The 'King' of Shambhala Buddhism, Undone by #MeToo

[MineralMan]

7. Yes, of course.

Sexual abuse is a person-to-person thing. The more trust a person has from others, the easier it is to abuse that trust. Religion is the ultimate trust mechanism. Since belief and faith are based on pure trust, and not evidence, emotional connections are strong. The religious leader who abuses people sexually relies on that trust to allow going beyond normal ethical standards.

And, since religious organizations rely on the trust of their followers, they are always loathe to expose violations of trust, since they damage the entire organization. It's a vicious circle.

Still, it works in other places as well. Opportunities for abuse occur in almost every human endeavor. Only a strong ethical compass prevents individuals from abusing those who place their trust in them. Not all religious leaders possess such an ethical compass, clearly.