Thou Shalt Not Run Buck Naked

Another disgrace for the men of the cloth:

A Catholic priest faces an indecent exposure charge after police said he went jogging in the nude about an hour before sunrise.

The Rev. Robert Whipkey told officers he had been running naked at a high school track and didn't think anyone would be around at that time of day, a police report said.

Okay. So he's an idiot, but:

If convicted of indecent exposure, a misdemeanor, he would have to register as a sex offender, prosecutors said.

While you would think he would know better, there is no reason to make him carry around the additional burden of being a registered sex offender. For God's sake, he already carries the stigma of being a Catholic priest.

Comments

joe | August 9, 2007, 12:28pm | #

The reverand goes jogging without pants, and his name is "Whipkey?"

Talk about your low-hanging fruit.

Job | August 9, 2007, 12:34pm | #

The LORD gave,
and the LORD has taken away.
Naked I came from the womb,
And naked I shall return.

thoreau | August 9, 2007, 12:36pm | #

joe-

You just had to say "low hanging" in a thread about a guy running naked, didn't you?

Tim | August 9, 2007, 12:40pm | #

Could the estate of Ray Stevens be sued for encouraging sex offenders?

Warren | August 9, 2007, 12:40pm | #

He told officers he sweats profusely if he wears clothing while jogging.

Well duuuh. Clothes made for jogging, wick away sweat. So yeah, He's an idiot.

LibertyPlease | August 9, 2007, 12:42pm | #

"The LORD gave,
and the LORD has taken away.
Naked I came from the womb,
And naked I shall return.

It's easy to find supporting comments from the lord, when there are damn near 3000 of them from which to pick and choose. My LORD, the Flying Spagetti Monster, requires only that I show my devotion though frequent beer consumption. Praise Flying Spagetti Monster.

Ethan | August 9, 2007, 12:50pm | #

The justification for having a sex offender registration (and not, say, an arsonist registry or a murder registry) is the danger allegedly posed by the perpetrators in the future. So the registry should be limited to those who there is reason to believe might pose a danger. Running naked is not a reason.

Bill F. | August 9, 2007, 1:02pm | #

So the altar boy slipped off into the woods before the cops noticed him, eh?

mediageek | August 9, 2007, 1:02pm | #

Yeah, but would incidents like this be plenty of reason for a dumbass registry?

severin | August 9, 2007, 1:12pm | #

From a libertarian perspective, I have to say that he did not hurt anyone and thus I do not believe the police should be involved at all. If his parishioners or his superiors wish to punish him in some way, that is their business. Should the police charge him and label him as a “sex offender” for walking around naked? No they should not, instead they should let the members of the community and his church punish him through ostracizing or other more civil ways. If his parishioners and the other members of the community are okay with him jogging naked and refuse to punish him, so be it, communities should be allowed to set there own standards of social tolerance through peer pressure, not through government force.

Chuck | August 9, 2007, 1:20pm | #

mediageek--

The dumbass registry already exists. It's called a "phone book."

Michael Pack | August 9, 2007, 1:35pm | #

When I was in school streaking was a fad.Would that put you on the list now?

Lamar | August 9, 2007, 1:44pm | #

And thou shalt not pitch a tent in the house of the lord.

Ken Shultz | August 9, 2007, 1:53pm | #

All the surfers I knew used to change in the parking lot. It was like a locker room.

If they'd been busted for indecent exposure, I suppose they'd all have to register as sex offenders now?

Randolph Carter | August 9, 2007, 1:59pm | #

a friend of mine took some strong acid and ended up running through a field naked in Texas. He's now a registered sex offender.

javier | August 9, 2007, 2:00pm | #

In college, I found myself naked and drunk outdoors on a few occasions. good thing I never had to register as a sex offender.

UCrawford | August 9, 2007, 2:17pm | #

Tim,

Ray Stevens isn't dead.

For the priest, however, hope he doesn't live in a state where sex offenders are restricted on where they can live and work, considering that Catholic churches often have schools attached and he works in a profession that needs to deal with children frequently. What an incredibly stupidly law.

