Given everything I have ever taught about child-rearing and covenant responsibility, this has to be taken as a familial failure, and not just a detached sin on the part of Bristol Palin. The basic responsibility for this, however, lies with her father. Clearly in some way she was not getting the love, protection, and accountability that she and her boyfriend needed."Clearly"? How could anyone outside the family possibly know this? You would have to have morality down to an exact science to say anything like this, and the vicissitudes of the human will simply don't allow for such judgments. Doug's a smart guy, but anyone who thinks they can devise a principle that can predict human behavior this exactly in a situation that you have no access to is a little too confident in their abilities--and in the power of moral prediction.
Monday, September 01, 2008
What we can't know on Palin's daughter
Look, I'm usually a fan of Douglas Wilson. I'm a longtime Credenda Agenda reader and the whole thing. But I can't make sense of his post today on the Palin's daughter. Here is his comment:
5 comments:
You are welcome to post at this blog. You are asked, however, to refrain from the following:
1. Name-calling;
2. Questioning the motives or integrity of people you have never met just because you disagree with them;
3. Using obscenities or other expressions not appropriate or necessary to civilized discussion;
4. Taking disagreement personally;
5. Demeaning or insulting remarks.
The host will attempt to abide by the same rules and only asks that you not provide him with the temptation to do so in return by violating them.
Failure to comply with these rules can result (depending solely on the arbitrary and inscrutable will of the host) in the deletion of offending posts and suspension of posting privileges. Such measures are more likely if you post anonymously.
Well Martin, obviously her dad should have strapped her into a chastity belt or forbade her from going anywhere without a male family escort, or maybe required her to wear a chador in public.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is that "abstinence only" without education about birth control and prevention of stds may have made sense decades ago when girls routinely married while still in their teens. Today, the notion that most young women can be taught to remain virgins for a decade or more after puberty before marrying is pretty unrealistic.
When do you think parents should start pushing contraceptives on their children kycobb?
ReplyDeleteThats up to individual families to decide, Martin. But if they choose not to educate their children about contraceptives and stds, they shouldn't be surprised if they end up pregnant.
ReplyDeleteSix posts in a row on Palin. AFAIK, that is a new record. So it seems that McCain's choice has definitely energized a certain portion of the electorate.
ReplyDeletejah
According to Doug Wilson's other writings, Gov. Palin shouldn't even be governor, much less vice pres. Wilson believes the only offices women should hold are that of daughter, wife, or mother. period
ReplyDelete