Pope Running Out of Persons to Blame for Priest Sexual Abuse
Pope Begs Forgiveness - But Doesn't Apologize
I posted earlier today that the Pope has begged for forgiveness from survivors of priest sexual abuse. Unfortunately, the statement did not contain an apology or any acknowlegement that the Vatican or the Catholic Church were to blame for the tidal wave of priest abuse claims that have crossed the Atlantic from North America and swept across the U.K. and Europe.
Blame Everyone - Admit Nothing
The Pope has been quick to cast blame for the priest abuse crisis. See for example:
Can the Pope Learn a Lesson From Spiderman? Vatican Claims Bishops Not Employees of Church :
In fact officials in the Catholic Church have pointed the finger pretty much everywhere else including the media, gay priests, and pornography.Has The Pope Run Out of Scapegoats? Not Yet!
The Pope's fingerpointing would be almost laughable, if the problem of child sexual abuse by priests wasn't so serious.
But today The Los Angeles Times reported that in the same speech where he begged forgiveness from victims, the Pope blamed the priest abuse crisis on...get this...The Devil!
Come on! Really?
Comments
John,
Everyone can agree that it is completely unnatural for a man to go his whole life sworn to celibacy as there is no known way of curbing our innate desires given to us from birth and certainly, put in an institution where the individual's basic human rights/necessities are completely compromised through this vow, this is bound to manifest itself somehow during the course of their life.
Please don't look at the Pope's asking for forgiveness as being a benefit to him; it's for the victims of such abuse to move on with their lives. Without giving forgiveness, our darkness grows and manifests itself in other ways. This is what is taught in the Bible. The Pope's sins will only ever be abolished if a criminal case against the Roman Catholic Church is pursued based on their not being able to dictate the human right of procreation of the individual. Isn't that genocide by any other definition : imposing: measures to prevent births within the group, mental harm, conditions of life. Maybe society is not ready for such change - if you think it is, I'd be more than willing to start a process - but this may be too tall an order. I've spent the last 25 years thinking up my version of "forgiveness". This is the only thing I can think of.
Posted by: Ne'er a Victim | June 20, 2010 12:43 AM
Thank you for your powerful blog. It is truly enraging to think about all the responsibility dodging that follows abuse. I am truly saddened by it. An apology goes a long way.
I am a survivor of familial childhood sexual abuse. It is a very hard road, but fortunately, my primary perpetrator is behind bars. However, it does not speed healing, it simply helps a survivor avoid the doubling of the pain that can be caused by denial.
Posted by: Percheron Gray | August 31, 2010 1:12 AM
People aren't born molesters. There have to be a variety of factors that aid in their becoming so. The pope was merely pointing out that this society is saturated in pornography and other sexual deviancy. So it engenders a licentious attitude towards sexuality which in turn creates an environment where molesters are more frequent. And, if you believe in the devil, then he assuredly has his hand in it.
The Catholic Church has the most noble view of sex, and because a handful of priests have betrayed the trust placed in them, that is not a license to take pot shots at the Church. Understanding the problem is the key to solving this crisis. Not undermining an institution which from it's beginning has striven to protect and care for women and children.
Posted by: Doug | March 31, 2011 9:15 PM