were the one who basically ran off with that one-sided assertion. I guess when you were accusing me of making strawmen, you were just trying to project it on me.

No. Licensed child care professionals are on reporter lists. Because, gee would you look at that. They are licensed and therefore equipped to make those judgement calls. Wow, it's almost like you should make laws based on what is actually within the jurisdiction of a person.

Except they aren't the ones who make the judgement calls, darling, the ones who are responsible for investigating are, and is a fact you can't seem to fathom.

What was that about your point of being stupid enough, again?

Clearly you've never seen a child flying alone.

Still not their main responsibility. That also doesn't mean they don't have to report.

Oh look, more retarded strawmanning.

Oh look, more support of child abuse.

[roxfm]

Oh I'm sure all kind of clergy from all kinds of religious institutions abuse their charges and get away with it. The catholic church is just kinda infamous for the sheer scale of it all.

This so much. And OT, can't fix stupid. If your lawmakers are making loopholes to protect child abusers... I'd never want to let my child step into one of those churches ever.

[cparle87]

Oh I get it, you hate the existence of mandatory reporters at all, since you are basically arguing against the entire existing reporter list with this fringe argument. Cool to know you support child abuse.

So disagreeing with people being legally forced and required to report something or they can be punished somehow equals supporting child abuse? You're actually starting to sound like Machismo, who has such golden lines as "If you don't say in your post that you think Nazis are wrong then you secretly support them. Cool to know you support Nazis. Why do you hate freedom so much?"

[s_bushido]

This is close to my neck of the woods and while i do not love South Dakota ( one of my earlier partners was from Rapid City ) this congress person is correct with regards to all faith based institutions. While it may be popular to bash the Catholic Church for their list of wrong doings the idea is to be fair to all. I am sure if they feel strongly about the entire argument they will reword the bill in question.

What do you mean "fair to all." They specifically mention that this isn't just targeting Christians, but clergy of all faiths. But seeing as Christianity is the majority religion, and since there's a church seemingly on every block (if it's anything like the area I live in), guess who it's going to effect more often than not?

[Muajin76]

Heaven forbid reporting child abuse as a bad thing...
Next thing you know, it will be other southern states following suit. o.O

[jeezusisacasual]

What do you mean "fair to all." They specifically mention that this isn't just targeting Christians, but clergy of all faiths. But seeing as Christianity is the majority religion, and since there's a church seemingly on every block (if it's anything like the area I live in), guess who it's going to effect more often than not?

According to the linked article, i tend to agree with this direct quote.

Representative Randy Gross, an Elkton Republican, spoke against the bill, saying it didn't reach far enough into the world's many religions.

"My philosophy is, let's do it right or not at all," Gross said.

[PosPosPos]

According to the linked article, i tend to agree with this direct quote.

Representative Randy Gross, an Elkton Republican, spoke against the bill, saying it didn't reach far enough into the world's many religions.

"My philosophy is, let's do it right or not at all," Gross said.

If humanity went by this ridiculous philosophy of "perfect solutions or nothing", we wouldn't have made it out of the caveman and chest-pounding and stick-swinging era.

Incremental improvements is the way forward, not insisting perfection at every end.

[s_bushido]

According to the linked article, i tend to agree with this direct quote.

Representative Randy Gross, an Elkton Republican, spoke against the bill, saying it didn't reach far enough into the world's many religions.

"My philosophy is, let's do it right or not at all," Gross said.

But reality doesn't work that way... It's the same non-argument people used against legalizing same-sex marriage, and it's the same non-argument people use against taking steps to combat climate change. And the Christian persecution complex when, again, they only seem to be targeted more because they make up the vast majority of the religious people/groups that others will interact with in the US, is irrelevant.

