Restricting children

[polecat]

They are worldly, urbane, successful young adults who are contributing to society far more than any of these uber-sheltered fundamentalist offspring are or ever will.

Oh, I may not make any earth-shattering contributions to society at large, but I not only survived an uber-fundy, hyper-sheltered and full-on abusive childhood, but I grew past it and became a functioning, fully competent and -- dare I say? -- useful member of society. I can't imagine dismissing people and their abilities simply because of the way they grew up, which is hardly something under their control.

[Caribou]

Oh, I may not make any earth-shattering contributions to society at large, but I not only survived an uber-fundy, hyper-sheltered and full-on abusive childhood, but I grew past it and became a functioning, fully competent and -- dare I say? -- useful member of society. I can't imagine dismissing people and their abilities simply because of the way they grew up, which is hardly something under their control.

I'm sorry if I offended you by my statement but I was referring to those who do not grow past it as you yourself have successfully done. Unless something earth-shattering happens, I can't see a Sarah Maxwell or Botkin breaking free of their surroundings or beliefs and this is through no fault of their own. I firmly lay all blame on the parents. But I stand by my assertion that if they remain in this culture, they will not ever contribute anything useful to society - and I don't mean they'd have to accomplish some grand or noble public gesture. Just becoming a person who tries to understand and accept the lifestyles of others and tries to spread such acceptance amongst people would suffice. How does someone do this when they spend their lives cowering at home or, when they do interact with others, preaching judgement, hate and death by twisting scripture to suit their agenda?

[polecat]

I'm sorry if I offended you by my statement but I was referring to those who do not grow past it as you yourself have successfully done. Unless something earth-shattering happens, I can't see a Sarah Maxwell or Botkin breaking free of their surroundings or beliefs and this is through no fault of their own. I firmly lay all blame on the parents. But I stand by my assertion that if they remain in this culture, they will not ever contribute anything useful to society - and I don't mean they'd have to accomplish some grand or noble public gesture. Just becoming a person who tries to understand and accept the lifestyles of others and tries to spread such acceptance amongst people would suffice. How does someone do this when they spend their lives cowering at home or, when they do interact with others, preaching judgement, hate and death by twisting scripture to suit their agenda?

You didn't really offend me, but I do think many more people move past it than stay in it. Fear is, as far as I can tell, one of the biggest reasons that people stay in it, but most people simply cannot breathe in the oppressive environment and do whatever it takes to get out when they can. Many of the people I grew up with either got out as soon as they were old enough to leave home, or they gradually moved away to a more liberal style of Christianity. Only a small fraction of them stayed in and stayed committed. Those who entered by choice, those are the ones I cannot understand.

I do agree that when people stay in the insular world of the fundies that they really cannot contribute much to society or their fellow man. And fwiw, as someone who has btdt, I absolutely blame the parents. They hobble their children emotionally and shelter them to the point that they are petrified of "the world," and they consider their job of parenting successful when, in fact, they failed to launch fully functional adults into the world.