Not Just the Catholic Church ... Mormon Church and Other Religious Institutions Have Also Covered Up For Pedophiles

Five minutes of research shows that the Mormon Church - like the Catholic Church - has covered up for its pedophiles.

For example, the Houston Chronicle wrote in 1999:

The church that is known for placing a spiritual premium on family values is under increasing attack for an alleged failure to protect its children from pedophiles.

Therein lies the irony of a barrage of lawsuits and general complaints alleging that - in an effort to protect its wholesome image - the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly called the Mormon Church, has failed to root out child molesters in its midst.

The fast-growing institution, with 10 million members worldwide, is not the only church that has been plagued in recent years by embarrassing cases involving sexual abuse of children. But while Mormon officials maintain that they have eliminated most of the problems that may have once existed, lawsuits and criminal charges linking the church to pedophiles have continued to mount.

In 2001, the lawyer for a victim of sexual abuse stated:

The Mormon Church covered up its knowledge of a High Priest's sexual molestation of young boys for more than a decade according to a Portland,Oregon lawsuit that the church paid $3,000,000.00 to settle. The charges were brought by one of the priest's victims, Jeremiah Scott. Today, Scott's mother made a statement describing the Mormon Church as a, "sanctuary for pedophiles...

The church claimed throughout the litigation that it had a constitutional right to "wipe the slate clean" of any member who had "repented" for his abuse of children and had been forgiven by the church. "It is a policy that puts out the welcome mat for pedophiles like Franklin Curtis," Mrs. Scott commented...

Jeff Anderson of St. Paul, Minnesota, who is nationally recognized for his work representing victims of abuse by clergy and who joined Scott's legal team this year to prepare for the anticipated trial, described the Mormon Church's conduct as among the worst of any religious organization in the county...

And an Associated Press story from Thursday notes that some Mormon church leaders may have covered up pedophile problems involving Boy Scouts leaders. And see this.

Abuse is common among many other denominations as well. As Associated Baptist Press wrote in 2007:

Inappropriate behavior by clergy cuts across all denominational ties and theological positions, [Christian] ethicist Joe Trull said. But he says a case can be made that “nondenominational churches and Baptist churches who have autonomous church government are more vulnerable and susceptible” to instances of sexual abuse.

Abuse is also common in the quasi-independent religious orders.

Note: I strongly believe in freedom of religion. This is in no way meant as an attack on the Mormon faith, only the decision by clergy to cover up for pedophiles.