The average convert or born-in-the-faith of any religion relates to their faith in a way that best fits their lifestyle. An abusive man will find principle in a religion to support his lifestyle, as will a passive, tolerant woman. And let’s not forget how big a role societal tolerance plays in family abuse.

Abuse is not just in England…American society is wrought with child and spouse abuse. Does anyone know the statistics? I remember they’re pretty bleak!

Even if Christianity didn’t speak out against such abuse (and it certainly does!), the person who commits the abuse and the society that supports it bare a much greater share of any blame.

In regards to 8, I can see how many people have in fact taken “the theology of self-denial and redemptive suffering” to an extreme, which does undermine their sense of personal protection. It is bad to overemphasize any doctrine or theology, even though the theology itself is good and true. (Ref GC talk, “O Be Wise”) Indeed, too much good at times can become evil. No need to slam the Church of England for pointing that out.

The theology of self-denial and redemptive suffering in the Crucifixion of Jesus has “undermined people’s recognition of the evils being done to them and implanted masochistic attitudes of acceptance, or even celebration, of their afflictions.”

This point, to me, seems like a denial or refutation of the very core of Christianity. Self-denial and the redemptive suffering of Jesus Christ are now bad and this is suggested not by a punk rock band or a secularist college professor but by the Church of England itself.

Where are we when even churches — as influential a church as the Church of England — begin teaching that good is evil?

This is half the story. To know how Christianity affects the number of abuses that occur, you’d want to subtract off all the beatings that would occur but don’t, owing to a person being Christian. I would guess that the net effect would be in Christianity’s favor.

This is akin to what President Hinckley talked about in the Priesthood Session of General Conference this weekend. “Arise ye men of God,” and “Arise from the dust and be men!” as President Christofferson quoted Lehi. i.e take responsibility for your own actions.

What the church of England is basically saying here is “the devil made me do it.”

So no, our actions are our own faults. We have to accept the consequences of them, and not lay blame on any institution, group, ethnicity, identity, or the devil himself.