BishopAccountability.org
	Paul D. Heckman: Church Failed to Protect Children By Paul D. Heckman LaCrosse Tribune August 3, 2010 http://lacrossetribune.com/news/opinion/article_8e9c1f18-9e82-11df-8ca2-001cc4c002e0.html?mode=story Not to put too fine a point on it, but crime is crime. It doesn’t matter what your faith is or how much of it you have. In a civilized society, laws must be upheld, and children must be safe and secure. What is becoming lost in this discussion of pedophilia (and those who protect pedophiles) is the fact that the victims, the children, are severely damaged; families are wracked with anger, pain, and fear; and society will pay for those abuses for years to come. How does letting the Church “handle it” prevent further abuse? What about the sanctity of life? Where’s the protection of “family values” in that? Why is the idea of separation of church and state a bad idea until it comes to the actionable behavior of a representative of a church? I was raised a Catholic, and I was molested as an altar boy. This is not my attempt at retribution; rather it is my attempt to inject some reality into a most unreal situation —some representatives of God, some authorities of the “Living Word,” some leaders of the “spiritual journey” are hurting children. Isn’t that the point of this narrative? Your faith and the strength of your belief in it is your business, but that does not negate the cruel and illegal abuse of others by any church leaders or members. The discussion is not about you; it’s about the essential human charge of protecting our children and our communities.
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