Why the Catholic-Haters?

I stand bewildered at times over the specific hate directed at
practitioners of the Catholic religion, mostly a result of the
whelming evidence finally released in regards to the priest
molestations (rapes) of girls and boys.

(And, as we all know, scandals are always so much more
far reaching than the tip of the iceberg admitted to when
perpetrators are caught.)

The reason for confusion on my behalf is not that the Catholics
don't deserve complete contempt, removal from power, fines,
jail time, and preferably worse; it's that they are far from alone in
their abuses of trust!

Every church in existence is evil in their abuses of young children's
(and vulnerable adults') bodies and minds. The Catholics have
just gotten more press.

All the sick and demented of the world, suppressing their dark
urges in order to win the disdainful fatherly approval of fictional
Yahweh (or whomever) have to have an outlet for their longings,
and children always seem to be the go-to victims. What abusers
can't handle with physical threats and intimidation by size and
authority, they can make up for by twisting the words of the
beloved Bible to stain the children's minds and emotions for a
lifetime.

People working so hard to be considered 'worthy' by an unrealistic
ideal will never be anything but fractured, marginalized, schizo-
phrenic basket cases; is it really any wonder that there are the
number of incidences there are?

Every church views itself and its membership as sacrosanct, and
will do whatevert it takes to protect the name and reputation of
the church and its more 'important' members. So those who are
charismatic or older or revered who do wrong will be forgiven
and even in many cases allowed to continue the abuse, while blind
eyes are turned.

Victims who do speak out are called liars, shunned by church
members, suffer further abuses, are ostracized and bullied
endlessly. They are penalized for being truthful and their spirits
crushed by the other church members; illusion and distortion wins
out over reality every time.

Black churches, white churches, mixed churches...rich churches,
poor churches, middle class churches....city churches, country
churches, progressive and moderate and conservative; belief in
cultish magic thinking is dangerous however you come at it.
It's all the same under the surface.

No, the Baptists and the Methodists and (especially) the smaller,
Pentecostal churches have their fair share of pain and suffering 
that they inflict on the weaker of their flock. Hell, the kids don't
even have a say-so in being there in the first place.

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Understanding the Need

I understand the need that people have

to believe in a supernatural system of

order, of checks and balances,

of promised afterlife

and hurts assuaged.

I fully get that humanity is a

losing proposition and life is difficult

and everyone suffers.

That this world is bitter and harsh

and devastating and cruel.

But the need for an answer

does not cause an answer--

or a solution--to exist.

The man-made addressing of all

our worries and travails

through religion (and a prevailing

essence based on mankind's

nature) is not a reality

simply because people wish it were so.

Certainly there are more questions caused by

the religions of the world and

their failed attempts to make

sense of the chaos of life

than there is any relief brought

forth from them.

I understand.

I wish there was an answer to all the insanity.

I wish there was a magic rainbow and

justice and a place where kindness

prevails and is rewarded.

But I see the belief in those things

for what it is; a child's need for

things to be better than they are.

And I have no more room for

fairy tales, folk lore,

superstition, or bible stories.

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