Matt Walsh #fundie

Matt Walsh #fundie theblaze.com

[re: recent revlations that Christian conservative Josh Duggar molested girls in his youth]

Progressive culture is filled to the brim with rapists, molesters, and deviants, but they never seem worried about any of it until some well known Christian crosses the line.

[...]

I know I’m opening myself up to serious criticism here, but let me be honest with you: If my own son, God forbid, came to me and admitted to doing what Josh Duggar did, I don’t know that I’d immediately run to the cops.

Would you? Is it really that simple? The decision to have your child arrested as a sex offender would be an automatic thing for you? Really?

I guess I’m just a horrible person then.

37 comments

old comment by

Well, yes, Walsh, that would make you a horrible person. Also, a selfish person, because it means you think your son does not deserve punishment for molestation because... he's your son. I don't expect it to be that simple - this is your son, after all - but what is right is not always easy, otherwise everyone would do what is right. (I actually understand why the reaction wouldn't be immediate arrest - it would numb anyone to find that their child is a criminal, that too a child molester).

Question: if your son walked up to you and told you he was gay and in a loving relationship with another man, would you not then immediately disown him, or send him away, or try to 'cure' him? Would this time lag come then?

old comment by KittyKaboom

Yes. You're a horrible person. See how easy that was? I love all three of my children, but if one of them was a molester, you're damn right I'd call the police. It would hurt like hell and I'd never get over it, but my conscience will not allow me to keep quiet and put other children at risk.

That's what the Duggars did, by the way. They sent Josh away to live with a family friend for three months, then had a cop friend of theirs give him a 'stern talking to'. The cop was later busted for child porn himself. They also took it up with their church, but considering Jim-Bob is the leader of their 'church', well, you can guess what the reaction was: absolute zero.

What about his sisters, you may ask - you know, the young girls who were most of his victims? What about them? They were expected to forgive their brother. They received no counseling, no help, not a goddamned thing. They were made to help their parents hide this whole nasty episode. Nice, right?

What a wonderful message to send to their daughters about love, family and consequences.

Now Josh is grown and has two daughters of his own. If that isn't a scary thought, please explain to me what is.

Prediction: We know about Josh's molestation of his sisters and one other unnamed young girl. I bet this thing starts to snowball within the next couple of weeks, as girls who were coerced into keeping silent begin to come forward. A pedophile doesn't just suddenly stop molesting, he gets better at covering it up.

old comment by Swede

All human cultures have rapists, molesters and deviants. The difference between "progressive culture" and fundie culture seems to be that the former actually report the rapists and molesters, while the latter send them away or hide them, so they can do more raping and molesting. The latter often put forth that they are more moral than others because they are Christians, that's why the judgment is harsher against them.

This is the problem with talking about sins instead of crimes and misdemeanors; you don't understand the difference between molesting a child and taking the Lord's name in vain. Both are equally wrong when seen as sins, and as people use the Lord's name all the time, it must seem equally unimportant with molestations.

If I had a sons or daughters and they admitted to molesting children, my immediate reaction would be to persuade them to report themselves to the authorities. If they refused, I would do it for them. No, it would not be simple, it would be very, very hard, but child molestation is one of the worst crimes in my book.

Well, you're certainly not a law-abiding person.

old comment by Warren McIntosh

I have to say I find this histerical mob-frenzy against a horney 14 year old who made a stupid mistake 12 years ago disgusting.

He was 14 FFS, a child, and he's being attacked for it now so viciously only because he's a prominent christian. And last time I looked, being a christian wasn't a crime.

This is nasty, nasty stuff, and it gives athiests a bad reputation. Not in my name thanks!

As for the post, as a parent of two girls and a victim of childhood sexual abuse I can confidently say that if I had a son who admitted to touching one of them I'd be devistated and I don't know what I'd do. But I do know I'd still love him, and bringing in the authorities would probably be the last thing I would do, and then only as a last resort if I believed his behaviour could not otherwise be controlled.

Frankly, the way the Duggar's dealt with it seems to me to be well within the boundaries of what a reasonable parent might have done. I personally would have ensured the councelling was far more professional, but in general terms they dealt with an incredibly difficult situation, and to all appearences seem to have done so successfully.

Edit: bringing in the police would also depend on the act. Duggar touched brests and genitals, and I understand there was no suggestion of violence. If my immaginary son had raped or seriously abused his sister, then I believe I would have got the police involved immediatley.

Further Edit: I take KittyK's point that he may still be a predator. Well lets wait and see before we burn him. However, if he is a true pedophile rather than just a stupid selfish kid who couldn't control himself, then reporting him to the police would have made nil difference.

old comment by Kanna

As a parent, I understand the desire to protect a fourteen-year-old, I really do. More attentive or sensible parents (especially ones with FEWER CHILDREN TO WATCH) might have caught it at the start, when it was just childish curiosity instead of abuse, and before it happened to another girl, and then maybe the cops wouldn't be needed. But what about protecting the ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD? And the NINE-YEAR-OLD? And whoever else?

There needed to be an immediate and emphatic reversal of that outrageous "submissive female" nonsense, and the girls should all have been told that NO, it isn't OK for a boy to touch your body, not even a brother. And if any boy does that, YELL and TELL. If anyone tells you not to tell mom and dad, that means you MUST tell them!

And then the parents should LISTEN to the girls when they tell!

'Scuse all the capitals, but sometimes I've just got to shout.

old comment by LDM

"Progressive culture is filled to the brim with rapists, molesters, and deviants, but they never seem worried about any of it until some well known Christian crosses the line."

Ummm, no. Josh Duggar is getting a lot of flack for this because, yes he's famous, but also because he basically got a slap on the wrist for it, and is still allowed to be around his daughter and sisters.

Also, for years we've been subjected to this family's smug self-righteousness & "moral superiority", so yeah, some of us are relishing in their downfall, though we wish their hadn't been victimized little girls involved. My only worry is for the younger kids, now that their parents and older siblings no longer have the watchful eye of the TV cameras to keep them in check.

old comment by Canadiest

One doesn't know what one would do under some circumstances until they face them. I Don't like that Jim Bob Duggar, I don't trust that phony piece of fake garbage, but his actions in this are understandable.

Turning your kid into the law for anything COULD EASILY be the worst thing one does, the laws track record and unevenness in matters like this are well documented. Money usually means total forgiveness for one thing, in law and church. Since the Duggars are reality show rich and connected now, the records were destroyed, in true horse out of the barn style AFTER it's internet backed up.

Josh Duggar is living in that "We never claimed Christians were perfect, we always admit we need Jesus to get through desires and urges" except they don't UNTIL CAUGHT WITH NO WAY TO LIE OUT OF IT. They always claim their faith makes them better, stronger and so able to resist any base urges. Josh was born into this but more importantly he was born into 'do want you want and ask Jesus for forgiveness'.

Oh, and he's a total phony, just like daddy.

old comment by TimeToTurn

Progressive culture is filled to the brim with rapists, molesters, and deviants, but they never seem worried about any of it until some well known Christian crosses the line.

Yeah, which is why nobody cared when Michael Jackson was on trial for it. Or when the allegations came out about Bill Cosby. Yep, no one cares unless the person is best known for being a Christian.

But it's progressive culture that's evil, right?

Would you? Is it really that simple? The decision to have your child arrested as a sex offender would be an automatic thing for you? Really?

If your son said he killed someone, would you tell the police? Same thing--if your kid commits a horrible crime, you're obligated to tell the police about it.

I guess I’m just a horrible person then.

You said it, not me.

Matt Walsh #fundie theblaze.com

37 comments

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