Unfortunately, it isn’t all cut and dry, and just like everything else, there are politics involved. For sure, there has been wrong actions with church leaders not dealing with the offenders properly. On the flip side, not everyone accused is guilty. Indeed, one can not just condemn and ‘fire’ someone on an accusation.

“I wonder if the centralised vs decentralised nature of these who organisations has something to do with that. ”

It has probably everything to do with that. If Rev. Maynard of the Backwoods Baptist Church is sued for abuse – well – good luck getting blood from a stone. The Catholic church is ripe for lawsuits because of their large hierarchy, although each region, IIRC, acts independently in a lot of ways. So suing in NYC won’t reach to the Vatican. Also, being the biggest makes them a great target.

Again – not saying the Catholic leaders are all innocent – but that they haven’t deserved the demonizing they have received in the media, and the Protestant churches aren’t any better when it comes to actual abuse.

Protestant churches aren’t any better when it comes to actual abuse.

Well, that’s a load of hot air. Citations?

Given all the genuinely creepy things there are to say about the Catholic church and the pope, it only seems to hurt the cause to appear to have to try so hard as to read something salacious into this video.

Also, on a more subtle note, over-characterizing all-male activities as gay is a form of fag-hate. A hyper-awareness of potential for gay-ness is a way that our culture communicates the message that gay-ness is absolutely unacceptable. At no point in the video did these guys do anything vaguely sexual, never mind homo-erotic, so why jump to the “gay” conclusion?

Ok, I’m gonna list some of the victims and perpetrators I’ve known firsthand:
1. Two different familes of folk singers who were into New Age spirituality, with several victims and perpetrators in both families.
2. Physician’s daughter molested by father.
3. Lawyer’s daughter molested by brother and also by son of folk singers family.
3. Son of farmer/paint sales route driver and social worker who molested at least two different girls his parents babysat for.
4. Leader in twelve step groups who sired a child with stepdaughter.
5. Farmer who molested stepdaughter.
6. Gas station attendant who molested girlfriend’s daughter, stepdaughter of twelve step group leader, and at least one other girl.
7. Factory worker and lay preacher who molested his stepdaughter.
8. Developmentally disabled thrift store worker convicted of attempting to entice boys at the mall.

Professional, blue collar, religious, and secular are represented just within the handful of people I’ve mentioned. It’s everywhere.

At any rate, the Polish Breakdancers put them to shame:

http://cnettv.cnet.com/holy-break-dancing/9742-1_53-50007577.html

Why would protestant clergy be less likely to abuse children? I would really like to believe that because I have a strong bias toward mainline protestant churches, but sexual abuse it a problem common to all kids of people, not a denominational problem.

Protestants themselves acknowledge that there is abuse by protestant clergy.

http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2007/06/18/80877.htm
http://www.reformation.com/

Honestly, my impressions watching the video were 1. The lady taking their jackets looks hot in black, 2. The pope seems to be not very interested but is watching to be polite, and 3. Why are the nuns waving their handkerchiefs?
—
What’s interesting is that when secular school teachers are busted for f_cking students no one makes fun of the superintendent of schools or the principal.