I Was In, All The Way, Almost

Why didn't I reconize how bad this was while I was in it? I remember raising my eyebrow and discussing it with a few others and questioning how strange it was... to chastise your adult child. To basically require your older girls to discipline and raise your younger children...one reason I stopped at six kids was because I didn't think I could personally handle raising more and didn't want to burn-out my older children before they ever had a chance to live their own lives. But when it is all being sold under "selflessness" and "God only gives you what you can handle" "God is soverign" "Just trust God to provide" ....

I wanted to glorify God...I wanted to raise my children in a Christ-centered home (I was insecure because I came from virtually the opposite type of upbringing.)

I saw this group that appeared to be very Christ-like...selfless, serving, devoted. They seemed to practice what they preached (although, I had been around Christians for years it seemed there were so many that didn't actually live out basic biblical precepts, as I interpret them) and here was this group that seemed to live them out and their children were respectful, kind, loving, and seemed very happy. Who wouldn't be attracted to that? I desired a "happy" family that glorified God. I was in, all the way, almost.

Then this happened.

I couldn't do what I knew the elders and Eddie and Kathy wanted me to do even if it meant I was "ungodly." Because in their eyes my actions were not biblical. The pressure was overwhelming, coupled with the devastation of what we believed to have happened to our child.

As time went on the revelations grew worse. We became aware of other adult family members that could have warned us of Patrick's propensity to sexually abuse adolesent children, we learned of additional victims, betrayl upon betrayl.

Then, I started this blog.

How could my blog possibly be biblical? (I say that very sarcastically.)
It's gossip, you know. It's written by a women, "Who is easially deceived." I can hear "them" saying..."Patrick is only biblically required to confess his sins (crimes) to his "elders" and as long as he repents and follows their guidence there would be no biblical reason to keep him from the fellowship of believers." "And TRUE forgiveness means full reconciliation."

You wouldn't dare talk about the possibility of re-offending...and if he were to re-offend, Patrick would need to again, confess and repent, and so the cycle goes. IT IS SO SICK and SO WRONG!

Why do some parents tolerate this?