[BlessedBlue]

Originally Posted by Karen

In a way, I think her father coming on and being vile is a help to her because of the comments to her blog. Her father is using the same rhetoric, threats, and emotional blackmail he has used all his life. When she was a child, she may have instinctually known that what he was doing was fundamentally wrong but it was her world. Now he spews hate and vile words but almost immediately all of the comments denounce him quickly. Now Ruth has hundreds of people saying, this man is nasty, evil, and insane. She has validation. I can see where this would be very helpful, especially for a time,

I agree. Her blog is a safe way for her to engage (face) the crazy, on her terms, and work through her thoughts, feelings, and responses. The comments really help give her outside (objective) perspective - even the comments that "pity" or "blast" her dad.

I am amazed at the level of insult his posts include - all contained in the pious Gothardite phrasing. Even his last entry on her post about depression. In one fell swoop, he told her that she was worthless, wanton, lazy, and an embarrassment. If he actually came right out and said that - the abuse would be so clear - even to the most "christian" person. But since it's wrapped up in "pious" talk, it is so much harder to discover.