Cultural conflict?

Even as bishops began debating a national sex-abuse policy last week at their historic meeting in Dallas, another scandalous controversy was unfolding in Chicago. It involved religion, sex, children and adults who did not seem to understand their roles.

And this one has nothing to do with the Catholic Church.

Neither is this column, I hasten to add, an effort to soften, detract, mitigate or do anything to lessen the horrible sins some Catholic priests and bishops have committed, and on which the gathering in Dallas focussed.

This is however an effort to challenge us to confront larger issues of which clerical sexual misconduct—with minors and others—is perhaps only one of many symptoms.

But first, that other scandalous controversy.

Chicago rhythm-and-blues and sometime-gospel singer R. Kelly has been the target in recent weeks of accusations that he makes a habit of preying sexually on young girls—minors. He was recently indicted on 21 counts of child pornography for allegedly producing a videotape depicting him engaged in various sex acts with a 14-year-old girl. Despite previous allegations of improper sexual contact with children, Kelly has maintained his innocence.

That may seem scandal enough, but it gets even more strange. Kelly’s spiritual advisor, the Rev. James Meeks of Chicago’s Salem Baptist Church, invited the singer following his arrest to say a few words at the church’s kindergarten class graduation.

Ain’t that nice: An man accused of diddling with kids, and whose music (other than gospel songs) is riddled with sexual innuendo and worse, is invited to talk to impressionable and adoring children. What a role model.

The similarity to the Catholic Church’s very public and very painful problem ought be apparent. But, you might ask, where’s the similar outrage.

At least, as this is written, only Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell was taking Kelly and Meeks to task (see also the letter to the editor, Page 9). Perversely, another Sun-Times columnist, lame-duck DePaul University religious-studies professor Michael Eric Dyson had this to say: “…If the charges turn out to be true, Kelly may need to see a therapist and minister rather than go to jail ….”

Whoops. No call for zero tolerance here—though Kelly arguably has more influence among young people than your average priest. Where’s the appropriate response faithful people have had to the church’s own sex scandal? Is it because Kelly’s a sometimes-gospel-singing celeb and not a priest? That makes it OK? Hardly.

But the real rub is something way beyond Kelly, Meeks or any of the priests or bishops caught up in this sexual web.

Both columnists acknowledged the highly sexualized nature of today’s culture. That’s neither to excuse or approve of sexual misconduct, especially with children. Adults are supposed to act like adults, or suffer the consequences. But neither should the impact of that culture be ignored.

Today’s pervasive eroticism is palpable. And inescapable. It’s in the beat of more music than just R. Kelly’s rap. Videos openly encourage behavior that was at least kept behind closed doors a generation ago. Small children, especially girls, exude the sexuality of a Britney or a Madonna.

Celebrity worship has overtaken any sort of divine worship—and offers none of the inherent values. Entertainment media are awash with exactly what we maintain we don’t want our kids to experience. Sex sells (just ask Abercrombie & Fitch), and our children are buying. But then so, too, are adults.

I’m close to coming off as a ranting prude, which I’m not. But no matter what decisions the bishops have made in Dallas, and in the debate beyond, we better understand the problem people of faith—and not just Catholics—have is more deeply rooted than we may care to think.

We should be outraged when children aren’t safe from predators. We should be disgusted when clergy of all stripes are either perpetrators or enablers.

And we should become fighting mad when we realize we have created—or allowed to exist—a culture that encourages our children to be victims and lures adults away from traditional values.

Tom Sheridan
Editor and General Manager