Atheistville with Mike Smithgall

Why Do Churches Protect Abusers? Inside the Crisis of Moral Hypocrisy


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When abuse happens in religious institutions, it’s not just a scandal, it’s a system. In today’s “Mike Drop” from the Pulpit of Reason, Mike Smithgall tackles one of the most disturbing moral failures in modern religious life: the widespread cover-up of child abuse by churches. From Catholic dioceses to evangelical megachurches, this isn’t just history, it’s happening now. Why are predators protected, and why is silence still sacred? It’s time to pull back the curtain.

Question of The Day:
Why do you think religious institutions continue to protect abusers even after being exposed?

Topics Covered:
-Institutional Silence in Religion

-Clericalism and Moral Immunity

-Weaponized Forgiveness

-Global Patterns of Abuse

-Why Religion Amplifies the Problem

-Spotlight, John Jay Report, and More

-Comparing Church to Other Institutions

-Political Cowardice and Public Hypocrisy


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Atheistville with Mike SmithgallBy Atheistville Media