Then you quote:
"...Abuse reports do not always mean the accused was guilty, and they do not necessarily result in financial awards or settlements, the companies said. The reports include accusations against clergy, church staff and volunteers."
Same thing could be said about the Catholic Church. Settlements are not usually an admission of fault, but are a mitigation of risk. Just look at the settlements which large companies enter into every single day. I suspect that if the typical small protestant church had large assets or giant insurance policies they'd be getting hammered for large settlements for rampant sexual abuse of minors, as is discussed in this article.
And don't forget, the article also mentions that the 260 figure is just the "tip of the iceberg" for sexual abuse of minors within the thousands of protestant denominations. And I quote:
Joe Trull, editor of Christian Ethics Today and retired ethics professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, helped the Texas convention create its registry and says there are now about 11 cases involving clergy abuse with minors.
But he believes these are just the "tip of the iceberg'' because churches don't have to report abuse cases to the registry and aren't likely to.
"The problem we're having is that churches just weren't sending the names," Trull said. "In the normal scenario, they just try to keep it secret. We're going to have to be more proactive and let them know if they don't come forward, they're helping to perpetuate this problem."
Wow. Secrecy? Failure to report sexual abuse of minors? It would seem pretty hypocritical to bash Catholics for such things when protestant clergy do the same which you accuse their Catholic counterparts.
Well said. And remember, this is for ONE YEAR of the protestants:
“If there are over 260 sexual abuse claims per year involving minors.”
On the other hand, the Catholic settlement involved a diocese of over 4 million Catholics over greater than 20 years.
I asked that my incomplete post, 276, be removed. I need to remember to proofread. *sigh*
When you can find a letter from Protestant clergy urging secrecy and expulsion/excommunication for anyone who speaks about sexual abuse with anyone outside of church authorities, as Ratzinger sent to every Roman Catholic bishop, you let me know.