The Magdalene Sisters/Catholic Church

[Fierce Critter]

The Magdalene Sisters - IMDB entry

This movie, I'm sorry to say, didn't surprise me. Shock, yes. Surprise? No. Sadden? Definitely. I highly recommend it, and especially the accompanying documentary on the DVD version.I watched this, and the DVD extra documentary, last night.

You know, I love Catholicism. Though I'm your typical lapsed Catholic, it's aspects of the religion that have given me some of my love of Christianity, which keeps me on a basically agnostic path, and not running full-tilt for the Pagan.

I love the devotion to Mary. I love the ceremony of the mass. I love the rituals, sacraments, holidays. I love the saints - both for their stories of courage & devotion, and for the way an individual saint might help one relate to Christianity (i.e. St. Francis' love of animals encourages & inspires animal lovers).

But even my grandfather, a devout Catholic who never missed a mass, and worked tirelessly for his parish - Sweetest Heart of Mary in Detroit (the one with the double steeple to the east of I-75 driving out of downtown) was known to say the Catholic Church was the biggest racket in the world.

I just don't comprehend the cruelty of ministers of - supposedly - God's word. I just don't get it. I don't understand why they think this kind of behavior furthers their cause. Did it ever? I mean, beyond the ignorant?

Sigh. :tear

[phee]

It was an incredible film

[Onyx]

It's not just the catholic church, not just the christian religion and not even religion in general that cause such horrific abuse. It's sick people who see an opportunity to misuse religion for their own sadistic purposes.

edited to add - Once a sweet old minister I knew said to me -- true religion will not sacrifice people for principle.

I've had people ask me how I can dance and listen to music that seems to them to be sacreligious. To me most of it is pointing out the abuse of religion. It's incredible how deceived some can be - and I have seen this in churches I've been involved in. There are not many who really live out in their lives the spirit of their belief.

Some people use christianity as a shield to hide behind to do the most un-christian things imaginable.