One good, one bad.
“Confessionals” are allegedly absolutes and absolution – You can say anything inside and be “forgiven”, but those who do expect that to apply to the temporal plane as much as the aethereal. Most of the time, it’s either a way for the abhorrent to be excused of crimes that would result in prison or worse (re: in the 1970s, the current pope giving absolution” to participants in death flights), or a place where deviant individuals can get their jollies telling a priest or pastor what they’ve done with no consequences. Perverts like showing off.
In Oregon, Timothy Samuel Johnson told members of his mormon church how he had sexually abused his daughter for four years. To their credit, one of the leaders called the police. Johnson is now serving fifteen years in prison. Unfortunately, his wife Kristine Johnson seems to “think” the mormon church owes her US$9million for “violating privacy”.
Child Molester’s Wife Sues Mormon Church for Violating Confidentiality Rules by Reporting His Crimes
Timothy Samuel Johnson of Oregon confessed to sexually abusing his daughter over the span of four years to his church panel, the church reported him to authorities who investigated, convicted and jailed him. Now his wife is suing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, alleging that they violated his right to confidentiality.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Kristine Johnson filed suit in Marion County Circuit Court on January 3.
In 2017, Kristine discovered that her husband had been involved in inappropriate sexual content with their daughter throughout her tween and teen years. Following church doctrine, he confessed before the clergy and the church court at their ward in Stayton, a small town outside of Salem, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
One of the clergy members who heard his confession reported the act to police. Johnson was then arrested for first-degree sodomy, sexual abuse and unlawful sexual penetration, the newspaper reported.
He pled guilty to four counts of second-degree sexual abuse and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He is incarcerated in the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution in Pendleton.
Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, military priests violated the privacy of gays, lesbians and bisexuals. They told superior officers, and those outed in violation of “rules” were thrown out. Hypo-christianity is on display again.
Priests broke confession confidentiality to out gay soldiers to military
A British politician has apologized after it emerged some chaplains with the British armed force told superiors about gay and bisexual military personnel in the 1990s.
The UK dropped its ban on openly LGB people serving in the armed forces in 2000. However, before this time, gay military personnel were routinely dismissed if their sexuality became known.
[…]
The newspaper spoke to veterans who say they confided in their chaplain, only to be questioned days later by military police.
[…]
It’s believed both Church of England and Roman Catholic chaplains were involved with the practice. It’s uncertain if the information led directly to soldiers being dismissed.
“Confession” is nothing more than a “get out of hell free” card, and it’s used like a credit card with no spending limit. Priests and pastors are con men, not professionals like doctors or lawyers. It’s time to end the privilege religion gives to criminals. If someone tells of a crime they committed, priests and pastors are required to turn them in or face legal consequences.
Would that stop criminals from confessing? Probably not, because as I said above, sadists and deviants like to brag about their conquests. They won’t be smart enough to shut up.