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This organization was in charge of many of Ireland’s reform schools and orphanages.  The children had been incarcerated in these institutions for such high crimes as truancy, being born to an unwed mother, and stealing food to eat. After having admitted guilt in the case, this organization began a settlement negotiation with the Irish government.

The organization?…    The Catholic Church.    

The Irish government, whose own inspectors failed to stop the torture, agreed to pay 12,000 survivors, $90,000 each if they agreed NOT to sue the church or the government.  Call it what it is.  The Catholic Church and the Irish government have actually put a price on human dignity – 90,000 bucks.  Unbelievable.

The Catholic  Church has already agreed to cover the restitution tab to the tune of $1.6 billion.  But now the Irish government has reason to believe the offending religious orders have significantly more cash and assets available with which to compensate the victims.  My question is:  “Where in the hell did the church, in one of the poorest countries in western Europe, get $1.6 BILLION?”

America has had it’s own problems with child abuse perpetrated by priests of the Catholic Church.  A study by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops found that between 1959 and 2002, complaints of child sexual abuse were made against 4,392 priests.  However, only 2% were ever convicted and sentenced to prison, and only a fraction of those are, or ever will, serve hard time. Now, who said there was no such thing as a perfect crime?

There is another sad element to this story. It was reported on page 13 of the newspaper.  The story that made headlines that day was about a politician getting caught in an extramarital affair.

“Torture and rape of children sanctioned by organized religion”…………..page 13

“South Carolina governor caught playing ‘hide-the-sausage’ with Argentinian hottie”………..page 1

That speaks volumes about the level to which print journalism has sunk in this country in it’s failing effort to sell newspapers.  Worse, it is a pretty good indication of where our own priorities lie.

Most of the time westerners hear of religious child abuse, they think of radical Islam and the brainwashing of their youth.  Radicals teach these kids that all infidels (infidel defined as everyone except themselves ) must die – and - if they themselves die in this holy pursuit, they are promised an afterlife so filled with fairy tales as to make Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny seem like high science.

However, child abuse by organized religion is not confined to any one belief.  The radical side of Islam can point to this story as proof of the decadence of the western religion.  The religious west can point to childhood brainwashing of Islamic children in preparation for being “martyred” in the suicide bombing of infidels.  Sadly, they’re both right.

So, I must ask the so-called civilized world:  “How’s that organized religion thing working out for ya?”

And, that’s all I have to say about that.

Shambo