rather than a choice. Latest evidence: Cardinal McCarrick's punishment was to be stripped of his priesthood. In other words, now he's just another ordinary Catholic.

It's a unique feature to the RCC that has contributed to the severity of their scandal.

other states that the problem is larger than anyone thought before. Comparisons with other organizations are irrelevant. the Boy Scouts of America had a big problem like this. They have changed a great deal in their system to prevent potential abusers from becoming adult leaders and are doing specific training of their youth membership to help them understand and avoid the issue. They have done things to fix the problem.

The Roman Catholic Church is just saying things about their problem, and doing little to change the environment that caused the problem within its leadership. In the meantime, Archdioceses like the one here in Minneapolis St. Paul filed bankruptcy to limit the amount they would have to pay victims. Similar bankruptcies to limit financial responsibility have occurred elsewhere. The Pope, the ultimate leader of the global RCC, speaks emphatically about the problem, but does nothing to materially change the organization and to try to prevent it from continuing or recurring.

Comparisons with other organizations do not in any way mitigate the problem with the RCC. Not in any way. Calls for such comparisons from outside of the church are worthless, since accurate numbers are not available from the organizations who violate children in this way. They remain hidden, and may be far worse than what has been publicly admitted.

Any organization with a child sexual abuse issue within its leadership is culpable, on its own, without resorting to comparisons. It is each organization that is responsible for its own actions. The Roman Catholic Church is not the Boy Scouts of America, although it does sponsor BSA troops. The RCC is not the SBC, although both have a child sexual abuse problem.

The answer must be found in each individual organization, which must also find solutions that work within its organization. Comparisons do not matter. Children matter. Sexually abused children matter. There are no excuses, and no amount of "whataboutism" will resolve the problem.

There is no punting in this game. Every play matters and the goal remains the same. Eliminate child sexual abuse by adults in every organization - ONE AT A TIME. Each organization is equally responsible for the children in its charge. Period.

The RCC doesn't like change, and it prefers change to be slow, if it is done at all. It is a powerful institution, accustomed to privilege. Meanwhile the rest of us want them to correct this disgusting problem immediately.

Yet the RCC resists. It's really upsetting.

I personally think it is flat out disgusting. Moral people do not sexually abuse children, nor do moral people cover up that abuse. Moral people would say NOT ONE MORE CHILD, they wouldn't move a priest to another place to continue the bad behavior. There is no excuse for this. None.

put in place a model policy. Now every school district has a policy. The RCC has been dragging its feet for 40 years.

A former member argued against it, on some legal grounds. Gave the usual "Do you want X else to happen?" and like, never actually provided an argument against it.

is the priesthood has been attracting men who already have sexual hangups of some kind for many years. They can't resolve these issues practically because they don't have normal experiences with sex. A married priesthood, including women, could be the answer.

And they don't have a celibate priesthood.

They are however an authoritarian hierarchical religious organization.

Also Jehovah's Witnesses have an ongoing abuse/cover-up problem, and again they do not have a celibacy requirement.

would be composed of the children (beginners) who demonstrated their respect and desire to learn the group's values (and live by those standards) by having a baptism by water as adults capable of making that decision. This would be step 1 towards embarking upon the Way.Some in the group would have grown spiritually over the years and be able to offer support between visits from the "mature" ones. (Paul's baby food v. meat.)(The parable of the master who gives his servants money to increase.) There was probably a special initiation/spiritual experience to be considered the creme of the select. (Lazarus, the naked youth at gethsemane. Jesus insisted Lazarus wasn't dead.)
Groups were small and simple. In some, the drawing of stones determined who would give the "sermon"; no professional was needed. I don't know if the group contributed comments, but why not? I like the Quaker discussion group way of conducting meetings.
Those in positions of influence would have no delusions about the consequences of straying. When Jesus describes the Law, there is no forgiveness, no reward for faith. You don't get out of prison until you pay every cent of what you owe. They didn't expect all beginners to finish the course. (The parable of the sower, seeds, soils.) I'm sure it wasn't a perfect way of teaching Truth, but it seems to have worked better than how things evolved...That's what happens when the children run things.