Posted on 11/15/2023 8:11:03 PM PST by Morgana
In the realm of sexual crimes, a stark contrast exists in the level of media attention and public awareness when the perpetrators wear different hats, specifically, the robes of the Catholic Church versus the more secular attire of public school teachers or individuals from diverse spiritual beliefs.
When allegations of sexual misconduct arise within the Catholic Church, the media responds with a resounding uproar that reverberates globally. Cases involving Catholic priests make headlines, sparking international outrage, and prompting discussions about accountability and reform.
Furthermore, authors exploring themes of scandal and controversy within the Catholic Church frequently experience an unexpected surge in international fame. Books that point fingers at the Church, delving into alleged misconduct or institutional shortcomings, often become sensationalized and receive extensive media coverage.
The allure of such narratives, coupled with the controversial nature of the subject matter, seems to propel these authors into the spotlight, contributing to their sudden rise to prominence.
However, this fervor seems conspicuously absent when similar crimes are committed by public school teachers or individuals from non-Catholic spiritual communities.
A recent survey conducted by the "JW Child Abuse Damage Archive," exposing 159 reported cases of sexual abuse within the Jehovah's Witnesses community in Japan, serves as a typical example.
"It's disheartening to note that, on a near-weekly basis, new instances of such abuse emerge"
Out of the 159 valid responses received, 35 respondents disclosed that they experienced sexual abuse during their formative years, from middle school to high school, detailing various forms of misconduct. Additionally, 19 respondents pinpointed the perpetrators as individuals holding positions of authority within the Jehovah's Witnesses structure.
Despite the gravity of the allegations and the significant number of victims, media coverage remains quite passive compared to instances involving Catholic priests. The silence surrounding these cases is concerning, raising questions about the factors that contribute to this conspicuous disparity.
During my decade-long stay in Japan, I've encountered numerous individuals who have confided in me about their distressing experiences of either abuse or harassment by their middle or high school teachers. It's disheartening to note that, on a near-weekly basis, new instances of such abuse emerge, yet they rarely make it to the forefront of prime-time media or receive international coverage.
Sure, the Church's global reach and historical significance amplify the impact of scandals involving its clergy, making them inherently more newsworthy. However, this skewed emphasis downplays cases in other religious communities and institutions, promoting an incomplete narrative around the pervasive issue of sexual abuse.
Frequently, when crimes within the Church are spotlighted in the media, the primary emphasis tends to be on holding the authorities accountable for covering up these offenses, often without facing any consequences even when exposed.
Paradoxically, a similar pattern unfolds in cases involving public school teachers. Instances where educators are found guilty of misconduct are frequently shielded by school boards eager to safeguard their institutions' reputations. In the rare event that a teacher is held accountable, the consequence often involves a mere relocation to a different city or institution, allowing them to continue their crimes unchecked.
How curious it is that allegations against the Unification Church for supposedly engaging in mind control to extract financial contributions can receive an unmatched level of attention when compared to crimes as awful as the sexual abuse of minors.
The contrast in public awareness between accusations of financial manipulation and the severe harm inflicted through the sexual abuse of minors is indeed striking. While the former might involve questionable practices or ethical concerns, the latter represents a violation of the most fundamental human rights and the well-being of vulnerable individuals.
This divergence in attention prompts reflection on the factors that dictate the public's perception of crimes and the media's role in shaping narratives.
Understanding the dynamics behind this contradictory prioritization is essential for developing a more balanced public awareness. It would help concerned families in distinguishing what constitutes genuine threats from cherry-picked narratives driven by biased, often political motives.
Any Christian should understand the implication of that.
Being "defrocked and Jailed" as you say, is the least
of these men's problems when it comes to going before the Lord.
Capice?
Then why didn’t he create ALL of us sinless?
And just because you think God *could have* done something, does not stand to reason that He did.
Mary was a sinner like every other person born on this planet with a human father. The sin nature comes through the father so Mary did not need to be sinless to carry Jesus to term.
Her sinfulness did not and could not contaminate Him, and His sinlessness would not have had any effect on Mary being a sinner.
But nobody here is doing that. Thou shalt not bear false witness.
Big Media, and those under its sway, are downplaying sexual abuse of children in government schools, civic associations, and religious communities other than the Catholic Church. Speck. Log. Eyeball.
The end result was a large contingent of victims, which eventually led to devastating publicity and law suits that wrecked the reputation, moral authority, and finances of the Catholic Church in the US and much of the developed world.
As a cradle Catholic with a K-12 Catholic education, I have no doubt that firm application of Catholic doctrines against homosexuality and for the protection of the innocence of children would have averted much of this tragedy.
As for sexual misconduct in other denominations and professions, I do not see how this excuses such failings in the modern Catholic Church, especially in the way they stem from its unwillingness to be resolutely Catholic.
yes
toddlers
yes,
mentally handicapped people
yes
and even Jesus then?
No, because Scripture notes He was sinless. This is why it pays to read the texts.
Doesn't that "all"require one to include even those that we know for a fact have not sinned?
Your belief some have not sinned is incorrect as just noted.
And now your denomination is blessing same sex relationships.
+1
That has been the Roman Catholic defense of this in previous discussions.
Not quite, at least not in general practice. Perhaps the years will claim Pope Francis before that happens. If not, the Catholic Church is likely to fall into schism.
God tells us in Scripture that ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
1 John 1:8-10 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
So, you are now claiming to know more than God?
Or are you stating that Paul was wrong when he, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, stated that ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
And how would you know *for a fact* that there exist people who have not sinned?
Is God's word Truth or not?
If God tells us in His word, which He does, that ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, then why don't you believe it? Where do you get off thinking that you can establish your own truth and teach something that is contrary to divinely revealed Truth in Scripture?
No doubt but it does not excuse the Catholic church from not doing it.
There's no reason at all that temporal punishment cannot be administered in addition to eternal punishment.
So you're fine with a priest who has been molesting children to administer the sacraments to you and to handle the host and lay the communion wafer on your tongue?
What I find most interesting is this recent article posted.
Catholics claim that their *church* is protected by God and that the gates of hell will never prevail against it, and yet here we see an article recently posted as a thread that states......
How the Sexual Revolution Conquered the Catholic Church
https://stream.org/how-the-sexual-revolution-conquered-the-catholic-church/
Looks like the gates of hell prevailed plenty and even Catholics are beginning to see it.
Rome is already is schism. Look at the daily articles posted by Roman Catholics against their pope.
Does ALL mean All as you would like?
Well then you must believe infants can sin...
You must believe then children can sin...
You must believe then that mentally handicapped people
are capable of sinning...
So which is it?
You can't have it both ways.
That seems to be a pattern for Catholicism about once every 500 or so years.
The first was the schism that resulted in the Orthodox church.
The next was the Protestant Reformation.
Here we are about 500 years later again, and look at the mess Roman Catholicism is.
FWIW, I don't see much in the way of reports of this kind of stuff going on in the Eastern Orthodox Catholic churches.
The 'this' was a passover meal.
What a thing the Catholics have allowed it to morph into.
And I am SURE that He didn't.
Rome's Mary is not a sinner, but Jesus' mom sure was.
Again?
First Rome lost the Eastern Orthodox, then the Prots...
Call no man father
GMTA
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