Geoffrey Roberston’s book is both compelling and shocking. I finished reading it about a fortnight ago, but because the content was so disturbing and complex, it has taken me some time to let the material settle and for me to be able to begin to write about it.
Terry Eagleton’s review in The Guardian best summed it up for me: “Devastating … a book that combines moral passion with steely forensic precision, enlivened with the odd flash of dry wit. With admirable judiciousness, it even finds it in its heart to praise the charitable work of the Catholic church, as well as reminding us that paedophiles (whom Robertson has defended in court) can be kindly men. It is one of the most formidable demolition jobs one could imagine on a man who has done more to discredit the cause of religion than Rasputin and Pat Robertson put together.”
The book argues the case that the Pope is culpable for his involvement in not dealing effectively with the child abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church when he was in charge of internal church discipline, and considers the case for indicting him for crimes against humanity in the international criminal court. Although Robertson acknowledges that this is extremely unlikely ever to happen, he marshalls the mountain of evidence against him, and argues with passion and persuasion as to why it should. I was dreading a dry, legal book, but this is far from that.
Three things emerge with unmistakable clarity:
- Tens of thousands of children, perhaps as many as one hundred thousand, have been abused by employees of the Catholic church.
- Thousands of priest have been involved in the abuse, and Joseph Ratzinger knew of the scale.
- The key problem, which enabled the abuse to thrive, and which still has not been adequately addressed, is the Roman Catholic Church’s insistence that it deals with matters according to Church Canon Law, rather than the law of the land.
Let me try to expand on this last point because I feel that it is so important and not grasped by many people. The public see some attempts at apology by the Vatican and assurances that things are no longer as they were. Most will feel relieved by this. However, what many seem to fail to appreciate that beliefs which allowed the sexual abuse to become endemic, are still in place.
At the core of the issue is a battle about authority. The Roman Catholic church is wanting to act as if, in certain matters, it is above the law. Instead of reporting abusing priests to the criminal authorities, it has moved them on to other parishes, or countries, or even to the protection of the so-called “sovereign state” of the Vatican itself. In many cases these priests went on to abuse other children before being moved yet again. Instead of being punished for their crimes they were given penance and told to pray more. Nothing was done to stop them abusing. Nothing was done to make them accountable to society. Everything was done to protect them, to protect the church’s reputation, and to ensure that they were likely to continue to abuse. And there is still a culture within the Roman Catholic Church at large that Canon Law takes precedence over state law, and a reluctance to acknowledge the right of the authorities to know and to prosecute. The church is fighting to hold onto its accountability only to god and not to man.
As well as battling over authority, it would seem that there are two other problematic issues at the core. First, it would seem that an institution run largely by ageing single men is struggling to fully comprehend the devastating, long-term psychological effects of sexual abuse on children. It can shred self-esteem, rack with guilt, and lead to lifelong internal battles. There is still a feeling that many in the church leadership seem dismissive of this. Secondly, there is a profound confusion about forgiveness. The church fails to understand that spiritual forgiveness does not remove the necessity for legal accountability. It is perfectly possible for the church to forgive offending priests, and at the same time allow the full process of the law to take place. Forgiveness does not remove the necessity for justice.
This book left me feeling very angry, not just about the scale of the abuse within the church, but about the fact that so much of it could have been prevented if responsible people had acted so differently. And it leaves me angry about the arrogance of an institution which still sees itself as above the law, and which society seems to tolerate. What other institution could get away with allowing (even facilitating) thousands of its employees to abuse tens of thousands of children without having severe sanctions against it and demand for major reform? What other national leader would be allowed to preside over the international movement of criminals (responsible for systematic rape) in order to avoid justice? This books convincingly shows that the emperor is definitely naked.
I disagree with your statement ” It is perfectly possible for the church to forgive offending priests”.
Jesus’ statements in the Gospels trump man-made canon law. I think if pedophile priests were and are CASTRATED, everyone is better off, even the pedophile priests who will never be forgiven otherwise:
1) Mark 9: 42-47 (KIng James Version)
“And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:”
2) Matthew 18: 6-10
” But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.”
I suppose on judgement day, some pedophile priests will try to argue that the kids they victimized did not believe in Jesus!
Other translations of the Bible say “in my name” instead of “that/which believe in me” and “trespass” rather than “offend”. Finally I believe the meaning of the Aramaic word Jesus used for “offend” or “trespass”, excluded “beat-up” or “piss-off”, and included sexual molestation. In the Greek gospels they used the word “scandalize”
Great to see you posting again. I might even follow your Iphone reviews, since I’ve just installed an Iphone 4 for my wife. I’m less enthusiastic than she is, but I do appreciate the great leap forward that Apple have forced upon their competitors.
I’ve just ordered the book. But all citations from the previous commentator reads out the very same way in our new Swedish Bible translation (2000) . I agree with him, though I do get your point.
The Church (in their very cherry-picking way) may well forgive anyone they like. It’s modern, educated, but does it constitute a good christian interpretation?
/Jonas
Hi Jonas
Thanks for your comments. I hope your wife enjoys her new iPhone and “converts” you in the process.
I am relaxed about whether or not the church wants to forgive someone. I am just angry that they seem to confuse forgiveness with justice and use it as a means of allowing the abuse to continue.
From the Deepest part of the Core of my Soul I truly believe that anyone who touches a Child, in the way adults sexually touch each other, should, without hesitation, be given lethal injection. Full Stop. Then they will NEVER EVER continue with their deceiptful and devious mind sickness acts of depravity upon the most innocent members of our Global Society. I can’t believe that people cannot SEE this OBVIOUS TRUTH. Everyone tiptoes,semi-conscious, around the FACT. Touching a Childs genitals, forcing a Child to touch adults genitals, or using photography of naked Children is THE most SICK thing in the World to do. Full Stop. Child Abusers (let’s not forget that this is what they are, even though they have a Latin-based one word descriptive ‘title’, paedophile, of which they probably feel honoured because it takes the onus off the words SICK-MINDED CHILD ABUSERS) cause the most devastating effects in the mind of an INNOCENT, VULNERABLE and TRUSTING Child and Child Abusers REALLY DO NOT CARE because all they want is their sick sick sick and selfish gratification - I won’t call it sexual gratification because I don’t believe that you can feel or be sexually gratified by a Child (I see SEX as a concensual adult-on-adult orgasmically pleasurable act). It is plain and simple for all the World to see that these sick-minded individuals carry out nothing less than mind-destroying, genital-based ABUSE. They (paedophiles) KNOW exactly what they are doing to a Childs mind. They KNOW!!! Although not all Children who are abused will grow up to be Abusers but paedophiles are trying to create more individuals with their own devious, sick mindset by warping as many minds as they possibly can through committing the CRIME of secret Abuse, and it seems they’ll succeed unless someone STOPS CHILD ABUSE by netting in all paedophiles and injecting them with the lethal serum before they can hurt any more Children, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually - basically everything a Child is. I have ABSOLUTELY NO REGRETS with this HONEST AND UNCONFUSED opinion. AMEN.
Kirk, unfortunately we know that castration nor the fear of castration prevent the sexual abuse of children. I wish they did. Pedophiles and rapists just as easily resort to using fingers, sticks, and other instruments. (And, here in the USA, anything other than a penis may still constitute abuse but legally often fails to be recognized as “rape.”)
Thanks, athinkingman, for a terrific review. I’m not Catholic and had not given this book a moment of thought until reading this post. Now, it’s definitely on the reading list!