by Listener 42 Replies latest watchtower bible
JW elders aren't trained psychologists or detectives.
It simply doesn't belong to them to determine if child abuse happened or not, or if an accused person is guilty or not.
Governments must put unbelievable pressure on the WTS to drop the ridiculous two witness rule.
The authorities have trained psychologists, detectives and high court judges to get to the truth of matters, something that window-washers and janitors cannot do.
Thanks, Listener, for alerting us via this post. It looks like an early "baby step" in changing a bit of policy on this large and complex matter. As others have pointed out, much more is needed. I believe you mean February 2019, not 2018, right? BTW, these are all "study" articles.
First installment:
I wonder if this is partly an effort to "reward" those abuse victims who have stayed in and not sued the org, as strange as that may seem. It is likely also somewhat a response to the pressure being brought on them from outside.
All they need to do is follow the advice they reported on back in 2004
According to Mexico City’s justice department, “1 in every 8 girls and 1 in every 10 boys are victims of sexual abuse in Mexico City,” reports El Universal newspaper. The justice department is distributing pamphlets that warn parents about sexual abuse and recommend the course of action that should be taken in the event of actual abuse. The recommendations include the following: (1) Believe and support your child when he or she reports being sexually abused. (2) Explain to the child that he or she is not responsible for what happened. (3) Inform the child that what happened is against the law and that it is necessary to report it to the police so that it will not happen again.
https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5428868536074240/awake-12-8-2004-p-28
The recommendations include the following: (1) Believe and support your child when he or she reports being sexually abused. (2) Explain to the child that he or she is not responsible for what happened. (3) Inform the child that what happened is against the law and that it is necessary to report it to the police so that it will not happen again.They actually said that in the Awake? That's a jaw dropping revelation to me, I had no idea.
"(3) ... it is necessary to report it to the police so that it will not happen again." Isn't that the cruelest and most hypocritical of double standards since many JW molesters do it again and again specifically because police aren't notified when they get caught first time.
I think this WT article and the rest in the series is their attempt to try and put into the minds of JW's a number of key points to get them to believe the governing body over common sense and media coverage:
1. You can't blame the org (Jehovah) for the child abuse
2. The same type of things happened to God's org (Israelites), so it can happen to God's org now
3. Don't try to take matters into your own hands, wait on Jehovah (do nothing) and he will take care of it at Armageddon because he sees everything.
4. There are lot's of fine examples of brothers & sisters who were abused and they are coping by relying on Jehovah (doing all things JW). Then they will list a couple examples of JW's with a snippet of their story to make others who were abused think "if they can rely on Jehovah, why can't I do so also?"
5. We must never be like Satan and the opposers by trying to intervene or be critical of Jehovah's org. (Don't try to steady the ark, or don't say where is Moses and start doing foolish things)
On a side note:
I noticed that in the recent WT article on "Do You Have the Facts", twice they said that disaster was averted by the people relying on "trustworthy men" to get all the facts for them. Then in the article, they slyly make the assertion that you can get the facts on jw news tab. So, trust the governing body, "you'll be safe with us"
All they need to do is follow the advice they reported on back in 2004
awake 12/8/2004 p 28
According to Mexico City’s justice department, “1 in every 8 girls and 1 in every 10 boys are victims of sexual abuse in Mexico City,” reports El Universal newspaper. The justice department is distributing pamphlets that warn parents about sexual abuse and recommend the course of action that should be taken in the event of actual abuse. The recommendations include the following: (1) Believe and support your child when he or she reports being sexually abused. (2) Explain to the child that he or she is not responsible for what happened. (3) Inform the child that what happened is against the law and that it is necessary to report it to the police so that it will not happen again.
Great find gerry!
'Jehovah wants all to receive protection and justice'
I got neither. I got a 'sorry mate, it's his word against yours, nothing we can do.'
I take some cold comfort from the fact this article might just put the wind up my brother (abuser) as clearly he assumes from his lofty elder position that he can get away with it.
Needless to say, all JWs will lap this up as proof the organization is 'hot on abuse' (as I was told by one sister) but in reality it's just an exercise in keeping victims in the congregations quiet.
This thread reminds me of Barbara Anderson's life story and how governing body members apparently had different opinions on how to handle the child abuse (it should be called child rape by society at large, not just 'abuse') scandal in the organisation back in the nineties.
"And Jack Barr, whom we considered a personal friend, was a kindly man but walked in Barry’s shadow and did his bidding. Unfortunately, he was weak—not the proverbial “iron fist in a velvet glove,” but a “limp fist …”. Barr’s dispositional weakness became evident during a time when Lloyd Barry was out of town and it took three senior writers to put enough pressure on Barr, as next in command, to keep the factory press room from capitulating to Ted Jaracz’s orders not to print the April 8, 1992 Awake!, which contained material Jaracz did not support, although he was out of line by making such a demand. The job assignment of each Governing Body member was clearly delineated and Writing Department editorial decisions were not Jaracz’s business, just like decisions of the Service Department, under Jaracz’s command, were not the affair of Barry, Barr or Klein."
http://watchtowerdocuments.org/life-discoveries-barbara-anderson/
Apparently, that Awake dealt with this topic of child abuse.
Thanks for the correction Careful, it is meant to be 2019 and not 2018.
Stillin,
The amount of false accusations is statistically very small. Most of the time victims do not lie about what happened to them. By referring every accusation to the authorities, each situation can be properly investigated. As it stands now, predators are able to abuse multiple children, often moving congregations without detection because proper procedures of reporting to the police and investigation are not followed. Personally, I'd rather error on the side of caution with a few wrongfully accused than to let a perp rack up victims under the cover of the elders.
