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My first instinct is, of course, to scream “you hypocritical, evil, vile bastards!” and continue to hope for the continued decline of this vile institution.
I’ve seen this instinct reflected in many gay blogs. And there’s good reason for that. The Catholic Church has been systematically covering up (at the highest levels) the worst kind of child abuse on a, frankly, global scale. The new report from Ireland - which is truly horrific (and shows the danger of people treating an institution with unquestioned reverence) just furthers adds to the truly horrifying story. As if these evil acts weren’t reason enough to condemn them - for them to then reach out from this lowest of moral lowgrounds and presume to judge us, condemn us, condemn our love and BLAME US for paedophilic abuse. For them, in the light of such evil, act as righteous adjudicators fit to control and punish OUR lives with their tainted “morals” is astounding.
Well, everyone has a damn good reason to be furious and we certainly have a damn good reason to express our utter disgust and outrage at this hypocrisy and a damn good reason to make sure that the evil the Catholic Church has committed is known.
But have a care.
Have a care because, while I think the church is corrupt through and through and to blame for this outrage at the highest possible levels and even institutionally tainted but this - blaming individual or collective CATHOLICS is wrong. It’s easy to lash out at the convenient target - but the members of the faith are not the same as the organisation itself. Make a distinction between the church and its members (even if you are bemused about why they associate themselves with such an organisation - faith is personal and compelling).
And have a care because there are some very real, very hurt people who were victims of the Church’s abuse. Don’t chortle or be smug about this - however much it will damage a very real enemy of ours - because people are hurting, people were hurt, people were victims. Foremost of all, the victims deserve our fullest sympathy and support - don’t use them.
Do fight the Catholic church’s evil actions - do expose what happened here, do not let them cover it up or forget it or dismiss it. Do expose their hypocrisy. Do expose the billions they have spent to harm people, do expose the efforts they have taken to hide this evil. Do fight for justice and protection. Do condemn them unreservedly. Do question how such an organisation and such people can even remotely be considered a source or arbiter of morality.
But don’t forget the victims while doing so.
I’ve seen this instinct reflected in many gay blogs. And there’s good reason for that. The Catholic Church has been systematically covering up (at the highest levels) the worst kind of child abuse on a, frankly, global scale. The new report from Ireland - which is truly horrific (and shows the danger of people treating an institution with unquestioned reverence) just furthers adds to the truly horrifying story. As if these evil acts weren’t reason enough to condemn them - for them to then reach out from this lowest of moral lowgrounds and presume to judge us, condemn us, condemn our love and BLAME US for paedophilic abuse. For them, in the light of such evil, act as righteous adjudicators fit to control and punish OUR lives with their tainted “morals” is astounding.
Well, everyone has a damn good reason to be furious and we certainly have a damn good reason to express our utter disgust and outrage at this hypocrisy and a damn good reason to make sure that the evil the Catholic Church has committed is known.
But have a care.
Have a care because, while I think the church is corrupt through and through and to blame for this outrage at the highest possible levels and even institutionally tainted but this - blaming individual or collective CATHOLICS is wrong. It’s easy to lash out at the convenient target - but the members of the faith are not the same as the organisation itself. Make a distinction between the church and its members (even if you are bemused about why they associate themselves with such an organisation - faith is personal and compelling).
And have a care because there are some very real, very hurt people who were victims of the Church’s abuse. Don’t chortle or be smug about this - however much it will damage a very real enemy of ours - because people are hurting, people were hurt, people were victims. Foremost of all, the victims deserve our fullest sympathy and support - don’t use them.
Do fight the Catholic church’s evil actions - do expose what happened here, do not let them cover it up or forget it or dismiss it. Do expose their hypocrisy. Do expose the billions they have spent to harm people, do expose the efforts they have taken to hide this evil. Do fight for justice and protection. Do condemn them unreservedly. Do question how such an organisation and such people can even remotely be considered a source or arbiter of morality.
But don’t forget the victims while doing so.