The pope speak

In the light of the number of scandals which have been seen in various public media involving catholic clergy over the years, I fell over the reporting of the Popes speech.
It can be seen here at the New York Times

Being atheist I’m sure there would be many passages in the speech which I would disagree with (strongly), however one snippet which I felt was ….. especially worrying, was the following:

What does it mean to speak of child protection when pornography and violence can be viewed in so many homes through media widely available today? We need to reassess urgently the values underpinning society, so that a sound moral formation can be offered to young people and adults alike.

I do not care how much pornography and violence you watch in your everyday life, but whenever you see a child only one thing should be going through your mind … it is a child and “you” are an adult.
Trying to blame “society” for people’s abuse of children is such a cup out that I can’t believe that any sentient person could even said that without some sort of hidden agenda, which obviously for this guy looks to be trying to take some heat of the catholic church in lieu of these child-abuse scandals which have been revealed. 

On top of this, what the does it matter that if somebody else is watching all that porn and violence, it have still been clergy which have abused children as well. Do they also watch all that porn and violence which warp them? Leaders of faith indeed.

I am personally atheist but I do respect people’s entitlement to their faith as long as they leave me and mine alone, but this …. I can’t believe the head of one of the largest faiths publicly tries to place responsibility for people’s abuse of children on something as society.  No matter what – it is a child.

Now sure, I do very well know the fact that (hopefully) only a small amount of clergy abuses children, and other people also abuse children – but in my view the instant we start to shift responsibilities away from the individual doing the violations onto something as vague and intangible as “society” it is a worrying step away from accountability.