When Christians Go Bad

[akirlu]

Well, here's another case of a shepherd preying on his own flock. Molesting and raping children. For years.

I know I'm not supposed to blame the institution for its practitioners, and all, nor a philosophy for its advocates, but can that really hold in the case of an institution and philosophy that purports to teach moral goodness as part of its mission and contents? I mean, priests and pastors, they are supposed to have all this extra training in the business of being Christian. If Christianity has anything to teach, in terms of how and why to act well towards your fellow human beings, then surely priests and pastors will have had the very best sort of opportunity to learn it. And if you have studied the best information that's available on how and why to be good, surely that ought to at least limit the severity of the wickedness you are willing to embrace?

But it doesn't. It seems to be the opposite, in fact. Preying on the innocent, traumatizing children and affecting, possibly ruining, their emotional health for many, many years to come. This is ugly, evil shit. And who do we keep finding doing it? Priests. The most thoroughly trained of practitioners of Christianity. The most thoroughly vetted and trusted veterans of its teachings.

If Christianity cannot teach them to do better, how the hell is it supposed to help anybody else? If the all-benevolent God lets his chosen go about treating people this way without ever intervening, how is anyone supposed to have faith in His goodness?

Comments

[cluefairy-j.livejournal.com]

Yeah.

[maryread.livejournal.com]

If Christ himself had vetted them, well, I'd personally take that recommendation, although with a grain of salt (he the man). Otherwise, they're still just minions of Caesar's empire, whatever they may call themselves, with the apostolic succession and all that rot. Teachers, parents, all in loco parentis who abuse the trust placed in them. We know them by their works. Like that good Samaritan you hear about.

I know some fine Christians, and I don't think their religion particularly handicaps their characters. Maybe they tend to be a little gullible, but I have that problem too. If such cases give them cause for doubt, it is probably time to think some things over. Cogito.

Your post would seem to be doing their work for them.

I know some crappy atheists too, who could stand more self-examination before setting up as examples of moral philosophy at work. If you come to WisCon, we can name names.

When Christians Go Bad

[ladyjestocost.livejournal.com]

Oh, there's lots that could be said here - including Christ's own comments on some of his followers.

But here's one of the things I've noticed over the years - "Dog Bites Man" is not a lead story. "Man Bites Dog" is. So what makes the news is un-priestly priests - not those who are doing their best to behave as Christians and encourage their flocks to do so.

There's also a certain amount of schaudenfreude (sp?) I'd guess - as in "Look! See - they're not so good after all."

Now I'm also going to mention that not all those who set themselves up as ministers (only churches in the apostolic succession usually have priests) have been vetted by anyone. You do not need a license to proclaim yourself a minister. Sometimes, some ministers are chosen by themselves, rather than called by God.

[farmgirl1146.livejournal.com]

The first paragraph of the P-I story tells the real story:

As head of The Church, a secretive sect housed on a nondescript rural road, Pastor Robbin Leeroy Harper exerted such control over his congregation that he could dictate where they worked, whom they married and even what type of cars they might drive.

It isn't about religion it is about power. This isn't Christianity this is just sin. Harper's congregates followed him not Christ. I agree it is evil shit. This liar in Port Orchard got jail time. I am sure his followers can't figure out what happened because they are too ignorant of the religion they claim to profess to know what it means.

Christianity has a lot to teach, unfortunately for the Philistines who run religion and politics, for the most part, it is a very uncomfortable message. There is no blindly following leaders, traditions, or laws.

Anyone who has any question about what Christ taught should get a Bible with the Christ's words in red. There is a progressive/populist Christian movement called Red-letter Christians. What Christ preached is very simple. It is truly summed up in the golden rule. There isn't any magic (the fishes and loaves were communal sharing), except maybe for the walking on water, and that is not something that he said he did, so that story is not among the red-letters. You don't have to believe or follow to read Christ's words.

Christ was a revolutionary. He flung civil disobedience in the face of the organized Church elders. I doubt that he would think very highly of most of our churches and their leaders. He actively worked against the Pharisees who were the top Jewish sect of that time. Like the religious right of today they emphasized strict interpretation and observance of old testament laws (that's what the code words "full-gospel" refer to).

However, Harper is no Pharisee: he is crude manipulator who uses fake piety to bend others into submission. Sounds a lot like our top "leaders." He's just one more liar.

BTW: having read a bit of "Obama's" Rev. Wright, I like him. His "damning" statement was quite dramatic. I am sorry that Obama didn't just say that the man has a right to say what he said per the First Amendment. I am sorry to see Obama turn gutless on this topic.

Power corrupts us poor primates.

[u-must-b-joking.livejournal.com]

Buddhist monks do the same damned thing (free Tibet signs notwithstanding....) Muslim clerics do the same damned thing. Sikh priests and shamans and witch doctors and all such like do the same damned thing. Not all of them and not all the time, but sure.... If a primate has power over another primate, it will use the social waters it swims in to help it enforce and benefit from that power, and all the meep meep noises about a higher power and peace and harmony mean jack squat.

On the grimly plus side, look what a great job they're doing of recruiting for the atheists!