Before you read this, you should go check out libertarius' awesome post about systematic abuse in childrens' schools run by the Catholic Church in Ireland.  One of the organizations involved successfully sued the country to keep the names of the abusers private, and this same organization is paying de facto hush money to the victims if they promise not to sue; thankfully, many victims are refusing this offer.

Okay.  Back now?  Good.  A similar incident has happened in Serbia, this time in a drug rehab center run by the Eastern Orthodox church.  The BBC article (linked above) describes vicious beatings--carried out by priests--on inmates residents at the center. 

How about this for some irony?  "In the video posted on Vreme's website on Friday, a young man believed to be a patient at the Crna Reka rehabilitation centre is seen being beaten repeatedly with a shovel, and then punched and kicked in the head by two men in sports gear.  The incident takes place in a room displaying Christian icons."  Beat the piss out of the sinner, hate the sin, is that what Jesus would do?

 Unlike the abuse in Ireland, the priests running this thing are completely unapolagetic to the press about their despicable actions, even sounding a little proud of themselves: "The centre said the beatings, administered by former addicts, were a necessary part of the therapy for drug addiction and were carried out with the consent of patients' parents.  'Whoever has a junkie in the house knows what I am talking about,' Archpriest Branislav Peranovic told B92 television."  I'm sure that, when dealing with a loved one addicted to drugs, the temptation to smack them silly is overwhelming at times.  Nonetheless, there's a difference between "would very much like to" and "should."  There's also a difference between effective treatment and ruthless beatings--whether or not the parents consented.  I believe the asshole when he says some parents did, but all that means is that they're terrible parents.  

However, unlike Ireland--which is utterly complicit in the Catholic Church's abuse and the subsequent cover-up--Serbia isn't going to let this one fly.  The Government Human Rights Monitor (you better believe they have one after what happened in the 90s!) is going to file torture charges against the facility.  Doctors, psychologists, and government officials are rightly outraged.  The names of the perpetrators have already been made public, other facilities like the one where abuse was discovered have been shut down, and--surprise, surprise--the Orthodox Church has declined to comment.  (Eastern Orthodox: Serbia :: Catholic : Ireland, so this is a really, really interesting parallel.) 

The difference in reactions by the church and the government to these very similar circumstances couldn't be more stark.  The Catholic Church is acting all contrite but refusing to take any responsibility and are actively protecting former abusers.  The government is letting them get away with it.  The Eastern Orthodox Church is doing...well, we don't know what they're doing.  A press release saying sorry and acknowledging that their facility screwed up would be nice, I suppose, but even if they're being a little slimy here at least they're not outright hypocrites.  And the Serbian goverment is kicking ass and taking names and following this through, for which they deserve applause.  My mom was Croatian, so believe me, I never thought I'd say this, but what the hell: Serbia, you rock.