Walkin' On My Fightin' Side

I just had to read the news.  Just hours after my last post, and my umpteenth vow not to let a ninny turn on my Type A.  And then I read the damned news and saw this:

Grrrrr.

As can be seen in this article, thousands of people stepped forward to call out the Bishop, who presides over the Providence, Rhode Island diocese, including actresses Mia Farrow and Patricia Arquette.  And, as can be expected, so did Rhode Island Pride President Joe Lazzerini.  Their comments, and many others can be read in the above article as well as this one.  Now for my comments.

Bishop Tobin, let me ask you a few questions.  How many gay Catholics do you think are in your diocese?  How many of them contribute to your collection plate?  Do you take the roll and run down a sexual orientation list before you accept their money?  How is it that I saw no mention in your Twitter feed condemning places and occasions for true, harmful sins, like local bars, whose Happy Hours are notorious for extramarital hookups and other sexual misadventures?

Or the Catholic Church?  A grand jury said last year that the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania covered up approximately 1,000 cases of sexual abuse by more than 300 priests.  You were Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh 1992-96.  So, you were aware of incidents of sexual abuse in the Pittsburgh Diocese, but didn't think it was your job to report them?   Whose job was it?   We are all mandatory reporters of child abuse!  What was God's answer when Cain asked if Cain was his brother Abel's keeper?  (Genesis 4:10).  For even if the blood of sexually abused children has not cried out to God, surely their hearts have, and I have no doubt He hears and answers them.

 "If anyone causes any of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, better a large millstone be hung around his neck, and be drowned in the depths of the sea."

-- Matthew 18:6

And for you, Bishop, and your ilk who believe being gay is a sin?  Well, I KNOW doing nothing while children are abused around you is a sin! 

 "You hypocrite!  First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see to take the speck out of your brother's eye."  -- Matthew 7:5

I wrote about my history with sexual abuse here, here, and here.  It is not a short, or a pretty story.  But, Bishop, I know whereof I speak.  I request that you close your mouth, and open your ears, that your heart might be enlarged.  Because I see no evidence that you respect gay people, as you say you do, nor do I see any evidence that you comprehend even a fraction of the enormity of damage done by your church, and yourself as an eye-shuttered enabler.  And Bishop, last year, you discontinued your Twitter feed because you found that Twitter was a major distraction, an obstacle to your spiritual life, and an "occasion of sin" for yourself and others.  But you decided in January to begin tweeting again.

I would suggest you reconsider that decision.  You were a little wiser last July.