Steven Hassan was cut from Dateline (page 4)

Grunt

Thanks Eddie. Always help me out when you can! Too many appropriate adjective choices, you have to leave some out everytime. I hope I got the idea across at least?

RedhorseWoman

Here is the email notice I just now received from Dateline, outlining the whole show:

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Dateline NBC
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Tonight on DATELINE TUESDAY:

Their church was their whole world. As devout Jehovah's Witnesses,
they adhered to the strict laws of their faith: They are required to
evangelize and yet keep separate from those who don't share their
beliefs. They must refrain from birthday and Christmas celebrations,
blood transfusions, and military service. For six million people
around the world, it is more than religion. It is life.

So imagine what it was like for some Jehovah's Witnesses to confront
what they say is a terrible evil in the church community. They
believe the church is covering up cases of child molestation,
protecting the abusers, and putting more children at risk.

DATELINE Correspondent John Larson spoke with victims, their
families, and former church officials. They told DATELINE the problem
is widespread within the church. What makes it worse, they say, is
that it is virtually impossible to seek justice from the church
leadership.

DATELINE Producer Richard Greenberg says that while this story
reminded him of what is happening in the Catholic church, there are
key difference. "Most significantly," he said "Jehovah's Witnesses
keep track of all members' sins -- whether smoking or apostasy or
child molestation. A special committee of elders -- the lay ministers
who run local congregations -- investigates the allegations, applying
a biblical principle requiring two or more witnesses to any
transgression. Critics complain that because child molestation
usually occurs in private, a two-witness standard means that a
molester will be punished by the church only if he confesses, meaning
many cases are dropped."

The victims we talked to say that when they threatened to go to the
police, they were threatened with expulsion from the church.

The church leaders deny these allegations, saying they abhor child
molestation and never tell people not to go to the police. And in the
16 states that require churches to alert the police to allegations of
child sexual abuse, they say they comply, with or without witnesses.

What else does the church do, about alleged child molesters? The
story tonight.

Plus, car safety crash tests that amazed even the experts. The test
group was mid-size cars, put through high speed crashes by the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. What happened next was
something Institute researchers had never seen in seven years of
testing. Tonight on DATELINE TUESDAY Chief Consumer Correspondent Lea
Thompson will have a DATELINE CONSUMER ALERT with the amazing
results.

Institute officials feel the tests are beginning to make a difference
in the way cars are being built. DATELINE Producer John Greco says
"the most interesting part was the fact that some of the Institute
tests revealed possible flaws in design that prompted manufacturers
to jump on the problems, figure them out and do something about
them."

Find out if your car is one of the real road warriors that can keep
you safe. Check out the tests tonight, then log on to our Web site to
see all the Institute crash test results. The address is
http://www.Dateline.msnbc.com .

And “The Force” is back and big at the box office. DATELINE TUESDAY
has the inside story of the special features in the latest “Star
Wars” that give the Force its zing and the characters a whole new
dimension for the new millennium. As Darth Vader comes of age in the
second trilogy, so does the remarkable technology that built an
empire. NBC's Al Roker with a look at the magic behind the movie --
plus some EXCLUSIVE scenes you haven't seen.

Join us tonight at a special time 8pm EDT, 7pm CDT for DATELINE
TUESDAY.

cellomould

Aha! There is a segment about Star Wars! The plot of the movie is quite related to the JWs, in my opinion. Maybe more JWs will check it out, and realize there is a 'disturbance in the force'.

Is the Intergalactic Senate fallible to corruption?

cellomould

"My toes taste really good" J.R. Brown

waiting

Howdy Hawk,

Good point - we are sooooooooooo much further in every aspect than we were two years ago. Good grief!! On Dateline as a featured story!

This will not cause a total devastation to the WTBTS - but enough small knife wounds can finally kill - it's a fact, if I've read the accounts correctly.

Child molestation, spousal abuse, killers on the news, having relations with the United Nations, still encouraging their followers to let themselves die because of lack of blood, erroneous doctrines, lousy PR, lies, coverups, payoffs.........all the knife wounds bleeding - sooner or later, the WTBTS will most likely wise up & go mainstream - and then at least they'll do no more harm/good than other religions.

Oooppps, this has been sitting on my computer for about 4 hrs.....hope it's still relevant.

distracted waiting

waiting

Hey Grunt,

Here in Florida they have been running a lot of commericals with Erica shown as a little girl and now and saying "I was raped and now I'm the one being shunned." Or words to that effect. She is an innocent and strong person who has been wronged and she comes across really well as just that. - grunt

I saw that commercial last night! Erica is a young, ariculate, lovely woman - and it shows the beauty and innocence of her as a little girl.

Bill Bowen comes across as articulate also - and one who knows his information. They never mentioned jw's by name - which is good, imho, as it won't scare any regular jw viewers away. Besides, as has been said "jehovah's witnesses are just a small group."

As I said, the commercials have already done a good job of knocking the Witnesses out of any ivory towers they may have seen themselves in and the show will let the rubble fall around their ears I hope.

Well, I suspect the towers will still stand - but some of the hidden stinky smell inside is leaking out and making brown stains down the walls.

"People who live in glass *towers* shouldn't throw stones." Well, the WTBTS has been throwing stones for over a 100 years! Payback's hell.

waiting

Lady Lee

I too would prefer that they keep the Hassan bit in but with so much going on in just the last few days with the vigil and DFing they might have cut Steve to add last minute updates to the story

fingers crossed that it is so.

I am leery since I too have had issues with the press and know they have their own agenda but hope for the best and if just one person changes their mind about joining - or one child gets the help they need or one victim comes forward to get help WONDERFUL

A not-so-silent lamb

Aspire to inspire before you expire

mouthy

Wasnt it wonderful! Sorry I didnt think it would come across so well I take my hat off to all on the show- Wonderful I pray my daughter -grandchildren, great grandchildren will hear about it.
I remove my "cold water" sorry for my doubts guys. I loved it......

julien

I bet it's going to suck ass. Someone here said the Society will come out clean and the blame will go to the local elders. I agree. But hopefullly the borg will be more careful in the future and children will be safer in their JW prison.

I have just now been reading the posts by everyone who saw it. Now I am really excited to watch! (on the west coast)

Steven Hassan was cut from Dateline

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