should child abusers be allowed to go door to door

by soft+gentle 35 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

  • steve2
    steve2

    Thanks for your words of support Ohiocowboy. Without hijacking the thread, I 'dealt' with the abuse a long time ago, although predictably that did not involve telling my parents - not because I thought they'd blame me but because I loved my JW parents dearly (both now deceased) and I did not want them beating themselves up for letting their children go door-to-door unsupervised. From my experience as a child, I also learnt at a very early age that sexual abuse is widespread, including in any church or religious group you care to mention (to be clear, I was never abused by any JW).

    But yes, the JW "policies" on dealing with perpetrators and protecting children are shamefully inadequate and in essence "support" perpetrators regardless of how politely the JWs insist they do take sexual abuse seriously.

    On a more directly relevant note, given the sheer mental effort your typical JW puts into preparing for and going door-to-door, I would have thought JWs with a history of child abuse would "love" an excuse not to go door-to-door. Publically raising awareness that some of them do go door-to-door - supervised? - might nicely frighten then off the ministry altogether! Underneath it all pedophiles tend to be very sensitive to public disapproval...

  • mind blown
    mind blown

    No they should not, on WTS priciple alone. One of the excuses the GB gives for DFing one from the congregation is if a wordly person sees a JW doing something bad, while in good standing, it would bring reproach against Jah.

    Now if someone is marked as a pedophile, and there has been news articles, they have been outted (meaning even the cogregation knows), the police and certain officals and they are still going door to door....and a worldy person regognized them.....would'n't that still bring reproach on God's name? AND not to mention, some child abusers have been court ordered to keep away from children in any fashion.

    And of course the main answer is obvious....which is NO, because they are still coming to persons private homes who have children.

  • soft+gentle
    soft+gentle

    had to finish something so was not able to return to this thread.

  • soft+gentle
    soft+gentle

    I think the concept of a petition is a good one, the wording will need to be carefully crafted and I think the scope need to be broader than just JW's.

    thank you cantleave. I agree that it would need to be worded carefully. But if we do get one done even if it itself does not go very far it may prompt more people to sign up for your petition re the charity commission.

  • soft+gentle
  • soft+gentle
    soft+gentle

    oops comp mode now on.

    thanks everyone for your comments

    quiet one, I think thats going a bit far to ask postmen and leaflet distributors to wear badges - what I mean to say is that I don't think the gonvernment would consider that - especially as unlike JWs, I have not heard of any postmen or leaflet distributors abusing children.

    steve, phizzy its experiences like yours that make me want to see this through. Pedophiles have always been opportunistic and as JWs they don't have to think about losing their jobs or reputation even, as we know

  • just Ron
    just Ron

    Can we make one for convicted rapist too?

  • soft+gentle
    soft+gentle

    now you are talkin just Ron. the society hedges about what constitutes rape as well.

  • The Quiet One
    The Quiet One

    I know it was a dumb idea, I was just brainstorming and part way through thinking about religious representatives/all cold callers being made to wear ID badges, I realised that they'd say ' Jw's are not representatives ' etc.. and they already ignore cold caller signs for some reason. Trying to think of the right wording for any law related to a 'personal ministry' that isn't selling anything seems impossible. Sorry for throwing out the 1st stupid thing that came to mind..

  • karter
    karter

    I had this disscussion with an Elder my thoughts were this.

    "You and the other Elders have decided for the people in the area that it is OK if a child abuser comes to their door,He can start a study with them and come into their house"

    "Imagine this a child abouser starts a study with a lady and children,Now her Husband dosen't study and is probley suspicious of religion anyway.

    Then he finds out the guy comming into his house and around his children is a chill abouser...ill leave it to you as to how he would fell"

    As usual the Elder just walked away and said nothing.

    Karter.

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