tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36308462.post3793666022938697789..comments2023-07-03T08:11:03.409-05:00Comments on Nowhere, IL: Good? Evil? Beats Me.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36308462.post-51198716308601607812007-10-27T11:37:00.000-05:002007-10-27T11:37:00.000-05:00I think the worst thing about child molestation is...I think the worst thing about child molestation is the loss of faith. Try finding out a beloved brother or father is one and then feel the ambiguity. I hate the term, 'sex offender' which lumps everyone who's offense had some touch with a person's sex. Rape is different than statutory rape which is different than pediophilia and so on. Those convicted of it are on a registry, which I think does more harm than good IMO, but the greater number of those who haven't been convicted are not--they're all over the place and as early as I lost my innocence it's hard for me not to believe that there's a few in every handful of people in this world. I trust no one and never could.<BR/><BR/>LynnAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36308462.post-71246861017989459872007-10-19T12:08:00.000-05:002007-10-19T12:08:00.000-05:00I know you are an atheist, but your story and stor...I know you are an atheist, but your story and stories like it are the very reason I have to believe in a God. If I did not, I would go Mad and howl at the moon. Now I just kind of pull the covers over my head and whimper at the night light.Cedarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15084468926734824846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36308462.post-64379366813422838042007-10-19T10:18:00.000-05:002007-10-19T10:18:00.000-05:00I share your feelings of ambiguity. I worked with...I share your feelings of ambiguity. I worked with (she's dead now), a wonderful, chronically mentally ill woman who told me with frank honesty (and no teeth, and hair like the wicked witch of the west - she looked like a stereotype but in some ways was a very enlightened being), that she was a child abuser. Her two children were taken from her, they are now adults who have abused their children, and on, and on, and on. I really liked her - she had one of the most horrid stories of childhood sexual/physical and emotional abuse and neglect I've heard (and I've heard a lot). She never used this for an excuse - she worked hard to "hold her demons at arms-length so she could look at them," was honest and unflinching when she looked in the mirror. And yet, she was unspeakable to her kids. And I liked her - but maybe I mentioned that. And yeah, I mourn for her, her kids, you, me, all the others of us who have been molested/assaulted. It ain't easy, but maybe it ain't spozed to be. RobinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36308462.post-25764791460161644202007-10-19T07:42:00.000-05:002007-10-19T07:42:00.000-05:00This is pretty heavy for a Friday morning, but I t...This is pretty heavy for a Friday morning, but I think people all have to be taken as individuals. I don't think you can make a sweeping generalization like "all sex offenders should be forgiven if they've reformed." If you feel comfortable with the guy and like him, then why not be his friend? Personally, I think one can never be fully de-demonized and that once you have something nasty lurking within it's always there, but you can learn to control it and manage it. Sex offenders are probably all damaged from childhood, but not all damaged children become sex offenders. As an adult you have choices and options unless you have a serious mental illness. <BR/><BR/>Pedophiles are another kettle of fish. I'm very sorry to hear what happened to you as a child and I mourn for that wee one felt she had to keep that horrible secret for so long.XUPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06753840302040062406noreply@blogger.com