On an earlier thread concerning this, we were told that a polish brother was rushed out of the country as soon as this business started. I cant remember the name but wonder if anybody came up with info on him?
HB
Victoria, Australia: Brief Update - Steven Unthank is still Acting Prosecutor, etc.
by AndersonsInfo 41 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
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ScenicViewer
@ Hamsterbait
I remember that thread. Actually, the director of the Australian branch was moved to Poland just before the elders were told to comply with the law, and a new man was brought into Australia. Maybe the one moved to Poland had something to hide, or maybe the Society figured the new man in Australia would be more capable of handling the the situation. I don't think anyone knows for sure.
There's no new info as far as I know.
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jwfacts
Viv Mouritz was the previous president of the WB&TS of Australia. It is only conjecture that he was moved due to the WWC situation. He is in his 80's and the official reason I was given by a CO is that it was because in Australia a younger person was needed due to the workload.
The new President is Terry O'Brien, who has been a District Overseer in Australia for many years, and is a very nice Brother.
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yesidid
What I don't understand is that if " a younger person was needed due to the workload" why not just relieve Mouritz of the "workload" and put someone else in charge. That's been done many times before. But I guess they have to put some spin on it.
I also read here that he was needed in Poland for ONE YEAR. It's not as though Poland is his home and he is being sent home in his old age. Viv Mouritz is born and bred Australian
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Gayle
It is suspect about Viv Mouritz. It not like they would send someone in their 80s to a foreign language area with special needs to do 'special' work.
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freedomisntfree
I think this was the wrong way for the police to go about this. It sounds harassing and staged for shock value to interupt a meeting. and why cancels a kids bible reading? how would that have been a violation of anything this case is about. incidents like this only fuel the " o were so persecuted" fire to witnesses. I can see the talk tiying this in now
" Brothers and sisters we are being persecuted everywhere, even in Australia, where police barged in unanounced to our Australian brothers and sisters in Victoria's meeting and intimidated them and tried to coerce them any to speaking against Jehovahs chosen organization ,let us pray for them "
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soft+gentle
Steven unthank has made himself very clear about his feelings towards the police, towards the previous government and towards jehovahs witnesses and this event - the police going into a KH to interview elders has Steven Unthank written all over it. He appears to be forcing the hand of the police and the court system to drum up support for his view that jehovahs witnesses are violating laws regarding child protection. The fact that the police had to enter a KH to interview elders during a meeting suggests that he does not have a strong case and is grasping at such last ditch efforts to make the law apply to Jehovahs witnesses.
Perhaps it is just me but this is sounding farcical and i fear Jehovahs wintesses are going to come out of this looking whiter than white.
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Aussie Oz
Terry obrien was one of my pioneer school teachers, along with Hans Hubler.
A nice man is going to get ruined. Probably already has if he has got that far...
Oz
Come on soft n gentle! You think Unthank leads the police to raid a kingdom hall?
and yes, it IS just you...The Watchtower society CAN NOT come out whiter than white as it is a matter of public record that they have willfully and deliberatly broken the law many times over this issue. And we shall do everything we can to make sure the public knows how filthy their undies are.
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soft+gentle
no Aussie, I don't think unthank led the police to raid a KH. But I do think it is going too far when the police go into a meeting to interview elders. I have faith in the Austrialian Justice system and in Australian police not to do such a thing of their own volition - so I am left wondering if it it Mr Unthank who has pushed for this to happen as this is the lesser of the two evils.
this is not to suggest that the WTS have not been evil regarding their child abuse policies but it is to question the wisdom of interviewing elders whilst a meeting is in progress. plus witnesses co-operating with the police at the meeting sounds staged.
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Gayle
It would seem only right for the police to check in on a meeting to witness or see how JW meetings 'work with children.' Maybe un-uniformed attire of the police or investigators could have been better to observe.
I wonder since the child, a theocratic ministry school 'student' as mentioned that couldn't give his 'talk' or reading at that time until there is 'registered,'' verifiable,' elders present. Maybe with the police having a meeting in the 'back room' was just to be able verify the elders. So, since none could verify with proof, the elders were told they can't have any youth in parts until then.
I can see that the police have to see how they can come up with conclusions of the need, in order to be able to require registration. The JWs have a unique way of 'teaching' children in their programs that are in fact different than other religions for the most part.
It was intrusive but how else could there be an official observance by the police and court.