This LBC show title is offensive to the many victims of Catholic clerical abuse

[Loucille]

I am beginning to think James O'Brien needs to be taken off the air, at least boycotted. His constant moralising and delight in bullying callers who disagree with him is one thing. To create content generating a show title "The Catholic Church is a semi-abusive parent I still love" is plain offensive. Despite styling themselves Father their clerics aren't parents, and there was nothing semi about the abuse that has ruined thousands of lives. But apparently we are all supposed to agree with this man now. I'm actually appalled.

I'm a leftie but I'm not a fan - I'm shocked at how rude James obrien is to his callers

You do know that it's not just him....there's a production team and someone else posts those titles? He isn't talking about the sexual abuse, but trying to define a relationship where there has been many things done wrong, but just as many done right.

From my view I was born c of e, moved into non conformist churches but walked away because apart from 4 people I came across in 15 years in positions of leadership ship in those bodies, the rest were/are sadly misguided if they think God called them to lead his church. Unpleasant, rude, in love with the position of power, hypocritical, down right evil. Due to my job I still come across lots of the protestant clergy....one example...we were stood outside of the church entrance holding up the coffin. It's pissing down. The vicar does an extra long prayer and blessing whilst sheltered by the porch....he's never been that long again in the 6 dry funerals since

In comparison the Catholic priests, nuns and monks I have met have a feeling of godliness missing in all but the 4 people I mentioned above. The nun who visited my mother about a fortnight before she died gave her a real sense of peace...we were c of e, our Catholic neighbour arranged it with the hope it would help. The local Catholic priest does a wonderful inclusive funeral

I think if you’re a regular JOB listener, you’ll already know the backstory/relationship he has with Catholicism. I don’t find it offensive. He’s talking about his own experience 🤷

I think you are misinterpreting the title. It’s not about individual priests or the cases of historic and contemporary abuse. It’s about the church as a whole and the kind of influence it has on those who grew up in it, which he is likening to that of a bad parent. Emotional and spiritual abuse, not sexual or physical abuse.

Maybe but the emotional and spiritual type causes just as much trauma.

No abuse is semi anything!

It may be that the abusiveness referred to is emotional rather than the widely publicised sexual & physical abuse. The reality is that for many people, the words Catholic Church and abuse have got certain connotations.

I listened to JOB since Brexit. On that issue and certain others, perhaps even the majority, I agreed with him. I started to gave concerns with his pathological abuse of Corbyn (although I'm.not especially a supporter of the latter). Since around 2016 he's been getting worse and worse and is close to unlistenable now

I don't listen to him but I wanted to express empathy if you've been triggered. I went to a convent and was abused quite severely by the nuns. Locked up in rooms and whacked with various objects, called the devil and all sorts throughout primary school.

I'm appalled at the systemic abuse finally being brought out into the open in Ireland and there are many people who are feeling awful at the moment as they experience flashbacks and fear.

Childhood abuse never leaves you.

He's horrible, a bully.

I listened to JOB's show and I didn't take from it what you did. He was asking callers to describe what being a Catholic means to them, which I found insightful.

None of the callers had been abused by anyone in the Chuch although one caller did chastise him for what they described as glossing over the abuse of Catholic priests which he responded to quite respectfully, acknowledging the abuse issue but saying he'd covered that often on previous programme but that day was focusing on people's personal relationship with Catholicism, obviously because Pope Francis had only just died 24 hours ago.

I don't know all the details of JOBs background, but he has often spoken about his time at Ampleforth, which latterly was central to the abuse scandal (along with St Benedict's Ealing), I don't think he was abused though (maybe I'm wrong?)

it sounds like you find his delivery on air to be highly offensive, but then again the abuse scandal is indefensible and it is bound to ignite very high emotions. JOB is walking in a minefield every time he discusses it. He is probably one of the best placed people on air (along with Sheila Foggerty) to cover the subject, in terms of experience of growing up a Catholic.

I personally don't object to his discussion style (he used to grate but I think I've just got used to his devils advice style - he certainly provokes discussion which is what Talk Radio is there for), but he isn't everyone's cup of tea. My experience of Catholicism is not unlike Sheila Foggerty's (benign and positive from an educational perspective) so I was a lucky one, I guess.

I think he has somewhat mended his ways - he used to be absolutely horrendous, but in the past few years he has become a lot less arrogant - he even wrote a book about how he had a constant need to be right the whole time (who knows, maybe that was the after effects of his Catholic upbringing!).

I think Mrs OBrien gives him a run for his money though! She's no shrinking violet 💪

As regards the person who experienced abuse at a convent, I am sorry for what you experienced. I wonder, if there was as much publicised evidence (including official reports and multiple convictions) of abuse by a non Christian religious organisation, if as many allowances and space for nuance would.be created. Having read some of the comments above, I wonder if it is possible for a third viewpoint on this organisation from the Shelagh Fogarty/ person having experienced abuse at their hands poles. I was well and sympathetically educated at a Catholic Primary School in London. So I acknowledge that non abusive, positive educational people did and likely still do exist within organisations it oversees. These people are quite possibly in the majority, possibly a very very large majority. Nonetheless. I am so appalled by the actions of a criminal portion of the Church, and by the reactions thereto (denial, moving perpetrators rather than turning them in, then fairly pathetic obsequious exhortations for forgiveness) that I cannot give any respect at all to the organisation. This is despite the fact that I did.not experience abuse myself.
I often wonder, had I myself become a RC cleric of some kind, how I would have reacted once the abuse scandals started to
emerge. I really.cannot reach any other conclusion than immediate resignation and rejection of all aspects of the organisation.

Re: JO'B in general. I'm afraid I'm not at all convinced he has sincerely changed. Simply writing that he used to have a pathological need to be right and to win arguments, then saying he has therapy for it, is better now, then occasionally making an insincere sounding self deprecating remark, among a litany of quite contemptuous treatment of those on both right and left he disagrees with. I thought he was right on Brexit, partly wrong on Corbyn, and incoherent on trans. He hides behind a certain kind of pretend self awareness, with self congratulation not far away.

I listen to him occasionally and don't have a strong opinion on him generally, but I'm completely unbothered by the episode title and feel like you're reaching.

You don't know you don't have to listen don't you?

It's not like it's streamed from all TVs and radios in every community place throughout the UK.

Just stop listening and stop choosing to take offense.

He’s a pathetic waste of space - just don’t listen.

I don’t see the issue with the title and get why he would say that.

He's a git and a bully. I don't like him at all. I can see why this has offended you. But people have every right to offend us. We can't and shouldn't be protected from all offence.

I also quite like James O’Brien. I don’t watch his show but whenever I have seen a clip of him I agree with it.

Are you a victim of Sex Abuse in the Catholic Church … or have you just decided to be offended on thier behalf - apropos of no actual experience ?

Ok this concept of "deciding to take offence on someone's behalf" I find utterly wrong. Taking an issue with a perpetrator of wrongs done to another is not this.

He's been open about his contemporaries at school being sexually abused, and as a child sort of knowing (as children do when they can't face what's happening) but not being able to speak up. And the guilt he has felt since, for not speaking up.