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News & ArtsSunday, November 13, 2011
Sports / Religion Comparing Penn State to the Catholic Church
Posted by Christopher Frizzelle on Sun, Nov 13, 2011 at 8:04 PM
You have to read some Christianist rhetoric about temptation and sin, but he's right.
1
It's quite a simpler. Both Paterno and any number of Catholic prelates decided to ignore the law and any likely concept or morality to protect their program or their church. When it comes down to it, the institution or racket one is in is more important than a few ten year olds.
3
Yeah, it happens, and not just in religion and sports. Sometimes, otherwise exemplary people ignore horrible things to "protect" themselves or an institution, group, or person they think deserves respect.
It is hard to imagine what anyone involved in this cover-up were thinking, but I'd guess "we can't afford a scandal!" was the root of it.
Perfectly understandable, and completely inexcusable.
It is hard to imagine what anyone involved in this cover-up were thinking, but I'd guess "we can't afford a scandal!" was the root of it.
Perfectly understandable, and completely inexcusable.
4
@1 and 2, thank you for bringing this back down to earth. Douthat's premise, that "good people, heroic people, are led into temptation by their very goodness", is an insult not only to the study of history but to the notions of virtue and heroism.
He's giving logic a reacharound instead of recognizing the simple principle that has always applied: power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Because the church hierarchy had granted Castrillon such adulation, such honor, such a high position, he leapt to their defense. If they were wrong about the abuse, they could be wrong about him, after all. We can't have that, can we?
Likewise, Paterno bought the hype. He was Penn State, it's greatness was in him, so it was impossible for him to let it sink in that a coach he relied on for decades could actually be a molester. That would mean Paterno had chosen badly, and been made a fool of for decades. And we can have that, can we?
He's giving logic a reacharound instead of recognizing the simple principle that has always applied: power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Because the church hierarchy had granted Castrillon such adulation, such honor, such a high position, he leapt to their defense. If they were wrong about the abuse, they could be wrong about him, after all. We can't have that, can we?
Likewise, Paterno bought the hype. He was Penn State, it's greatness was in him, so it was impossible for him to let it sink in that a coach he relied on for decades could actually be a molester. That would mean Paterno had chosen badly, and been made a fool of for decades. And we can have that, can we?
5
There's also the possibility that Paterno simply thought that Penn State--and he was Penn State--was more important than kids getting abused. That's even worse than him not believing what was reported to him by an eyewitness, and it's much more likely.
6
What a bunch of crap. The only good thing I read in this article is that instead of saying football coaches are honorable like catholic clergy the author is making the case that the catholic clergy are almost as honorable as football coaches.
7
Sorry Christopher, I don't agree with douthat ...and I find his Christian rhetoric off-putting & even insulting. I mean, Ross is yet another Jesus freak who really believes that morality begins & ends with Christianity. He lost me at "Bad and mediocre people" & "But good people, heroic people, are led into temptation..." & "Joe Paterno is a good man, blah, blah..."
What an absolute crock o' shit!
Joe Paterno is not a great man; he is a pathetic child abuse enabler who KNEW about all this stuff for many years & did NOTHING to stop it.
What an absolute crock o' shit!
Joe Paterno is not a great man; he is a pathetic child abuse enabler who KNEW about all this stuff for many years & did NOTHING to stop it.
8
It's more like arrogance and selfishness that led to these abuses. And, really, as much as they go on and on about the children, the Catholic Church betrayed an attitude that children are less than human. They weren't just involved sexual abuse, the record is clear they beat and tortured them in huge numbers as well. And BTW, if children were made of gold, none of this would have happened because eveybody involved would be too busy worshipping them. And maybe that's the reason it never gets reported; the money it would cost.
9
Ross Asshat? REALLY!? You would link through to a load of Santorum from Ross Asshat? Christ, readers lose IQ point just skimming his sludge.
11
I think I'm of the opinion that their allegiance to the institution they were a part of, church or football program..., blinded them to their own clay feet. It would appear that somewhere along the way, these 'virtuous' men forgot to consider their own planks and believed that they and the organization they represented were above reproach. They became so enchanted with the package, and the power it gave them, that they ignored the internal rotting. Not temptation of the 'virtuous', but false worship of the organization they chose as their legacy. Just my $0.02, but 'virtuous' people don't ignore the raping of children or down play things. 'Virtuous' people defend those who can not defend themselves. Or is justice not compassion in action?
12
Who would have imagined that a society that values sports and jocks over brains and compassion could have something like this happen? I mean it's SHOCKING!!!!.......not.
13
4 and 5 are right. I believe everyone involved in this child abuse situation weighed the damage to the football program against the kids. And the kids lost. Frankly, I think the NCAA should suspend Penn State from participating in any football games for the rest of the season as a punishment to the unversity for protecting the program over the abused children.
14
For me, the truth-teller is this: Paterno was told of this in 2002, and then supposedly reported it to his superiors (if there is such a thing at PSU). Now, in 2011, AFTER HE WAS EXPOSED AND FIRED, he claims that in retrospect, he wishes he had done more.
Please. HE HAD NINE FUCKING YEARS TO DO MORE.
During that nine-year period, there were only two things that could have occured inside his mind.
1. He thought often about what had happened, pondered what else his good friend Sandusky might be doing or had done, thought about what else he himself could do to right the situation, and then chose . . . to do nothing.
2. Didn't give a second thought to the situation.
Does either choice sound like a hero? No, there is no heroism there. He is only remorseful now because he was exposed. Paterno is only slightly less culpable than the man who performed the actual abuse.
Please. HE HAD NINE FUCKING YEARS TO DO MORE.
During that nine-year period, there were only two things that could have occured inside his mind.
1. He thought often about what had happened, pondered what else his good friend Sandusky might be doing or had done, thought about what else he himself could do to right the situation, and then chose . . . to do nothing.
2. Didn't give a second thought to the situation.
Does either choice sound like a hero? No, there is no heroism there. He is only remorseful now because he was exposed. Paterno is only slightly less culpable than the man who performed the actual abuse.
15
All orthodox religions are incompatible with democracy.
That should be obvious to anyone over the age of 30 with a semi-functioning mind.
We know who that leaves out....
That should be obvious to anyone over the age of 30 with a semi-functioning mind.
We know who that leaves out....
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