Well Ain't That Funny...Mormons Mess Up, Again

So the Mormon church, which in 2008 invested heavily in the anti-gay marriage proposal, Prop 8, in California (it succeeded, for now) has once again had to pay out some big money to a victim of child sexual abuse.
http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/apArticle/id/D9F2GO382/

Kerry Lewis, 38, was abused by Scoutmaster Timur Dykes in the 1980's. Dykes had already confessed to a Mormon Bishop that he had abused 17 boys. The church did not call the police, OR turn him in. Nothing. In fact, church leaders stated that they had decided it was OK for Dykes to be around children, "because he had repented".

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/03/mother_of_man_suing_boy_scouts.html

Amazingly, the Mormon Church states that it "absolutely condemns any kind of child abuse" (unless the perpetrator has "repented" I guess). However, even a quick Google search will bring up a number of cases settled by the church involving child sexual abuse. Here's one from 2001: http://www.mazeministry.com/mormonism/women/mormonsex3.htm

Like other organized religions (Catholicism, for example), the approach taken by the Mormon church has been to cover up these cases. In the 2001 case, a church member excommunicated for child sexual abuse was then reinstated and went on to abuse an 11 year old boy.

Now HOW do the policies of the Mormon Church make sense? It's OK to hide killer pedophiles (and I used the word "killer" intentionally because child rapists DO destroy lives), but not OK to want to marry the love of your life, if that person happens to be the same gender?

I am getting to a point where I am really wondering about the whole POINT of organized religion. Is it just to hide stuff? To intimidate people? To occasionally do some good and the rest of the time wreak havoc? Was organized religion just invented to steal property (a HUGE motive behind witch trials AND forced "conversions" of native Americans)?

Maybe it really is time to return to small local gatherings for spiritual and community purposes. Or simply allow one's own spiritual beliefs to blossom, and let go the need to force any particular belief on anyone else. Rather than churches we could just have local community centers which help disaster victims and the homeless and provide some warmth and comfort. And NEVER EVER hide child rapists. EVER. Shame on the Mormon Church. Shame on the Catholic Church. Shame on any person or organization that hides and "protects" child rapists and other life destroyers.

Thanks to the victim in this case and others for having the courage to speak out and take a stand. That takes real guts.

Sometimes People Come Through in a BIG Way

Yes, Sometimes People Come Through in a BIG Way, and then you want to cry, or maybe wash yourself in pure water (Walden Pond in April?) and cleanse away the tears and frustration and fear.

Today I took my cat Pooh to the vet for a RadioIodine treatment for her hyperthyroid. There was no other choice, because she had a bad reaction to the drugs given for this condition. We had opted for just an injection with I-131, because the scintigraphic scan was above and beyond the funds we had managed to gather from contributions. The scan provides much greater accuracy, but we just could not afford it.

And at the very last minute, a fellow animal-lover, someone I have never met, called the vet to say she wanted to pay for the scan. I am stunned in disbelief.

So so tired. This has been stressful, but a real learning experience. Sometimes people come through in a REALLY big way, just when you least expect it. Wow. I am really honestly speechless.