HistoryPrincess,
OLD NEWS:
It seems that pretty much everyone on the globe already knew the Roman Catholic clergy was full of pedophiles...
everyone but you.
Most of us are shocked that you are so shocked.
Everyone in the world already knew this stuff.
Roman Catholic priests are famous for this.
Not only that, but sexual deviance of Catholic priests goes back hundreds and hundreds of years, and it's historically documented, and it's even joked about in historical records. Catholic priests were famous for being dangerous sexual deviants ALL OVER EUROPE, for CENTURIES before the protestant reformation even came along.
This is OLD NEWS.
We understand that you're angry, and if you trusted your church, then we can understand that you're shocked... but most of us aren't shocked.
Yes, it's still awful
It's still a terrible thing.
It's a terrible thing, and you have every right to be upset.
No one can, or should, blame you for being so upset.
I think your response is perfectly reasonable.
Btw, Martin Luther went through the same thing.
He loved and trusted the Roman Catholic Church, and when he went to the vatican...
everything he saw was just sin and debauchery.
He was totally devastated.
So, it's pretty reasonable for you to be upset.
This stuff has upset a lot of people... even Martin Luther.
What Now?
Maybe if your church has let you down... maybe you should look for another church.
No church or denomination is going to be perfect,
but there are churches that just have "normal" kinds of problems.
There are churches that are trying to do right, and who's leaders aren't spending all the church's money covering up pedophiles.
There are a lot of churches that believe in Christ, and want to serve him.
There are a lot of churches where the leaders have normal, everyday, human flaws... but...
they're trying to do right, and they're just normal people.
If your church has let you down:
A. It's fine for you to come here and vent... nothing wrong with that at all.
B. God is still God, even if your church has let you down... you already know that.
C. There are other churches that worship Christ, that are trying to do right, and that aren't utterly corrupt.
D. I think most of us would recommend you consider looking into other churches.
...
Why does something personal have to happen to me for it to matter to me? No one's hurt me and my church hasn't disappointed me. But let me tell you, if something like this ever happens in my own church, there is going to be H*LL to pay.
Even if it's a friend of mine or my family's, if it was my own family, I still will not hesitate to call the cops. It would be painful, it would be devastating, but I'm not going to let my emotions cloud my judgement.
This is what churches I think nowadays should be doing if they want to prevent further abuse.
#1. Have a clergy sex offender list, if they're convicted that is.
#2. Do extensive background checks.
#3. Have an entire class on abuse tactics and teach even the subtlest signs of abuse. Educate people on why people fall into abuse and what makes people abuse in the first place.
#4. Teach kids, like my parents taught me, that no one has the right to touch them in a place or way that makes them uncomfortable. And that if it does happen, to tell their parents or a trusted adult ASAP.
#5. Call the cops if the case is real. If you don't report it, you're breaking the law.
#6. If you're a pastor, unless you have a degree in counseling, you are not qualified to counsel victims.
#7. Teach that God cares more about people than institutions and reputations (marriage, church, etc.). I will gladly sacrifice someone's reputation if it means protecting others.
#8. Start treating women like the Bible says they are to be treated, as equal human beings, not threats or objects.
#9. Stop blaming women for men's sexual sin. Men are not animals. They deserve better than such demeaning talk.
#10. Teach everyone that NO ONE can MAKE you sin. Your sin is always 100% YOUR choice.
#11. Teach your entire congregation that any abuse of any kind is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
#12. Teach that forgiveness REQUIRES repentance. That's what the Bible says, not me. And repentance isn't a simple apology. It's actively turning your life around, or at least making the effort.
#13. Teach that there are people in this world who do not have a conscience. We as Christians may not want to believe that someone can do terrible things and feel no remorse, but God says they exist. Anyone can be saved, but not everyone will be saved.
#PeopleChoosetoAbuse
