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Subject: Abuse!
Here is an excerpt from correspondence I have had on the above topic:
... It seems to me that sexual abuse by clergy is a many-layered form of betrayal. It betrays the - I'm going to be rude here and use a military word - target's trust in God, in those who would represent God (which is to say the entire Church), in the world and the way it works, in all those who might have protected the target (which is essentially humanity itself), and in the target's own self. And trust is the basis of attachment, which is the basis of Love, which is intimately connected to Faith.
Then there are the perpetrator's layers. The breaking of vows which is the breaking of his office. The destruction to the one thing a priest is called to build - a person's connection to God. The rationalization of it, or worse, the lack of need to rationalize. And worst of all - target selection. Human brains are marvelous pattern-recognition engines. Perhaps one reason why the abuse hurts so much is that the perpetrators consciously or unconsciously (well, pre-consciously) select those it will hurt the most.
Then there are the Church's layers. Denial, then cover-up, then damage control (e.g. the bankruptcy). It reminds me of a corporate reflex to escape pain rather than a human confession - a retreat deeper into sin, rather than a seeking for redemption. A failure of the Church to transcend being a merely human institution, acting no better than (and sometimes worse than) any other when things go badly for it. That is to say, in some ways the Church is failing even to be human, much less Godly.
And this is only scratching the surface by one who was spared the ordeal...
So, here is a thread for one and all to post their thoughts on the subject.
... It seems to me that sexual abuse by clergy is a many-layered form of betrayal. It betrays the - I'm going to be rude here and use a military word - target's trust in God, in those who would represent God (which is to say the entire Church), in the world and the way it works, in all those who might have protected the target (which is essentially humanity itself), and in the target's own self. And trust is the basis of attachment, which is the basis of Love, which is intimately connected to Faith.
Then there are the perpetrator's layers. The breaking of vows which is the breaking of his office. The destruction to the one thing a priest is called to build - a person's connection to God. The rationalization of it, or worse, the lack of need to rationalize. And worst of all - target selection. Human brains are marvelous pattern-recognition engines. Perhaps one reason why the abuse hurts so much is that the perpetrators consciously or unconsciously (well, pre-consciously) select those it will hurt the most.
Then there are the Church's layers. Denial, then cover-up, then damage control (e.g. the bankruptcy). It reminds me of a corporate reflex to escape pain rather than a human confession - a retreat deeper into sin, rather than a seeking for redemption. A failure of the Church to transcend being a merely human institution, acting no better than (and sometimes worse than) any other when things go badly for it. That is to say, in some ways the Church is failing even to be human, much less Godly.
And this is only scratching the surface by one who was spared the ordeal...
So, here is a thread for one and all to post their thoughts on the subject.
Because there is more to Religion than pleasing your Imaginary Friend.