LibertyPlease | August 9, 2007, 2:31pm | #

"...sex offenders are restricted on where they can live and work, considering that Catholic churches often have schools attached and he works in a profession that needs to deal with children frequently. What an incredibly stupidly law."

On second thought, maybe a good law?

mediageek | August 9, 2007, 2:32pm | #

The dumbass registry already exists. It's called a "phone book."

Having done design work on a couple of phone books, that statement rings quite true.

Steve | August 9, 2007, 2:48pm | #

This may not be true, you know...

The state doesn't have one stitch of evidence.

thoreau | August 9, 2007, 2:57pm | #

Indeed, Steve. We must wait until the truth is laid bare.

thoreau | August 9, 2007, 2:58pm | #

Seriously, though, you'd think that a Catholic priest, of all people, would be extra wary of getting on the sex offender radar.

crimethink | August 9, 2007, 3:03pm | #

Maybe he should have tried the "Adam and Eve defense", and claimed that he was in such a state of grace that he didn't know he was naked.

Frank_A | August 9, 2007, 3:47pm | #

For God's sake, he already carries the stigma of being a Catholic priest.
Anti-Catholicism. Boo.
Seriously, would you call people who are in a polyamorous, BSDM, furry fetish a stigma?
Well, on second thought, being a furry is pretty damn embarrassing...
Anyhow, [usual tirade of canceling Reason and wishing for the days of Virginia Postrel spiel]yadda yadda yadda[/spiel]

Frank_A | August 9, 2007, 3:49pm | #

Still, he shoulda kept it under his frock. Bad form padre, bad form :(

Bob_R | August 9, 2007, 3:51pm | #

"For God's sake, he already carries the stigma of being a Catholic priest."

Am I the only one that finds this line humorous?

Or is "ironic" a reasonable label for it?

thoreau | August 9, 2007, 3:54pm | #

For God's sake, he already carries the stigma of being a Catholic priest.

As a Catholic, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that this priest will probably NOT be given the distinction of the stigmata.

RegularRon | August 9, 2007, 4:03pm | #

"For God's sake, he already carries the stigma of being a Catholic priest"

You know I generaly keep my mouth shut on here, I'll post a little here and there. But that blatant Anti-Catholic statement is un-called for. I know, trying to be sarcastic and "edgy" and funny. It's not.

But it's what I've come to expect in the last year or so from here. It's a mini "daily kos". Nothing Libertarain about this place anymore.

thoreau | August 9, 2007, 4:05pm | #

It's a mini "daily kos". Nothing Libertarain about this place anymore.

OK, I'm changing the rules of the drinking game for this one:

Everybody take a sip of communion wine!

Ray | August 9, 2007, 4:09pm | #

I think he SHOULD be oth the Registered Sex Offenders List.

Exhibitionism is a sexual fetish and for all you know, it's this guy's only outlet...

joe | August 9, 2007, 4:10pm | #

Indeed, Steve. We must wait until the truth is laid bare.

I trust it will all come out in the end.

Edward | August 9, 2007, 4:30pm | #

Anti-Catholicism is as libertarian as apple hash brownies.

joe | August 9, 2007, 4:34pm | #

Oh, come on! A religion with extensive rules governing personal behavior, that often advocates for government restrictions on personal and economic activity, and is run by an extensive, insular bureacracy?

What could libertarians possibly find objectionable about that?

thoreau | August 9, 2007, 4:37pm | #

Yes, joe, but our religion was founded by a hippie, and we drink alcohol at every service.

Frank_A | August 9, 2007, 4:45pm | #

thoreau | August 9, 2007, 4:37pm | #
Yes, joe, but our religion was founded by a hippie, and we drink alcohol at every service.
Don't forget that some of the forefathers of the Church, the first generation of monks and cenobites, were cultural radicals who searched for their own spiritual enlightenment away from the imposed collective, authoritarian structure of the late Roman empire and who exhibited individualism that would make a New Orleans drag queen blush.
Live on top of a pillar preaching the Word, sleeping in the tombs of mummies to prove your spiritual hardcoreness...activities not found commonly...

