An interesting case currently before the High Court in the UK:
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www.guardian.co.uk]
which seeks to establish the corporate liability of the catholic church for the activities of its priests. The church has skated on its responsibilities several times before due to this anomaly where priests have not been held to be in the same position as employees of the church and so there is no transfer of responsibility from individual to his handlers higher in the hierarchy.
Its of interest as the church certainly functions as a corporate business and makes a tidy profit at it. The double standard only comes into play when it faces liabilities that may cost it cash and reputation.
The church is fighting this case on the grounds that it does not want to pay any compensation to the victims of its paedphile priests. These priests have been allowed to continue their predation for years, sometimes, by the bishops and other higher-ups who turned a blind eye in the interests of profit and maintaining a pristine reputation.
Sounds like a very corporate mode of thinking to me.
The hearing is for some 3 days and the outcome will be interesting.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/11/2011 12:38AM by Stoic.