Runaway Convert

[Semiremis]

Quote:

Runaway Christian convert claims life is in danger
By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS (AP) – 19 hours ago
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A 17-year-old girl who ran away from her Ohio home to Florida says she fears her parents will harm her for converting from Islam to Christianity, but her parents dismiss her claim and say she was brainwashed.
Her parents also question how the girl ended up in the home of a Florida family she met through an online prayer group. Authorities are trying to determine whether the girl, Rifqa Bary, should stay in state custody or be returned to her family in Ohio.
"We love her, we want her back, she is free to practice her religion, whatever she believes in, that's OK," her father, Mohamed Bary, told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Source

We all know that in some areas of the world the sort of thing that the girl is worried about does actually happen and is often times more due to cultural influences then religious, but what do you do in cases like this. The girl seems terrified but the parents seem like loving and caring people, after all, they did travel all the way to the US so that their daughter could get medical treatment for her eye.

So what do you think should be done? Can you legally keep a child away from it's parents based on the child's testimony alone (I'm not sure of their legal status in this country or how that would play into it)? Could she have been 'brainwashed' by the Christian evangelists who were in contact with her over the internet?  

[Nebulance]

Well, this really does come down to legal issues, rights of parents vs children, etc. Hopefully in this case, the attention on the family will protect the girl if she was in any danger.  

[quietstorm 2]

Nebulance

Well, this really does come down to legal issues, rights of parents vs children, etc. Hopefully in this case, the attention on the family will protect the girl if she was in any danger.

The attention on the family will be good for the child as long as she is here in this country, but when they return home they have their own culture and laws. I do fear for her and at the same time there is the fact that she should obey the parents who seem to be taking care of her. She has a few more years to be up under their rule. I do wonder how she was able to be brainwash (in this case converted) without the caring parents knowledge?  

[EmeraldWings]

well, brainwashing is generally using coercive techniques on someone to change their values, beliefs and whatnot, which means it's usually using torture or other physically or mentally harmful techniques to force them to obey or cooperate...so brainwashing is a rather extreme thing, and i've noticed it's been alot of peoples favorite word lately to throw at you when you believe something they don't razz

in this case...it's really hard to say what was going on there, cause of lack of more details, but i do believe the girl should stay with her parents until she's the right age, as long as they really are good parents and all, i just don't like the idea of children leaving their parents like that..  

[Semiremis]

EmeraldWings

well, brainwashing is generally using coercive techniques on someone to change their values, beliefs and whatnot, which means it's usually using torture or other physically or mentally harmful techniques to force them to obey or cooperate...so brainwashing is a rather extreme thing, and i've noticed it's been alot of peoples favorite word lately to throw at you when you believe something they don't razz

in this case...it's really hard to say what was going on there, cause of lack of more details, but i do believe the girl should stay with her parents until she's the right age, as long as they really are good parents and all, i just don't like the idea of children leaving their parents like that..

*nods* That's another thing that really causes concern, this girl left home to go to a complete stranger who she met on the internet. I just don't like the situation because in either case you don't want the girl to be in danger in any way.  

[Vasilius Konstantinos]

Its a legitimate and valid claim. Look at what happened to the lady whose father beheaded her and felt it was necessary to do so due to the claims of her becoming Westernized. This was in the US as well, so fear of retribution of converting to another faith is acceptable.  

[GunGunTrio]

Vasilius Konstantinos

Its a legitimate and valid claim. Look at what happened to the lady whose father beheaded her and felt it was necessary to do so due to the claims of her becoming Westernized. This was in the US as well, so fear of retribution of converting to another faith is acceptable.

In a case like that though the father was more or less a radical islam. I think it would be best for her to go home to her parents but at least keep constant tabs on her. She's frightened of her parents right now and if she continues to run away from them then she'll lose her relationship with them. I understand where she's coming from but she could have just as easily ran to Florida straight into the arms of a rapist or something of that sort. Don't trust everyone you meet online.  

[starfishluvsu]

this is a tough situation.
Running away from her parents was not the best thing to do, along I do understand that she would be fearful. But running away to someone she met on the internet was not a good idea.
Hopefully she will be okay. I will pray for her, and I ask you all to do the same (If you don't thats totally fine!)  

[starfishluvsu]

By the way, thanks for bringing this up.  

[LordKhrima]

I think it's the child's choice. If she doesn't feel safe around her parents, then she shouldn't be forced to live with them. Even if what she's saying is a total lie, she clearly has reason not to want to live with her parents, and that should be respected. She seventeen, a young adult. Not a little kid anymore.  

[Shiori Miko]

I remember reading this. The child ran away from home and it's believe someone she met on FaceBook helped her run away to Florida. The family is probably terrified, their daughter in living with strangers. It also mentions the parents saying they didn't want their daughter choosing a religion until she completely had learned the one she was brought up in, but she disregarded their rule.  

[Boudica Celtic Queen]

There is something definitely fishy about this. Since the girl did not fully understand her own religion she was born into, I can see that she could be played and influenced by the Christians she met. It seems she has been taught fear of Islam from these new friends and I wouldn't be surprised if they told her that her parents would kill her. Obviously, the parents have known for a whle of her questioning and didn't prevent her from going to a Christian church on a regular basis. I can see their point of wanting her to understand Islam fully before deciding to convert. To run to a family she knows nothing about except what is written to her through Facebook was very unwise. My gut feeling is that family put the idea of leaving in her head and assisted her all the way.  

[hachi_ ateyou]

GunGunTrio

Vasilius Konstantinos

Its a legitimate and valid claim. Look at what happened to the lady whose father beheaded her and felt it was necessary to do so due to the claims of her becoming Westernized. This was in the US as well, so fear of retribution of converting to another faith is acceptable.

In a case like that though the father was more or less a radical islam. I think it would be best for her to go home to her parents but at least keep constant tabs on her. She's frightened of her parents right now and if she continues to run away from them then she'll lose her relationship with them. I understand where she's coming from but she could have just as easily ran to Florida straight into the arms of a rapist or something of that sort. Don't trust everyone you meet online.

It's illegal to come here. If she is in danger by her parents where would they send her?  

[Nines19]

On the one hand, I'm thinking, "She couldn't have waited another year?"
On the other, I'm thinking, "What if the parents are just saying that to look good for the media?"  

[Tirissana]

Nines19

On the one hand, I'm thinking, "She couldn't have waited another year?"
On the other, I'm thinking, "What if the parents are just saying that to look good for the media?"

I doubt they're saying it to look good, Nines. Think about where we are. I mean honestly, they can't really do any harm to her. I think she should've done what her parents told her and do her own research on the religion she was born into instead of believing the lies of some pastor in Florida who could very well be a child molestor or the leader of a cult.