[Zeno]

Clealy he is not "directly" at fault. And good point. But the seeds of numerous atrocities can be attributed to the thought that is directly his and produces the climate which fosters evil deeds.

For example, in the summa theologiae, he produces arguments that the scaraments are valid even when dispensed by wicked ministers. This idea was vital to church doctrine, as very many priest live in mortal sin and the common pious people feared that such priests could not administer the sacraments (their activities were common knowledge), which are necessary to salvation. It was well known in Thomas's age (and continuing down to today!) that priests and other clerics abused their power and committed crimes, that included, sexual abuse toward women, and young boys and girls, among other abuses involving property and money.

This is the hieght of moral degradation and intellectual dishonesty - that such an intelligent man could justify such nonsense. And he clearly knew what was going on.

I should add that a few lines of the above (first part of second paragragh), I parapharsed and modified from Bertrand Russell's, A History of Western Philosophy. The rest of the post is all mine.

-Zeno

And yes, he supported and justified the celibacy of priests.