K_Z
Verified Anesthetist
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2010
- Messages
- 6,657
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On this very thread there are very hateful comments against fundamentalists, "fundies", all kinds of cute little names.
I don't know if they've abused their kids or not - but I know that on this thread, he's considered guilty because he's fundamentalist and takes his faith literally.
He's "backwards" therefore he's guilty.
He might not be persecuted for his faith - but he's definitely considered guilty for it.
I disagree. These provocative posts are becoming tiresome-- the goal of these posts is just to get a rise out of someone, IMO, not to further productive discussion about THIS case. And that's disappointing.
The abuse is separate from his religious beliefs, in the eyes of the law. Abuse is abuse, no matter the rationale. He can "believe" whatever he wants, but the EXPRESSION of those beliefs must be within the law.
It just so happens that this particular individual claims a divine mandate to abuse his kids. So that does make it about "religion" and "religious freedom". A lot of different "social" groups have a history of child abuse. Fundamentalists are only one of them. He isn't being persecuted because of his religious beliefs, or for being a "fundie". He's being "persecuted" for abusing his kids, and/ or creating an unsafe environment for them, BASED ON HIS PARTICULAR RELIGIOUS INTERPRETATION. That's against the law.
Belief is different than action. You can "believe in" honor killings or female genital mutilation; you cannot "do that" in this country, as an example only. I don't think he's trying to kill his kids. I take him at his word that he believes he needs to beat them to submission to save their souls from hell, and that he believes God is telling him he HAS to do this. That's much different than just randomly persecuting someone for their "beliefs."