GOD IS DEAD: reconciliation of antediluvian convictions in a contemporary époque // the final boss battle

They say that you cannot separate the art from the artist, but what if the artist is God and the art is rampant sexual abuse?

A disclaimer:

I have some experience growing up under the influence of Catholicism. Over my lifetime I have gone from bible-basher (person who lives by the bible (sort of)) to actual bible-basher (person who beats up bibles). Consequently, I feel that this qualifies me to say whatever I want about religion, without having to accept criticism of any kind.

As a resolute atheist and natural skeptic, I have, since becoming devoutly anti-Catholic in 2010, become more and more consumed by my hate for all things religion. This hate was not only for the institution itself, but extended towards those who chose to uphold it. However, due to several recent epiphanies, I have begun to question this unwavering contempt, and instead: I want to understand. 

I want to understand religious people. Your average religious Joe, that is. Because while we all hate the Mother Teresas, and the Pope Benedict IIVIXCIs, and the [more modern powerful influential religious figures],, there are ..possibly.. many, many religious people out there who actually aren't hurting anyone. 

Unbridled rage and hatred is a young mans game, and I am a 26 year old woman. Through this blogpost I seek to understand how religious people (specifically: Catholics) are able to reconcile the abhorrent scandals & archaic worldview of the Catholic church with the rest of society,,, and: how I am able to reconcile the fact that Catholic people exist with my own personal peace. 

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1. Catholic scandal

The Catholic Church is no stranger to scandal. We all know the unfortunate fates of the poor altar boys who suffered at the hands of depraved Catholic priests. Evidence suggests that these victims are predominantly boys between the ages of 11 and 14, but sometimes are as young as three years old. The Church has been e x p o s e d by countless accusations since the 1980s, but only garnered media attention from the 1990s onward, and investigations only began in the 2000s. 

To make matters even worse, Pope Francis has revealed in his (somewhat) recent tell-all that Catholic priests have been keeping nuns as sex slaves. Reports reveal that these nuns have suffered repeated instances of rape and in some cases have been forced by the priests to have abortions. 

It appears that, in the Catholic faith, one is considered a second class citizen if they are a boy under the age of 14 or a woman of any age. And yet, altar boys still exist (maybe?..haven't been to a church in a while so not sure?), and there are many woman out there in the world who voluntarily practice Catholicism.  

My question for all the practicing Catholics out  there: do you not consider your wife, your son, your sister/mother/neighbour's son/son's friend Timothy/daughter/illegitimate male child/grandmother/etc to be  h u m a n  people, deserving of bodily autonomy and the right to live life free from molestation??? ??

I guess what I'm wondering is: how does one, in 2019, justifying supporting an institution in which the old-rich-white-man archetype is ride or die, and everyone else is a casualty and a victim?

2. Catholic guilt

Obviously, priests-gone-wild raises many questions vis-a-vis the true morals of Catholicism. Premarital sex, abortion, homosexuality; all condemned by the church (not to mention paedophilia & rape which is condemned by everyone) and yet come into play as part of these not-so-recent revelations. To be Catholic is to deprive oneself of many kinds of personal freedoms, however, those enforcing the rules do not themselves abide by them. It is a total 'do as I say not as I do' situation.

And yet Catholics everywhere still appear to wish to follow these rules. It is my interpretation that these people may in fact be victims themselves.

Consider New Zealand's most lovable cult: Gloriavale. A devoutly Christian society in which all woman must work in the kitchen, all men must plow the fields, and everyone must have no less than 13 children. Although it is a totally sexist society I still believe that the men and women alike are all victims and servants to the only people who actually benefit from Gloriavale; aka those at the top: Neville Cooper the convicted child rapist (now deceased), and his gang of paedophiles. 

Just like in Gloriavale I believe that your average run-of-the-mill Catholic woman OR man is kind of a victim of their own beliefs. Sure, women have it worse as misogyny is part of the very essence of all religion, but there are many men out there who also live by these arbitrary and strict rules. Just like in Gloriavale, the only people who truly benefit from Catholicism are those at the top: Pope Francis and HIS gang of paedophiles. 

Knowing this, I question if my hate for Catholics is misplaced, and wonder if I could instead feel a modicum of compassion for them? They are the ones who suffer because of religion. And if they are not forcing their religious views onto anyone else, are they actually hurting anyone? 

3. Reconciliation

My biggest question regarding modern day Catholics is: how is anyone able to be a part of and support the Catholic church knowing that those who are large & in charge are;

1. not following their own rules, and;

2. actual paedophiles and rapists ?

I guess there must be some way in which Catholics are able to separate their own faith from the paedophilia, abuse, & sex slavery that the Catholic Church has come to know and love.

Currently there are 1.2 billion self-described Catholics worldwide. That is over half of all Christians. That is a lot of ppl willing to put their name on something that is inextricably linked with abuse and corruption.

I had previously assumed that if someone is OK with calling themselves Catholic, and attending Catholic Church, and going to anti-abortion rallies with their Catholic friends, then they must be OK with whatever is going on at the Vatican behind closed doors. Perhaps this isn't the case. I guess I may never understand the goings-on in someone's personal faith, and whatever personal deals they have with God or whatever: but I suppose if someone keeps their religion away from politics and other people's lives and accepts that if they are free to practice Catholicism then other people should be free to live without religious restraints, then maybe,, m a y b e,, m  a  y  b  e,,,, I  can live with that.

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