Religion
Related: About this forumMortal Sins, a MUST READ New Book, for All Conscious Human Beings
Pulitzer Prize winning writer Michael D'Antonio deserves another one. Another Pulitzer prize, that is, for his new book, "Mortal Sins: Sex, Crime and the Era of Catholic Scandal." This work is a 343 page offering that with a flick of a switch floods light onto the dark side of the sex abuse scandals within the Catholic Church.
As D'Antonio reveals, the 2,000-year-old church, with its culture of secrecy and unlimited resources, covered-up thousands of cases of clergy abuse for over three decades. Bishops and cardinals used their influence at the highest levels of society around the world to suppress criminal investigations and deny victims both compensation and access to the truth.
The full story of the scandal is told for the first time as D'Antonio follows three major figures in the movement for victims' rights - a lawyer named Jeffrey Anderson, a victim named Barbara Blaine, and a whistleblower priest named Rev. Thomas Doyle who sacrifices his career to the cause of children who had been raped and molested by ordained men.
In D'Antonio's telling, Anderson and Doyle emerge as complex men who fought their own demons, including alcoholism and self doubt, to prevail in a thirty year fight. Blaine is transformed from a loyal Catholic social service worker into a fierce international advocate. Near the end of the tale she leads a group of victims from around the world to the International Criminal Court at The Hague to file lodge formal charges of crimes against humanity in a case that names the worldwide church, the pope, and Vatican officials as defendants.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michealene-cristini-risley/mortal-sins-a-must-read-n_b_3118308.html
Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)I think many in this group need to read this book.
trotsky
(49,533 posts)The real enemies are atheists who ask questions on websites!!!
truebrit71
(20,805 posts)Plus, I think they're also fascists or Hitler or something...
Iggo
(47,552 posts)EvolveOrConvolve
(6,452 posts)Apparently it's against the rules (ie, Community "Standards" at DU to point it out.
skepticscott
(13,029 posts)violates community standards. Such is the effect of religious privilege, even on a site like DU that should condemn corruption, sexism and homophobia no matter where they occur.
rug
(82,333 posts)When you post ignorant, inaccurate statements about child abuse you'll be called out on it.
When you use those ignorant statements to promote bigotry you take your chances.
Fortinbras Armstrong
(4,473 posts)Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)Fortinbras Armstrong
(4,473 posts)Warpy
(111,257 posts)Whoa.
Fortinbras Armstrong
(4,473 posts)nil desperandum
(654 posts)5,000 priests and a couple of billion in payouts should make for some light evening reading....
I don't understand how the people in power at an organization can't comprehend that the cover up never works. Somebody always finds out what the truth is and then the coverup becomes the scandal, and makes those involved in the cover up complicit in the original crime or misdeed.
If the church leadership had made this public and launched a comprehensive effort to rid themselves of those 4% of priests in the US who were child molesters they would be applauded for taking a strong stand, instead the church has earned a very different reputation as a result of the cover up.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a deal breaker. Matthew 12:32
Apparently the Holy Spirit has no frickin' sense of humor at all. None.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)I think he got a lot wrong.
If we are looking to the Bible as a source of religious instruction, then we find our one unforgivable sin.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)Full in the knowledge he was an imperfect human struggling to live by Christ's teachings as I do.
rug
(82,333 posts)arely staircase
(12,482 posts)mr blur
(7,753 posts)arely staircase
(12,482 posts)forgiveness requires a person to truly repent and change their ways That means truly coming to believe you are wrong. At least that is my faith's tradition. Far from convenient it is very difficult.