Catholic church and supporters - STOP THIS DEFENCE
I am cutting this post for the sake of survivors of abuse who can certainly do without the triggers
The Catholic church is currently being rather overwhelmed by a horrific child abuse revelations. It is a terrible blight that has now hit in so many countries it boggles the mind - in the US, Ireland, Germany, Brazil, Italy and more every year..
It’s tragic, it’s disgusting. And what is worse, what the main scandal is, is not just that these horrific crimes happened, but that the powers that be in the Church - up to the very top - swept it under the rug, hid it, protected the perpetrators and even allowed them to go on abusing elsewhere.
We know the story and it doesn’t get any better as it is repeated from nation to nation.
But what does add a new level of “I don’t believe they did that” is the DEFENCE of these practices, the dismissal of the seriousness of these crimes, the attempt to justify them and deflect attention from them.
The pope has declared that he will not be intimidated by petty gossip
Petty gossip.
Petty Gossip. What… how… WHAT?!
He follows it up with comments that basically accuse the media - and the victims - of lying.
Well, I have to give him one thing, I never imagined the Catholic church could handle this scandal any worse than they already where - but the Pope has made it clear, no matter how bad you think they are, he’s ready to go a little lower.
Do you know what, Benedict, do you know what REALLY pissed a lot of people off about this shit? Obviously the child abuse - but, y’know, people are sensible. We KNOW there are paedophiles in every walk of life, we know their are abusers and predators everywhere, in every faith, in every job. No-one reasonable is going to say “ZOMG there is a paedophile priest, that manes all Catholics are EVIL” (though the numbers are disturbing).
No, the thing that is pissing off is that the Catholic hierarchy decided that their PR was more important than the suffering of children. Your reputation meant more than children being hurt in the worst way possible. Your reputation was more important than holding paedophiles accountable. Your reputation was more important than protecting children. Your reputation was more important than helping those children and ensuring more children didn’t become victims.
And with this? With this dismissal, the Pope is saying that their reputation is STILL more important than the victims, the accountability of their abusers and the safety of other children they have access to.
And that is the very seriously not ok.