I don't know about you but I am very disturbed by the situation happening over in Texas with the 400+ children being taken into protective custody. I know and agree that we as a society must protect the innocent among us and we cannot tolerate physical or sexual abuse of children, that goes without saying. However removing over 400 children from the only life they have ever known as well as their mothers with no evidence of abuse other than the testimony of a 16 yr old who cannot be found and the perception that these people are weird...well this is very distrubing to me. It is a very strange situation but there has to be a better way to handle it. If homeschooling is wrong then many of my friends could be in danger of losing their kids, if wanting to isolate your children from this world is wrong, then many a movie star should be scrutinized for keeping their kids behind walls and bars and having nannies and governesses to shelter their kids from the world. Just because these people are different, are isolated, are naive to our modern world, doesn't make them child abusers. These kids are isolated and naive to our culture, they don't know TV or video games or even dolls and crayons! Their very culture may define abuse but no one knows yet if these things they are accused of are true...and in the mean time hundreds of kids have to be being traumatized by the very government trying to protect them! There has to be a better way!
I heard today that the men of the compound have offered to leave if the government will allow the mothers and children to return to the compound with social workers and guards to watch over them there. This seems like a reasonable idea to me, comfortable familiar surroundings...safe and secure in the only world they have ever known. I realize that no matter what your beliefs, if they transgress the laws of the land, you are subject to those laws and we cannot allow even religious beliefs to cross certain lines... so this must be sorted out... but it is a very difficult situation for everyone involved - parents, children and government officials as well.
There really does have to be a better way! I'm praying someone finds it, I'm praying for everyone involved.
April 18th update:
The state is apparently bringing testimony that several minor girls under the Tx marrying age of 16 either are pregnant or they have given birth before the legal age. From what I am hearing there was/is more concrete evidence of the practice of marrying underaged girls off to older men or men in general with or without the girls' consent other than the sixteen year girl's testimony. This is, of course, unacceptable. Children need protection and either their mothers are unable or unwilling to provide that protection so I would think the state has no choice. So sad.
10 comments:
Hi Sister, I wonder if they remebered Waco, and decided to react sooner rather than later, I guess that does not make it right what they did.
Tough decisions I guess, I personally believe these kids will survive this ordeal better, than having what the 16 year old said was true.
I hope what you said about being homeschooled was not the issue, and does not become the issue though.
I haven't heard of the story you are referring to, but I'll have to look it up. People have an inherent fear of anything outside of their control. You're logic is reasonable, and it sounds like the government subjecting its rules on people who have found a different way to live. It makes me sad.
It is a difficult situation, to be sure. The authorities think they have enough proof to have done this, yet the parents just want their children back. I guess the main thing that bothers me, though, is that these groups typically marry off their daughters to men at least twice their age. The girls begin marrying at the age of 13 or 14, and are sometimes married to their own "fathers". I don't know if this is the case with this particular group or not. I do know it has happened with other groups involved in polygamy.
I do know we need to pray for the children. Whatever the situation may be, we need to pray for God to protect their hearts and their innocence.
Wow, Cheryl, I haven't heard any of this either. What you say makes sense - we've had a similar situation here, with an exclusive religious group but it was PROVED that the leader of the group was abusing the children and so HE was removed (and rightly so).
Meanwhile, this particular nation is in mourning because around 8 teenagers from a Christian school and their teacher were drowned in flash flooding whilst enjoying some outdoor pursuits. That only happened yesterday.
Very sad. I'm not one who like goverment telling me my every move, but in this case...I don't think there was a choice but to protect the children.
Your update input is insightful after more facts have come to light. Of course, there has to be the media circus in a story like this.
sweet friend, I'm home!! Sorry I forgot to tell you which hospital (Kennestone...they discharged me exactly 24 hours after coming out of recovery---unreal. Sore, weak, exhausted, but alive and well. PTL.
Love you,
Vicki
Hi JG...This story has been all over on the Canadian news and it is very sad.
It is really the mothers and the little kids that are suffering.
I would not want to be the one to decide what to do. Such a hard choice for the government.
As long as it is the RIGHT choice!..Terry
I hear ya but I don't think it is so much about homeschooling as it is about 13 years old being married and pregnant, allowed by their mothers.
I think this has been going on for years and will contunue to. They also found so kind of instructions if the police every came that sounded somewhat like a suicide plan which also needs to be addressed. I do feel sorry for the kids being thrown into a culture they don't understand but dont' knwo what to do. Now they think the 16 year old caller is a grwon woman who was calling from Colorade. It just gets weirder and weirder. Hope you come to some kind of peace within - I know how these kind of current events can make one crazy...
I've been really torn about this. I agree with you in all areas and had a change of heart as well when the new developments about the young girls were exposed. The truth is, these men put all the children and young women in such a horrible position. Truly it is sad. Have a good weekend, Cheryl.
Post a Comment