I wanted to blog about this when it was first released, but I thought, "Nah, they don't really mean that the devil is actually in the Vatican. They're just speaking in theological nonsense language." Sure, at first this claim seemed to be an evasion of responsibility and a thoroughly dishonest diversionary excuse...but they're really serious.
"The devil tempts everyone -- people in politics, in economics, in sport. And naturally, he tempts, above all, the religious leaders, so you shouldn't be surprised if the devil tempts those in the Vatican. That's his job."
This quote appears to be implying that the devil is everywhere and is responsible for interfering in human affairs in all areas. According to the Chief Exorcist, we shouldn't be surprised about this...and even when religious individuals in THE VATICAN are "tempted by the devil." Wait a second...the devil has power over religious leaders in THE VATICAN?
The writers of the article say,
The Rev. Gabriele Amorth isn't speaking metaphorically when he says that. The 85-year-old priest means people can be tempted and literally possessed by Satan.
Ok, great, if this is true, the exorcist actually literally believes in the devil and is blaming him for the child torture and rape (let's not call it abuse, that's euphemistic).
And as the Vatican's chief exorcist, it's his job to expel the devil when someone is possessed. He's performed more than 70,000 exorcisms in his career, he estimates.
Elsewhere, he's claimed that Hitler and Stalin were possessed by the devil and that ALL Nazis were. According to this article from 2006, this exorcist performed over 30,000 exorcisms....so, there's a change in 40,000 (more than double of what he's performed in 2006) in a period of four years? But according to this, in 2006, he performed over 50,000. There's clearly some number fudging going on.
He has never done an exorcism on a child molester, he said."I have carried out exorcisms on some priests who had been molested by the devil," he said, without going into details."But cases of pedophilia exorcised, no. ... Pedophiles are not possessed by the devil, they are tempted by the devil," he said."Oh, so you can do nothing about the pedophiles (rapists and child molesters, let's not euphemise), although you claim to be a powerful exorcist? Clearly, you are doing it wrong.
They don't need exorcism, they need to be converted, to be converted to God, that's what they need. They need to confess, they need true penitence, true repentance, that's what they need. They're not possessed."
Oh, so to stop child rape in the Vatican, almost certainly because of dangerous sexual repression, celibacy, and irresponsibility, the priests need to be...converted to God? What about counseling, firing, jail, and everything thing else a person in any other position would need? Let's just think about changing policy, abiding by the law, and being honest instead of shipping child rapists while shielding them from the law to different churches where they can continue to rape, Religion, as usual, will do almost anything not to take responsibility and continue its practices even when they harm others. The Pope still has not retracted his comments of genocidal stupidity regarding condoms and AIDS.
Finishing the CNN article, the exorcist lies and makes a curious comment,
"I just see good people in the Vatican. People of prayer, holy people, I don't see any evil."
There is no evil in the people who rape and torture children? Really?
I'm happy that CNN posted this on the front page. Hopefully more people will observe the abject absurdity of this article and reject the insane claims from the exorcist. This article is nothing more than a refusal to accept responsibility and should just be a slap in the face to the victims of the Catholic Church.
Imagine if employees of any corporation were charged with rape of children and the CEO came forth and said things like this. We would dismiss the claims, write off the business, and move on. A proper and respectful leader should apologize for the actions, take whatever corrections and measures must be taken to stop this (the Vatican is not doing this), and all people should distance themselves from this organization.
Catholics should whole-heartedly dismiss the Pope, break off all ties with the Vatican, and seriously think about the current situation of the Catholic church, all the problems religion is causing in the world, and last but not least ask themselves whether their faith is warranted.
Christopher Hitchens does a wonderful job in detailing this situation and the abuses still going on by the Catholic church in this recent article and this debate:
Wow, lots to discuss here. I don't think I can do it much justice. I get the feeling that you and Fr. Amorth do not have the same conception of what demons are, and how their 'presence' affects culpability. Leaving aside your (and frankly a decent % of clergy) view on whether they really exist; He isn't really making an argument that the perpetrators of these actions bear no responsibility because of supernatural forces. Not at all. Yeah, I know it sounds silly, but I just want to point out he isn't absolving anyone of guilt here, he's only pointing out 'aggravating factors.'
ReplyDeleteIf they truly converted, then they wouldn't have these issues anymore. Converting and repenting doesn't exclude paying the real world price for such sins and crimes. A truly converted individual would embrace what is required by society in addressing these crimes.
Also, I don't think celibacy has anything to do with preventing pedophilia. There are plenty of non priests who get lots of sex and yet are still pederasts.
Also Justin, your last statement about religion causing all these problmes is off the mark. If these bastards had actually lived the faith they profess, they wouldn't have done these things. Judas was a bishop too. Just becasue these men take certain vows doesn't remove they aren't attuned to the same sins found in the rest of society.