Priest slaps baby in Christening

[NotTakenUsername]

I seen this video today. Has been shared quite a lot by people on social media. Not sure I should share the link, it is very upsetting. But wondering if anyone else seen it?

It made me so, so angry/unsettled/sad? I’m really struggling to let it go.

The way the parents didn’t snatch the baby right back right away - the arrogance of this excuse of a man... fair play to the dad in the end. Surely it isn’t right for a man like that to hold power to the level he appears to?

They obviously respect their institution/religion - but I can’t imagine the scenario where I wouldn’t have grabbed my child right back and slapped him in return.

[NotTakenUsername]

Maybe this wasn’t the right board...

[WiseOldElfIsNick]

I've not seen the video, but that sounds horrendous. It's obscene the liberties which are taken by religious 'authorities' because they are protected by the ridiculous premise that to be religious equates to being 'good'.

[MrsBertBibby]

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/priest-slaps-baby-hits-child-france-child-abuse-church-a8410256.html

Blimey.

[popcorneveryminute]

I actually felt sick watching this, the actions of this priest were disgusting. Like you OP, I couldn't believe the mother didn't snatch the baby away from him right away.

[GahWhatever]

I think that their respect for the man as a priest is the only reason the father didn't knock him down! That isn't religious privilege, it's senility, surely? I cannot imagine any other explanation.

[thegreenheartofmanyroundabouts]

Dreadful.

I never hold the baby at a baptism. Partly for my back and partly because I'm a mother and know that each baby moves differently and you can't predict that. They are often wearing silky dresses and I'm not prepared to risk dropping a baby. So mum or dad or grandma holds the little one and I put a duck in the font to get their attention and job done.

[restingbemusedface]

The parents are holding the baby - leaving the priests hands free to grab his head and slap him round the face. It’s sickening. If anyone did that to my child I would slap them straight back.

It makes you wonder what other sick things this child abuser does.

[NotTakenUsername]

GahWhatever you can’t imagine it because you are a decent person who would never do it. With the things that emerge from religious institutions historically, the only thing that surprised me about this is that he got caught on camera... and even then no one called him out explicitly.

My aunt has dementia... if she dared harm my baby I wouldn’t miss a beat in snatching her back right away. I would be forgiving because of her state of mind, but I wouldn’t think twice about disrespecting her and getting my baby back right away.

It makes me sick to my stomach.

[OnlyonMN]

I would’ve strangled him with his cape. How dare you slap a baby who has come for Christening? That is an utter outrage.

[OnlyonMN]

The mistake many people including Christians make (and I am one) is that just because someone is ‘clergy’, ordained or not, does not make them infallible nor divine. The bible says, ‘by their fruit you shall know them’. When a priest and all that that office carries, slaps a baby, at that moment they have lost the right to any respect accorded to a man of God.

[ItsNachoCheese]

No priest that has any decency would do that to a baby. If that were my son i would of slapped him back

[NotTakenUsername]

I just (mistakenly) watch it again and I think I understand what makes my stomach ache so much... it’s the way he holds the baby’s head in close and comforting after he slapped them.

Page one of ‘how to be an abuser’ right there, isn’t it... conditioning the abused that you have to suffer the abuse to get the love.

[WiseOldElfIsNick]

No priest that has any decency would do that to a baby.

No human with any decency would do that.

[TitsalinaBumsquat]

I agree that this video is disgusting. My initial reaction was who does that priest think he is?!? How dare he touch a child like that and to have the downright audacity to do that in front of the child’s parents and family with no fear of being held accountable is just disgusting. And how he continues to hold on to the child’s head when the Dad is pulling him away. It’s just awful. What a terrible advert for religion.

[catchyjem]

I think the Mum is actually trying to get her baby away but the priest won't let go! The dad steps in and the priest still doesn't let go!

[NotTakenUsername]

I would like to know how it finished up. That priest was not for letting go. I don’t know how the dad didnt get physical when the priest pulled the baby back.

[RachelfromFriends]

It's the way the priest won't let go. Mum is trying to pull baby away and other woman pulls at priests arms. IT SICKENS ME

[MrsDeltaB]

I was feeling awkward even before the slap. He seems to grab baby by the chin to try and calm(dominate). So even then the actual slap was a sickening shock.

[Freetogo]

I sound really stupid and wont watch it, but why did he do it? Was there supposed to be a 'reason'?

[RachelfromFriends]

@Freetogo the Clip starts with baby already crying hysterically so I don't know if something else happened before but it seems he's gripping and slapped to stop the child crying In His warped mind.

He honestly feels evil watching it

[Freetogo]

Bloodyhell

[Ohyesiam]

Well that’s organised religion for you.

[Aprilshouldhavebeenmyname]

Df should have drowned the nasty old fucker in his own holy water.

[RideSallyRide76]

I watched it and it looks to me like mum had hold of him and was trying to pull him out of the priest's grip, there's a few seconds of trying to do it without making a scene theno the dad just sort of barges in..... good on him!! The priest is awful

[TheCraicDealer]

I saw it earlier and I have to say I immediately thought dementia or something. It's been a while since that carry on was in any way acceptable, especially in front of two young parents and a congregation. I bet it was some old priest wheeled out as a nice touch/special occasion and no-one realised how far down the line he was until it was too late.