[Hilhen7]

I would have voted to block it too. Its about Freedom. Why are you giving clergy extra laws and rules, but not giving them to everyone? Its just a leftist move to try and hurt the church. I'm not religious and haven't been in a church in nearly a decade, but they deserve to be just as free as the rest of us. I've seen a lot of anti-church hate lately, cause people associate the Right and the Church together, even though a lot of church goers vote Democrat, and less than half of Republicans go to church. Its sad that people want to take away other peoples freedoms in America a country that was built on freedom. That's what the country was founded for is to let everyone do their thing. A person has just as much right to be Christian as they do to be gay or transgender, its called freedom.

I understand public service workers having to report it. They go through training and its part of their profession now, they also serve the state. But regular citizens? So if I see something illegal done in my household I have to call the cops now no matter what? That's not freedom anymore. People that support clergy being added to it are against freedom. Are you the same people that would call the cops because you caught your parents with some pot? That is not the kind of person I would want to be my friend.

So members of the church are regular citizens? I guess their not examples of morality for the community or anything. If your priest or other religious figure turns a blind eye to abuse of children what kind of example does that set for the rest?

Heck what if one of the church members notices bruises on a child and ask a priest for advice on what to do?

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But reality doesn't work that way... It's the same non-argument people used against legalizing same-sex marriage, and it's the same non-argument people use against taking steps to combat climate change. And the Christian persecution complex when, again, they only seem to be targeted more because they make up the vast majority of the religious people/groups that others will interact with in the US, is irrelevant.

Time to use their own arguments against them.

The wall won't stop 100% of illegal immigration, guess we shouldn't bother spending on the wall.

[The Stormbringer]

Not necessarily. They could simply include a clause that exempts Priests from having to report child abuse under the condition that they learn about it in the confessional and under the anonymity of it.

That's a stupid idea and no exemption of that kind should exist. If a child is reporting abuse of any kind to an adult, they should be legally obligated to report that shit. ESPECIALLY an adult in a position of authority and respect in a community, like a member of clergy.

OT: Whelp, time to lynch the South Dakota reps, I guess. Aside from the ones that were trying to vote for adding the requirement. This is a terrible trend that I hope stops here.

[Hilhen7]

That's a stupid idea and no exemption of that kind should exist. If a child is reporting abuse of any kind to an adult, they should be legally obligated to report that shit. ESPECIALLY an adult in a position of authority and respect in a community, like a member of clergy.

OT: Whelp, time to lynch the South Dakota reps, I guess. Aside from the ones that were trying to vote for adding the requirement. This is a terrible trend that I hope stops here.

Yes I totally don't understand why people feel like they should get a pass. If your murdering and raping people why should you be protected just because your spilling your guts in a confessional?

Even a therapist is required to contact authorities if a patient is a danger to himself or others. It's a pretty similar situation in my eyes...

[Powerogue]

Freedom of Religion includes freedom to obstruct justice and abuse children?

Can someone point me to the verse in the Bible where it says obstructing justice for child abuse is mandated? I believe it's somewhere next to the verses outlawing slavery.

[Daedius]

There's a list of professions where it isn't required to report child abuse, the fuck?

What sane mind set gives reason to not report child abuse??

[Unholyground]

Oh I'm sure all kind of clergy from all kinds of religious institutions abuse their charges and get away with it. The catholic church is just kinda infamous for the sheer scale of it all.

Well Muslim religions just don't hide it for example for the most part lol.

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There's a list of professions where it isn't required to report child abuse, the fuck?

What sane mind set gives reason to not report child abuse??

Some kids need a good smack now and again I guess?

[The Stormbringer]

Freedom of Religion includes freedom to obstruct justice and abuse children?

Can someone point me to the verse in the Bible where it says obstructing justice for child abuse is mandated? I believe it's somewhere next to the verses outlawing slavery.

Matthew 22:21 Jesus said "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's."
Romans 13:1 "Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those which exist are established by God."

...nope, don't see it!

[Doctor Amadeus]

Like other relationships this is one that should be protected, provided it's about proven religious doctorine before the fact.

Like that of a relationship between psychologist and patient. As long as such revelation does not constitute concerns that the patient or subject will harm themselves or anyone going forward.