brighid

Wildernesse,

I read that he worked for them for about 5 years on and off, but I could be remembering wrong OR the information is wrong. Hopefully we will find out more.

Brighid

edited to add - I have found a report that says ONE day as you have stated.

christ-on-a-stick

I'm pretty sure it was Richard Ricci - the handyman most suspected who died in jail - that had the LTR with the Smarts.

Jolimont

I help the homeless too. I gather donations at my UU congregation, I grow lots of food and donate much of my fresh produce to a local homeless shetler, when someone in need asks for help in public I reach into my purse. BUT I have a 5 yo daughter and home is where I draw the line. When you have kids you can't pick up some pan-handler who is begging at the red light and bring him home to do some yard work. Not the safest way to help the homeless.

brighid

Ah - I must have gotten them mixed up. Thanks

B

beth

Well said!

crownboy

I must agree with brighid et al.

I wasn't particularly smart for the Smarts to leave their child in danger like that, but I hardly think of them as doing the wrong thing in helping homeless people in general. Sure, they were a little too trusting, but I see no reason to bash Christanity over this one (there are already more than enough ways to do that ).

Obviously, invoking the diety for the safe return of their child is a silly ritual, but perfectly normal given their religious disposition.

Brighid, perhaps Elizabeth's parents would say that it wasn't part of "god's plan" to save other kids in a similar situation, but God has a plan for Elizabeth. (Still sick, of course )

tdekeyser

There is a lot of mis-information on this issue. I have been reading about it and watching everything I can on cable.

I humbly disagree that faith had nothing to do with it....

Christians believe that God is just, good and perfect. They also believe that He will protect a Christian family and that 'horrible' things like this are not going to happen to a family that is going to Heaven.

I read that the mom was "impressed with his faith" and then asked him to come and work in their home.

As a sceptic and a HUGE science/evolution student, I do not believe in a protecting god. I see the evidence clearly on evolution and survival in nature.

With clear, open, unclouded vision, I can make decisions about people and dangers much, much better that a Christian having faith in a fantasy god.

If this family would have not had faith, but sceptisim or at least a sense of reality, their daughter would have not been taken by THAT guy, because he would have never made it to the house.

brighid

I don’t doubt that is what they would think, or say. It’s just sad whatever way you look at it. If God plans for thousands of children to be abducted, and or killed … well … it’s just sick even if something good may come of it because people actively chose to do something positive in the wake of a tragedy. Imagine the families thinking this loving God is punishing them because their child was murdered, or never returned.

Brighid

christ-on-a-stick

I agree.

However, in this case, I don't think it is unreasonable to infer that religious issues may have played a part (along with many other factors). As Tim posted, Ed Smart's comment of at a recent press conference does seem to imply that their religiosity contributed to the error of being too trusting. Obviously, this does not equate to "so they were heinously negligent with their child and ought to be put away!" - but I think it's fair to say that their religiosity *contributed* to their bad judgement in this case.

Additionally - and I am going out on a limb here, so I better put on my flame-proof jacket...

A) It looks like it is *possible* (I do not have any direct knowledge or information so I freely admit this is speculation) that there was a "brainwashing" factor at work in Elizabeth's apparent failure (I don't mean that in a negative way) to take advantage of escape opportunities.

B) It has been established that the Smart family are extremely devout Mormons.

C) We all know that Mormons believe some pretty wacky stuff (is it possible to be "wackier" than Xianity? Some say yes...)

D) I can't help but wonder, if this girl's existing credulity made her even *more* susceptible to the kidnappers' brainwashing. After all, this guy reportedly claimed to be "God". Maybe she believed him???

wildernesse

As usual, I have to disagree with you. I don't know of many who think that "bad things don't happen to good people/Christians". Usually because there's that whole story of Job and what not.

Christians are not promised protection--otherwise you wouldn't be able to gripe about all the Christians who believe that they are promised persecution because of their belief. And that last one is a general complaint on this board--that Christians altho the majority feel persecuted and believe that they are because of biblical promises.

So which is it? Scorn Christians because they see promised persecution on every hand or because they think nothing bad will ever happen to them?

--tibac