Religion and government are like water and oil. Ideally, they should stay out of each other’s business, but in practice, it’s bound to happen. The recent controversy over Washington’s new Child Abuse Law has made that even clearer. The law itself doesn’t target Catholic priests specifically. In fact, it’s a fairly reasonable measure that expects ministers, priests, healthcare workers, and others to report suspected child abuse to the authorities. So why are Catholic bishops suing the state of Washington over it?
It comes down to something called the Seal of Confession. In Catholicism, believers can confess their sins to a priest in hopes of receiving forgiveness. According to the Church, priests are strictly forbidden from revealing anything they hear during confession, no matter what. Breaking this seal can lead to excommunication.
With the introduction of Senate Bill 5375, priests now face a serious dilemma. They must choose between obeying civil law or upholding their religious vows. They can either violate centuries of Church tradition and face excommunication, or stay silent and risk jail time for not reporting abuse. It’s a painful choice, and that’s why the Church has filed a lawsuit, arguing that the law infringes on religious freedom.
Unsurprisingly, this has sparked a heated public debate. On one side are those who believe protecting children should always come first. On the other are those who see the bill as government overreach into sacred religious practices.
Even Washington Governor Bob Ferguson supports the law. Despite being a Catholic, he expressed disappointment in the Church’s opposition, emphasizing that the bill’s purpose is to protect vulnerable children, not to target any particular faith.
Many Reddit users also voiced support for the governor, arguing that the safety and well-being of children should come first. One commenter wrote, “So they’re saying the rights of children not to be molested are less important than protecting their religion? That’s an easy decision and religion is not the victor.”
Others argued that the Catholic Church in Washington has a valid point. This is, after all, a matter of deeply held faith. One Redditor explained, “It’s because of the seal of confession. Realistically, your priest should tell you to turn yourself in as part of your penance. That means your sin isn’t absolved unless you do, and you remain in a state of mortal sin, which means going to hell. I understand not all priests will do that, unfortunately.”
Another user added, “The laws for reporting confessions should follow the same rules as attorney-client privilege or the confidentiality between a patient and a doctor or therapist. If I did something bad in the past, no talk. If I am doing or will do something bad, report it.”