Frank_A | August 9, 2007, 4:53pm | #

Also, why can't I look up to the ideas of the School of Salamanca, Freidrick Bastiat, Jean-Baptiste Say, and Dorothy Day.

All were Catholics in good standing, none of them have been condemned for their political/economic thought.
So while I mostly agree with the Church in terms of theology, I can't see why I can't look at the other sides of economic/political thought...

Jonathan Blanks | August 9, 2007, 4:54pm | #

This post was not meant to be anti-Catholic and my apologies to anyone who thinks that was my intent.

That said, the PR problems of the priesthood are no secret, and this is just another in a line of embarrassments for them. To say that Catholic priests have developed a sordid reputation is a statement of fact. I was simply flippant about it.

I think potentially ruining a man’s life for a bone-headed decision is a gross miscarriage of justice. The fact that in coming to his defense I had a little fun at the expense of the cloth may have been a cheap shot, but it should not in any way be taken as demeaning those who are also Catholic.

Mad Max | August 9, 2007, 4:59pm | #

"For God's sake, he already carries the stigma of being a Catholic priest."

And Charles Rust-Tierney already carries the stigma of having headed the Virginia chapter of a militantly secularist organization for twelve years. Would it be unfair to require this secularist to register as a sex offender? Judge for yourself:

"Former Va. ACLU Head Pleads Guilty in Child Pornography Case . . .

"By Jerry Markon
Washington Post Staff Writer

"Saturday, June 2, 2007 . . .

"A former Arlington County youth sports coach who once headed the Virginia ACLU pleaded guilty yesterday to charges that he purchased child pornography so graphic that prosecutors called it 'sadistic.'

"Charles Rust-Tierney, 51, admitted that he accessed more than 850 pornographic images of children as young as 4, including a six-minute video depicting the sexual torture of children set to a song by the band Nine Inch Nails. . . .
. . .

"The case has attracted national attention, with some critics and bloggers accusing the media of initially downplaying the story because of Rust-Tierney's ACLU connection. He was president of the board of directors of the ACLU's Virginia affiliate from 1993 to 2005 and resigned from the ACLU's board the day he was arrested in February."

http://tinyurl.com/2t9npe

Back when this guy was presiding over the Board of Directors, the Virginia ACLU defended a teenage nudist camp the government was trying to close down:

http://www.acluva.org/docket/whitetail.html

Frank_A | August 9, 2007, 5:08pm | #

Ah, no problem Jonathan. It wasn't that harsh of a blog post, and it had a lot of truth about the hierarchy, so sorry about getting all Bill Donahue about it...
So, here's one zinger:

What's the difference between acne and a Catholic priest?

Acne doesn't come on a boy's face until he's 13 or so.

Heh | August 9, 2007, 5:10pm | #

members of the community

As a Catholic, I'm going to go out on a limb

bone-headed decision

M | August 9, 2007, 5:13pm | #

Jonathan Blanks, te absolvo; it was inescapably funny.

As for the defense, I'd call it a clerical error.

LibertyPlease | August 9, 2007, 5:23pm | #

If Catholicism didn't have such a history of crimes against humanity (worse, using a celestial boogeyman to dupe its supporters), it'd be funny.

Oh well, at least we have the Onion! Check out the last paragraph: http://mobile.theonion.com/content/node/64643

Frank_A | August 9, 2007, 6:06pm | #

(worse, using a celestial boogeyman to dupe its supporters)
Really? Is teaching that Jesus Christ is Lord/God worse than the Inquisition? That's a pretty lame argument. Sorry, I also don't accept the premise that it's immoral for someone to believe in a God/deity since that would also mean we have to castigate every instance of faith/belief in any group or institution.

As for the crimes against humanity, you might have a point if the RCC hadn't undergone the liberalizing reforms of Vatican II, including how RCC has worked to be a member of the modern, liberal world, this point seems a bit dated since the majority of those sin.

