How to Recognize Demonic Activity

[Cartoonist]

Here's the latest excuse the Catholic Church is using. I didn't think the full title of the article would fit in the OP title.

How to Recognize Demonic Activity in the Church Scandals, According to an Exorcist

“By sexually abusing children, Satan desires to destroy the icon of the kingdom of God.”

“Who is going to believe you?” It is the devil’s taunt, according to exorcist, Father Gary Thomas. It is a message to silence sexual abuse victims. And we have learned that same message silenced or impeded the truth of the sexual scandal in the Church from getting out for so long.

Fr. Gary Thomas is the exorcist for the Diocese of San Jose, California.

Catholics know that the devil seeks our destruction and is forever looking for openings to destroy God’s Church and harm souls. The sex abuse scandal reveals that he found hospitality among those who should have turned him out.

“It’s only going to get worse,” Father Thomas said, “but as bad as it is, it has to come out. It is unacceptable.” According to him, the devil used his old standby threat to keep people silent: Who’s going to believe you? We know now that among those that spoke out despite that taunt, the devil’s agents did indeed show disbelief or apathy.
_

So, essentially, he's saying, "The devil made us do it. "

Full nonsense here:
http://m.ncregister.com/blog/armstrong/how-to-recognize-demonic-activity-in-the-church-scandals-according-to-an-ex

[Raven123]

1. I didn't get the same message

He also said the devil found a home in those who should have turned him out.

I took that as an indication that the perpetrators of sexual abuse were responsible for their actions.

[Cartoonist]

2. Who is going to believe you?

Who says that, if not the one doing the abusing?

[Raven123]

7. I think that is his point.

He is not excusing any abuser, nor those who cover for them. As I read the article, he sees evil acts as the devil personified, but does not see the abusers as innocents who were infected. They have free will to act and opened the door. Just my undersatanding.

[Cartoonist]

8. Was that last word coined by you?

Whenever I hear "free will" used in a discussion, I want to charge the user $10.

[Raven123]

11. Why the charge?

[Cartoonist]

13. Because it's a phony issue

[Major Nikon]

18. Especially in this case

Where "free will" only means deciding whether or not to keep an imaginary boogyman on your doorstep.

[MineralMan]

9. UnderSATANding. Perfect.

[Raven123]

10. Honestly, it was a typo. Nice catch.

[Major Nikon]

17. Actually it means they are only responsible for allowing someone else to do it

Which is even worse when you consider the someone else is an imaginary magical being that has the power to do such things. It's a dangerous mentality and has a lot to do with why child rape has flourished in the RCC for so long.

[Major Nikon]

3. The devil is a convenient scapegoat

That way the apologists who are already convinced religion is always good can absolve their invisible sky daddy of any culpability and by extension their beloved church.

[MineralMan]

4. There is at least as much evidence for demons and devils

as there is for deities.

More excuses from the systematic abusers.

[Lordquinton]

12. This is the reason for all the discussion about there being no proof a god exists

The position that you cannot prove any deity exists, but believing that it runs the world in very real ways, but then absolving yourself of needing to show how it works.

[MineralMan]

14. It's much easier to explain everything with a God.

That's the attraction.

[Lordquinton]

15. Easier to explain god with god

God exists because God exists. Of course the conductor is adamant that he never claimed good existed, just that he believes God exists....

[Pope George Ringo II]

5. There's not much in their mythology to suggest the Satan character is into child abuse

It's the other side which has bears murdering children by the dozen, or was asking angry mobs to rape their daughters.

Satan really gets a bad rap.

[LakeArenal]

6. This is one reason I quit the god business.

“Suffer the little children”. No kidding.

The all powerful god lets babies be tortured, because some woman he created ate an apple. Fuck that shit.

[Iggo]

16. Exorcists.

[Mariana]

19. Yes, Satan's the one who's been sexually abusing children.

It wasn't the priests at all.

Father Thomas noted that sexual abuse involving children, both inside and outside of the Church, is especially heinous. “By sexually abusing children, Satan desires to destroy the icon of the kingdom of God. He wants to destroy the most innocent version of humanity, which is the child.”