Comment by Future on February 5, 2013 at 8:00am

I saw the announcement for this documentary the other day, and have been looking forward to watching it.  I think one of the biggest indicators of insincerity from the RCC is the fact that excommunication for the offenders seems to be a concept that is simply off the table.  Yes, they will turn over information when pressured sufficiently to do so, and they will pay big cash settlements to victims when they must do so, and the Pope may apologize to some victims - but the one thing that would be completely voluntary and thus show some level of sincerity, would be to kick these lowlife scumbags out of their club.  To my knowledge, not a single priest or religious administrator in the RCC has ever been excommunicated for their involvement in child abuse or enabling of child abuse by their staff.  Meanwhile, excommunications occur on a regular basis for things like being involved with an abortion, even when the abortion was neccessary to save the life of a child who was raped by their parent.  This speaks volumes about the true attitude of the RCC when it comes to admission of guilt or impropriety.

Comment by Loren Miller on February 5, 2013 at 8:09am

It may be the ultimate model of the Old Boys' Club, Future.  The priesthood is IN - permanently - and everyone else is beneath their notice.

I have said this multiple times before: if this were Any Other Organization, the local authorities would be all over them like white on rice.  The perpetrators and collaborators would be arrested, tried, and thrown in the hoosegow.  Their properties would be seized and used to settle civil suits, and the organization itself would gain such a tainted reputation that no one would want to be associated with them.  Yet so far, the RC church maintains their Teflon coating.

I am sincerely hoping that documentaries like Mea Maxima Culpa and others can put more than a few scratches and dents in that coating and make something STICK.

Comment by Sentient Biped on February 5, 2013 at 11:20am

As someone who occasionally delves into the bible, here's what I think Jesus would say about the Catholic Conspiracy Church:

Matthew 7:15-23

New King James Version (NKJV)

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits

¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

I Never Knew You

²¹ “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Whenever I quote the bible I feel like I have to bathe in bleach.  But the book is one of the most important weapons against religious hypocrisy and demagoguery.

Comment by matthew greenberg on February 5, 2013 at 1:00pm

Mr. Gibney was on Real Time this past Friday.  i'm looking forward, i think, to watching it. 

Comment by Loren Miller on February 5, 2013 at 1:16pm

Wow, that's news to me, Matthew, and I watch Real Time every Friday night.  Don't THINK I slept through it!

Comment by matthew greenberg on February 5, 2013 at 1:19pm

you must have!

http://www.imdb.com/news/ni45970994/

Bill Maher is back Friday night to discuss the week's hottest stories and dissect the headlines. His guests include Alex Gibney, Eva Longoria and Cory Booker. Real Time with Bill Maher continues its 11th season Friday, Feb. 1 (10:00-11:00 p.m. live Et/tape-delayed Pt), exclusively on HBO, with an instant replay at 11:00 p.m. following the live presentation. This fluid salon type format gives Maher a fresh delivery on his perspective of contemporary issues. The show includes an opening monologue, roundtable discussions with panelists, and interviewswith in-studio and satellite guests. February 1 sees these guests: Documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney (HBO.s .Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God.) is the top-of-show interview guest. Author Sam Harris is the mid-show »

Comment by Loren Miller on February 5, 2013 at 2:46pm

Just pulled it up on HBO On Demand - turns out I DID see it, remember all of it, but a couple days later, it didn't fully register.  Bloody lovely.

Comment by matthew greenberg on February 5, 2013 at 7:14pm

well said John, hahaha!

Comment by matthew greenberg on February 5, 2013 at 7:17pm

btw, how is it possible to have Sam Harris on and not discuss religion or lack thereof?  i don't want to hijack your post but that seems almost impossible.  is Harris known for anything else that makes him worthy of being on Real Time?

Comment by John Aultman on February 5, 2013 at 7:25pm

The wife and I just watched it.  I don't think I could have confronted Murphy the way the one victim did and not beat the bastard to death.

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