Also, if the RCC is one to be singled out for it's historical shame, then the US has to be shamed for it's own sins of it's genocidal relations with the Indians, it's history of brutal imperialism, and even it's faults during the "good war" of WWII like the Japanese internment camps or Dresden/Hiroshima/Nagasaki. And of "boogeymen," don't forget how much damage occurs when "patriots" like Tom Tancredo want to nuke Mecca/Medina for another terrorist attack.
I can still live and love my country in spite of it's manifest faults and work towards preventing a repeat of it's sins, so I do the same for my Church.

Frank_A | August 9, 2007, 6:11pm | #

Sorry, I also don't accept the premise that it's immoral for someone to believe in a God/deity since that would also mean we have to castigate every instance of faith/belief in any group or institution.
Also meant to add that such a need would be totally impractical and is analogous to the RCC preaching that everyone for total abstinance until marriage, or for the US government to attack people for smoking pot.
Meaning that both efforts fight against human nature regardless of it's morality, and so cannot do anything but fight a infinite struggle that usually leads to people advocating more and more extreme "solutions" to such issues.

Stevo Darkly | August 9, 2007, 6:50pm | #

For God's sake, he already carries the stigma of being a Catholic priest.

I'm Catholic, and I thought that was funny.

Being a Catholic priest does indeed carry a bit of a stigma right now, mostly because of you-know-what. We can argue about whether the stigma is as widely deserved as it is perceived. Jonathan Blanks doesn't say anything about whether the stigma is fair or accurate. He's just making ironicalness about a fact.

Plenty of libertarians are Catholic. The Liberterian Party did a demographic survey at one of its conventions about 10 years ago; the libertarian magazine Liberty conducted a nearly identical survey of its readership shortly after. IIRC, "Roman Catholic" was the biggest subgroup in the "What, if any, are your religious beliefs?" category. (Sadly, frustratingly, and idiotically, nobody is maintaining a copy of these nifty surveys online.)

Taktix® | August 9, 2007, 7:02pm | #

I believe there's a Catholic Clause in Megan's Law, which makes being really creepy when you're a priest a list-able offense.

Santa | August 9, 2007, 7:38pm | #

I believe there's a Catholic Clause in Megan's Law

And that would be me!

joe | August 9, 2007, 10:07pm | #

Is there actually a stigma attached to being a Catholic priest, like being a Scientologist or a dog-fighter? Or is it more of a commonly-mined subject of humor, like being French?

I've never met anyone who actually held the French people they met in disdain, but everybody laughs at jokes about the smelly, surrenduring French.

Aresen | August 9, 2007, 11:40pm | #

Is there actually a stigma attached to being a Catholic priest, like being a Scientologist or a dog-fighter? Or is it more of a commonly-mined subject of humor, like being French?

The latter, I think, although many Priests likely feel very uncomfortable and "stigmatized" when the molestation scandals are discussed.

OTOH: Heard any good ones about French Catholic Priests?

Anonymo the Anonymous | August 10, 2007, 12:06am | #

IIRC, "Roman Catholic" was the biggest subgroup in the "What, if any, are your religious beliefs?" category.

Isn't Roman Catholic the biggest subgroup among Americans as a whole if you're not combining all the different non-Catholic denominations into one big lump of Protestants?

Mike Laursen | August 10, 2007, 1:40am | #

How is it that someone who didn't have sex with anyone, or even try to have sex with anyone, would have to register as a sex offender?

S.A. Miller | August 10, 2007, 11:25am | #

For God's sake, he already carries the stigma of being a Catholic priest.

Nice.... any other bigotry you want to get out of your system today Mr. Blanks ?

miedo de la Piñata | August 11, 2007, 11:50am | #

Reminds me of the time I didn't have sex.

jane | August 12, 2007, 1:43pm | #

I think you're giving the priest too much credit. He has been investigated before for "inappropriate personal behavior" which had to do with showering nude with young boys in a previous parish. Jogging nude in and of itself shouldn't lead to being registered as a sex offender; however, anyone who chooses to jog nude at a high school track or any public place -- come on! He's trying to get some jollies and some shock value.