Hear Ye, Hear Ye: Barbara Anderson sharing April 10th Australian Newspaper Article about WT and back ground checks

by AndersonsInfo 120 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  sabastious

  What a bold response!

  -Sab
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  lovelylil

  Thanks for the update barbara. I was very impressed with you last night, on the conference call. Peace, Lilly
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  steve2

  Thanks skeeter1, your comments are thoughtful. The more I think about it the more persuaded I am that JWs should not be exempt from the statutory requirement of background checks on anyone of them who has unsupervised access to children.
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  just n from bethel

  The interesting point that should be brought up in court though is this: when a new appointment of elder of MS is made - they ask the brother if he has ever been involved in child molestation. That is the only specific question that they are asked. I also think it is on the bethel application.

  Would a court find it interesting that JWs just ask and accept the answer given for elders and MSs? Why not do a backround check on at least the elders and MSs? I mean they're asking the question anyway - right? I think a court/judge/jury would agree that someone who had in the past been convicted of child abuse probably wouldn't answer those questions truthfully - so a background check would assure the congregation that at least all the elders and MSs had saely passed this simple requirement.

  It really begs the question, at least re MSs and elders, 'if JWs are already inquiring about the history of their leaders in regards child abuse, why not use the legal resources that other religions are using to make sure their constituents' children are safe?'
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  the-illuminator81

  Since the whole issue is about money in the end, you can be sure that the WTS will throw a big hissy fit about it. They will probably even go as far as stating a new rule in Australia where witness minors can only have contact with adults when supervised by their parents or legal guardians before they will pay up. If you study the history of the WTS, you know that there is one thing they won't do and that is pay anyone anything, taxes or otherwise.

  Except of course when it comes to settling child abuse cases. Then they will gladly hand over millions of dollars to keep people silent.
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  boyzone

  Do other religious ministers require CRB checks?
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  Listener

  It will be a tough case to claim. Here is some of the wording of the WWC Act

  Child-related Work

  Has the meaning given in section 9 of the Working with Children Act 2005:

  1. For the purposes of this Act, child-related work is—
  2. work engaged in—
  3. under a contract of employment or a contract for services (whether written or unwritten); or
  4. as a minister of religion or as part of the duties of a religious vocation; or
  5. as an officer of a body corporate, member of the committee of management of an unincorporated body or association or member of a partnership; or
  6. practical training undertaken as part of an educational or vocational course other than under an arrangement or agreement under Part 5.4 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006; or
  7. work engaged in as a volunteer (including engaging in unpaid community work under a community-based order, a drug treatment order or an intensive correction order within the meaning of the Sentencing Act 1991) other than unpaid work engaged in for a private or domestic purpose—
  that usually involves, or is likely usually to involve, regular direct contact with a child in connection with a service, body, place or activity specified in sub-section (3) in circumstances where that contact is not directly supervised by another person.
  

  As it specifies that there must be regular direct contact it limit's the circumstances in which it applies
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  Hopscotch

  Thanks jwfacts for the info on Graeme Hammond. That's interesting that he is no longer a JW. He would be in a good position to help expose the policies of the WTS.

  Hopscotch
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  skeeter1

  Well, in logic we have something called "argumentum ad numerum". It states that something is true if a lot of people believe in it. But argumentum ad numerum is a logical fallacy. Truth cannot be established by the consensus of the majority. In fact many arguments have been proven to be false, even though everyone in the world once accepted them as true. For example, not until a few centuries ago everyone believed that the Earth is flat and is at the centre of the universe. Despite that common belief both geocentricity and the idea of the flat Earth were false. A false belief does not become true even if everyone thinks they are true. Yes, millions of Jehovah's Witnesses can be wrong! Especially when there is no independent thinking and one must follow the faithful & discreet slave which is only a handful of men.

  I thought I had read on another thread that there was no fees due for religious people getting the license? If the Watch Tower can raise enough money to buy land, build Kingdom Halls, Assembly Halls, buy suits, buy nice cars...they can surely afford the small application fee per publisher. The WTS owns all the land, outright. If they are required to get these licenses and do not, there could be large fines as Mr. Unthank pointed out. Then, the government could levy against the WTS buildngs for payment. Wouldn't that be a hoot?

  Skeeter
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  skeeter1

  Well, in logic we have something called "argumentum ad numerum". It states that something is true if a lot of people believe in it. But argumentum ad numerum is a logical fallacy. Truth cannot be established by the consensus of the majority. In fact many arguments have been proven to be false, even though everyone in the world once accepted them as true. For example, not until a few centuries ago everyone believed that the Earth is flat and is at the centre of the universe. Despite that common belief both geocentricity and the idea of the flat Earth were false. A false belief does not become true even if everyone thinks they are true. Yes, millions of Jehovah's Witnesses can be wrong! Especially when there is no independent thinking and one must follow the faithful & discreet slave which is only a handful of men.

  I thought I had read on another thread that there was no fees due for religious people getting the license? If the Watch Tower can raise enough money to buy land, build Kingdom Halls, Assembly Halls, buy suits, buy nice cars...they can surely afford the small application fee per publisher. The WTS owns all the land, outright. If they are required to get these licenses and do not, there could be large fines as Mr. Unthank pointed out. Then, the government could levy against the WTS buildngs for payment. Wouldn't that be a hoot?

  Skeeter