Spain's Turn in the Barrel

More than 200,000 children are estimated to have suffered sexual abuse from Spain's Catholic clergy, an independent commission has found.

The details emerged from an unprecedented public investigation by Spain's ombudsman, who spoke of the "devastating impact" on victims.

Angel Gabilondo also criticised the Church for its inaction and attempts to cover up or deny the abuse.

"What has happened has been possible because of that silence," he said.

Aren't we now past the point where there should be nobody paying any attention to the preaching of moralistic issues by the RCC? The ones who weren't directly engaged in abusing children helped to cover it up, or they knew about it and stayed silent.

Most organized religion is just evil. At least the Satanists are honest about whom they serve.

Meanwhile, back in the Party of the Christian Taliban:

A retired Republican state senator from North Dakota has been charged with traveling to Europe with the intent of paying for sex with a minor and with receiving images depicting child sexual abuse, according to a federal indictment unsealed Monday.

Longtime state Sen. Ray Holmberg, 79, was arrested Monday and released after pleading not guilty to the charges in U.S. District Court in Fargo. His trial is set for Dec. 5.

Prosecutors said in a statement that Holmberg repeatedly traveled to Prague in the Czech Republic from June 2011 to November 2016 for the purpose of paying for sex with a person under 18 years old. The indictment, which also suggests Holmberg used aliases, says he received and attempted to receive images that depict child sexual abuse from November 2012 to March 2013.