Rowan Willams : Oops Sorry, but it's only one child

[DominiConnor]

Is this now some sort of weekly event ?
The Church of England which used to be so smug about the way that "only Catholic priests rape children" has been caught helping yet another rapist avoid getting caught.

The Archbishop has hired some of his mates to "review" his church.
We know already what it will say
"All these things happened in the past"
"it wasn't anyone's fault"
"lessons have been learned"
"it wasn't anyone's fault".
"it wasn't anyone senior's fault, oh no."

No members of the CoE will be interviewed by the police because that might make them sad, and no government wants to anger Christians who would rather more children got raped than their priests were made to obey the law.

Of course some Christians are angry about this. As we see on MN, some get so angry that they go to the Church down the road instead. Strong stuff. Bet the paedophiles in the christian churches are sooo scared.

And this Sunday, millions of pounds will be given by Christians to their church with no questions asked.

Well said.

There should be some form of goverment review into the way religions are run so that they can keep an eye on all this.Am sick of this happening and it still happens people.They say they have changed but they haven't

Just asking, cos I'm never quite sure what your point is, DC. Really, I'm not. You're very angry about the paedophile scandals of recent years. Quite right too. But you berate believers of certain religions for what, exactly? Not lynching their vicar?

Seriously, what exactly is your proposed course of action?

A good question.
First of course, stop giving them money.
As we saw with Catholic rapists, their church moved swiftly when it started to cost real money.
Next, question your priests. Proper questions, not "aren't you sad too ?.
Things like what have you personally done about this ?
"When did you do it ?"
"What was the response when you asked the questions."
Ask for written responses. Circulars about how sad everyone is don't count.

Ask exactly who has been sacked ?

Many Christians meet senior figures in their church, again you say in their face "what have you done recently ?"

Next, they should (like I have) lobby politicians to stop the legal immunity given to those who help Christian rapists.

Does anyone seriously think anyone but a religious organisation could get away with this ?

The BBC, Britain's top news organisation has a specific legal requirement to push Christianity. That should end, today.

The police should stop pandering to the Christian lobby and treat the CoE and Catholic church like any other outfit whose senior staff have organised the rape of thousands of children. (a quick headcount by the Catholic church hit 8,000 then they gave up).
That means seizing records, interviews under caution, arrests. Examination to see just how many are guilty of perverting the course of justice and being accomplices to various sex crimes.

As an obvious move, the charity status of the Christian churches should be removed until they comply with the law.
That means that if records are "lost", senior staff "can't remember" to an implausible degree, they don't get it back.

Imagine you were the Chief Executive of a major firm, like McDonalds. You found that your senior staff had organised the rape of children.
Would you act like the Archbishop ?
"oh dear, shit happens, move on."
Or would you simply sack everyone who knew about this, or should have known ?

Why don't they do that ?

Does anyone believe these are the only skeletons ?

Well, I'm a Christian, albeit not a CofE one and I don't disagree with a lot of that. Most of it, in fact. Thankyou for answering.

Agree with much of that, DC, esp. the proper criminal investigation into the institutions as well as the individual cases.

So why don't we see the proper criminal investigation ?
Personally I regard conspiracy theories as entertainment, not analysis, but has anyone any explanation for the lack of police involvement that isn't due to Christian influence ?

I really couldn't say. Perhaps it's the slightly bumbling air of benevolence the CofE gives off.

I wouldn't see conspiracy so much as an endemic culture of inaction in those kinds of big institutions. Same kind of thing has been happening in childrens homes, and you get all this 'wheels grind slowly' crap.

It is maddening though, and I don't know why they don't see it is in their own best interests to encourage a full criminal investigation of criminal activities.

I think one has to draw a distinction between the "best interests of the church", and the interests of those who work for it.
Recall how all their senior people when asked said it was for the Church's benefit that they hid paedophiles ?

They have been engaged in a criminal conspiracy, and there's big nasty laws on that.

Look at what's happening with the "cash for honours" enquiry. It is showing the CoE And Catholic churches what happens when the police look hard.
There are inevitably memos of the form "don't tell the police", and I'd bet we'd dig up instructions to lie to the police.
The present Pope was personally in charge of a policy where rape victims and their parents had a high powered oath of secrecy applied.

Aside from the criminal charges the leadership will be embarassed by things they've written. I've been in large outfits where people have accused the firm of doing bad things.
Thus there will be letters, emails etc saying "the kid was asking for it", "the parents are just after a bit of attention", and "make sure we pay as little compensation as possible."
That last bit is not because Christians are any worse than other people, but simply the way people act in groups.

But I note on these threads about organised sexaul abuse by Christian churches that never, not once do the poeple who've attacked me for reporting it have said "I made a real fuss" . Not one.
Occasionally I get reports like "our priest told us it was OK, and he's a nice bloke".

Don't forget Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, still in charge of the RC church despite his record of hiding at least one paedophile.

Cardinal O'Connor is in a leadership position because he's helped rapists, not in spite of it.
Look at his boss Ratzinger, who was ultimately in charge of the cover ups. He did very well for himself. No senior member of any large Christian sect has ever been fired for this.
That's not coincidence that's protecting the people who get to do the dirty work.

You could be right, DC, sadly.