Watchtower PR Statement 8-7-01

by silentlambs 63 Replies latest watchtower scandals

• 

  Maximus

  Anchor has picked up on a huge change, from a negative "we do not" to a stance that says "no one should interfere" with an "absolute right."

  What is still missing? What is the next step?

  One simple **positive** act: WE ENCOURAGE REPORTING

  If this is a "terrible crime," why the difference between the way they treat this and the other serious or violent crimes? Hint: that's an area in which the media should and will be asking tough questions. Has to do with good old boy mentality.

  I am reliably advised that the newly revised Public Affairs Department (the old one was dismantled) really had to scramble to get this one together. Where it is on your web site, Watchtower? You took the other one off, but we saw it--and copied it. You are dead to rights on this one.

  These people are not shooting themselves in the foot, they just managed to shoot themselves in a yet more vulnerable part of their anatomy.

  Run, Watchtower, Run.

  Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

  Max
• 

  Fredhall

  Maximus,

  The next step for opposers of the truth is not to wipe their asses before they take their dump.
• 

  stephenw20

  an interesting thing about this PR statement is that most witnesses did not even know about the first one. even though its available to the PUBLIC

  we ~here~ know there is great UNREST in the org.... from the charitable laundering of money to the millions made in printing.and the worst of all is this issue

  WE DO KNOW but the regular joe or even the legal counsel at the HQ doenst know. I called and they have no information to give you . Its all bs.... I was told about an accusation that may be false not the protection of the victim.

  if it has not filtered down to the HQ staff.. do you think any of the congregations have a clue?

  tape a copy of the letter to a kingdom hall door

  its a real field service!

  oh Praise the lord! the iceberg is comin to the Unsinkable ship
• 

  GodRules

  I don't know why you people are so surprised. This has been the stance the organization has taken since I can remember. A C.O. told us in 1995 that all child abuse, even if it was intercourse between say a 19 year old and a 17 year old, had to be reported.

  Most of you are just silly with comments like the "iceberg", "run, wt, run". What is that all about? That's kid stuff. No one is bringing down Jehovah's organization, no one. Whether you believe or not, Jesus is in charge of his remnant.
• 

  Seeker

  GodRules,

  The fuss is about all those victims where the elders did absolutely nothing. Those revised policies in the 90s did nothing for the little girls in New Hampshire when their father was abusing them.

  And prior to the mid-90s, it was a real horror show for victims of childhood sexual abuse within the organization. I personally know of a man who raped several of his daughters while they were children. When one finally came forward, the elders made sure nobody reported anything. The abuser was DFed, and reinstated within 3 months. The girl who reported it was viewed as a bad example.

  That's the reality of the WTS for so many years. Thus the fuss.
• 

  GodRules

  I understand your concerns, Seeker. I realize things like this happen, but it is up to each body of elders to take care of their congregation. Our body of elders are very protective of the young ones. The Watchtower does provide proper training for the elders, but it's up to each individual elder to apply that training.
• 

  Eusebius Hieronymus

  GodRules,

  Are you saying the elders are to blame in the Berry case, and all the other cases that will be coming up?

  Are you an elder? Been to the ministerial training school?

  Jerry
• 

  waiting

  Hello GodRules,

  I realize things like this happen, ...

  Rather like uttering the old worldly saying "I realize sh*t happens."

  but it is up to each body of elders to take care of their congregation.

  The BOE are to take care of their congregation in *what* ways? Business dealings? Spiritual care? Sins? Moral cleanliness? Field service? Bible instruction? Rapes? Molestations? Marriage counseling? Alchohol abuse? Drug abuse? Wife/child/husband/animal abuse? Dress codes? Properly chaperoned Picnics?

  Just how effective can 3 - 15 (I'm guessing on size of BOE) keep track of all that - and much more - and still be effective?

  Where did they get certified as counselors in ALL these areas?

  Our body of elders are very protective of the young ones.

  Oh, and it shows. My daughter was protected by the elders you speak so highly of. Molested by a Ministerial Servant who was raping his daughter at the same time. The PO told me that they did call the Society on this one - and the Ministerial Servant was never spoken to about it - not one, finite, word.

  Why? His worldly wife threatened the elders with a slander lawsuit if they even mentioned the word child abuser to him or her. It worked they didn't mention it - ever again. Yes, I did go to the police, my daughter wouldn't talk to them. The PO said they "didn't need to talk to her as she was df'd." The MS's own daughter was df'd too, but had sent a long letter to the BOE.

  The Watchtower does provide proper training for the elders, but it's up to each individual elder to apply that training.

  That's passing the buck back to the elders. The WTBTS put the elders in an authoritive position by appointment. It is the WTBTS's responsibility to oversee *their* flock - not the elder's seemingly sole responsibility. If the WTBTS provides the proper training (in your opinion) - they should see that it's enforced then, and take responsibility when it's not.

  Just like any major corporation - the buck stops at the top, not at the bottom. In more ways than one, this is like the old saying "follow the money."

  waiting
• 

  Esmeralda

  I am so sorry that I ate dinner before I read that!

  I cannot believe their two faced attempt to sound as if their policies are at all reasonable.

  How will the public feel when they find out that their 'harmless, friendly' neighborhood JW knocking at their door might be a known child molester? How would do the elders involved SLEEP AT NIGHT when these same offenders molest again and again??!!!!

  So sickening. SO SICKENING!!!!

  As I came the end of reading that letter, I heard, clearly in my head a line from the movie The Scarlet Pimpernel: a woman spits on a man who is sending her to the guilletine and shouts:

  "May God have mercy on your soul, monsieur, you are surely damned for what you do."

  I wouldn't want to be any of these people who will surely bear responsibilty for putting the 'rights' of molesters above their innocent victims.

  JUSTICE FOR THE CHILDREN!!!

  es
• 

  Francois

  The JW public relations letter at the head of this thread makes a very bad assumption. It assumes that ALL child sex abusers are MEN. That is simply ignorance and stereotyping hard at work.

  True, the incidence of child sex abuse is far higher with men than it is with women. However, there are a significant number of child sex abusers who are women. And it seems that when the abuser is a woman, the abuse is more studied, more cruel, and even more damaging - if you can conceive of such a thing.

  In perpetuating this stereotype, the WTB&TS ONCE AGAIN DOES A TERRIBLE DISSERVICE TO THE PEOPLE WHO MOST NEED HELP.

  Jesus H. Christ, can't those bastards get ANYTHING right???

  Francois