[urlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-17270136[/url

I can't comment on them specifically, as for all I know they may be as clean as the driven snow, but I thought in general such abuse was copyrighted by RC priests? Have the C of E lot also been in on the act, then?

You never really seem to see 'Former plumber/office worker/sattelite installer up on child abuse charges' headlines so why is it always mentioned when it is a man of the cloth?

Because plumbers/office workers/satellite installers don't spend their lives telling everyone else how to live, and how they're going to burn for all eternity if they don't comply. If you set yourself up as the arbiter of morality, then behave immorally, of course it's going to get a mention. In the other examples you've mentioned, the occupation of the accused is largely irrelevant.

Wot he said.

In answer to FA – I've certainly seen reports of cases of 'inappropriate' relationships involving non-Catholic Christian clergy before.

Isn't this the second thread on which this has been mentioned and linked to today?

You may select from the following options:

1) It's some kind of anti-religion bias.

2) it's an acknowledgement that people do not turn over their kids to plumbers for moral guidance.

3) Everyone expects to get shafted by plumbers. It's simply not news.

The Buddhist, the Muslims, the hare krishnas as well...maybe its something inherent in the organised metaphysical psyche? www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14977807 www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12791095 surrealist.org/gurukula/articles/index.html I think Plumbers are seen as a safe bet... www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/Plu ... story.html

The Buddhist, the Muslims, the hare krishnas as well...maybe its something inherent in the organised metaphysical psyche? www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14977807 www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12791095 surrealist.org/gurukula/articles/index.html I think Plumbers are seen as a safe bet... www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/Plu ... story.html

If you want your pipes flushed?

...or your close-coupled waste unit...

My father used to say that women had to be particularly careful at – or immediately after – evangelistic 'crusade' meetings; that there were men who would attend such meetings because, in the aftermath, when emotions were so heightened, there might be some 'easy prey'.

If you also consider that scientists have found that one of the possible reasons that prayer and meditation make someone feel better is because they cause the release of endorphins – the hormones deeply connected to both pain and pleasure, including sexual pleasure.

It is perhaps worth considering the question of a sexual component in religion – you can certainly find eroticism in a great deal of very old religious art, particularly that showing assorted saints being tortured/killed. Indeed, some of the representations of Christ are close to homoerotic. It's as though there is something sexual being linked to a perversely idealised idea of suffering.

This painting of the martyrdom of St Sebastian by Guido Reni, c1616, is not even one of the best-known visualisations.



There are sexual elements to art from other religious cultures too, but I don't know anywhere near as much about it.

But then add into all this ideas of chastity and restraint and self-denial/celibacy – not unique to Christianity – and you probably have a pretty combustible mix.

Add in power/authority too, plus the emotion of religion.

And, in the case of the Catholic church, there's the question of whether celibacy – or more specifically, forcing celibacy on young boys/men by choosing the priesthood for them and sending them to a seminary as a child – creates real problems in terms of psycho-sexual development (this has been suggested and was mentioned in some detail by a documentary, [iSex and the Holy City[/i, a few years ago).

There are a lot of interesting questions here.

And, in the case of Islam, IIRC the intriguing idea that seemingly once you die, you get your pick of virgins for your eternal pleasure, as well as pearlescent young serving boys.

If your entering eternity, what the hell use is a virgin

, a couple of dirty slappers would be more apt

TBF you would be better directing your query at your Imam. Call me paranoid, but personally I have sneaking suspicion that it doesn't actually happen.

The whole 72 virgins thing may well be a bit of a case of poor translation – it may just be 72 grapes.

It's 72 neckbeards whose only topic of conversation is World of Warcraft.

...most of the virgins I’ve known have been untouched for a reason.

72 grapes seems like a poor deal for blowing yourself up. I don't even like grapes.

It probably refers to 9 year old girls, like Muhammed's missus.

I'm no expert, but


What's a dark-eyed, chaste grape?



Grapes? In tents? No, if I read using the "grapes" version, I'm afraid it just doesn't make sense.

Maybe the confusion between 72 virgins and grapes is just because there's a large bunch of 'em

Maybe it's 72 virgins who've all got piles.

BBC in some bad people in all walks of life shocker. www.newsbullet.in/world/52-more/ ... x-assaults

BBC in some bad people in all walks of life shocker. www.newsbullet.in/world/52-more/ ... x-assaults

Quote ="Sadfish"BBC in some bad people in all walks of life shocker. www.newsbullet.in/world/52-more/ ... x-assaults'" But the point remains the same as: the BBC presenter probably hasn't lectured people on how they should behave and, indeed, been treated by society as some sort of an authority on moral behaviour.

Quote ="Sadfish"BBC in some bad people in all walks of life shocker. www.newsbullet.in/world/52-more/ ... x-assaults'" But the point remains the same as: the BBC presenter probably hasn't lectured people on how they should behave and, indeed, been treated by society as some sort of an authority on moral behaviour.

[url=http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=72+virgins+or+72+grapes&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8Grapes or virgins?[/url

Mind, if it isn't, it merely acts as further confirmation of the sexist nature of fundamentalist Islam – just as with 'orthodox' (code word for fundamentalist) Judaism and fundamentalist Christianity, then.

I looked at the first three links and none of them offered a compelling argument for the correct translation being 'grapes'. The first link, in fact, dismissed the idea completely - using a similar argument to the Aardvark's.

I did chuckle at some of the other information in that first link though: apparently these virgins don't menstruate or go for a poo. And they have 'appetising vaginas'. Who makes this shjt up?