Paducah, KY News 6 Report

by silentlambs 16 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  silentlambs

  Jehovah’s witnesses, resigned pastor draw battle line over child molestation coverup charges
  Last month, Bill Bowen not only resigned as presiding overseer of Jehovah’s Witnesses at Draffenville. Bowen charged his denomination with a national policy of elders not reporting confessions made by child molesters to police.
  Jehovah’s Witnesses, officially called the Watchtower Bible Tract Society, have been drawing battle lines to counter Bowen’s charges. Bowen is also gearing up for the fight.
  Bowen resigned, saying he wanted to expose a dirty little secret about Jehovah’s witnesses, their silence when child molesters confess. He held up a church directive on the subject, saying “Not one word is said in this entire article about going to the authorities.”
  Silent at first about Bowen’s charges, Jehovah’s Witnesses later publicly denied shielding offenders. Church leader Tom Carrothers says it’s okay for a parent to inform police if their child is molested. “But as far as the local elders, it would depend on what the legal department suggested.”
  Carrothers referred to the legal department at Watch Tower headquarters in New York City. Bowen says officials at “legal” only tell elders whether their state requires reporting molesters. Watch Tower says local leaders are then told to follow the law.
  Word of Bowen’s charges brought messages of support by E-mail from around the nation. One thanked NewsChannel 6 for “exposing the Witnesses’ policy,” claiming many in the church were “sexually abused.” One stated an elder’s son was caught with his hand in the panties of an 8-year old girl.
  One E-mail came from a woman who claimed her husband, a Jehovah’s Witness elder, “didn’t turn a child abuser in.” Another woman wrote that when her child was victimized, elders told her to “wait on Jehovah” rather to inform police.
  When Jehovah’s Witnesses decided to refute Bowen’s charges, they produced a videotape featuring denials. Cape Girardeau business leader Earl Norman appears on the tape.
  Norman, an elder who says he has been a Witness for 50 years, says, “I’ve not at any time ever dealt with, or handled a matter like this. And to be accused of this being prevalent is ridiculous.”
  Also from Cape Girardeau, police Lt. Carl Kinnison is seen on tape saying, “I have never known any Jehovah’s Witnesses or anyh group that has ever attempted to cover up.”
  Jehovah’s Witness officials telephoned NewsChannel 6 asking when excerpts of their videotape would be aired. Meanwhile, Bowen’s supporters sent more E-mail messages. With each side trying to get the last word, it’s like a ping-pong match with the media as the table.
  The nation may hear more of Bill Bowen’s charges. Bowen says NBC’s “Dateline” will start interviewing people for a report.
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  TR

  Bowen says NBC’s “Dateline” will start interviewing people for a report.

  Cool. I can't wait.

  TR
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  Fredhall

  Are they going to have any news about the UFO cover up down there?
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  ZazuWitts

  Yes, Fredhall, you are right - they are going to expose the UFO story:

  Uncover Fiends (in the) Organization

  Thanks for reminding us.:)
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  waiting

  hey y'all,

  Before I get in over my head - I am not a trained therapist, just an incest/rape survivor of several different men. So is my daughter.

  Another woman wrote that when her child was victimized, elders told her to “wait on Jehovah” rather to inform police. - news report

  From H20 on thread of same subject:
  

  Another woman wrote that when her child was victimized, elders told her to “wait on Jehovah” rather to inform police.

  I bet this woman was me. I wrote them about my son. My son was molested by another witness child. The elders said that I should "Wait on Jah". That no police nor Psychologist could help.

  That I should rely on God to see my son through this. I must tell you. I was a bad little witness, cause I didn't listen to their council. I took my child to a psygologist and he is a well adjusted child today.

  In my opinion, God helps those who help themself. - Shari

  No, it wasn't reported to the authorities sinse the one who molested my son was a child also. This child who molested my son had been molested by a non witness a couple of years before. That is how he learned. He himself was only 7 at the time. My son was only two.

  Had the psychologist suggested I tell the police, I would have but she didn't so I didn't see the need.

  He has no memory of what happened to him. I am thankful for that.
  By the way. His name is Manuel, the spanish verson of Emanuel(God with us) - Shari

  Again, before my questioning negativity comes to the fore, the small children of ages 7 and 2 would seem to be odd as this being a case where the WTBTS covered up a child molester, keeping the mother quiet. The professional therapist also concurred as to their professional opinion that it was not necessary to involve the police.

  I do not know the circumstances nor the intimate details of the sexual activities between this 7 year old and 2 year old. There is an age difference, for sure. But 7 years old seems to still be in the age of child curiosity, playing doctor, etc.

  I was a child and my children were typical - there was doctor playing, etc. Not amused as a parent finding out - but also handled it between the other parent, not elders, therapists, and police. Perhaps the 7 year old did much more, I don't know - but it seems a bit of a stretch.

  Another sister I know well has always been odd - her rational? Her father sexually abused her. Her account, told in tears. They were at an assembly, at the hotel. She (16) in one double bed, her parents in another. The father, half asleep, went to the bathroom. Got in her double bed upon returning. She jumped up and out, so did he - he mumbled apology & went back to proper bed. End of account. However, she still recounts after 35 years how he sexually abused her.

