So many cogent comments . . .
perhaps a little tunnel vision on my part in describing the crime as "most heinious"
as farkel, ohiocowboy, nobodytoldme pointed out: there are many crimes of the WTBS
Balsam alluded to the parental responsibility law we have here in the U.S. We used to refer to the age of majority as 21. In many ways it is now 18. So some JW parents of "troubled" teens wait until there offspring's eighteenth birthday before packing their bags. Why is a Christian religion more concerned with a "legal" responsibility than a moral one?
HoChiMin: " If I would not guide and assist my own child in a time of need WHO ELSE WOULD?"
That's a wonderful quote!
TMS
ps: Witness parents and their children live in fear of disfellowshipping. When young ones encounter problems, the focus is on keeping them from being disfellowshipped more than it is helping them to be good, productive, moral people. This, of course, reinforces the "double life" syndrome.