"You insist on blaming the child abuse scandal on "The Church," "
No I don't Joe - I say that the Church played a part in those abuses
I have consistently listed the part it played - ignoring the abuses, even though they were common knowledge, passing on the culprits to places where they were unknown so they could continue their abusing and finally shipping them abroad where their abuses were (presumably) perpetrated on people who didn't matter
That is full complicity and it is what I am accusing the Church, as a body, of doing.
The Vatican hid and continues to to hide the details of those abuses and has yet to admit its part in what happened and apologise for it
It is a "half truth" to claim the victims have been fully compensated - the Irish taxpayer has been given the responsibility of the donkey's share of the bill, the church is still prevaricating.
You and others have suggested that this situation must go on in order for the Church to hold onto its vast wealth.
You refuse even to respond to the facts of the Church's involvement other than to express outrage and make accusations of "half truths and anachronisms"and, disgracefully, attempt to make this "Irish" rather than the International scandal it has become.
The Church I am speaking didn't "die long ago" - modern social development has forced it to make compromises - extremely reluctantly, and these revelations have all but totally undermined its authority - that is not the enlightened change that needs to happen
Atheist that I am, I have no wish to see the destruction of the church - I have far too much respect for the believers I count as friends.
The Church, as a body must no longer be in the position to influence the running of countries in important matters, as it still does.
It has proved itself untrustworthy with children, yet in Ireland, it controls over 90% of our primary schools - many schools are demanding baptismal certificates for entry in places where they are the only alternative - here, we would have to ship a child over forty miles to find a non or multi-denominational school
Unless the activities of the church are confined to the VOLUNTARY spiritual guidance of those who seek it, the Church will implode, leaving a massive gap in the lives genuine believers.
You say my anger concerns something that happened "long ago" - I assume you are claiming the same for all those who have walked away from the churches here, leaving them virtually empty and in the crisis that are now facing
You speak with the smug ignorance of someone far detached from the reality of what is happening
It all seems very different 'Up in Wisconsin' (as Don Lange put it in his song).
Jim Carroll