Amos

In case you missed it, he is still wrong and much more wrong then she might ever be. It is clear that those in hell can speak with conviction and also perform great prodigies. He's not my friend, but he is their own victim now working their own flock. It happens all the time, as you may have noticed.

Vorkosigan

TD! She helped a drifter. That's good. Lots of people help drifters. Once in while, like with everything in life, you find an asshole.

He probably seemed like a safe bet. She didn't use bad judgement. He was a long-term drifter known to the community at large and with a wife. She couldn't possibly have known he would kidnap her daughter.

Also, how much of this story do you believe? Surely some new revelation is at hand? Surely there is more behind this than "stranger abducts girl at knifepoint and nine months of Stockholm syndrome follows."

Vorkosigan

tdekeyser

I believe it 100%, it is on the news with lots of credible people reporting it.

I don't know about the sysdrom that attaches the kid to the kidnapper, but the dad said she had some brainwashing done to her. I believe that as well.....

I'm just glad she is ok, because that dude also took the family dog out one day and shot it in the head, according to the son.

Just a short hop to shooting a child in the head.

brighid

Okay - now that is a bit naive! Just because it's on the news and lots of "credible" people are reporting it does not mean we even have half the necessary evidence to come to the most accurate conclusion about what really went on. How do you really know they are credible? There is much the public won't be told, and even more that will be skewed, rewritten, misquoted and taken out of context by those reporting this "news." So it is probably prudent for all of us to save some of those judgments until more is known. As skeptics I personally feel we should wait and see, evaluate all the evidence available and then proceed to ATTEMPT to determine what may or may not have really happened. Perhaps we should strive to KNOW and not just BELIEVE!

It might be years before anyone knows the truth, or even a portion of it.

Religion certainly plays a what appears to be some significant role in this abduction, but is it the seems more like the vehicle used to manipulate and exploit rather then some ultimate evil of sorts. Religion seems to be A likely suspect in perhaps allowing this child to be more easily manipulated by a predator. It also seems to be a force in the trusting nature of the Smarts. It was used by a mentally ill person to possibly gain trust, but it might also be that this man TRULY (in his state of mind) believed strongly in God.

The common thread I see in this case, and cases like Andrea Yates et al is that mentally unstable people were exploited by religion and in part religion (or religious people) contributed to the tragedies. However, I think these serious mental illnesses must be separated from religious beliefs. Andrea Yates was going to hear voices in her head whether she believed in Jesus, Leprechauns or any other imaginary being. She was seriously mentally ill. Her condition was exasperated by certain religious beliefs that discouraged her proper care (continuing to have babies against wishes of medical doctors, etc.) Brian Mitchell ... well, there simply isn't enough information to come to a proper conclusion other then he has some sort of mental illness and he thought he was the Messiah.

I share COAS's curiosity about this case. I am very interested to learn more!

Brighid

edited to add: I do not want to see religion abolished. My ideal solution would be to disallow religious indoctrination, but allow freedom of conscience. Children would be educated thoroughly about all world religions, exposed to important philosophies and taught critical thinking and reasoning skills. When a child reached and age of consent (13-16 maybe) he or she could chose a path, and would have the freedom to deviate at any later date. Religion might even die a naturally, evolutionary death so to speak. I don't want anyone telling me how I should think, feel or be. I cannot impose any different standard on my neighbor just because I don't believe or know as he/she does. As long as it harms none and is done between consenting adults I could care less what other do. And if want to find a secluded spot in the woods and dance naked under the fool moon with a pentagram painted on my forehead I should have the freedom to do so, without fear of harm or retribution. Just as my neighbor should be able to kneel and pray to Mecca 5 times a day, or worship space aliens, or whatever. The care of a man's "soul" is his own.

B