The Pope, it now seems, was party to the cover-up of sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic community. This would surprise no one who reads much history, or even novels by writers like Umberto Eco. Depravity, as we judge it now, has always been with us and not always judged as such. The religious texts, which most of us never read, even if we claim them as holy, are full of it. In Numbers 31, Moses is clearly, by modern standards, a genocidal war criminal. This is only one example.
Abuse by some Catholic priests is only one example, amongst many, of dire behaviour and its cover-up in our organisations. It can seem no one is worthy of our trust, but this stance itself is merely the high ground of a slippery slope to paranoid despair. Being paranoid, of course, is no guarantee that no none is following you. There are big questions about how we can trust anyone and anything, how we come to trust the wrong people and stuff. Even a can of tuna, bought cheap at Lydl or for those extra cents more as a fair trade brand, carries a history of abuse in the history of its production.
We are always scared, for various reasons, to open a can of worms. I struggle to remember Pandora’s Box, other than in corny allusion to a night with too much beer and morals thrown to the wind. The metaphors of the original story may fly well; yet I suspect such boxes are always empty of anything other than a desire to keep us in a state in which we accept truth is best kept swept well under the carpet. These days, we have technologies that should allow us to work in a transparent history, rather than consume our energies in rhetoric and myth. We could be led by truth, rather than by leaders claiming to express it on our behalf, forever promising not to break the promises always made before to seize the power to promise and break promises.
It’s a dirty old world. Ask the turtle that’s just snacked on a plastic bag believing it to be an attractive jelly-fish snack.
Allcoppedout's Blog 
And the more it happens, the more it will happen. Once a taboo has been broken, the next time is less shocking and very soon what aroused shock can summon little more than lethargic, grey, resignation.
With our all-encompassing media, I think we have lost our capacity to be shocked and our tank of moral-outrage is running on empty.
I’m sure that is right, yet some of us walk away from the abused kid on the pretext of some pathetic excuse at the door and others actually try to do something.
I have read your blog since you started writing it, but have not left a comment before. They were such heavy and brave topics ACO, that left me deep in thought and rather lost for words, or the right words to say in such dreadful circumstances. But, that also made me realise something about my own situation too, in that people have probably also not known what to say to myself, regarding the abuse I and other kids suffered in the 50’s. Perhaps it is embarrassment on their part, or just not wanting to get involved, in case “trouble” is caused for them too. So many just turn their backs, walk away, and say nothing…..because of fear.
I am not at all surprised by the recent news of widespread child sexual abuse by priests in the Catholic church. At least this Pope is addressing the issue, which is more than the Pope in the 1950’s did, when it was brought to his attention. He didn’t believe that it was happening, nor the Divine Message that he was given, in writing, by a respected police officer, I will refer to as “Lawrence”. What has now been proved, over the passage of time, gives me no pleasure to have been proved right.
However the Catholic church and other religious groups are still misguided on their views about gays/bisexuals, which is quite normal, and NOT a “sin”. They, and women have been persecuted for thousands of years because of misinformation in religious books. In the 1950’s a Divine Message was delivered, to guide humanity into the 21st Century, but some still choose not to believe it.
The “guidance” for humanity is, that God, our Creator does not hate homosexuals and loves them equally. Women are not “sinners” and are equal to men and should not be treated as inferior. Same applies to those born into ethnic races. We are ALL loved by the Creator, but what God HATES, is paedophiles, violence, liars who cause trouble, wars and most of all Nuclear, which IS the work of the Devil himself…..[who is also to blame for a lot of the “dirt” and suffering in this beautiful world.]
You can see why they didn’t want to listen in the 1950’s, can’t you! The UK government still seek to sweep under the carpet the historical scandal of child sexual abuse, by men in “officialdom and authority”. A number of kids in the 50’s were determined to “do something” to tackle that “Elephant In The Room”. We did, and succeeded in many ways, except for getting the government to be honest about what had been going on.
Our government obviously, are not as brave as the Pope regarding the scandal of paedophiles in high places!
The Pope however isn’t as brave as the government, regarding the acceptability and equality as human beings, of homosexuals. The Lord Jesus did not hate gays…….
Thanks for dropping by Minxy. Your posts have interested me and I share some belief that the Libdems might be part of an answer, though I do think the system tends to swamp the best of intentions and needs radical change to prevent this. I wrote to Lynne Featherstone (LD Haringey) and found her far more acceptable than our own MP David Crausby who is only fit for deselection.
I’m not a religious believer myself, but what you are saying is more than OK by me through analogy. I would say though, that critical history disputes the notion of naive actors who could not see what was going on. The scandal is that we have had centuries of cover-up and can’t handle the truth in public scrutiny.
I know statistics as both a powerful scientific tool and as a rotten orchard of public abuse and one can track this back to the origin of the term amongst the ancient Greeks.
The treatment of victims remains brutal, yet even in recognising this, we have to recognise false allegations.
I am not one who follows rigid beliefs and the often bigoted dogma of “religion” ACO. But I do have a firm foundation of understanding pure spiritual truths, which have been obscured by religions for many centuries.
I believe that we can be GUIDED by the truth, if we open our hearts and minds to it. We are all born with free will, to choose how we treat others, which can either be with respect, kindness and a generosity of spirit; Or in a cruel, heartless, abusive and disrespectful manner.
But having said that, the reality is, that there ARE “dark forces” at play in the world who will, out of sheer malice and spite, set out to ruin by underhanded manipulations, the good work and good intentions of the higher minded souls who have incarnated to help, and to lead humanity. Those who live by the standards of the dark forces are the losers, even if it appears that at the moment they have the upper hand.
