Hello Everyone.
There is much being said about safeguarding these days, as if the whole issue is a modern thing. However, cruelty has always been a feature of human existence. We humans are such a complex mix of good and bad that you can never say someone is totally evil or totally saintly. Only God can know the secrets of our hearts and pass judgement. Although that does not stop us from having an opinion on just about everything, including another person’s actions and state of goodness, or otherwise.
Counsellors are supposed to be non-judgemental! Oh ah! They are human like the rest of us, but they seem to hide their opinions that bit better than most. As a counsellor I have heard untold stories of cruelty, but more often than not they are passed off as Life’s Rich Pattern. They might not even be thought of as being cruel for they are classified as just being parenting that leaves something to be desired, or sibling rivalry and the like. Teasing might be construed as family banter, but over the years of such behaviour, the person on the receiving end can be profoundly affected and their outlook on life warped. That is a form of abuse, which these days would come under the umbrella of need for safeguarding. But where do you draw the line and who gets to say where that line is?
It has been my misfortune to see on some occasions where the safeguarding intervention has caused more problems than it was intended to solve. And that makes me angry.
The recent issue with the Church Leadership is more to do with the fact that those who are in positions of authority and supposed to have the welfare of more vulnerable people at heart, have found to be wanting. They knew of continuing obvious abuse or cruelty yet did not do enough to stop it. That is itself a form of cruelty.
We are never going to stop cruelty through legislation, no matter what we call it – safeguarding or any other such name. We can only do our best in the circumstances we find ourselves in to stand up against cruelty in its many and various forms. That requires strength, wisdom and compassion.
It is called Charity.
The usual updates are there; Planting by the Moon and Astrology for Healers and Therapists.
Have a good month
Blessings
John
