Wow, Satan, it’s hard to say anything that hasn’t already been said. Your brother Skip is exactly the sort of person that my sig line refers to.
I hope that Steve will be able to reach Skip somehow. It is heartbreaking to think of your sister and her children going through deprivation and poverty at the hands of a manipulative maniac.
Sadly, the care packages that were suggested may be one of the only ways to get through right now. It is sickening to think that families are sundered in the name of religion, although I cannot for the life of me understand why I’m even surprised by this notion.
Intolerance is not a virtue.
Warmest wishes and do whatever is in your power to change things for the better.
I don’t think child services are going to be able to help at this moment, perhaps later on. Talking to Skip would be pointless, he is set in his ways and you can not change that. The only thing I can think of is to talk to your sister. Is there any way to talk to your sister and have her stand up to Skip?
Maybe also enclose some vitamins. You will be able to make sure the kids are being fed.
I’m sorry for what you’re going through, Satan.
As everyone else had mentioned, contact Child Welfare. CF is very serious and those kids need constant medical monitoring. It’s not fair for them to suffer for their father’s beliefs.
Having said that, I am a Christian but am almost afraid to say so nowadays because of the fools (and I mean that in its very biblical sense) like Brian’s brother-in-law.
I’m thinking and praying for you and your family, Brian (and Steve); keep us posted on the situation.
I hope that your nices and nephews gain the quality care they deserve and are entitled to. It is truly sad when children must suffer for their parents choices.
I am a bit concerned, though, over the tenor of some responses to the OP. I understand Satan’s pain, I have faced a similar, though less extreme, situation in my own family. Posting a rant in response to such pain seems quite reasonable.
But.
Calls to protective services? Why? What has this man done?
He resigned from a job over what appears (from this atheist’s perspective) to be a sincere and sever disagreement over scriptural interpretation. He followed his convictions even though it meant a loss of financial comfort and stability. He allowed his family to stay intact even though it meant a degredation of material standard.
This is horrible?
Now, I think Satan is almost certainly right. I think this guy is probably a control freak and a judgmental hypocrite. But – child protective services? We should start taking kids away from people whose religious practices we find personally offensive?
I’m sory for your pain, Satan. And I hope that your sister, her children, and her husband come through this time with health and sanity intact (or restored). I really do understand your frustration. But I think you have it right – there isn’t anything you can do except stay available should your sister (or her children, when they are old enough) reach out.
I think that CPS or some other social service agency should be involved - to make sure these folks know about the available health insurance programs for their kids. I’ve heard several news reports stating that many eligible children are without state-funded health insurance simply because their parents don’t know about or are unable to apply for it. So, alerting a social worker in the area to the situation and at least sending your sister (as a part of the care package - great idea) the information she needs to sign the kids up is certainly called for.
Remember, social services has a primary goal of keeping families together if possible. They could definitely help the children and your sister out. It’s not like their only function is to snatch kids and place them in foster care.