Well if you haven’t heard already, the current investigation into the abuse of children perpetrated by the Catholic Church in Germany has come to a halt.
The reason? Well the lead researcher complained about the level of control the Church wanted over the investigation.
According to the Church? According to them it was due to a “mutual” shattering of trust. That the methods Pfeiffer used to communicate had made further cooperation impossible. I assume Pfeiffer was using some sort of affront to god (Well they are Catholic Priests so it’s probably a woman made out of condoms) to deliver his messages rather than email things to people.
According to Prof. Christian Pfeiffer who was the lead researcher from the Lower Saxony Criminology Research Institute?
He reported initial compliance but later found that his researchers were being asked to adhere to controls by the Munich Archdiocese. A group representing German dioceses then called for the researchers’ work to be submitted for approval before publication.
In other words? The Church attempted to censor an independent investigation into a shocking crime.
It’s not an independent investigation if you get to place controls and censor the investigator’s work.
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Marcus Ranum
January 10, 2013 at 12:36 AM (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
The Church attempted to censor an independent investigation into a shocking crime.
What a fine moral compass the church has! They should display it like this more often.
machintelligence
January 10, 2013 at 1:01 AM (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Perhaps it is now time to use some state muscle to pry some answers loose. Can the German government compel testimony and the release of records in a criminal investigation? And if not, why not?
Giliell, professional cynic
January 10, 2013 at 1:15 AM (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Well, Pfeiffer complained about the censorship in an interview.
Probably not.
AFAIK they would have to have a concrete case and want evidence for that.
I don’t know how much Pfeiffer and his crew can disclose personally, that would depend on the contract, but it clearly shows the Raping Children Church’s priority.
Johnny Au Gratin
January 10, 2013 at 8:16 AM (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
But, but, but, the Catholic Church has already done several investigations. The fault was found to be with children and hippies.
I guess it is the best they can do these days since they no longer have the authority to burn independent investigators at the stake.
Ysanne
January 10, 2013 at 10:56 AM (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
A hopeless investigation to begin with…
On the one side, the RCC with its total unwillingness to have outsiders look into what it’s been doing, just on principle, and a general desire for total control over what can be said (about anything). Seeing how the investigation was specifically about horrible criminal stuff they’ve been trying to hide, it’s clear that they wouldn’t want to go through with it.
On the other side, a lead researcher who has repeatedly proved that he doesn’t care for much more than making headlines, including frequent claims that TV and computer games make kids go on shooting sprees, and most notably the case when he accused basically the entire population of a small town of having cheered on a buncho of neo-nazis who drowned a kid in the local swimming pool (it turned out that the boy, who had a congenital heart condition, died from drowning due to a heart attack while swimming, and that the alleged scenes involving neo-nazis had never taken place).
Actually, I wonder why this kind of investigation is run as a scientific research project externally funded by the church, as opposed to, say, by the police. We’re talking about serious crimes here, after all.
kevinalexander
January 10, 2013 at 3:43 PM (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
If the priests were raping children that would be a serious crime but that’s not the case. SATAN is appearing in the form of seductive children to discredit the Holy Mother.
Dagda
January 10, 2013 at 6:24 PM (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
@
This was not a criminal investigation but rather a scientific research project. But still this is quit revealing about the prioritys of the catholic church in germany
left0ver1under
January 10, 2013 at 7:52 PM (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
Clearly, it’s time for the courts to order police raids and seizure of church records.
The disease…sorry, diocese had a chance to come clean willingly and chose to prevent a proper investigation. If they aren’t willing to weed out the filth themselves, then it’s time someone with legal authority to do it for them.
abbeycadabra
January 11, 2013 at 1:56 AM (UTC 5.5) Link to this comment
@7
Yes. Revealing. And an utter shock to anyone not paying attention for the last 30 years or so.