I have to agree with your comment, that the treatment of victims of abuse remains brutal. I would add that it is cruel and inhumane, and sanctioned by government, despite their PR Spin. I have cried too, buckets……
But I do wonder whether those in authority actually HAVE “recognised” the false allegations and smears made against myself, by those who have abused me, as a child and as an adult. I have too much respect for the spiritual laws, to make false allegations about others.
I see no point in that sort of deception, and would gain nothing at all by doing that. Abusers however, use smears as their well practiced MO, to deflect attention away from themselves and to hide the truth. There have been a few high profile cases in recent years where the victims have been smeared and falsely accused, in the media.
I find that totally disgusting. Evil at work in fact.
In some ways, with those sort of practices, it really is a “dirty” old world, full of crap.
I strongly suspect that false allegations against myself, have been used to defraud me out of a substantial sum of money. And surprise surprise, those in a position to help, and also with a duty to sort out the deception, say NOTHING, and appear to do nothing to right the wrong.
I too have cried, at the betrayal and the promises made a long time ago, which appear to have been broken without shame, nor remorse, nor conscience, by those in positions of power and authority. The consequences of this selfish betrayal, for a great many innocent people, will be far reaching, unexpected and very unwelcome.
It makes me wonder, if those who have betrayed me, have been subjected to some sort of bewitchment, or manipulation by dark forces, which have made them lose all sense, morals and powers of reason. Or are they perhaps just selfish, greedy and totally corrupted
……and heading for the deep and dark abyss.
Good, thought-provoking post, ACO. Can’t really add anything to it right now – my brain seems to be taking a vacation – but it’s certainly got me thinking.
Lizzie,
I’ve just fitted a set of vertical blinds that came without fitting instructions. I was a bit worried when I took them out of the box as they reminded me of that old Elastoplast colour. Saffron apparently – they look good in position. Finally got them working by ignoring all logic, before discovering instructions in my email! My writing brain also vacated!
Minxy,
I’m a scientist or at least once was. I agree almost entirely though, including on ‘evil at work’ – I think we need such concepts in explanation. My theory on human resource management is that it is a kind of Undead stalking us.
We need to move, somehow, from ‘bloggers’ outrage’ to working practice. I bought the Guardian today and was really annoyed at how weak its writing is these days. We amateurs are often much better, but we still lack somekind of business model to help us with constructive change. One that would not consign us into the ‘business-as-usual’ mode.
If only we could quantify bloggers’ outrage and dish it up in a set of eye-catching pie-charts, perhaps we might get somewhere? Sorry, that’s the best I can come up with. But who cares, it’s a long weekend!! Get the Chicken Tikka Massala and beers in and use the Gruaniad as a table mat! (Having said that, I do actually read it on a fairly regular basis – it’s what we lefty teachers tend to do!!
ACO, I agree with what you have said, except perhaps that “Moses was a genocidal war criminal” – false allegation there I think! Were you just testing to see if we were awake? If so you must have a teacher’s instinct!
Moses, unlike a former misguided P.M, the bible states, was acting according to the will of God, if that story is a fact. One never can tell for sure, as it comes from translated writings made thousands of years ago.
I know what you mean though, about “human resource managment” being a sort of “Undead stalking us”. Dark forces, of unfeeling souls who enjoy creating trouble and watching others suffer pain, humiliation, grief and distress…. I think one may have been “stalking” me yesterday evening…..creepy, smarmy….snoopy…Ugh! He “pretended” to be looking for the house next door.
I was wishing I’d had net curtains, or something up at the window, so I could have just ignored the knock at the BACK door. Why would a so called “official” come to the back door of a small row of houses?
This IS “evil at work” in the world. It is the opposite and a balance to all that is good, “light”, love, God.
Like the Chinese concept of Yin and Yang, equal but opposing forces which balance each other, for a mysterious and Divine purpose. My understanding of it is that the “dark force” is there creating adversity and suffering, which can act as a catalyst for change in some souls lives; by making them seek solace, comfort and guidance from the higher spiritual forces of light, God.
On a more mundane note, I felt annoyed by an article in the Daily Mail on Thursday, about the “Big Society” and what the “Blue” team believe in. Some of the ideas are good, but it is all too similar to Blair’s big promises and the mess that was created. The bit that worried me a great deal, was the notion of “weakening central government” – while handing over massive new powers to local communities and neighbourhood groups….blah blah….”Towns and villages will be given control of their own planning decisions”….blah blah.
Oh dear, a recipe for disaster and abuses if ever I heard one. This concept could be abused by inducing local people to agree to projects which pollute on a wide scale, but would also create local jobs. Nothing new in fact.
NuLab have already messed with the planning system to now give government too much power in decisions, allowing polluting business’s like Nuclear power stations to develop. When in fact the long term cost to the health, safety and well being of “life” and the environment will be placed under very serious threat.
Cameron’s Tories are as misguided on the issue of, and their support of Nuclear, as Brown’s NuLabour have been.
Cameron’s “vision”, the Mail reports, “amounts to nothing less than a total revolution in the way that Britain is governed…..his vision is hugely ambitious, and may fail….But it is the only hope we have of overcoming the moral squalor and bankruptcy of ideas that is the consequence of 13 years of Labour.” [God help us!]
So, some think, out of desparation, that “the Heir to Blair” with his big ideas of a “Big Society” is the solution and the new “saviour” of this country. No, I’m sorry to say that the “Blues” under Dave C. would make an equal a mess as NuLab have, with just MORE social tinkering. Oh dear, oh dear! I’ll try not to cry…..
Nighty night ACO, don’t have nightmares about the “Undead”…..Ask your Guardian Angel to protect you.