  Another poster one time brought up the point that sisters in particular seem prone to odd medical/mental disorders. Perhaps the JW mind bend? Sometimes they seem overly eager to jump onto the current craze.

  In no way am I minimizing the effects - the amount - of sexual abuse and/or rape of children. I just think precautions of overkill and over reaction should be thought out.

  waiting
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  Wounded Heart

  **********************************************
  Another poster one time brought up the point that sisters in particular seem prone to odd medical/mental disorders. Perhaps the JW mind bend? Sometimes they seem overly eager to jump onto the current craze.
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  dear waiting,
  would you please elaborate as to what the "odd medical/mental disorders" refer to? and is this your viewpoint also? i cannot tell if you are just quoting or if you are stating your view. i dont want to assume one or the other.
  thanks in advance,
  Wounded Heart
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  larc

  Waiting,

  You brought up an extremely important issue. The case of the 2 year old and the nine year old and the case of the father accidently getting into the wrong bed illustrate that people can be falsely labeled when no wrong occured.
  Society has to protect the children, but at the same time, it should not destroy people with false accusations.
  I am really glad you brought this side of the issue to the forefront. I might add more thoughts of my own on this side of the subject, but I need to collect my thoughts and collect some quotes before I can add anything further.
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  waiting

  hey wounded,

  Nice to meet you. To restate again - I'm no authority on incest/rape except for having lived with my father who practiced both on a regular, violent, basis against his children, pets and neighbor children. I have at least 5 yrs. of therapy receipts to prove my interest, and almost as many books as receipts I've read from therapists and over the counter on this subject to back a lot of my words. I also was a jw from the years 18 - 49, considered inactive, but in good standing now.

  Another poster had presented the question, and it has been brought up over at H20 also: Do some sisters, (they seem the more vocal - I would concur - I am/was a sister) tend to exhibit the signs of more bizarre mental/physical disorders at a higher rate than "worldly women" at large?

  Over at H20, one former elder said that in his congregation alone over six sisters believed that they had a Satanic background (being abused by devil worshipers as children). Did these gross actions happen to the sisters? Who knows. Does the statistic of 6 women in one congregation (who all did not grow up together) being victims of different unseen, unproven Satanic Coven raise the eyebrow? Raises mine.

  There is an interesting book (title I don't know and I have not read except for excerpt - just said interesting) about the incredible amount of mental disorders, unseen Satanic foes, covens, witches, dead bodies, rituals, etc., etc., reported during the 80's primarily among women. A quote I read a long time ago stated: "If all this Satanic abuse happened - it is worth researching. If all this Satanic abuse did not happen - it is well worth researching."

  I find this a fair statement, don't you? We've been taught that the congregations are a cross-section of the community in which it exists. Thus, if women at large are having possible oddites, the same oddities would be within the congregation.

  In several cong. where I have been, (Ind. & SC) sisters who knew herbs were prone to diagnose other persons for cancer, etc. We are taught not to read much outside of the WTBTS printings. So therefore, word of mouth about such things seems to be rapid and far spread, grass roots remedies for all sorts of things seem to be sought out. Some work, some do not. We're, in general, not educated in higher learning (we were taught it was not necessary). We seem to rely heavily on this type of network.

  Nice to meet you - looking forward to your response.

  waiting

  Edited by - waiting on 11 February 2001 9:30:32
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  waiting

  hey larc,

  The children involved were 7 and 2years respectively. The 7 year old had sexual activity against the 2 year old. Five years difference.

  This child who molested my son had been molested by a non witness a couple of years before.

  Being a non-therapist, I would have more questions about that child who was molested at the age of 4/5 by a "non witness" than the 2 year old. How old was the "non-witness?" I would assume either the abuse wasn't significant as to amount or it was another small child because this woman's therapist didn't feel the necessity for the poster nor for the therapist to report to the proper legal authorities.

  Again, the poster didn't present any more details, so it's hard to discern the specific child sexual abuse. Did you read Friend's question on sexual abuse - is it always rape? Very interesting thread, which was posted on H20 as well. Part of the problem, imho, is the wordage. What is the vague term "sexual abuse"? Does not say what actually happened.

  waiting

  Edited by - waiting on 11 February 2001 11:47:17
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  larc

  Waiting,

  I thing you're right. Most cases don't have enough detail to discern the validity of the charge of sexual abuse. The waters get muddy when JW elders take on the task of judge. In my opinion, any suspected case should be immediately turned over to the authorites. They make mistakes too, but the odds of getting at the truth is better than with the JW "system of things".

  For example, interviewing children to get an acurate picture can be very tricky. Asking leading questions or asking explicite questions can prompt a child to give an answer to please the adult interviewer and may not represent what really happened. I think a well trained child psychologist should be used, not an elder to talk to the child. This is just one issue in a very complex problem. Children should not be damaged by sick adults. On the other hand, the lives of innocent adults should not be ruined by false accusations, sloppy investigations, and wrong conclusions. This does happen.