Comments on: Which Christians Should Children Trust? http://www.anatheist.net/2009/05/which-christians-should-children-trust/ Atheism & Religious Skepticism Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:44:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: The Irish Abuse Scandal: Why? And What Now? | AnAtheist.Net http://www.anatheist.net/2009/05/which-christians-should-children-trust/comment-page-1/#comment-6126 The Irish Abuse Scandal: Why? And What Now? | AnAtheist.Net Wed, 27 May 2009 15:01:15 +0000 http://www.anatheist.net/?p=2908#comment-6126 [...] you might recall, my last entry focused primarily on the so-called Ryan Report and the terrible revelations it contains about the [...] [...] you might recall, my last entry focused primarily on the so-called Ryan Report and the terrible revelations it contains about the [...]

]]> By: James Tracy http://www.anatheist.net/2009/05/which-christians-should-children-trust/comment-page-1/#comment-6108 James Tracy Tue, 26 May 2009 20:40:37 +0000 http://www.anatheist.net/?p=2908#comment-6108 Thanks for your comments. Just to clarify, I am not the same author as Atheist Under Ur Bed (perhaps I need to to more to make it clear that we are two different people). Nonetheless I tend to agree with what you say here. It is a combination of the individual and the institution that are at fault in circumstances like this. Blame cannot rest entirely on one or the other. Thanks for your comments. Just to clarify, I am not the same author as Atheist Under Ur Bed (perhaps I need to to more to make it clear that we are two different people).

Nonetheless I tend to agree with what you say here. It is a combination of the individual and the institution that are at fault in circumstances like this. Blame cannot rest entirely on one or the other.

]]> By: godlessgirl http://www.anatheist.net/2009/05/which-christians-should-children-trust/comment-page-1/#comment-6107 godlessgirl Tue, 26 May 2009 19:21:49 +0000 http://www.anatheist.net/?p=2908#comment-6107 I think you raise important questions, James. I can't answer many of them, but I will chime in (and babble on!) to say that we can trust Christians as much as we can trust Muslims, Atheists, Hindus, Pagans, or any other religious or non-religious group. Each person has to be judges trustworthy as an individual. Since there is no power in God or any other spiritual force to make us "good" or "bad" people, we are all just humans acting as humans. I am still reeling from the Ireland report days later. One Catholic family member told me that when people stray from Jesus and orthodoxy, this is what happens. She blamed the individual and not the Church. I only partially agree with her that it is an individual's fault for abusing these children. Some of the Catholic Church's practices, dogmata, and cultural traditions lends itself to healthy environments for children, and many do not. The hierarchy and reverence for leadership makes it possible for terrible people to do terrible things and be protected from the consequences. This is not right! This must change. It is the RCC's fault as well as the individuals'. The fact that we are letting them get away with their shady, slimy practices is disgusting to me. The fact that lay Catholics aren't blaming the leadership for excusing, enabling, and denying these atrocities goes to prove that the Church can do no wrong even when it does wrong. Sheep follow their shepherd even if it's off a cliff. I think you raise important questions, James. I can't answer many of them, but I will chime in (and babble on!) to say that we can trust Christians as much as we can trust Muslims, Atheists, Hindus, Pagans, or any other religious or non-religious group. Each person has to be judges trustworthy as an individual. Since there is no power in God or any other spiritual force to make us "good" or "bad" people, we are all just humans acting as humans.

I am still reeling from the Ireland report days later. One Catholic family member told me that when people stray from Jesus and orthodoxy, this is what happens. She blamed the individual and not the Church. I only partially agree with her that it is an individual's fault for abusing these children.

Some of the Catholic Church's practices, dogmata, and cultural traditions lends itself to healthy environments for children, and many do not. The hierarchy and reverence for leadership makes it possible for terrible people to do terrible things and be protected from the consequences. This is not right! This must change. It is the RCC's fault as well as the individuals'. The fact that we are letting them get away with their shady, slimy practices is disgusting to me. The fact that lay Catholics aren't blaming the leadership for excusing, enabling, and denying these atrocities goes to prove that the Church can do no wrong even when it does wrong. Sheep follow their shepherd even if it's off a cliff.

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