This web site, your comments as evidence

by joelbear 31 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  joelbear

  In the case of Silent Lambs versus the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses.

  Did you ever think that discussing these cases here accompanied by your vitriole against all things Watchtower could be used to:

  1. Show that ex Jehovahs Witnesses harbor such a hatred for the Watchtower society that they will say ANYTHING to discredit them.

  2. Show that there is a network of ex Jehovahs Witnesses that may have helped to create these abuse accusations in the alledged victims' minds or at least have encouraged them, even unwittingly, to exaggerate their claims.

  I guarantee you that the Watchtower society has documented every word anyone here has said, especially on this issue.

  I can easily see a defense team using it to, if not exonerate accused molesters and the Watchtower Society, to at least create a reasonable doubt regarding their guilt.

  If your hatred of the Watchtower causes you to join in irrational behavior and accusations, you have to contemplate the fact that you may be adding to the future grief of any real victims.

  I present this for your thoughtful consideration.

  As always, I wish all here peace.

  Joel
• 

  ballistic

  Joel, I think the picture you paint implies that everyone hates the Watchtower. People come here for different reasons, and I strongly disagree that most have some kind of conspiracy against the Watchtower. I personally feel damaged by growing up in the org, however, my mother and some family are still part of it. That is what they choose. I do not feel hate for them, or even the GB who I feel are self-deceived. I hate the people who I know personally (without any exaggeration) who claim to be Jehovah's Witnesses but have more in common with Soddom and Gomorah. And I hate the mechanism which allows people like this to remain in their positions while others with good hearts are disfellowshipped on technicalities and unfortunate circumstances. If your not sure what I mean, read my story in the hello, hello, hello thread and you'll see where I'm coming from.
• 

  Francois

  Joel,
  There is some evidence that some therapists with some patients, in an effort to get to the truth may unwittingly, in the manner in which they phrase their questions, suggest to the patient what the therapist suspects happened.

  There is, however, a circularity in that argument, because children who HAVE been abused and survived are highly suggestible in the first place. So the argument quickly becomes one of the chicken and the egg. Is the suggestibility present because of abuse, or did the therapist cause the patient to say certain things through suggestion.

  One other point. I don't think that a good lawyer or judge would allow anonymous conversations on a public bulletin board to be admitted into evidence. It's far more tenuous than just plain hearsay. I think the attempt to have comments here admitted would be laughed right out of court.

  Francois
• 

  DIM

  I don't think you can generalize xjw's or jw's into one category. As far as I'm concerned there are some really nice people in both groups and some absolute nuts in both groups. I think you are right - some people are using the child molesting situation as a way to promote their own agenda. I think they are the minority though - most people just want to see things handled in a just way. If the Watchtower Society just was upfront about certain things (The UN situation for example) then most people would say "ah, its just another religion". which it is. But when they label it "the truth" and then proceed to cover up everything (1984 anyone?) it makes people angry and hurt.

  i'm sick and tired of hearing things from uptight-short-sighted-narrow minded hypocritics. all i want is the truth just gimme some truth - John Lennon
• 

  Englishman

  Joelbear,

  I don't hate JW's, I just don't like them very much and I don't trust them either.

  How can you trust them with, say, a confidence? You know very well that anything unusual at all has to be reported back to an elder. You know that.

  Englishman.

  Bring on the dancing girls!
• 

  Will Power

  Ballistic
  Please tell me that its the THINGS these people do, not the people themselves you hate.

  morning all
• 

  jayhawk1

  Dear Joelbear the born again Jehovah's Witness,

  I don't hate Jehovah's Witnesses, just the Watchtower Society that lied to them.

  All they have to do is:
  1) tell the truth
  2) stop shunning
  and
  3) fix the blood policy

  In other words, become mainstream.

  If they can't do that, then:
  4) the Watchtower Society can go away

  Now does that sound like I hate the average Jehovah's Witness or just the people who burden the flock.

  Joelbear, didn't you say you were leaving and never coming back?

  Is this a light saber in my pocket or am I just happy to see you?

  "Hand me that whiskey, I need to consult the spirit."-J.F. Rutherford
• 

  lauralisa

  Joel,

  I follow your reasoning easily.

  The fact remains however:

  There ARE uncountable numbers of victims and survivors who need help;

  Child abuse, including pedophilia, IS practiced among jw's, and is NOT adequately addressed by its governing body - in fact they seem to operate under the assumption that BECAUSE THEY ARE A "RELIGION", they are exempt from the confines of the civil laws that currently exist and do not give victims OR perpetrators their DUE PROCESS;

  Recovery for a survivor of abuse is NOT found in a forensics-dependent courtroom.

  There are two completely separate issues here, Joel: addressing the therapeutic needs of a survivor of abuse AND addressing the criminal behavior that has existed among a small percentage of twisted jw members in "good standing".

  What would YOU suggest as alternative approaches to if not the first, then perhaps the second issue?

  Silentlambs is NOT the first "forum" that has tried to help survivors of abuse- and in their efforts has been staggered by the damage caused and the alarming prevalence of such things, which prompts most sane people to try and effect change. Bringing dark issues to light has never been popular.

  What is your motive in pointing out the obvious in your initial post? You don't have to get involved. There are many other things to do with your time.

  Why would you try and interfere or undermine Silentlambs' efforts? It's not perfect but is at times I'm sure a life-saving resource for jw's and ex-jw's who need help.

  The only way to get all those whiney, attention-sucking lying pathetic abuse-surviving losers who screw up everyone's reality to SHUT UP is to stop the perpetrators and those who protect them.

  lauralisa
• 

  COMF

  You're way off base with this, Joel. Time to get a grip.

  As always, I wish all here peace.

  Are you metamorphosing into AGuest?
• 

  Seeker

  Yes, Joel, it would be nice to not have all the vitriol spread about here, but that is how some people cope with their emotions, and it won't end. As for the WTS using our words against us, so what? They have been documented to tell out-and-out lies in courts of law. So if they didn't have evidence against us, they would just make stuff up anyway!

  You are defeding an organization that, while it has some very nice people in it, is run by people who knowingly or unknowingly perpetuate lies and fraud upon six million followers. It is a thoroughly dishonest organization, as large organizations tend to get over time.