As I mentioned in my opening post yesterday, my family is requesting a low key, so I am being a bit skimpy on some details. But, I decided that some details can come out because they will help you see the impact and seriousness of what this crime causes.
My Son-In-Law (SIL) told me very recently that when his paternal grandfather learned of the news of his son's arrest (Sil's dad that is), he became very distraught, and killed himself. He was already having some emotional problems as a JW of long years, but this was too much to bear. He was in his early 70s. What a sad finality for a man to face - watching his son prosecuted for a loathsome crime, and his JW beliefs did not measure up to give him enough strength to keep from ending his life. (I learned this the day of the funeral)
Several tragedies are now on the list: a sexual crime against a minor and possibly other minors, a dead man, a family about to see their father go to prison, a wife losing her husband, children who are shocked and pained that their father could commit such a crime, fear that other children are affected, a religion that did not help matters with its blind policies, and most of all, a young girl who will be in counseling sorting out what was done to her for years to come.
Was this the WTS fault? Is this what the issue is all about? No, the WTS did not commit the crime - directly - but, the cover-ups of a pattern of behavior by Elders giving private reproof, or unspecified public reproof, allows a serious criminal to remain among and around innocent children. What of the Elders? In street language, 'Nothing more than local street punks working for the big man.' Who is the 'Big Man' who gives its organizational policies, training, appointments, and controls the hood and its so-called Elders? You know who! - Simply Amazing