# What Would You do with a son in this situation?



## C. Matthew McMahon (Jan 2, 2005)

Situation:

Boy and a friend swipe old man's pipe.
They go downstaris in the basement and smoke it (coughing as they go). 
The basement is in an old school where children live (blind children).
Women hears them, comes down the steps into the basement, asks them what they are doing.
They say "nothing." She tells them to leave. 
Boys leave pipe in basement - they tossed it quickly as the woman came down stairs.

Later on, say an hour or two, the pipe finally catches fire and the school is on fire. 
Everyone gets out except a woman and a baby. They die in the fire. The woman tried to save the child but they could not make it out.

Later on, the mother of the dead child (who lived) goes "comatose" and has mental problems for a while denying her baby died.
The husband of the woman who died begins drinking. 
Family problems result all around.

In searching the debris, they find the pipe and believe that it started the fire.

One of the boys, who is usually a good kid, finds out the pipe started the fire and tells no one.

None one suspects him. He is very remorseful and internalizes it.

This goes on for about three weeks.

(I'm leaving lots of things out, but this is the basic idea.)

The father of the boy finds out that the boy was the one in the basement (one of two) and knows he started the fire. It was an accident. 

Two people died in the fire.

This was a Little House on the Prarie episode that was probably the most intense one my wife and I have seen so far. For those who like the show, and know this episode, Mrs. Garvey dies trying to rescue Mary and Adam's baby. Mrs. Garvey and the baby die. We were taken back, but remembered it after the fact. In any case...

What would you do overall to the boy? (who was Albert Ingalls).

What if it was your kid? What would you do?


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## ReformedWretch (Jan 2, 2005)

I knew this was a Little House story the minute I began to read. 

Now, what would I do?

Wow....

Well, I would talk to him to see what he wanted to do first. I mean if I raised my child the way I hope I would it's my prayer that my son would want to step up, accept responsability, and face what ever the consaquences were.

If he did not want to do that, at this time I have no idea what I would do.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 3, 2005)

I remember this episode. Yes, it was intense. I'm not sure I can say what I would do as a parent. I hope I would help my son to face the punishment with remorse and pray with him for grace and forgiveness. I hope I would behave towards him like my Father in Heaven who sees my own sin.


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## ChristianasJourney (Jan 3, 2005)

I would want him to face up to the responsiblity of his actions, and make resitution where possible.

However, the problem with today's society is that judical procedure is not exactly justice...in my opinion The boy shouldn't spend the next ten years in prison for the crime, and yet if he confessed that will be probably be what happens. Often today's punishments neither rehabilitate the criminal nor make resititution to the victims. (It's interesting to note that in the OT jail wasn't an option.)

...but in a perfect world, I'd have him confess to what he did (being the probably cause of the fire) and seek forgiveness, and then I'd have him try to make resitution by helping to provide for the welfare of those his actions harmed.


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## Thomas (Apr 16, 2005)

I don't believe a crime so to speak was committed. Two boy's throw a pipe down and a fire occurs killing two, tragic but an accident never the less.
The torment my son would be going through would be first on my mind knowing his action's killed two people would be punishment enough but I'm sure my conscious would tear me up also. Something would have to be done for those affected by my son's carelessness. But I have no idea what I could do. It would be a life changing event, but my duty would be to make sure my son recovered and was able to lead a productive life without the guilt of this accident hanging over his head for the rest of his life. I know this is not the correct view or answer but this is what I would do and how I would handle it. To accept responsibility would be to admit guilt. To take him to the authorities would accomplish what?


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## Puritan Sailor (Apr 16, 2005)

If not for grace, I'd probably beat him senseless for killing my grandson.


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## panta dokimazete (Apr 17, 2005)

> _Originally posted by puritansailor_
> If not for grace, I'd probably beat him senseless for killing my grandson.



amen.


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## lwadkins (Apr 17, 2005)

What could you do but ask him to face up to what he did relying on God to work His will in the situation. All I could do is stand by him (or rather kneel by him) and ask God to keep me from sin in my anger and be guided by God's Word. Only God could sustain someone through such a tragedy.


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## Scott (Apr 19, 2005)

I don't know what I would do. In terms of determining liability of Albert, I think the initial question is whether he is culpable or not. The Mosaic Law seems to distinguish between pure accidents and negligence/gross negligence. I am thinking of Ex. 21:28-29:



> "If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull must be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. 29 If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the bull must be stoned and the owner also must be put to death.



The key here is whether the mental state was negliegent or worse. It does not sound like Albert's was.


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## SolaScriptura (Apr 19, 2005)

> _Originally posted by puritansailor_
> If not for grace, I'd probably beat him senseless for killing my grandson.



I'd beat him senseless and tell him that it is grace that keeps me from killing him!!!


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## matthew11v25 (Apr 19, 2005)

Give him the rod...discipline! I am not sure about having him face the courts.


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