by AndersonsInfo 90 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
I just submitted feedback/ mail to CHRIS HANSEN'S (TO CATCH A PREDATOR) BLOG [ Submitting to their blogs is more effective because these reporters read their blogs as opposed to employee's in charge of opening email submitted to the show; chances are the reporter will never see the mail addressed to them...please keep this in mind ]:
Now, that's a great idea. I've watched those episodes and they are so incredible. I still can't believe how many walk right into the trap, some again and again.
Thank you for getting the ball rolling, Barbara.
I am happy to say that here in Germany this problem has been recognized by authorities. Also because of the Michael Jackson scandal focus was on the JWs by the public.
I me this is very important, for the reason that two of my sisters are victims. JWs should teach and believe what they want to, but this cover-up has to stop. I fear pedophiles go into the JW community for the very purpose of entering their perverted paradise.
Thanks to all victims for speaking up and helping other.
Freetosee
Hello freetosee,
I fear pedophiles go into the JW community for the very purpose of entering their perverted paradise.
As is documented, pedophiles infiltrate many areas where children are easily accessible. JW kingdom halls are, in my opinion, an easier target to kids because of the policies that the Watchtower instill regarding child abuse. Thusly, the keeping it quiet and covering it up. Also, shifting the perps from congregation to congregation and not warning the parents.
It's a religious organization that not many know or care about. Just ask an average five outt of ten people on the street what they know about this religions policies and doctines. A seasoned predator knows that they will remain under the radar in this org. because the mainstream pays no attention.
It is the perfect PEDOPHILES PERVERTED PARADISE.
I, for one, and with quite a few others, am out to blow the whistle on this travesty. We will not be deterred or distracted in our mission.
Thank you for sharing.
sKally
Hamsterbait I'm afraid that your little extrapolation is absolutely no evidence whatsoever. I'd be very happy if someone could demonstrate that tens of thousands had left because of this issue but I am not going to live in a fantasy world because that's what I'd like to believe. Too may people on this board make unproven and unprovable assertions. That's Watchtower Land, you want to live there that's fine, I will not, I like facts with real evidence not wishful fabrication.
Some have asked how do I know that tens of thousands left the organization after the media reported the child sexual abuse scandal within the Witness organization? I knew when I stated, "tens of thousands," there would be questions raised. Personally, I believe that I understated the number, not overstated it. I'm not sure what kind of evidence would be convincing other than names of people who left, but I'll offer some reasons for my statement.
Within a month after Dateline aired, our son, a former Bethelite of sixteen years, went to the Service Dept. in NY asking questions. He was told by a reputable source that my appearance on Dateline caused THOUSANDS of people to leave the organization. That statement was verified by one of the professed "anointed," who called us to say that she was told something similar when she called Bethel and spoke to a friend who was in the know. (Someone told us that thousands of calls were received at Bethel after Dateline aired, and the callers were demanding that the Society's child abuse policies be changed.)
Recently, a former high-ranking Bethelite told a friend that the information about the Watchtower's child abuse problem is still causing problems within the organization and just won't go away. In fact, this former official has left the organization.
In addition, since the Silentlambs website made its debut in January 2001, upwards of 36,000 e-mails have been received by Bill Bowen. At least 60% claimed to have left the organization because of the child sexual abuse revelations made in the media. The majority of the other correspondents remained within the organization but said that if they knew of any child molested by a Witness, they would not abide by the Watchtower's child abuse policies but go directly to the authorities. I have not included the literally thousands of phone calls Bill and I have received over the past four years from ex-Witnesses who related their very disturbing personal child abuse experiences. Bill still receives about two new calls each day from concerned JWs or XJWs. And it was Dateline and other media stories that made this possible.
Further, in the past four years, my husband and I have received hundreds of e-mails from people who were very disturbed by what they saw on Dateline. Through further investigation, many callers left the organization, which, by the way, we did not encourage them to do. (Our goal was and still is to make the organization a safer place for the children, including my grandchild.)
Since I started this thread, I have been surprised by the number of personal messages I have received from people who wrote to tell me their personal stories about how the media exposure caused them to exit from the organization. The following fascinating information was taken from one of the PMs I received:
Shortly before Dateline aired, there was a meeting of all elders, ministerial servants, and circuit and district servants. (I know the name of the area where the meeting was held, but I promised not to tell. However, I will tell you that the meeting involved people living in close proximity to some of the whistleblowers who appeared on Dateline.) All in attendance were told about the forthcoming Dateline program and told that the allegations were TRUE. However, they were instructed to deny the allegations, if asked. Specific names of people involved with the Dateline program were mentioned. Later, after watching Dateline, one ministerial servant who attended the aforementioned meeting, was so sickened by the attitude of the JW's who were in denial, he moved away from the area and faded from the organization. And all because of Dateline.
What I have related is just a sampling of information to convince me that tens of thousands of Witnesses were so disturbed by what they saw and heard regarding the way child abuse is handled by the Society that eventually they left the organization.
Barbara
i really dont doubt the numbers.. i know it shook a lot of people up.
in my congregation and a couple of surrounding ones, everyone knew of one or two cases of sexual molestation that had been mishandled by the elders. and everyone assumed they were isolated incidents. the dateline show and the subsequent cnn connie chung show on the same subject exposed to all of us that it was an issue that was a problem thruout the entire religion .
i know of 9 people in 2 congregations that quit going as a direct result of this program.
multiply that by however many congregations are in the usa.... you have your tens of thousands!
Thanks for the reply Barbara, much appreciated.
IW
Dear Barbara
Thanks for the update! I wish you'd post more often. You've become an icon inasmuch as that was not your intention. Thanks again.
Dismembered
What I have related is just a sampling of information to convince me that tens of thousands of Witnesses were so disturbed by what they saw and heard regarding the way child abuse is handled by the Society that eventually they left the organization.
I don't doubt Barbara's assertion at all. I'm one of five former dubs who mark the Dateline segment as one of the major "nails in coffin," as someone put it. It was disturbing, it had the ring of truth, and it smacked us upside the head and made us think. Within a year of the program's airing, we were all in major fade mode. None of us has been to a meeting since 2003.
There's more to it, of course, and many issues piled on top of one another led to our exit. But Dateline was big.
It definitely cemented my concerns about how the WTS handled abuse cases and lied about it. I would say that this was 75% of the reason why I left.
Blondie
