#i am well aware of the immense social power that priests wield you dumb motherfucker

[apostate-in-an-alcove]

Saw a pretty odd take on TikTok regarding abuse in the Catholic Church and priest kink. Essentially there's rhetoric that hierophilia/priest kink/religious fetishes etc. contribute to the abuse and harm that the Catholic Church causes and that people with aforementioned fetishes/kinks are guilty of perpetuating harmful narratives.

A lot of people with religious kinks and fetishes are often victims of religious abuse and maltreatment and the idea that, somehow, they themselves are contributing to the systemic abuse in the Church because they get off to kinky roleplay or enjoy smutty religious media is a ridiculous thought. It follows similar logic of blaming victims of sexual assault with rape fantasies of upholding rape culture and normalizing assault.

People are allowed to dislike religion being fetishized and integrated into kink but the fault of abuse in the Catholic Church lies solely on the Catholic Church and its centuries old culture of clericalism and secrecy. An individual finding religious people, items, rituals, etc. sexy in no way has the same institutional power to abuse and harm others the way the Catholic Church and clergy do.