| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Pope Opera | ||||
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Now, in case you didn’t do all the extra work, here’s the story. The current leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict, prior to his pope-ship, as Cardinal Ratzinger, he was the Vatican official in charge of child molestation cases in the church during the 1990’s. During this time, he refused to dismiss (read: fire) Father Lawrence Murphy, a priest at the St. John's School For The Deaf in St. Francis, Wisconsin. Murphy is known to have molested around two hundred boys between 1950 and 1974. He would call them to his bedroom, or visit them in their dorm beds late at night, jerk them off, and leave. Sometimes, if he felt frisky, he would abuse several boys in one night. Murphy was also known to hear their confession in a second floor walk-in closet in the boy's dorm and molest them there as well.
You’d think once the church found out about such a vast abuse of authority, punishment would be swift. Charges were brought up, but were dropped soon thereafter. Ratzinger looked the other way because of a very touching letter Murphy wrote to Ratzinger saying a trial wasn’t needed because (get this) he already repented for his sins. The Vatican deliberately chose not to act and allowed Murphy to go unpunished before his death in 1998.
Everyone knows I’m not a fan of organized religion, but if believing in a higher power helps you with your life, go for it. But seriously, how does a group like this continue to exist? And more importantly, how is a group like this allowed to exist? Where is the United Nations on this one? And it’s not like this is the first time. Continually priests are being caught for molestation and are moved to different parishes and hidden in new cities. Its mind-blowing crimes of this nature go unpunished. Can’t their tax exemption be retracted? Any secular individual who touches a little kid at the very least gets arrested. If I touch a little boy, my ass goes to jail to be used like a sock puppet.
The Buddha teaches us religion is merely a path to find the truth. Once the truth is obtained, religion is no longer needed. What truth is the Catholic “Church” looking for? I can’t even think of a comical comparison to use here which isn’t completely revolting to my female readers (assuming there is one or two).
Now, priests are coming up to defend Ratzinger and are upset by the media coverage of the case. What the church is most upset about is people finding out about the abuse, not the actual abuse itself. It’s like a wife being more upset with her husband getting caught cheating than the act of adultery. What the fuck?
I was brought up catholic and one of the things I was taught was when I make a mistake, or sin, I need to take responsibility for my actions and whatever punishment I have coming to me. When Ratzinger, now as pope, was confronted with this, you would think he would practice what he preaches. Instead, he merely brushes it aside. How can anyone follow what this man teaches if he doesn’t do it himself? Isn’t that why all your conservatives were upset with Clinton when he was president? Yes, he lied about it, but you couldn’t serve under a president with such a lack of moral fiber?
I am just appalled by this entire situation. Its things like this which make me wonder why anyone would ever wants to be associated with an organization like this. And more and more people are joining every day; either born into families and raised in this potentially hostile environment, or by finding god late in life and signing up. I can continue on with my anger and disgust, but Jon Stewart pretty much conveys the insanity of this event much better than I ever could.
There’s no justice… Just a cause and a cure… And a bounty of suffering… It seems we all endure…
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