In recent years Christianity has had a number of disgraces that has placed these religious groups in a negative light (Catholicism especially).
Perhaps the most damming are the child sex offences committed by church clergy - which came to light during Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (an enquiry which was announced back in 2012 and is currently still ongoing).
As well as the alleged intentional cover-ups by Catholic church hierarchy by moving the offending priests to another parish (and in some cases, moving the priest to a different country altogether) - as well as, not reporting matters to the police (due to the sanctity of the confessional).
During a recent in-depth interview on ABC's Four Corners program, a senior Catholic church representative admitted that "At least 4 per cent of clergy were child sex abusers". This was stated by Francis Sullivan, the chief executive of the Catholic church's own Truth, Justice and Healing Council (refer to ABCnews article posted 12th August 2014).
Just to make sure that we are clear here ... that means that at least 1 out of every 25 Catholic clergy are paedophiles !!!
It's a figure that is disproportionate compared to other areas of society.
Many of which, the crimes haven't been dealt with by a court of law, and are only just coming to the public's attention, due to Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Instead, since some of these crimes have been dealt with privately by the church ... some of these paedophiles haven't been legally convicted, served any time in jail, and certainly don't exist on a child sex offender register, nor are they subject to the stringent checks and restrictions that would normally be in place ... these crimes have effectively been 'swept under the rug'.
The Catholic church is not a law unto itself, and should not be operating outside of the law.
While compensation (to the victims) is just one recourse of action ... there should also be something else taking place too!
The catholic church needs to do something in regards to paedophiles continuing to work within it (as well as a culture of 'turning a blind eye' approach that has occurred in the past).
Even after some of these child sex crimes have come to light, the offending priests have continued to keep their place within the church and even their official stance as "a saintly person of honour and respect" ... change is sorely needed.
Unfortunately, since most of these crimes happened in the 1970s-1980's, many of the alleged offenders are very old and some have even passed on ... their dark secrets will most probably die with them.
Also, the Catholic church has been plagued with other issues.
Eg. corruption within the church itself - with money laundering and fraud taking place ... which caused a complete restructuring of the vatican's bank in 2013/2014, and those appointed to oversee it.
It's not just the Catholic faith that is plagued by these problems - other Christian church organisations have had their deal of issues.
Frank Houston, who founded the Pentecostal church named Hillsong - has also been implicated in child sexual abuse. These were allegations that Hillsong never refuted at the time, and in fact even ended up removing Frank Houston as a pastor due to.
Refer to ABCnews article - Royal Commission : child sexual-abuse investigates Hillsong (posted 7th October 2014).
Jehovah's Witness have also been brought into the spotlight during the Royal Commission.
Having failed to report even a single case of an allegation to police ... yet knowing about over 1000 cases of alleged perpetrators.
Also, the elders within the church even knowingly destroyed evidence/notes.
Refer to ABCnews article - Royal Commission : jehovah's witnesses failed to report 1,000 alleged perpetrators (posted 25th July 2015).
Can such a church be trusted?
Christianity defines a priest as a sanctified person who is the true mediator between God and people - a conduit to God.
If many of those priests themselves have secretly committed extremely evil crimes (some of which, those in power knew about, but allowed the priests to stay in office, or simply shifted around). What does it then say about the Church and the God that they represent?
And perhaps more to the point, Is such a church a credible source regarding spiritual matters?
Is it a true 'bearer of light'?
Is it a church that possesses true knowledge of the spiritual realm, and represents God's word?
Especially in the not-so-distant past (1800's to early 1900's) ... with the Catholic church playing such an extremely powerful figure within society and having such a strong say within everyone's daily lives.
While Catholicism doesn't represent the entire section of Christianity ... the Catholic faith is certainly 1 of the 3 major Christian groups !!!
The negative issues that are affecting the Catholic church would certainly be having a negative flow-on effect as to Christianity as a whole.
Christianity does have good intentions : kindness to others, compassion, values, ethics, showing others respect, etc ...
But it is the dogmas/doctrines that encompass the Christian religion (how the spiritual realm is interpreted) that just don't sit right with me.
Over time, my own view has changed and grown beyond that of Christian views ... yet I do still respect the views of others - 'There are many different ways up the mountain' ... many different paths to reach that place "that is at the centre of all".
In my view - no single faith truly has all the answers, but collectively humanity can construct a more clearer picture of what the overall view could possibly encompass ... through our differences, there are strengths, and one common connection ... God.
Does Christianity have misaligned views? I can't say! That's for you, yourself to decide!!!
What I can say ... is that my own view of the spiritual realm has changed - to something that goes beyond that which Christianity believes to be true.
