They didn't know 18 to 20 years ago, that pedophiles were harmful? (page 2)

brinjen

Just had a thought - how long has the Org condemned Catholicism for this crime?

Exactly. Looks to me like the WTS is clutching at straws (again)

Scully

They didn't know 18 to 20 years ago, that pedophiles were harmful?

That's complete BS. I made posts a few years back that quoted extensively from WT and Awake articles back then, showing exactly how much they knew about the harm sexual molestation did.

Update: I've been searching for those threads for the last hour and haven't been able to find them....

Oh my God.... The Great Jehovah is leading his people thru these tumultuous times of the end, and he had the foresight to warn against SMOKING back in the 1800's, but he hasn't quite gotten around to letting 'the light get brighter' on the idea that sex with children might be a bad thing. Holy ****ing god....

That they would even publish something like this on their web site shows how far removed from reality they are. Someone (probably several someone's) actually thought this was damage-control.

Dave

BFD

Are these people for real? I am speechless. Damage control? What, thier Jehovah forgot to tell them that this is harmful behavior? Do you really need the holy spirit to tell you molesting children is harmful to them? Do they now regard the recent settlements as new light?

What aren't these idiots in jail?

BFD

brinjen

This is from the 1997 Watchtower article 'Trust In An Imperfect World'

Notice that Paul mentions attitudes that have to do with the Christian ministry. How can a Christian minister serve others if his hands are not pure, if he is not a man of integrity? The head of an Irish religious order who recently resigned well illustrates the point. He admitted that he "allowed a paedophile priest to continue working with children long after his child abuse became known," according to TheIndependent newspaper. The account explained that the abuse extended over 24 years. The priest was jailed for four years, but think of the suffering imposed upon the children he assaulted during those years because his overseer lacked the moral integrity to take action!

Yeah so unlike them

1997 Watchtower again, 'Let Us Abhor What Is Wicked'

For a man who was a child molester before he was baptized, there may be another consequence. When he learns the truth, he repents and turns around, not bringing that cruel sin into the congregation. He may thereafter make fine progress, completely overcome his wrong impulses, and even be inclined to ‘reach out’ for a responsible position in the congregation. What, though, if he still has to live down notoriety in the community as a former child molester? Would he "be irreprehensible, . . . have a fine testimony from people on the outside, . . . [be] free from accusation"? (1 Timothy 3:1-7, 10; Titus 1:7) No, he would not. Hence, he would not qualify for congregation privileges

Hmmm, must only apply if you are a paeophile before, not after.

1985 Awake 'Child Molesting-Every Mother's Nightmare'

The fact is, sexual molestation of children has been going on for a long time and today it is widespread. In 1983, the head of New York City’s Advisory Task Force on Rape reported ‘a dramatic increase in the number of young children who are victims of rape, incest, and other forms of sexual abuse.’ Dr. David Finkelhor of the Family Violence Research Program at the University of New Hampshire conducted a large-scale study of the subject. He found that the children of 9 percent of the parents interviewed had been sexually abused. Fifteen percent of the women and 6 percent of the men had themselves been sexually abused as children!
Exact statistics are difficult to come by. In the United States, the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect has records of 55,399 cases of children being sexually molested in one year. But these are only cases of incestuous abuse. Abuse by friends, neighbors, teachers, and so forth—as well as by strangers—would increase that figure to a considerable extent. And a spokesman for the Child Welfare League of America told Awake! that "the figures we have are only the tip of the iceberg."
A report in the magazine LadiesHomeJournal estimates: "Sexual abuse of young girls is four times more common than rape of adult women. Between the ages of five and 13, one in four little girls falls prey to some form of sexual abuse by adults—whether it be exhibitionism, inappropriate fondling, rape, or incest. Although young females are the most common victims, 20 to 25 percent of those attacked are little boys."
Doctors are convinced of the harmful and long-term effects of such abuse. Hence, parents wonder: ‘Are my children at risk? What steps can I take to protect them? What sort of person would try to harm them?’

Scully

These are articles on the WTS's own website from 1993:

http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/1993/10/8a/article_02.htm

http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/1993/10/8a/article_01.htm

http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/1993/10/8a/article_03.htm

And this one going back to 1985:

http://www.watchtower.org/e/19850122/article_01.htm

I really, really wish I could find those posts I made.....

nvrgnbk

"People didn't have the body of knowledge 18 or 20 years ago to say that this is something that will harm your child emotionally, if you don't address it. Parents didn't know the seriousness ... and the long-term effects."

I am speechless. And disgusted. I know the source of this quote is not the Watchtower, but I cant believe they used it as an attempt at damage control. Actually I can believe it. That's why I'm never going back there.

This issue has touched so many people in my life. I used to hear statistics that one in three women were molested as children, then I heard one in two, I'm beginning to think nearly all women, with few exceptions, were sexually abused. My experience as an elder only served to confirm this. As for men who were abused, I am less familiar with the statistics and have less of an opinion about the frequency of that. It's all so sad and tragic. I think the fact that this goes on at all is one of the main reasons for my lack of faith in God's existence.

Scully

Finally!!!!!

WTS defiance in face of abuse accusations a thread by ozziepost

MeneMene

I was trying to find something on this quote. The only 2 things that came up on the search were jw-media & silentlambs. It apparently is not something new on the WTS website as it is referred to on the silentlambs guestbook by someone on 6/8/2002.

08 Jun 2002
Time:
02:17:26
Comments
I received this info via email today: Quote: The Watchtower's Media site and email notification have been notifying their readers that they are taking an active part in 'doing everything they can' in the child abuse issue. Obviously the Dateline NBC episode that aired a few days ago had a big effect, and they are anticipating much more. Here is part of their email notification:

"People didn't have the body of knowledge 18 or 20 years ago to say that this is something that will harm your child emotionally, if you don't address it. Parents didn't know the seriousness ... and the long-term effects." --Dr. Gail Bethea-Jackson, LCSW-C, B.C.D., specializing in victimization, children and adolescent issues, and post-traumatic stress disorder. End Quote.

AlmostAtheist

Some other items of interest:

Gail is the founder of Pathfinder Project: http://www.pathfinderproject.org/pathfoudinfo.htm

This same quote was discussed back in 2002: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/28626/1.ashx/Dr.+Bethea-Jackson

(Also at that link is a comparison between her quoted words and JR Brown's nearly contradictory words)

Gail is (or was) a counselor for a church of some sort: http://www.bolmcf.org/5Fold.html

The "transcript" of the information linked on the jw website is very short and contains the dreaded "...", leaving me to wonder what else was said that got left out. And I still have to wonder if Gail knows her words are being used by the Watchtower in this way.

Dave

They didn't know 18 to 20 years ago, that pedophiles were harmful?

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