is it hysteria?

by stillin 20 Replies latest watchtower scandals

• 

  VoidEater

  What littlebird said
• 

  JWdaughter

  I think that some do get hysterical. I have seen posts that allude to all JW males being perverts. I see some women go nuts on the women are so cowed in the congregation and imply that children are being whipped in the "spanking rooms".

  This is not better than politicial opponents who do their bit as birthers or 'exposing' Sarah Palin as being the grandmother of her son Trig etc. Or taking any one thing out of context and turning it into the biggest issue of their lives. JW's-that decided because two birthdays have associations with wickedness that therefore all birthdays are pagan and wicked. I hate that kind of unreasonable crap.

  That being said, the hurtful policies of the WT/JWs need to be exposed, but when people go around acting as if there is a gigantic plot of baby raping gangs of JWs, they are totally jumping the shark. It brings down the credibility of every former JW, just like certain extremists are bringing down political issues and changing the discussion to distract from actually having a conversation.

  Part of the problem and something that FUELS this is that one cannot HAVE a conversation with JWs or the WT on the subject. One cannot dissent without it being a 'rebellion'. The WT is screwing themselves on this one, but they still should not be characterized the way some extreme folks do. I'm not talking about the fair points that need to be discussed-I am talking about the incendiary rhetoric.
• 

  stillin

  amen and amen again. I've had a daughter who was molested by an elder, who was protected by other elders to the extent that I, the father, was not fully informed as to the specific details. I was told that he had "impure thoughts" while my daughter was in his (and his wife's) care. I think the elders were concerned that I might knock his head off. I think they were right. But that would have been MY problem and it wasn't their place to decide.

  I'm no stranger to the problem. That "brother" was pathological and methodical. I could have given him something he wouldn't have forgotten so quickly...

  My point is that all of us are prone to oversimplify and categorize and bang our ever-so-wise gavels and shout "Guilty as charged!" at the first hint of impropriety in this area. Actually, to thier credit, the WT Society seems to be doing this these days, in the "big picture," regardless of what some posters here seem to think. Sure, there are still ongoing complaints, no doubt most of them valid. But there are nut jobs who would like nothing better than to cause trouble for somebody they don't like (surprised that there might be a nut job in a congregation of JW'S?) and they just hint to some ignorant elder that somebody molested a child!

  It's possible for a person to be very seriously wronged, but nobody will apologise because collateral damage is acceptable to us in our zeal, isn't it?

  The things that the WTS does right, to correct, don't come even CLOSE to actually making things right.
• 

  stillin

  thanks for your reasonableness, JWDaughter
• 

  choosing life

  Sorry to hear about the abuse of your daughter. Did you have the right to go to the police?

  I understand how accusing a person can ruin their reputation. That is why I think it is so important for the parents to be free to speak with nurses, doctors, psychologists and even law enforcement if the feel their child has been harmed. These professionals can help to sort it all out.

  Most young children don't make up abuse stories, but adults have been known to put a child up to doing so. I d not think that jws are any more prone to child molestation than any other religious group.

  It is just the unfortunate way they have dealt with it, in many cases, that ha caused so much pain.
• 

  littlebird

  I'm so sorry stillin for what your daughter and your family have gone through.

  You are correct that the Jw's should not be painted with a wide brush that they are child molesters, I hope my comments did not imply that I feel that way, because I dont, at all. I only disagree with the WT's way of handling the cases.
• 

  avishai

  no, I do not suggest that the two-witness deal is the decisive factor for elders. It seems that the mere SUGGESTION of two VICTIMS would warrant serious inquiry, and notification of proper authorities.

  That sounds good and all, but that's not the way they've operated. In my bro's case, and several others that this monster messed w/, the elders already knew. It's 2 witnesses to each event, or nothing. They insinuated that they'd "taken care of it" and reported. Nope, what they meant was they reproved him and told him to pray more. So he went on to molest dozens more children.
• 

  avishai

  My point is that all of us are prone to oversimplify and categorize and bang our ever-so-wise gavels and shout "Guilty as charged!" at the first hint of impropriety in this area. Actually, to thier credit, the WT Society seems to be doing this these days, in the "big picture," regardless of what some posters here seem to think. Sure, there are still ongoing complaints, no doubt most of them valid. But there are nut jobs who would like nothing better than to cause trouble for somebody they don't like (surprised that there might be a nut job in a congregation of JW'S?) and they just hint to some ignorant elder that somebody molested a child!

  Actually, I think most of us are over careful in this area. Because an innocent accusation waters down any credibility we have towards the actually guilty. Does'nt really matter, though, because even if someone was df'd for molestation, they would'nt warn the parents anyway, soooo...
• 

  stillin

  as a sidenote, my daughter married a good man, out of the truth. She seems happy and well adjusted and I applaud her survival.

  I'm not done yet.
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  avishai