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	Reflections on Hiroshima By Jaime Romo Healing and Spirituality August 10 2010 http://www.jaimeromo.com/blog/ Last Friday marked the 65th anniversary of the horrible destruction, disintegration of Hiroshima and 200,000 people with the dropping of the first atomic bomb. Only now, has a representative of the United States, Ambassador John Roos, participated in the annual commemoration of this event, according to the NY Times. I am so sad that we are just beginning to recognize our collective part in past tragedy, violence, and loss of life which continues to haunt so many throughout the world. I am so mad that another kind of destruction, disintegration of lives continues to be denied or avoided—religious authority sexual abuse, which some people call religious incest, as it mirrors the trauma and dynamics of family incest. In one explosion, 200,000 people died; in countless acts of sexual assault by religious authorities and family authorities, thousands of lives have been shattered. Whether or not, after 65 years, it is meaningful towards some kind of healing process for president Obama to apologize on behalf of the United States for the widespread slaughter is debated. However, this event in the context of our current global interdependence makes it clear that we have a shared interest in nuclear disarmament and ending all war, not just nuclear war. There are parallels in the stages and generations of recovery from Religious Authority Sexual Abuse (RASA) as well. I looked at ‘Abuse Tracker’ and the first posts I saw confirmed this. ‘Wrongdoing minority leads to diminished respect for priests.’ ‘Is the Church in Crisis?’ ‘Pervert Priest Ryan Released from Jail.’ ‘Archimandrite Karambis Suspension Rescinded in a Secret Vote.’ ‘Philadelphia: Bishop Bennison’s Return Greeted with Outrage by Philadelphia’s Episcopalians.’ ‘St. Stanislas to Archdiocese: Thanks, but No Thanks—Parishioners not ready for reconciliation with Archdiocese.’ And the headlines go on and on. Whether or not, after centuries of RASA it is meaningful that the pope visit various countries to apologize or show remorse, it is meaningful towards survivors’ healing is also debated. It is clear that there is a crisis to religious institutions. It is clear that corruption and betrayal by those in roles of religious authority have shattered many people’s connection with religion. It is clear that many have, like novelist Anne Rice, “…come to the conclusion from my experience with organized religion that I have to leave, that I have to, in the name of Christ, step away from this.” On one hand, I think we’re seeing the beginnings of responses from religious institutions. There are programs, trainings, and employee screenings that represent an initial change, albeit limited and ‘too early to tell how valuable it is” change. Other evidence of successful change will take much more time and require much more disclosure of past criminal behavior. However, it’s a good beginning. It is also becoming clear that RASA has secondary victims. As more and more survivors begin their healing by recovering or finding their voices and rebuilding their lives, they can address the impact on their interpersonal skills, jobs, relationships, etc. On another level, however, some survivors in their healing journey also have the impact that their own disassociation, reactivity, lack of presence or general lack of recovery has had on their children. This impact is so frustrating to own, because once we begin to get healthy and may feel some freedom, there’s another level of recovery and transformation of relationships in our own family to face. This is a long process. With Hiroshima and other disasters, there’s the initial trauma or disaster. With the disaster of RASA, or spiritual family abuse or spiritual incest, the current lack of transparency and active fight to release documents by religious leaders makes it very difficult to meaningfully assess the damage, and then create some appropriate systemic responses. Given that, I don’t know how long it will take to understand the impact on individuals, their families, or the way we operate in society, locally and throughout the world. Unlike a sentiment at the Hiroshima commemoration ceremony of a shared interest in moving from ground zero to global zero, with respect to global nuclear disarmament, I don’t see a shared commitment by religious leaders or a majority of religious followers to acknowledge the abuse and to stand with survivors, not just of religious incest, but all sexual abuse in family systems. And that burdens my heart. And then I think of ordinary people doing something as simple as walking to raise awareness to end abuse. And I get ready to lead a Boundary Training for religious authorities on Wednesday. And I get a note from someone who has used my workbook, which came from my own internal disintegration and transformation—and I know that deep change, profound change is afoot.
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