Bullying In The Church

A news story I’ve just been alerted to is perhaps a simple demonstration that religion does not make you a better person. The workers union Unite has identified ‘a culture of bullying in the established Church’ according to the Times (link here).

You might expect a religious work place, since believers are far better at morality than us atheists and agnostics, to be a pleasant working environment. It appears not. The petty and damaging human characteristics that lead to untold harm for many are present in Churches too.

A frightening example of this are the highly unpleasant events that occurred to the unfortunate Mr. Sharpe. The Times article reads:

Last month Unite called for the resignation of two bishops after claiming that a vicar, Mark Sharpe, had been forced out of his home and job in the Worcester diocese by what the union described as “a culture of neglect and bullying”. His departure with his family came after four years of alleged harassment, during which the family’s pet dog was fatally poisoned, faeces was smeared on his car and his tyres were slashed twice.

Mr. Sharpe was forced into an early retirement due to ill health at age 42.

The Archbishop Of Canterbury, head of the Church of England, had this to say about bullying:

“I have good reason to know from pastoral contacts with people how much of an issue it can be and I wish we were better at that.”

From an institution that must claim moral superiority over non-believers not open to salvation, this simply is not good enough. The Church needs to address the immoral actions of its flocks before condemning the rest of us to their proselytizing.