By Carl S ~
On April 15, 2019, I stood alone at home watching TV as flames engulfed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and wondered: How many children were molested over the centuries within that edifice? After the fire was quenched, donations were requested to rebuild the church. But I don't ever remember any politician or bishop asking for funding to help the victims of clergy to rebuild their lives. “Verily, I say unto you, the Word of God is written not only in consecrated ink on ancient parchment, but in sperm within the bodies of children.”
Why are there still Roman Catholics, Baptists, Witnesses, etc? Why, after all the evidence of the rapes and molestations, which keeps accumulating? There has to be more going on than denial. I think one reason is due to selfishness. Behind ignoring the sexual abuse of children is the adherent's attachment to personal pleasurable feelings during church services. The individuals go to experience a special “closeness to God,” they say, in a place set aside for that purpose. (Maybe cities could set aside secular places, “designated sanctuaries” from the outside distractions, for everyone.) It seems like their “close to a god” pleasures are more important to them than the molesting of children. The children are the true sacrificial victims, not that wood effigy above the altar. A “church-fix” is constantly fed by a desire to be told what the attendees want to believe, even if those wants happen to be lies. They have their pleasurable experiences, the pedophile clergy have theirs, and who is thinking about the children?
“Nobody likes to be lied to” is itself a lie. Millions want to be lied to, want to be told what they want to believe is true. Many want to be assured by lies they are afraid not to believe. Many continue to believe a man who constantly proves he is a liar. It is their learned habit. When the fact-checkers provide evidence he is lying, they side with the liar. If his lies support their own beliefs, connected to their own self-esteem, he and the lies speak for them.
Since humans are prone to accept lies as truths, it's one reason why religious beliefs must always be subject to critical examination. The foundation of faith is just the opposite of truth-finding. But the more important something is claimed to be, the more important it is to question and investigate it! Accepting faiths “on faith,” gets this backwards.
Nobody wants to admit to accepting lies instead of truths. One reason is because no one wants to face the fact believing someone one highly respects, or loves, is related to, or has known intimately, could have deceived one, even for years! This also applies to traditions. It's just so incomprehensible one must be in denial! It's much easier to live with lies and betrayals for the sake of emotional security, to avoid making waves. This self-defense is in not dealing with reality. Without the liars suffering the consequences of their lying, lies become acceptable. Have you noticed how much rationalizing is necessary for this to continue? It may take major trauma to alter such security, which can be so powerful that even the rapes of thousands of children won't change it.
Believers want to believe rationalizations, especially if those around them also accept the lies, and this is their community. It's not psychologically or emotionally healthy. It's artificial security dependent on denying facts of life and upholding falsehoods. It's explained as only human.
It's common sense and necessary to fact-check the claims of politicians. Why should the claims of clergy get a free ride? Any religious authors who claim to be telling the truth should have their writings subject to fact-checking, including biblical authors. (Any book that begins with, “In the beginning” is immediately suspect.)
On April 15, 2019, I stood alone at home watching TV as flames engulfed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and wondered: How many children were molested over the centuries within that edifice? After the fire was quenched, donations were requested to rebuild the church. But I don't ever remember any politician or bishop asking for funding to help the victims of clergy to rebuild their lives. “Verily, I say unto you, the Word of God is written not only in consecrated ink on ancient parchment, but in sperm within the bodies of children.”
Why are there still Roman Catholics, Baptists, Witnesses, etc? Why, after all the evidence of the rapes and molestations, which keeps accumulating? There has to be more going on than denial. I think one reason is due to selfishness. Behind ignoring the sexual abuse of children is the adherent's attachment to personal pleasurable feelings during church services. The individuals go to experience a special “closeness to God,” they say, in a place set aside for that purpose. (Maybe cities could set aside secular places, “designated sanctuaries” from the outside distractions, for everyone.) It seems like their “close to a god” pleasures are more important to them than the molesting of children. The children are the true sacrificial victims, not that wood effigy above the altar. A “church-fix” is constantly fed by a desire to be told what the attendees want to believe, even if those wants happen to be lies. They have their pleasurable experiences, the pedophile clergy have theirs, and who is thinking about the children?
“Nobody likes to be lied to” is itself a lie. Millions want to be lied to, want to be told what they want to believe is true. Many want to be assured by lies they are afraid not to believe. Many continue to believe a man who constantly proves he is a liar. It is their learned habit. When the fact-checkers provide evidence he is lying, they side with the liar. If his lies support their own beliefs, connected to their own self-esteem, he and the lies speak for them.
Since humans are prone to accept lies as truths, it's one reason why religious beliefs must always be subject to critical examination. The foundation of faith is just the opposite of truth-finding. But the more important something is claimed to be, the more important it is to question and investigate it! Accepting faiths “on faith,” gets this backwards.
Nobody wants to admit to accepting lies instead of truths. One reason is because no one wants to face the fact believing someone one highly respects, or loves, is related to, or has known intimately, could have deceived one, even for years! This also applies to traditions. It's just so incomprehensible one must be in denial! It's much easier to live with lies and betrayals for the sake of emotional security, to avoid making waves. This self-defense is in not dealing with reality. Without the liars suffering the consequences of their lying, lies become acceptable. Have you noticed how much rationalizing is necessary for this to continue? It may take major trauma to alter such security, which can be so powerful that even the rapes of thousands of children won't change it.
Believers want to believe rationalizations, especially if those around them also accept the lies, and this is their community. It's not psychologically or emotionally healthy. It's artificial security dependent on denying facts of life and upholding falsehoods. It's explained as only human.
It's common sense and necessary to fact-check the claims of politicians. Why should the claims of clergy get a free ride? Any religious authors who claim to be telling the truth should have their writings subject to fact-checking, including biblical authors. (Any book that begins with, “In the beginning” is immediately suspect.)
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