"and say that they were acting against the teaching of Jesus."
They were acting under the power that their relgion gave them and the church colluded in their crimes and even allowed them to continue - first in other parishes, and eventually in third world countries.
It's immaterial to compare this with the actions of atheists
Paedophelia is wrong, whoever does it.
It is pure evil when people used the position their religion gives them to carry out their crimes.
It is grimly ludicrous that a church that can condemn a young woman who has "sinned" to a life of brutality and slavery while at the same time condoning and hiding the ruining of young peoples lives by the thousands.
It is significant that the Clerical abuses scandal has brought into question every single aspect of the relationship between the state and the church - a question that is long overdue being addressed.
Morality, as far as I am concerned, needs to be based our relationship with our fellow human beings - not on any belief or superstition, just how we treat each other
The Church's long term attitude to morality has been hypocritical in the extreme
I get tired of saying this - peoples' beliefs should be their own consciously arrived at decision - not imposed by a body that has greater power than any other in our society - the power over our minds, virtually from the time we become conscious.
I don't choose to target Keith and his ilk randomly.
He flaunts his 'Christianity' like an expensive Burberry jacket while at the same time targetting some of the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society with his hatred and bigotry (he will low ask for examples - he has been given enough of them to choke a donkey)   
If I though for one minute that his behaviour is representative of Christianity as a whole, I would campaign to my last breath to have such a philosophy banned from the face of the planet.
He is typical of the worst aspects of mealy-mouthed Christian hypocrisy
Ake is similar with his support of the institution of the church and his archaic hatred for large sections of his fellow man.
They are both extremely useful and conveniently available examples of what is wrong with many religions nowadays   
It's not religion that I disapprove of - but some of the believers really do get up my nose
Jim Carroll