Candace Conti Lawsuit -- Your opinion?

by DesirousOfChange 59 Replies latest members private

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  life is to short

  Prime said "I was raised as one of JWs. I just turned 40. I've never witnessed anything you described. This is generally the situation with anonymous stories on the internet."

  So was I Prime but I just turned 50 so I have ten years on you and have spent my whole life in the cult. I have even served at Bethel HAVE YOU!!!! I totally resent you saying that it is anonymous internet stores, you are the one who is putting out anonymous internet stores by saying these things do not happen I have seen them with my own eyes.

  Now see this is why I have not responded to you before and have skipped all your long winded cut and past posts and I am breaking my rule to engage someone like you now. If I showed you pictures and had nailed to the tee proof you would still come back to me and say I was lying. I know what happened and has happened in every hall I have been in, in my 50 years of life so do not belittle your self by putting yourself on this pedestal by calling all of us who have lived it liars.

  LITS

  PS PS I am sorry that I get so upset over ones like Prime and I must stop addressing them. I was sexually abused myself though not by JW's and I have been told all the things Prime says, that I have made it up that I wanted it to happen that I put myself in the way of the pedophile, etc. It hurts so much to be called a liar when it comes to this for years I believed as my JW mom told me that it was my fault that at the age of seven I had caused the man who was in his mid 30's to abuse me. I lived with the feelings of guilt for years and years its only been since I reached my 40's that I have somewhat been able to let go of myself blame.

  I hate it when I engage ones like Prime as it brings back all the self hate that I have and I will not do it again. So bring it all Prime tell me that I am making it all up that it is just fabricated internet stories that I am mentally diseased, that you are the great JW you are and you know everything and that I am just lying. Bring it on Prime! I stupidly asked for it.
  LITS
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  Prime

  Well, it's clear that the elders failed to exercise a reasonable degree of care for the children in the congregation. Thing is, I have insider knowledge, so it would be impossible to be an unbiased juror on a case like this.

  But clearly, since the elders knew this guy was dangerous and not only didn't consider calling the cops themselves, but primarily, didn't even check up on the perpetrator's family to find out how they were doing and had to find out some other way that they'd called the police on this guy at some point. That tells me they could not possibly have been 'keeping an eye' on this man.

  The Watchtower Society cannot make people not do bad things, per se. So I don't think they're 100% responsible for this--most of the blame rests upon Kendricks himself. But the elders and Watchtower share all the rest of it for their irresponsible, self-serving behavior.

  Throw the book at all of 'em.

  --sd-7

  Have you read the testimony of Evelyn Kendrick? There was a competent adult in the home. The elder's opinion of Evelyn Kendrick's competency was corroborated by the fact that she did contact the police, the next time her husband got out of hand. If you are going to throw the book at anyone aside from Jonathan Kendrick, you would think it would be law enforcement. Had Kendrick been convicted of the felony he committed and punished accordingly, I can't say that society would have been protected indefinitely, but this story would read much differently.
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  Chaserious

  The idea that minors have not regularly worked in field service with people other than their parents is outrageous. I'm around the same age as Candace Conti, and I worked alone with other members of the congregation all the time starting when I was about 13. In fact, my parents encouraged me to auxiliary pioneer during the summers when school was out, which I did every summer while I was in high school. Usually during the week, my mother or I would make arrangements for another member of the congregation to pick me up in the morning and take me out in service, since my parents wouldn't be going out during the week. There are at least 3 single brothers I can think of who reguarly took me out in service and drove me alone to/from my house without my parents when I was between the ages of 13-15. When I was that age, I would rather go with them than my parents. One of them, who was in his early-mid twenties at the time, even would hang out with me after service and gave me beer when I was 14 on one occasion. None of them ever did anything inappropriate with me, but in that environment of trust on the parents' part, looking back it is easy to see how an adult who is so inclined could take advantage of a child.

  This is an internet forum. There is no oath to tell the truth that you can take before you post here. By definition every factual statement made is going to be an anonymous internet story. It is beyond me why anyone would come and post here and make his own assertions about the way things are but then reject what anyone else says by labelling it anonymous internet stories.
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  Prime

  The idea that minors have not regularly worked in field service with people other than their parents is outrageous. I'm around the same age as Candace Conti, and I worked alone with other members of the congregation all the time starting when I was about 13. In fact, my parents encouraged me to auxiliary pioneer during the summers when school was out, which I did every summer while I was in high school. Usually during the week, my mother or I would make arrangements for another member of the congregation to pick me up in the morning and take me out in service, since my parents wouldn't be going out during the week. There are at least 3 single brothers I can think of who reguarly took me out in service and drove me alone to/from my house without my parents when I was between the ages of 13-15. When I was that age, I would rather go with them than my parents. One of them, who was in his early-mid twenties at the time, even would hang out with me after service and gave me beer when I was 14 on one occasion. None of them ever did anything inappropriate with me, but in that environment of trust on the parents' part, looking back it is easy to see how an adult who is so inclined could take advantage of a child.

