www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall revolted

Is anyone else revolted by the scandal involving Representative Mark Foley (from Florida) sending lurid emails to his teen-aged, male, former assistants in order to seduce them ? Is anyone else disgusted that he is trying to escape this scandal by claiming that he is an alcoholic and going into rehab ? Is anyone else revolted that at least some of the leadership in the House of Represenatives apparently knew about Mr. Foley's behavior and did nothing about it for a year ?

-- John

I was struck by his statement that said "I will seek help for my alcoholism and other behavioral problems". Alcholism is a disease, not a behavioral problem. Seducing boys is probably a psychological problem, not a behavioral problem.

We can only pray for him and especially for the boys.

Drinking to excess is a behavioral problem. Seducing boys is a behavioral problem. Behavior is in part a function of psychology. My mother drank herself into oblivion. What drove her there may well have been depression which has spiritual as well as psychological roots but her behavior is what drove her into alcohol induced dimentia and into her death.

I don't understand your distinction between "psychological" and "behavioral".

CDL

All of the above - and they stem from disordered passions - when the passions dominate, ultimately any and all of them take us away from our pilgrimage of theosis and into a life of sin. Drugs and therapy can only go so far without the Lord and the Holy Mysteries.
DRLB

Amen!

The latest I heard, is that Rep. Foley is saying he was molested by clergy while in his teens, I think. I just caught that in passing on the news this evening.

Yeah and he's Catholic....
Maybe that explains why House leadership ignored his behavior, kinda like bishops who ignored reports of priests acting inapp. w/ minors.

I am revolted by all of it, particularly the fact that the House leadership ignored the issue. Then when the scandal came to light some of them claimed they didn't pursue the issue because one page's parents didn't wish to pursue it. A constant passing of the buck and denial of responsibility, which is what we often see in our society everyday. Gee, I wonder where the average folks get it from?

And now ex-Representative Foley has chosen to pass the buck. First it was alcohol that was to blame, and now, according to what I just read, he claims to have been abused by clergy. Based on what I've seen so far of his behaviour it sounds like "lawyer speak", and I'm not buying it.

Naturally, Mr. Foley claims to be Roman Catholic. But he also now claims to be gay and abused by clergy. More bad press for the Latin Church. Heck, pass that buck to a convenient fall guy. Not to mention that Roman Catholic and gay are mutually exclusive as far as life choices.

Yes, revolted is putting it mildly.

"Claims to be"...are you saying that he isn't actually Catholic? All the online bios of him say he was raised Catholic, do you mean they are all lying? If so what religion is he?

Chill out David. The point of my post is that Mr. Foley appears to have taken a position, through his lawyer (of course) which will try to assign some of the blame for his behaviour to childhood experiences within the Latin Church. It is easily believable, you being evidence of such, so why not take a shot at passing the buck? In my opinion it is a cheap shot, an easy excuse for bad behaviour, passing the buck, nonsense, call it what you will. There are far more descriptive terms not fit for polite company or this forum which are still on the tip of my tongue.

No, I am sure Mr. Foley continued to attend his parish Church right up until he resigned, and I am quite sure he approached the Holy Gifts every week. Why? Because the rules didn't apply to him, and he had a good excuse, or excuses, for why they didn't. "I'm alcoholic, I'm gay, I've been abused by the clergy in my youth", what next for Heaven's sake? He's spouted three excuses in 24 hours. And both he and his excuses are revolting.

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I am revolted by all of it, particularly the fact that the House leadership ignored the issue. Then when the scandal came to light some of them claimed they didn't pursue the issue because one page's parents didn't wish to pursue it.
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I seem to recall the house also ignored up various electoral frauds, extraordinary rendition, torture in Guananamo, absent intelligence about WMDs...as much as this is critical in the lives of those abused, it rates low in the catalogue of sins of omission.

Ned

Ned,

You wouldn't be trying to throw this thread off topic would you?

CDL

I couldn't agree more.

It's disgusting, a public relations voodoo dance of excuses. First, Mr. Foley tried to excuse himself by claiming that he is an alcoholic. Then, his excuse was that he was abused by a member of the clergy. Then, his excuse was that he is gay.

And what was the purpose of Mr. Foley's claim that he is Roman Catholic; what does *that* have to do with seducing boys ? Is he trying to imply, on the one hand, that he is a good church-going guy and, on the other hand, that being Roman Catholic (and being abused by a member of the clergy) excuses his own pedophilia?

All the while, Mr. Foley (through his lawyer: how gutless is that?) was claiming that there was no excuse for what he did; yet, he kept on giving excuses !

Oh come on ! There are a lot of alcoholics, victims of abuse, and gays who DON'T try to seduce teenage boys ! There are also a lot of people who accept responsibility for their actions...

Meanwhile, the leadership of the House of Representatives tried to pass off their responsibility of knowing about Mr. Foley's conduct and doing nothing about it.

God have mercy, on them all. They are members of the House of Representatives! God have mercy on us, if they truly represent what we have morally become.

Another person who posted here recommended praying. Indeed. Prayer is about the only thing I *can* do, constructively, about this situation.

-- John

I must remember that delicious phrase and put it to good use - thank you!

Fr. Serge

Interesting to note- all the news I heard this morning (CNN, NPR & NBC) indicated that he was molested by "a clergyman", and went on to point out that "the denomination hasn't been specified, though Foley was raised Roman Catholic">