Clerical abuse?

[Twin Towers]

Does it occur to anybody on these Boards that we could be witnessing yet another vast compo scam similiar to "Army Deafness"

It seems anyone can fabricate a case against a dead priest. Could you imagine living an honest life of dedication and self denial and then impugned on your passing by someone after money, followed by a trail of greedy gravytrain solicitors.

If you can not imagine this scenario then ask yourself why you can not imagine it. What forces are exerted on us in this society that prevent us seeing the blindingly obvious?

[Johnny]

Could you imagine living an honest life of dedication and self denial...?

Please, I'm in danger of throwing up.

The revolution will not be complete in this country until that shower of crawling, hypocritical bast.ards are hanging from every lamppost in O'Connell Street.

[civic_critic]

Presumably such truly spiritual people will have such a profound understanding of metaphysics that being impugned or sued will have an effect on them proportional to their understanding.

Unless it's the money you're worried about?

[The OD]

Does it occur to anybody on these Boards that we could be witnessing yet another vast compo scam similiar to "Army Deafness"

It seems anyone can fabricate a case against a dead priest. Could you imagine living an honest life of dedication and self denial and then impugned on your passing by someone after money, followed by a trail of greedy gravytrain solicitors.

If you can not imagine this scenario then ask yourself why you can not imagine it. What forces are exerted on us in this society that prevent us seeing the blindingly obvious?

What about the forces of absolute power that the catholic church had in this country? what about the forces of law and order that did nothing about it? what about the political cowards who shunted the problems of the day into the hands of absolute monsters? I wont be asking myself any such stupid questions - BOO HOO to you if your chosen spiritual cornflakes are gone a bit stale, but hypocrisy and deviation and perversion and corruption will soften them flakes qucik-smart - personally I would have Ratzinger (or Benedict or whatever he calls himself now) in the dock asap for his role in the coverup. This is the man who calls homosexuality an abomination? Is that only between a man and a man (consensually?) because between a man and a young boy, it seems such a trifling matter to him and the rest of the so called men of god.

You seem concerned abour the thought that a 'scam' could be pulled?

So - Twin Towers philosophy is that insurance scams are a bigger crime than child abuse? Am I wrong here? I suppose you subscribe to the old 'it was only a few bad apples - most priests are good people?

Really? They may not have been paedophiles, but how many corrupt and hypocritical priest bedded housekeepers, ran off with some mistress, ignored the abuses of their colleagues, attended the confirmation of abused girls with their abusers to show 'solidarity' with a PAEDOPHILE.

Of course I still believe that the majority of Priests were truly commited to the ideals of Jesus Christ and tried to live as they thought right. Its a pity the hierarchy were more interested in the ideals of Machiavelli and the notions of self preservation.

I doubt you have kids, because if you had you would have some sort of idea of the pain that abuse causes not just to the victim but to all those involved.

[XRoot]

I suspect you have the wrong end of the stick, OD.

Twin Towers is considering the potential for accusations (and compensation claims being made on the back of them) against innocent deceased priests by unscrupulous opportunists.

I think we can all agree that those who abused children and those who covered up for them were bad, bad people.

It is important, though, to maintain our judicial standards rather than adopt an hysterical mob mentality where accusations become fact simply because of their heinous nature.

Lynching every priest regardless of guilt or innocence would not make restitution to those who suffered abuse.

[Quant]

I suspect you have the wrong end of the stick, OD.

Twin Towers is considering the potential for accusations (and compensation claims being made on the back of them) against innocent deceased priests by unscrupulous opportunists.

And in doing so, he's needlessly casting aspersions on victims of child sex abuse. Given the way the church has frustrated all attempts to get justice for the victims, has denied the scale of the problem and has been reluctant to make any major changes, I doubt very much anyone could claim compensation out of them very easily. So no, the whole thing is not a scam.

The less priests we have in this country, the better, as far as I'm concerned.

[The OD]

Xroot,

And I quote:

Of course I still believe that the majority of Priests were truly commited to the ideals of Jesus Christ and tried to live as they thought right. Its a pity the hierarchy were more interested in the ideals of Machiavelli and the notions of self preservation.

It was twin towers last sentence

If you can not imagine this scenario then ask yourself why you can not imagine it. What forces are exerted on us in this society that prevent us seeing the blindingly obvious?

that got me thinking.

I agree there is nothing worse than mob rule and I abhor it with all my heart.

What I am getting at here is the thinly veiled deflection of the issue, trying to somehow pre-discredit those who may seek redress for their suffering. How many people do you really , honestly imagine how many would stand up in front of the redress board and say 'Yes, I was buggered daily from the ages of 9 to 15 by brother ***** or father *****'

I am sickened by the fact twin towers is more irate about possible scroungers than justice for the victims. So what if say 1 in 10 is making it up? If those responsible hadnt allowed this to happen then there would be no pieces to pick up affterwards, would there?

[XRoot]

And in doing so, he's needlessly casting aspersions on victims of child sex abuse. Given the way the church has frustrated all attempts to get justice for the victims, has denied the scale of the problem and has been reluctant to make any major changes, I doubt very much anyone could claim compensation out of them very easily. So no, the whole thing is not a scam.

I am not saying the whole thing is a scam or endorsing any such a view. The comparison with the Army deafness circus is certainly clumsy and inaccurate.

Yet it remains a possibility that false accusations will be made against innocent people.

Do you object to the normal standards of justice applying in these cases?

The less priests we have in this country, the better, as far as I'm concerned.

I agree.

It is not, however, a reason for treating members of the clergy differently to anybody else when justice is being administered.

[mjcoughlan]

Could you imagine living an honest life of dedication and self denial...?

Please, I'm in danger of throwing up.

The revolution will not be complete in this country until that shower of crawling, hypocritical bast.ards are hanging from every lamppost in O'Connell Street.

Not sure who the hypocritical bastards are that you're referring to.

[The OD]

I agree.

It is not, however, a reason for treating members of the clergy differently to anybody else when justice is being administered.

Although I quite agree with this sentiment, why is it that the majority of offences that clerical abusers were convicted of ended with lenient sentences, early releases or no jail time at all?

I dont believe old age is an excuse for leniency - We live in an age of so called equality, so if the elderly want equality, lets give it to them. I dont believe they should be mistreated nor abused themselves, but there should be an OAP wing in Prisons - leaving them to the care of their respective orders is not justice.