Timminz wrote:thegreekdog wrote:Let me use another example - There's probably more child abuse (ad protection of child abusers) occurring in public schools than in the Catholic Church. And that doesn't make what the Catholic Church is doing right, but there is not the same hue and cry from the general public about public school abuse. I'm trying to understand why the Catholic Church is different. Why are Catholic Church parishoners maligned for staying with the organization and attempting to change it when public school teachers, administrators and the general public not criticized for the same thing?
Why do you say this? (bolded) I'm not aware of any widespread allegations within public schools, such as there are regarding the Catholic church.
Also, I would say (from my view as a life-long atheist) that going without religion is far less onerous than going without education. Taken to the extreme, abolishing public education would probably have much larger negative consequences on society than abolishing the Catholic church would have.
This is such a weird discussion. Let's reframe it.
TGD: What do you want Catholic parishoners to do?
Timminz: Two choices: (1) leave the church; (2) stay in the church and condone child abuse and protection of child abusers.
TGD: Is there not a third choice: (3) stay in the church and force change
TGD: Furthermore, why do Catholics have to take the measure of leaving the church when there is a third option and the same choices are not provided to other organizations (e.g. Penn State, federal government, public education).
Timminz: I have not heard of public education child abuse and education is different than religion.
Anyway, here's the public education stuff (which I really don't want to get into since someone is going to say that I'm an apologist or deflecting or whatever, and I'm not):
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-215_162-1933687.html
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/art ... 1552.shtml
Bottom Line: 6% of priests have been accused of child abuse. 6% to 10% of public school teachers/employees have been accused of child abuse.
Can we get back to the discussion of whether there is an acceptable third option? If the third option is not acceptable, why isn't it acceptable (especially since it's already been effective)?
EDIT - I do understand that you (Timminz) are saying it would be less onerous for you to leave a church (as a life-long atheist). I get that.