So, last night I watched the film "Spotlight".

[mr blur]

The story of how a team at The Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, leading back to the Vatican. And the influence of the RCC on American political life (as the lawyer Mitchell Garabedian says, "I'm not crazy, they control everything.&quot

An excellent film, great direction, script, acting. And a reminder that a free press is vital to a healthy society.

Not, I imagine, a film very high on the PR Pope's "must-see" list. But it should be. It should be shown on Sundays at every Catholic church until members ask themselves why they continue to give loyalty, devotion and money to an organisation that can condone and cover up such a thing.

Now I know that no-one on DU would approve of the molestation of children but please tell us how, if you're a Catholic, you can continue being loyal to such an organisation. And please don't tell us that it's only 'a few rotten apples' - it's quite obvious from the findings that that isn't true. And that it was covered up. And that the criminals were protected and hidden. And that the Cardinal who covered it up locally was moved safely to the Vatican.

These are the people that you look to for moral guidance? Really? You accept their lectures on what you should be able to do with your body and who you are allowed to love lest Society should disintegrate? And where does your god fit into this - presumably he'd be the one they couldn't hide it from? Perhaps they, like me, don't really believe he exists.

What would it take to make you say, "I will no longer support such an organisation"?

[rug]

1. The simple answer is it is much larger than that.

[Cartoonist]

8. The more difficult answer

Is that they just don't care. They have no sympathy for the victims, only reverence for the perpetrators. They continue to put money in the basket even though they know beyond a shadow of a doubt the guilt that permeates the entire organization from top down and around the world.

Their concept of God is such, that he ranks lower than the priests that commit these crimes, else they would abandon these pedophiles and worship God independently. They respect the institution more than the trinity they profess to revere.

In another thread, it was asked if a corporation engaged in this practice, would they escape punishment? Of course not, but here's the follow up question: would the stockholders continue to invest in the company?

Those with a conscience and a sense of morality would divest themselves of this rot. The unprincipled and greedy would look the other way. It's a case of selfishness over concern for the victims.

[rug]

9. That answer is neither difficult nor accurate.

In fact, it's no more than an uninformed rant filled with assumptions and projections.

[Cartoonist]

10. That is not a rebuttal

of any substance. Just denial, like the church.

[cleanhippie]

11. "Just denial, like the church"

Exactly. And that's all you'll ever get from that one.

Cue the impotent rage in 3...2...

[rug]

13. It's not inrended to be. There are no facts in your post to rebut.

[Cartoonist]

16. Rebut my opinions if you dare

You can't

[rug]

17. That post reads much better with organ music in the background.

I'm glad you agree it was opinion and not fact at all.

[Cartoonist]

20. I'm glad you didn't try

to defend the indefensible. You would have just looked silly

[rug]

21. Actually, had I, the burden would have been on you to defnd the indefensible opinions.

As it is, I prefer to deal with facts, not opinions, even ludicrous opinions.

[Cartoonist]

22. I will proudly shoulder that burden.

I think it is immoral to look the other way when rape is being committed. You really think that is a ludicrous opinion?

I find it reprehensible
You think it indefensible

[rug]

23. And who do you think holds that opinion?

[Cartoonist]

24. You called it ludicrous.

I know what that word means.

[rug]

25. Yes I did. But now I'm referring to the opinion you expressed in your prior post.

[Sienna86]

2. Will see that film.

And it speaks to the reason I no longer attend the Catholic Church. The cover up and negligence caused great harm to many, mostly children.

[rug]

3. Here's a review.

http://www.cruxnow.com/life/2015/10/23/vatican-radio-praises-movie-on-boston-globe-coverage-of-clergy-abuse/

[trotsky]

15. Kudos to you.

It may be a very uncomfortable feeling, to leave one's church home, but when the corruption and rot becomes so great, reasonable people really have no other choice. Many of those children were so scarred, they never recovered.

[Warren Stupidity]

4. I'll have to double check but I'm certain somebody will show up to discount this.

[rug]

5. Keep us posted.

[Warren Stupidity]

6. And it probably thinks one is a crowd.

[rug]

7. But "it" doesn't say "us" all the time.

[cleanhippie]

12. Yup, discount doublecheck, right off the bat.

Let's see if Impotent Rage shows up next.

[rug]

14. Half of that phrase already arrived.

[Leontius]

18. Can you describe that smell?

[rug]

19. Shakespeare comes to mind.

"why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapors." Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2

[cleanhippie]

30. Have you brushed your teeth lately?

[still_one]

26. Excellent film. This story was probably more difficult to expose than Watergate

[SheilaT]

27. I agree that it is a film everyone should see, regardless of one's own affiliation.

I was raised Catholic, but I can essentially recall always doubting what I was being taught, and by the time I was in high school I was fighting with my mom every Sunday because I didn't want to go to Mass any more. Once I left home, I essentially never went again, just a few times when asked by a friend or a relative. I've probably been fewer than a half dozen times in fifty years.

That was long before the abuse stuff started coming to light, but it is one of the many things that makes me astonished that thinking people remain in the Church.

[Skittles]

28. passing the plate for pedophiles

lovely organization

[cleanhippie]

32. Exactly

[edhopper]

29. I just saw it too

reminded me how wide spread the child abuse was. 90 priest in Boston alone and over a thousand victims. Andcassholes like Cardinal Law keep it going, with no regard for the victims. Protect the Church, protect the clergy, no matter who gets hurt.
That man as well as many Bishops and Cardinals should be in jail.
Instead he got a cushy retirement in Rome.
They are worse than the Wall Street Banks. A criminal enterprise pure and simple.

[NeoGreen]

31. SNAP: The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

A pertinent group:

http://www.snapnetwork.org/

The National Director (David Clohessy) for SNAP was interviewed on FFRF Radio in October 2015.

The interview is included in the October 5, 2015, FFRF podcast:
http://ffrf.libsyn.com/webpage/2015/10