Abuse of power followed by cover-up in spiritual missions & ashram systems may lead to revenge and sabotage by victims trapped financially or otherwise in the mission/system
Former altar boy says he stole $100,000 from church as revenge for priest abuse, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/religion/former-altar-boy-says-he-stole-100-000-church-revenge-n903801, 25th Aug. 2018
A small extract from the above:
"Things would manifest themselves and I would be forced to let it out and look at that fear, anger and resentment," he told NBC News in an interview.
--- end extract ---
Ravi: This I think reflects a sad and human-weakness related reality of many non-transparent and non-accountable spiritual missions and ashram systems. Those who are within these missions and ashram systems and financially or otherwise dependent on them, when faced with abuse of power in a sexual way or otherwise, are not in a position to hold their bosses accountable and get justice. These systems have the ingrained culture of cover-up, and the outside community too does not want to know about such things and thereby encourages the cover-up.
In the victim of abuse who is trapped in the system for financial and/or other reasons, slowly the 'fear, anger and resentment' as the former altar boy mentions in the report above, builds up. He/she wants to take revenge on the abuser which may not be possible as the abuser is too powerful. In such cases, thoughts of revenge on the mission/ashram system would enter into their minds. This gentleman ended up stealing a large amount of money from the mission for which he was convicted (no cover-up attempts there by the mission, I guess :-) ). Others may do similar things and perhaps even sabotage.
The concerned spiritual mission and ashram system itself starts getting poisoned with untruth and unethical behaviour (Asathya-Adharma)! It is just a matter of time then before it collapses unless corrective action is taken.
I think this article shows how vital it is for the good health of spiritual missions and ashram systems to have a functioning system of accountability and transparency for complaints of abuse of power by its officials. It is far better to endure the short-term bad media coverage and hit to reputation of the mission/ashram by transparent and accountable handling of any allegations of power abuse against its officials than indulge in cover-up allowing such disease to fester within the body of the mission/ashram system and destroy it from within.
A small extract from the above:
"Things would manifest themselves and I would be forced to let it out and look at that fear, anger and resentment," he told NBC News in an interview.
--- end extract ---
Ravi: This I think reflects a sad and human-weakness related reality of many non-transparent and non-accountable spiritual missions and ashram systems. Those who are within these missions and ashram systems and financially or otherwise dependent on them, when faced with abuse of power in a sexual way or otherwise, are not in a position to hold their bosses accountable and get justice. These systems have the ingrained culture of cover-up, and the outside community too does not want to know about such things and thereby encourages the cover-up.
In the victim of abuse who is trapped in the system for financial and/or other reasons, slowly the 'fear, anger and resentment' as the former altar boy mentions in the report above, builds up. He/she wants to take revenge on the abuser which may not be possible as the abuser is too powerful. In such cases, thoughts of revenge on the mission/ashram system would enter into their minds. This gentleman ended up stealing a large amount of money from the mission for which he was convicted (no cover-up attempts there by the mission, I guess :-) ). Others may do similar things and perhaps even sabotage.
The concerned spiritual mission and ashram system itself starts getting poisoned with untruth and unethical behaviour (Asathya-Adharma)! It is just a matter of time then before it collapses unless corrective action is taken.
I think this article shows how vital it is for the good health of spiritual missions and ashram systems to have a functioning system of accountability and transparency for complaints of abuse of power by its officials. It is far better to endure the short-term bad media coverage and hit to reputation of the mission/ashram by transparent and accountable handling of any allegations of power abuse against its officials than indulge in cover-up allowing such disease to fester within the body of the mission/ashram system and destroy it from within.
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