Why Are They Paying Off The Priest?

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv2gj77pvwwo

Surely that's grounds for summary dismissal? madness.

[wolf63]

They may know that he is guilty.

But can they prove it?

[Old_Geezer]

Thought to be...

Innocent until proved guilty, I guess.

[Canary42]

CofE caring more about being squeaky-clean, with dirt brushed under the carpet.  The possibility of being sued inhibited giving him the sack. A form of cowardice from the decision-makers.

[newmodarmy]

"The Church of England said it was settling legal action brought by the priest in response to an earlier Church decision to force him to retire."

I'm not convinced that that was the right thing to do, but it's what they claimed

[douglas9401]

Pandering and facilitating for centuries: Religions.

What are people thinking? Sending children to these halls of perversion.

[andy-hughes]

As wolf advises, knowing is one thing, proving is another.

Although religious organisations in general, and the Catholic Church in particular, are known to shield and protect abusers, their systemic approach to such issues - hide it and hope it goes away - speaks to the disconnection of the multiple hierarchies, with the worlds in which normal people live.

Sadly, the adoration and facilitation given to priests allows them to feel they can behave with complete impunity, mainly because they can.

As long as the church perpetuates its age-old practices, including celibacy, and the absence of women to provide some common sense, these issues will simply carry on.

As usual, the church offers to pay money, of which is has plenty, in lieu of correct moral behaviour, of which it has next to none.

[naomi24]

This is the CofE.  Celibacy and the absence of women aren't  issues.

[andy-hughes]

I was referring to the haven of paedophilia that us the Catholic church, but clearly the C of E shares many of its attitudes, to its eternal shame.

[douglas9401]

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[jourdain2]

It's hard to read all this and these attitudes, t.b.h..  Tomorrow our little church has a childrens' 'Stories and Activities' organised for a couple of hours in the afternoon.

I'll be reading some of my tales and a friend, who writes for youner children, will read to them.  There will be drawing/paintings, 'Musical hassocks' (instead ofmusical chairs - not a lot of room) etc., etc..  It should be fun.  I very much doubt if God will be mentioned at all.

You all go on as if we are subjecting kids to pre-1950 attitudes in a strict order of a nunnery.  

Please stop. Thanks.

[andy-hughes]

Jourdain - No-one would suggest that the clergy in all denominations are not good people who would not hurt anyone.

But that does not detract from the thousands of documented cases where clergy abuse freely, protected and facilitated by their superiors who care more about their reputations.

Throwing your pinny over your face because it's distressing doesn't help anyone.

Abuse in churches is a reality. I don't think all clergy are guilty, quite the opposite,  but enough are to make it an issue worthy of discussion, which is what this thread is. 

[ToraToraTora]

jourdain, we are talking about predatory paedophile clergy, the kind which is especially rife in the catholic church. The anglican church may not be down to their standard but there are some nonces. People who send their children to be abused buy these monsters need to be reminded of what they are getting their kids into.

[ToraToraTora]

AH: snap!

[jourdain2]

OK chaps, I understand -- but it really is hard when all this rubbish is thrown at you.

[andy-hughes]

It's not 'rubbish', and no-one is 'throwing' it anywhere.

If you prefer not to face up to one of the uncomfortable realities of modern Christianity, feel free to exercise your right not to read or contribute any further to this discussion. 

[naomi24]

It isn't 'modern Christianity'.  That's not fair.  According to the BBC news tonight the church 'had no choice'.  Why they had no choice I've no idea - to me the choice would have been simple - he'd have been booted out with nothing - so that I question.   As I understand it this pervert had been reported to the police more than once and no action was taken.  To paint all the little churches like the one jourdain attends and supports that really do care for their communities and do a lot of good is just wrong.  Those who make the decisions take little interest in them and they struggle to survive.   This needs to be viewed in perspective.

[davebro3]

I thought the docu-drama film "Spotlight" was very revealing.

[youngmafbog]

The problem is that it is often cheaper to pay up than fight it, this happens with famous/rich people often too,

The fault lies with plod for not investigating, probably tied up fighting the 'Far Rigth'.

[Canary42]

Funny how people bring their own little hobbyhorses irrelevantly into play whereever they can.   ymb obviously believes the Far Right should be allowed to ravage the country trying to destroy democracy and are unfairly stopped from doing so by the police. What this has to do with the paedophile priest is somewhat difficult to comprehend.  

[douglas9401]

To be fair to YMB, he did turn it into a word puzzle.