Recent Jehovah's Witness Murders, Cause and Effect

by Atlantis 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  Atlantis

  (Please delete if already posted). http://www.postchronicle.com/commentary/article_21240863.shtml

  Recent Jehovah Witness Murders, Cause and Effect By Christian Peper Sep 25, 2006

  Authors note: The purpose of this article is not to offend. It is hoped that some light might be shed on the problem of Watchtower murders by examining these crimes. What would make an otherwise loving mother wake up one sunny day and decide to slaughter her children? What would make a quiet and by all accounts caring father decide to murder his entire family and then flee from authorities? Why are so many seemingly well-adjusted Americans committing suicide or killing their families? The Watchtower is at least a partial answer to this question. Because the cult is obsessed with death and destruction and long term exposure can lead to murder. Unrealistically high standards cause paranoia and a desire for an early death among members. There have been many "dis-fellow-shipped" for kissing and even dating improperly. Even married sex is regulated. According to page 93 of the Watchtower publication entitled" Pay Attention To Yourselves And To The Flock," "Porneia includes oral and anal sex or mutual masturbation between persons not married to each other…" On page 142 it states, "While perverted practices are wrong, if within a marriage one is involved or has been involved in such, it does not mean that he or she would necessarily lose service privileges. If the elders know such conduct, they would need to consider: Is the practice recent or ongoing, or is it something occurred in the past and is definitely conquered? Is the individual promoting such conduct as a proper life-style? Is his attitude one of remorse? If he is sincerely repentant and the situation is not generally known, it may not be necessary to remove privileges of service." This quote is proof the elders regulate married sex. Perhaps this is why the Watchtower also has proportionally four times as many child molestations as the Catholic Church.

  Nevada-
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  Atlantis

  There are also more article comments just below the section I posted on the same link page!

  Thanks! Nevada-
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  under_believer

  I hope the reputation I've established prevents anyone from taking this the wrong way, but that column is poorly written, poorly researched, poorly cited, and full of logical fallacy.
  
  I'd like a reference on his figures, for starters: he says "the Watchtower has proportionally four times as many child molestations as the Catholic Church." Where did he get that number? What ARE the numbers for that matter? Is that just among clergy, or among all attendees?
  
  "A fundamental difference between cults and Christianity rests on who holds the power. The errors Christian churches have made over the years in this area are due not to flawed doctrine but to imperfect individuals." I'm sorry but that sounds exactly like what the Watchtower always told us when we were believers. We don't believe it of the Society and we shouldn't automatically believe it here either.
  
  "While it is certainly true that there are killers in every religion; the number of murders in the Jehovah Witness Watchtower far exceeds the proportion found in other faiths. There have been many families slaughtered by a long time cult member." Again, where did this figure come from?
  
  "A suit of this kind would really be no different in principal from the suits the tobacco companies have been facing." That is just a stupid thing to say. The precedent, the case law, the prosecution and defense strategies, everything would be completely different. Any prosecutor would be very hard pressed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship between the "steady diet of death and destruction", if any such thing even exists, and various Witness murders.
  
  I can't disagree with his conclusion ("warn your neighbors") but if that's the general quality of op-ed pieces on that site, it's pathetic.
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  Seeker4

  under_believer;

  I agree. Those are extraordinary statements that require extraordinary proofs. Otherwise this is just unethical journalism.

  S4
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  carla

  I liked the article. Maybe the ratio of pedophiles comes from many different reports coming out of Bethel headquarters that there are over 5500 (approx) names on file as known pedophiles. Obviously with thier SS style of record keeping there is no way to know how many halls around the world also have known child rapist on file as well. The murders? Again the ratio to say Catholics or Lutheran's and the reasons family members give to the murders is probably to blame for this, as well as the pictures out of Mexico that showed the little girls body next to blood stained wt's. To say that the wt is not directly at fault for the pedophiles and murder's within its rank would be naive. Should we warn our neighbors of the dangers to having possible pedophiles knocking on our doors? Why wouldn't you? To say that the wt produces mentally unstable people is not being unkind, just a fact.
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  sammielee24

  I found the articles intriguing - I would like to see referencing though to back up some of the statements. I agree Carla, that we would be naive in asserting that the WTBTS has no responsibility in the part that pedophiles play in the organization and the part they play in the death and destruction of people and families. The shunning policy itself has led to fractured families, depression and suicide and that policy is enforced by the Society therefore, it makes them responsible in part. The blood policy has taught families that it is better to allow your child to die than take treatment therefore, because the WTBTS enforces these doctrines, they are responsible for those deaths - wether or not we call it murder or refusing treatment - the policy is set by the Watchtower and enforced by them. Many of the witnesses that I know, do in fact have a warped sense of their lives and I attribute that to tremendous guilt, no leisure time, little compassion, conditional acceptance and love - all coupled with a lack of future goals and no hope. It's always ' armeggedon will be here in 6 months' so work harder, ignore your illnesses, stay with the mate that abuses you and whom you hate and above all - do not plan for your future because to do so is to show a lack of faith in Jehovah. How sad. sammieswife.
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  144001

  Under Believer hits the nail right on the head here.

  Any prosecutor would be very hard pressed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship between the "steady diet of death and destruction", if any such thing even exists, and various Witness murders.

  Prosecutor assumes a criminal matter and a higher standard of proof than civil matters (i.e., beyond a reasonable doubt v. a preponderance of the evidence), but even at a civil level, no U.S. court would accept exposure to Jehovah's Witness teachings as the proximate cause or the cause in fact in a wrongful death or negligence action.
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  carla

  We would ALL love to see numbers re: all of it! If only we could. Knock Knock Bethel, may we see your files?
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  skyking

  I have done several searches and have came up with nothing that gives credence to the articles statement on 4x higher.
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  Atlantis

  under_believer:

  Seeker4:

  Carla:

  Sammielee24:

  144001:

  Skyking:

  Thank you for your comments!

  Nevada-