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In Reply to: Re: Blaming individuals or the group posted by Rocky (reposted) on May 13, 2002 at 08:59:18:
It is true, it's a crime, no matter what the circumstances. In a court of law, I'd be inclined to think they are going to look at the crime - take the CAtholic church as an example. The individual is being prosecuted and the church is being held responsible for being negligent. And they aren't even fostering the environment like the F. does.
More similar is the case of the Mormons in Utah, there's these sects that still practice polygamy and take the girls at very young ages. Some are even arranged by the parents. It's an atmosphere they are raised in and they think it's normal or what they should be doing. Some have rebelled and gone on a campaign against it, but the younger they take them, the easier it is to keep them in that frame of mind that it's ok and what they should be doing as their religion. This one guy was flaunting his many wives and children and even went on a talk show, that was too much for the D.A. so they took him to court for several crimes, including polygamy. He's in jail now for a long time.
I think that with current members, I understand what Porcelein is saying, how much is it their fault considering the environment and even the strict adherence to leadership we had to practice. I know one situation where a guy was told to shower with a teenage girl and she being raised in the F. on Heaven's Girl and no doubt being around the time of the dancing videos and sex mayhem, sharing nights, romance nights, went after the guy in the shower. In that case, what was the guy to do? He's just a normal male and was told to do this by his shepherd, he couldn't say no to the shepherd. He was put in a situation that was asking for trouble. I think the F. leadership should be held responsible for all these cases of abuse and if they hide abusers in their midst, they are doubly responsible. As for the individuals, I think you can't make a blanket judgment because every case is going to be different. I'm sure there are many pedophiles hiding within the sex free environment, pouncing whenever they get the opportunity. Then there are those who got themselves in a jam and couldn't get out of it, or were too weak to stop it. Usually, though, these people if they have a conscience and never were inclined that way, leave and are ultimately repentent and very sorry for their actions. It can also mess them up in a big way too. There's a lot of victims here.
