Abuse Being Used to Attack Pope and Catholic Church

No organization, including the Catholic Church, should tolerate abuse. They should do everything possible to rid themselves of it, especially when they represent religious and moral guidance for people. Legal and criminal action needs to be taken where abuse has occurred, with no cover up of facts or the people who perpetrated the acts of abuse. Yet the issue of abuse needs to be factual and placed into the context and perspective that it deserves.

Studies have shown that about 6% of the total number of priests were guilty of abuse. Not widely reported, however, is that about the same, 6%, were found in ALL faiths, including Jewish, various Protestant denominations, Muslim, etc. It is suggested that if the amount of abuse was studied for the U.S. Congress, the European Parliament, newspaper editors and columnists, teachers, the judicial, law enforcement, CEO's and top managers of companies, college professors, state legislatures, the Hollywood entertainment industry, etc., etc. that the sexual abuse level would be in the neighborhood of 6% or higher. In fact, in Hollywood you can bet that it would be higher than 6%. Just look at the fervent support by them for Roman Polanski who escaped punishment for child rape with their support. The point that should be taken is that the 6% figure may very well be a societal reflection from the increasing moral degradation of society. Just look at movies, magazines, and television to say nothing about how underage and young children are exploited.

Certainly if elements of the Catholic Church were involved in sexual abuse, or the cover up of it, that those responsible should be fully prosecuted and victims compensated. Yet there appears to be another agenda underfoot against the Catholic Church that has not been brought out. The Catholic Church is a high form of religion with strict teachings and guidance for Catholics. The Church is also highly organized with strong religious leadership from the top, represented by the Pope. This large world population of Catholics, highly organized, with spiritual leadership from the Pope flies in the face of much of the current direction of society, particularly in regard to abortion, marriage, and moral teaching. The Church also flies in the face of socialism and the strong control over people's lives by government.

Much of Europe, for example, might be considered Godless (and socialist) with a small percentage attending religious service. The same trend is occurring in the United States, although not yet at the level of Europe. Our society is becoming more secular and not religiously based; not God based. Those who are strongly secular, including many in leadership, actually hate the Catholic Church and it's teachings. Their agenda is a constant attack against the Church in every form imaginable. The abuse issue gives them a clear path of attack and an avenue of constant criticism. Yet the best way to attack the Church is to cut off the head, and that may very well be the reason for the current attempts to prosecute the Pope in an International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. This action can represent an ugly two edge sword.

First, the International Court can be used for agenda based issues and attempt to prosecute people anywhere in the world without the protection of the freedoms guaranteed in their country of origin. It can become a violation of individual freedom. Secondly, it undermines the sovereignty of individual countries, their laws, and the protections they offer their citizens. For those with their eyes wide open, this is very, very dangerous.

Pursuing action against perpetrators of abuse is the right thing to do. Using the issue of abuse and victims, however, as an agenda to attack and attempt to destroy the Catholic Church is wrong. This action in attempting to prosecute the Pope of the Catholic Church is major insult to all good Catholics, and to good people of faith everywhere.