I am going to appologize right in the beginning, this post is going to ramble. I hope it makes some kind of sense, but wether it does or not, I need to get this out.
Just like my screen name, I'm conflicted. Some people have expressed their wish for these people to experience the worst torture immaginable, just short of their death so they can heal and expeience it again and again. What purpose does this serve? Does it bring Laree back, NO. Does it stop other abusers from beating their kids, NO. Does someones wish to see these people suffer make them a monster, not for me to say.
Wendy brought up the most important point in this whole situation - the other children MUST be taken care of and shown love like they have never felt before. I'm sure they will need intense therapy to regain normalcy in their lives, and I wish the very best for them.
Then she said this, "Whatever happens to the parents happens." Although I don't want to sink to a barbaric level of torturing the parents, thinking that letting 'whater happens, happen' is naive. Justice needs to be served. Justice for Laree, justice for the other children, and even justice for the parents. Before you jump all over me let me explain:
The parents have done a horrible, terrible thing - they need to pay for it. They will go to prison, they may even get the death penalty. I don't know whether that's good enough or not, but that's what our system of justice allows. My point is that there are circumstances behind this incedent that need to be addressed.
It's been hinted at, people have listed their experiences, and the WTS is already backpedalling and distancing themselves. I can only come to one conclusion: The WTS is a hotbed for abusive parents! I'm not going to compare this situation to pedophelia because it's completely different. With the molester the society just turns it's head and pretends it doesn't exist, with the abusers the society actually teaches, trains and supports the parents who do it!
They preach about using the rod in discipline - and they don't mean as a measuring tool or a guide.
They repeatedly use the scriptures about '40 strokes less one' and stoning incidents of children as examples in proper discepline.
When parents put questions to the elders about proper discepline I, in my own experience, have never heard anything about talking to your children, grownding or taking away privelidges, or any other punishment other than spanking or beating. NEVER.
This is case is extreme, but the pattern that lead to this result is ground into the parents from the very earliest interest in studying with the witnesses. Parents are always swatting kids in meetings and studies. The elders commend parents to make your children an example and not to let them be disruptive - they know what happens when someone takes their kids to the back - they did it themselves withe their kids. What makes you think it's any better in their own homes where nobody is watching?
There is blame to be placed on the parents - and I hope they pay for what they've done, but there is also blame to be placed at the doorstep of the WTS. They are breeding abusers just as much, if not more, than they are hiding molesters.