the cost of admission

  Here in Maryland there has been an ongoing issue with the Catholic church and some government run schools regarding child sexual abuse. I'm sure you have all heard about this stuff and it's disgusting. A few years back a settlement was reached between the Church and the state regarding the claims filed. There is no statute of limitations on that. It was decided that no matter how long ago that abuse took place the person was entitled to file and receive damages. Limits were placed on the amount of monetary compensation that could be imposed on the Church and on the state itself. In the most recent budget for the state a bill reduced the amount the state would have to pay. I believe the amount is now 400,000 dollars if it is a state agency or school found guilty of that abuse.

 Now there is this advocate on television decrying this change to the agreement. His argument is what troubles me. He says, saving souls is far more important than saving the almighty dollar. Whereas one can't argue with that logic on the surface of things, yes souls are priceless, but can you buy one? And that is the issue I'm having with that argument. Will the amount of monetary compensation you receive for abuse alter that abuse in any fashion? Will a larger amount just make the memories of that disappear or become less traumatic? I want to know just how money is going to save a soul? You know when you put your contribution in the collection plate it isn't to buy your soul or pay off God for your sins. That's what I was always told anyway.

 I am not in any way trying to devalue the effects of being sexually abused as a child by what should be trusted members of the clergy or government employees in the prisons or other state sponsored programs. In my mind the punishment for those found guilty of such would extend far beyond anything money could buy. It's true that in a great number of these cases the one that committed these atrocities are long gone, dead. So, that only leaves monetary compensation as a means to acknowledge that abuse. But will that money save your soul? My question to that individual would be, what makes you believe my soul needs saving? Is it my fault I was abused, my choice and therefore I corrupted my soul? You only need saving if you have sinned! 

 Okay so we all agree that these people should receive some monetary compensation for the abuse they endured, they are survivors. The problem then becomes how to set that value. Is there some chart to reference in that regard? If this happened you get this, if that happened you get more. How long did this go on? There are just too many factors to even attempt to consider any of that. How is the amount even determined by a jury? We're not talking about a parking ticket, a property value, we are talking about personal abuse. How much do you need to save your soul? How do you determine the amount of compensation required. Should there be a limit on that at all? We'll just leave it all up to the lawyers? And yes there are lawyers anxious to take these cases, their souls could use a little saving too, about 25 or 30% of the settlement should do. 

 I don't have any of the answers when it comes to this. I have never been abused in that way. I can't pretend to have any understanding of what that may do to a person. I have been wronged by others in the past and left with disappointment and anger. I'm certain some of those things altered my outlook on life, I call that experience and experience isn't always a pleasant thing. With some of those things a few hundred bucks would definitely make me feel better, make it a bit easier to just move ahead, but it still wouldn't make me forget. 

 Forgiveness, as far as I'm concerned, just means I won't retaliate or seek compensation from you. I'm not forgetting. I'm writing this just because it sticks in my craw. "Saving souls is far more important than saving the almighty dollar" What sticks is the implication that money is the answer, money will save my soul but only if it a large enough amount! It's been said that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in exchange for playing a guitar, the same has been said about Bob Dylan only for the ability to write songs. Well my soul doesn't have a price tag. If you want to give me a hundred, or a million in exchange for my soul I'll take your money alright, no problem with that. Thing is, you aren't getting anything in return, but I won't be telling you that. Most likely, it will take a bit more, just to be sure. I'm not certain how much Saint Peter wants at the gate, what is the cost of admission. That is no time to be worried about a dollar.

                                                                                 

Is this credit or debit?