  This is an internet forum. There is no oath to tell the truth that you can take before you post here. By definition every factual statement made is going to be an anonymous internet story. It is beyond me why anyone would come and post here and make his own assertions about the way things are but then reject what anyone else says by labelling it anonymous internet stories.

  A person who's thirteen years of age or older is old enough to assume some responsibility for themselves. Thirteen to fifteen isn't the age I had in mind when I said “minors.”
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  awaken2004

  Prime, are you a JW? Still active? How can you honestly say Jdubs are no different? Are you joking? No the dubs to not have camps or Sunday school but they are very much different than most mainstream religions. They claim the are a worldwide family. They brag about the trust they have among each other. My parents used to let me go off with anyone who was a Jdub. I don't know how many times I've heard my mother tell people she loves that she never has to worry about the people (all jdubs) I am with.

  The WT and any other religious org that goes out of their way to hide abuse and allows abusers access to children should be held accountable.
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  jgnat

  I tried to get my head around your comment that two thirds of US inmates are Christian. Are you suggesting that more Christians go to jail than the regular population? The majority of Americans self-identify as Christians (72-75%) (Wiki). So there's no greater proportion of incarcerated Christians. Are you suggesting that there are as many criminals in a Kingdom Hall as one can find amongst the general population? That certainly could be so. Does this absolve elders from any responsibility?

  I also take umbrage to your suggestion that the Jehovah's Witnesses are doing as much as any other Christian organization to protect the flock. This is simply not true. My denomination has an entire "Plan to Protect" program for its youth workers, and every worker undergoes a criminal check before being approved to work with children. Other safeguards are in place for instance, doors all have window inserts so that passers-by can observe what is going on in the classroom. Hall monitors also check in.

  A minor (under the age of eighteen) left alone with an adult out in service, doesn't have these safeguards. Especially if the predator takes the child to a private place.
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  awaken2004

  Okay Prime, I don't know what Jdub worl you live or lived in. Not being rude I just don't get it. I've worked with many elders and older brothers too. some parents are wise enough to not let that happen but not all.
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  dropoffyourkeylee

  In the congregation I attend (midWest US), there is one registered sex offender (He served time in prison for rape and became a JW in prison) My opinion is that this individual is a success story, a former rapist has accepted a religious belief which has changed his life... good for him. Is this what Christianity is for? Christ Yes, I hope so. But on the other hand, is there any warning or announcement from the body of elders about a registered sex offender in our Hall... NO, there is not, and if I had a teenage daughter in this congregation I would be worried, and P-0'd... for God's sake this man reads the WT on Sunday, and goes in field service with everyone, including young girls. Knowing him, I would like to think he is OK, but the point is, the WT society makes no distinction... they think that if he gets sufficient hours in field service he must be OK..... Candace and her attorney would disagree.
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  jwfacts

  there is one registered sex offender (He served time in prison for rape and became a JW in prison) My opinion is that this individual is a success story, a former rapist has accepted a religious belief which has changed his life... good for him.

  Hopefully that person has changed his life around, but people need to be aware and cautious around him. In the situation of pedophiles, conversion is often used as a means to get early parole, and joining an insular religion like Jehovah's Witnesses is strategic for gaining access to other children. When a convicted pedophile converts, it is critical that parents in the congregation are made aware.

  And we already establish that the elders don't keep knowledge confidential like a confession, but share it with the organization.

  That is an important point. JWs cannot hide behind the confessional rules, as Catholics were able to, because Witnesses did not confess on the understanding that it is strictly between the priest and God. The process has always been for the elders to report to headquarters.
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  grumblecakes

  What I just dont get is why the steadfast refusal to change the policy? It seems so simple and they love to avoid legal liability (remember the KM about how if you go to a door that says no trespassing, and you get sued by the householder they wont back you up...)??? Seems counter intuitive.

  Why? Why wont they just change the directive?