Porn-surfing clergyman downs church network

Published: 20 Oct 08 11:49 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/15076/20081020/

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A church minister from Strängnäs in central Sweden has resigned from his post after his porn-surfing habits led to the spread of a virus that knocked out the local church network, Metro reports.

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The Church of Sweden minister admitted to spending a lot of time at work viewing pornographic websites.

But his habits might have gone undiscovered had not the sites he visited given rise to a lethal computer virus.

"He recently decided to resign," Charlotta Novosel, a legal spokeswoman for the church, told Metro.

The church authorities have not yet decided whether the minister should be formally defrocked.

The number of sex-related cases involving men of the cloth has skyrocketed in recent years, according to Metro.

"Priests are people too," Archbishop Anders Wejryd told the paper.

"But I have no understanding at all for someone sitting and surfing for porn on the parish computers," he added.

A pastor in Gothenburg recently came under scrutiny for moistening post-it notes with his penis and sticking them up in an office.

After an official review, the authorities decided to allow the minister to remain in his job.