I disagree with any attempts to cover up crimes and perversions, but I also disagree with attempts to use these crimes committed by a small minority to punish and bankrupt the entire Church.
Keith, I am selectively responding to bits of your post, just for the sake of efficiency. I haven't time to write a both long AND coherent response.
Any other organization of man, in Western society, exposed for both the crimes against children and the efforts to shield the perps from the law, over many, many decades, would long ago have been bankrupted by civil suits and most would have said good riddance. The RC church, while not quite receiving a pass, has come pretty close.
I believe people and organizations should be responsible for their actions. That is at the heart of my Libertarian/ Conservative views.
So far, in my lifetime, I don't think the RC Church and the Anglican/Episcopalian Churches, have paid a sufficient price for the actions of, while admittedly a minority, a significant portion of their leaders. If proper compensation to the thousands and thousands of abused children bankrupted the RC Church I would say fine. You can always start again building up those assets.
