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The Forum > Article Comments > Facing the truth ... > Comments

Facing the truth ... : Comments

By Amanda Gearing, published 31/8/2007

The scale of the problem of pedophile clergy in Australian churches needs to be squarely faced by state and federal parliaments.

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Boazy: "Does Amanda REALLY care about the victims of child abuse...

OR..

Does she care more about DESTROYING the credibility of "the Church" as a social instituion ? What could be the motive for this ?"

Yes, Boazy really has sunk to a new low in this post, hasn't he?

His callous disregard of the victims of sexual abuse by clergy is exacerbated by his completely speculative attack on the article's author. The deployment of the Marxist 'straw man' in his effort to deflect attention from the obvious deficiencies of churches with respect to protecting child-abusing clergy is as laughable as it is contemptible.

Perhaps the article touches on issues a bit too close to home for our most vociferously hypocritical godbotherer?
Posted by CJ Morgan, Friday, 31 August 2007 2:42:54 PM
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BOAZ_David

You’re right that clergy aren’t the only ones to abuse children, but the case of abusive clergy is different in several respects:

- Even more than a swimming coach or Rotarian, clergy are expected to exercise moral discernment and pastoral care for the material, emotional and spiritual welfare of their flocks. The betrayal of this responsibility is especially serious.

- As the author points out, by treating abuse as a sin to be forgiven (which it is) rather than a crime to be punished (which it also is) churches have committed grave injustices that are rightly perceived to be self-serving.

- Again as the author said, the systematic and prolonged cover-ups, intimidation and denial of the churches goes beyond mere protection of friends and colleagues, but are cynical institutional self-protection, in which the churches have demonstrated lower moral standards than many secular institutions facing similar allegations.

The effect of this is evident in the trivial - changed church policies meant I needed to get a police clearance to continue teaching Sunday school - to the appalling - the terrible damage inflicted on victims, and the loss of respect and trust in not just the churches but the faith they serve. It's time we faced up to the huge damage the Churches have done to themselves as well as their victims.
Posted by Rhian, Friday, 31 August 2007 3:21:21 PM
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"LETTTS not just single out 'Churches'.... how about we address such problems across EVERY aspect of our culture and society.."

Well BD, lets look at who pontifates the loudest, about "good
Christian morals" and those "dumb atheists"

Personally, I have little time for hypocrites. In the US senate
we've just had one of Clinton's main attackers, exposed as a closet
gay, trying to obtain gay sex in an airport toilet.

In the papers there is a story of a Christian fundamentalist
preacher, sent to jail for trying to use the scriptures to
justify having sex with his teenage daughters.

The Catholics pontificate the loudest about how people should
control themselves, yet their priests are pretty bad at it.

Personally I have no problem with singling out those
who pontificate the loudest. Hypocrites!

Clearly all that thumping of bibles isn't doing much good.

I'll just stay a humble Darwinian agnostic thank you :)
Posted by Yabby, Friday, 31 August 2007 3:34:48 PM
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One of the saddest things about the abuse saga is that it has tainted all church workers, many of whom are good, hardworking, caring and compassionate people.
There has been a tendency, in the media especially, to sensationalise and exaggerate the events and an encouragement for people to 'come forward'.
Yes, some abuse has occurred and that is an appalling thing and must be dealt with but there are also false accusations being made. What of the priest who, in an effort to comfort a crying boy who has lost a parent, puts a hand on the boy's shoulder. In the confusion of grief and looking for someone to blame in his anger at losing a parent the boy in turn accuses the priest of inappropriate behaviour.
There is a need to be very, very careful when making such accusations. The lure of financial compensation can be very strong and the assumption that all priests/ministers etc accused are guilty is too easy to make when religious organisations are seen as wealthy cows to be milked.
It is similar to the claims of abuse elsewhere by other groups. Perhaps the answer is to search for other ways to assist people rather than provide lump sums in financial compensation.
Posted by Communicat, Friday, 31 August 2007 3:38:08 PM
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A large part of the problem with sexual abuse with children is that it is treated softly by the courts. Castration would be a good option those who are repeat offenders. Jesus is actually harder on those who cause little ones to sin. Unfortunately a number of our judges have also committed the same crimes as some of those men in frocks.

The author would have more credibility if she campaigned against the porn industry today which results in masses of children being interfered with.

The thing that puzzles me is that the churches compensate the victims (in which I am in full agreement of) but the multitudes of others (doctors, teachers, coaches, step fathers etc etc etc) don't.
Posted by runner, Friday, 31 August 2007 4:20:53 PM
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Churches are seen as a soft target Runner - there is an assumption that they are going to pay up without argument and that they can afford to do so. It does not matter in the slightest to those demanding compensation that the money will often come from people who have had nothing whatsoever to do with the actions, that they are merely church attendees - often of a church that has no relationship to the abuser but one within that 'communion'. That the money is also diverted from use with others who also have a great need and may, if used wisely, help to prevent future abuse through the alleviation of all manner of ills is apparently beside the point.
Those who have been abused need every consideration but there is also a need to consider where financial compensation comes from and what the consequences are. I think we can be quite certain that the AMA would strongly object to being asked to pay financial compensation to the victim of sexual abuse by a doctor. It should not be any different for the churches but the values and traditions are seen to be different...although how it can be different from "First do no harm" is beyond me.
Any wonder that church attendance is dropping and priests are hard to find...who would want the job knowing that a false claim could be made against you at any time just because someone is emotionally fragile or that you have unwittingly made a statement someone thinks is heretical or a gesture of comfort was misunderstood by someone else.
I have no time for sexual abusers but I also wonder why it is that there suddenly seems to be so much of it. In no way intending to belittle those with genuine cases (who have my utmost sympathy) - is it seen as potentially easy money for some troublemakers?
Posted by Communicat, Friday, 31 August 2007 4:59:37 PM
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