I used to mentor a young man who is currently 17 years of age. His family, particularly his parents, are fiercely religious and have immersed him in their beliefs and way of thinking since birth. In the last month or so we've had many conversations regarding the way his household functions, what's expected of him, what he questions, his mental state from not only his family but his life in general as well, and many questions/intellectual conversations about his faith.
Recently during our last talk he admitted he doesn't agree with the faith they practice and is unsure if there is a god, or that there could be a higher power or the possibility of one. Agnostic basically. I would be lying if I said I wasn't elated to see him breaking the mental restraints that have surrounded him from birth and started truly searching for what he felt was right. Up until then it seemed as if he was fighting the questions he himself was asking, almost angry and guilty for it. Our last talk went for hours and I could see the relief along with a smile on his face as he walked out the door. The weight of not fully accepting and following something he did not truly believe in for the sake of fear or rejection was heavy, and he felt that weight lifted when he accepted what he thought and felt.
A couple days after that I receive a phone call from the man's mother who was livid. She claimed that I had brainwashed her son, "led him astray", and that I am causing her, her son, and their family a great deal of emotional turmoil. She claimed her son knew what was righteous and I was a but a test of temptation that he would overcome. Of course, she refused to let me speak with him or have any further contact with him, and when I asked how he was doing or how he actually felt about everything she told me, "He is praying for forgiveness and fasting to show his dedication to our father. He is selling all of his personal belongings to better live a life for the lord, humbly."
I tell you all this because at the end of our conversation (if you can call it that) she said she had filed for pain and suffering and that I was being sued. I wasn't aware that was a possibility in this case, and I do have a reputation I'd like to maintain for my profession. If I do end up in court it could reflect badly if the story was spun right, which I believe this family could. I guess I'm asking, should I try to do something to make amends with the family, and if so, what is there I could realistically do? A simple apology and groveling at the feet of the ignorant won't work in this case. I'd like to hear suggestions you may have or a hearty laugh at the trolls that will follow. Thank you for your time in advance. - Two Faced