by Sol Reform 17 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
HB,
Like you, I always heard the WT boast that we have no confessions. Yet they try to claim it in court proceedings. You either have confessions or you do not. There seems to be no in-between position. If they had confessions, judges would grant them the privilege. Merely reciting a request is insulting to the court.
"Is Daniels a WT appointed lawyer? If so then this is fairly damning considering the advice he gave the elders was to withhold information about a crime that had been committed. Where's SFPW when you need him? I'd like to hear the argument for the elders keeping schtum.."
There's no argument to be made. It's repugnant.
Its nice to see when things don't go WTS's & their handsomely paid lawyers' ways.
gorgia
Thanks SFPW , that's what I thought, but I know we're a bit biased on here!
I am not clear how the allegations became known to the police . Did the victim report the crime ?
Jan
| It must take all of two minutes to deny the claim. In this case, the victim was a grown woman who could help the police. | |
| Band on the Run |
When someone is an adult say 24 years, she may still be reluctant to come forward. Watchtower pressure through its controling JW Elders,fear of shame,family shunning and other psychoogical factors may becloud the victim's jugdement, will power and courage to come forward and help law enforcement with investigation.
Scott77
The judge and prosecutor found the victim was able to come forward. I don't believe it is ever easy for a victim to come forward. Nevertheless, there appears to a broad movement in this country where victims are supporting each other and coming forward. I believe people are impressed with the integrity of Roman Catholic abuse victims who came forward. The Roman Catholic lawyers chose to deal with church members reporting abuse as though they were heretics. Indeed, the New York Times editorial board highlighted the fact that Cardinal Dolan transferred millions to a church cemetry fund while he was in Minnesota to protect church assets. It is not only the Witneses who are at fault but every powerful religion.
We know that elders care more for the WT orders than the local members in the congregation. They don't' have to assert a right to privilege. First, there is no privilege. I wonder if there is a single case in any jurisdiction where privilege was successfully asserted. The WT pages are too full of declarations that confessionals are evil and Satanic. This is classic WT. Print one thing in the WT or any JW magazine. Say the opposite to a judge. I wish these cases received more publicity b/c it would be fruitful for the rank and file to hear that confessions exist when they know they do not exist. I expect an active JW would deny that this takes place - even given a court record. A similar case is the assertion in an Australian forum is that active JWs do not exist. People report the active JWs were audibly shocked to hear that gem.
We know that local JW elders ask members to not go to the police. Kate published her recording of the JC here. Will JWs believe this happens? Forty years ago they would have made me you feel bad for reporting it and placing disrepute on Jehovah's org. They are still doing the same thing. Hopefully, every jurisdiction will impose mandatory reporting requirements on clergy. Let them go to prison. It won't bother me. The sad thing is that I can visualize many elders choosing to go to prison.
| "This is classic WT. Print one thing in the WT or any JW magazine. Say the opposite to a judge. I wish these cases received more publicity b/c it would be fruitful for the rank and file to hear that confessions exist when they know they do not exist. I expect an active JW would deny that this takes place - even given a court record. A similar case is the assertion in an Australian forum is that active JWs do not exist. People report the active JWs were audibly shocked to hear that gem." | |
| Band on the Run |
Shame on you the Watchtower and Jehovah's Witnesses. The two are identical. Shame on the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. Shame on the international Bible Students Association. Thank to the internet, what happens in Asia and Europe will be known in Americas. Is the Watchtower serving the god of truth or the god of lie? I have heard the reports in Australia that Jehovah's Witnesses are not publishers. Somewhere else, they are not ordained ministers. Elders are not representative of the Watchtower. Right? They are indepedent agents, right? Iam grateful the tide is slowly turning against this entreched and enslaving organisation.
Scott77
