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I don't think robbing a priest or any other religious leader is worse than robbing a layperson. A priest is not entitled to greater rights simply because he's a priest. The rights he is entitled to are the same that every human can claim.

Nancy, it sort of sounds like you are putting this priest up on a pedastal. The man who did this committed a crime, pretty callously. But every day, we see many other callous crimes reported. I don't think robbing a priest is in a different category, or at a higher level of offensiveness from robbing anyone else.

"I don't think robbing a priest is in a different category, or at a higher level of offensiveness from robbing anyone else."
eric

Nor do I

Eric, I guess you guys are right. I was always raised to be respectful to certain types -- clergy, doctors, teachers. It's in the same vein of stopping while a funeral procession drives by.

To be honest: Many years ago while listening to a hip hop station I heard a rap song with the words..."rob the preacher of his offering." I called the station to complain...is nothing sacred anymore, I asked. Nothing, the station manager said. I probably went overboard (like he was really going to listen to me) but I thought I had a point.

I have to be honest... I have that same sort of thought when I see such stories, myself. I was brought up to respect authority figures and treat them as if they were in some way automatically deserving of respect, simply because of their jobs.

But over the years, I've seen too many people who get put on pedastals and end up abusing the trust they are given, whether they're presidents or priests or teachers. I now remind myself that none of these people are any less frail or any larger in life than "regular folks."

This is why I can happily say that one of my very best friends is the pastor of the church I attend. I have been criticized because I treat him like any other friend, but he really seems to enjoy being around someone who doesn't care for the sheep/shepherd type relationship.

To put ANYONE above anyone else is to be in direct conflict with the Gospel. One of the biggest problems in Christianity is there are to many "paid professional preachers/priests." Let them get a job like anyone else and come down off their pedastals and humbly submit themselves to the same standards we "regular" Christians do.