I would not be so quick to assign more to the sin than what may be. If the father had truly thought that the strange men would defile her, and make her unfit for heaven, then in his mind, he may have been saving her. And a plurality of life guards can be overpowered by one man? I would say they hesitated for the same reasons.
You see the Devil, but I see a man duped by the Devil.
But don't think Christianity would excuse one who puts his children before Christ. It's just that Christianity is true, and all other religions are false.
What of Abraham's test?
And consider the testimonies below. In the second case, would you charge the Protestant with murder for allowing his children to be minced before his eyes before denying Christ?
From "The Book of Martyrs"
304 A.D.
Timothy, a deacon of Mauritania, and Maura his wife, had not been united together by the bands of wedlock above three weeks, when they were separated from each other by the persecution. Timothy, being apprehended, as a Christian, was carried before Arrianus, the governor of Thebais, who, knowing that he had the keeping of the Holy Scriptures, commanded him to deliver them up to be burnt; to which he answered, "Had I children, I would sooner deliver them up to be sacrificed, than part with the Word of God."
16th Century
Francis Gros, the son of a clergyman, had his flesh slowly cut from his body into small pieces, and put into a dish before him; two of his children were minced before his sight; and his wife was fastened to a post, that she might behold all these cruelties practiced on her husband and offspring. The tormentors at length being tired of exercising their cruelties, cut off the heads of both husband and wife, and then gave the flesh of the whole family to the dogs.
Of course, the mincing would not have occurred had either Gros denied Christ and confessed Catholicism.
And what of God's judgment of those who, rather than see their children suffer so, loved them more than Christ and recanted to save them?
Did the father who let his daughter drown do wrong, by not allowing the strange men to save her? Yes. Why? Because he let her drown for a lie. Do you think he was unfeeling and hated his daughter? Why? Because he's a Muslim?
Did Gros who let his children die do wrong by not denying his faith in Christ? No. Why? Because Christianity is the Truth and that is the cost of discipleship. Do you think he was unfeeling and hated his children? Why not? Because he was a Christian?
I think they both agonized, because they were both fathers. But which one was more devout? Gros' comfort came from the Comforter, of course, and from the knowledge that since he and his children were chosen to suffer for Christ, they would also reign with him. The other man is denied the Comforter, and has only the thin hope that if his daughter were otherwise worthy, at least he didn't jeopardize her chances.
Of course, if any facts come to light that prove the man was just looking for a reason to kill his daughter, then yes, he's a devil. But from the facts presented, we have to assume that he believed a lie, that he is a victim of that lie just as his daughter.
