Post Dateline Defense (page 2)

herbert

joelbear,

Of course protecting the children from abuse is the primary goal. However, JW children are abused in multiple ways - through the blood policy, and through the JW doctrinal system itself. All of this is based on the notion that the GB speaks for God. Anything that helps to abolish that harmful teaching can only help all JWs, including children.

If a religion has to be cajoled into changing its policy on something like this then there is far more wrong with it that needs fixing, beyond individual policies.

herbert

ChiChiMama

If there is ever a letter like this that goes out
I'll say "TO LITTLE TO LATE!"

Only after being exposed publicly and after the suffering of so many that could have been avoided did they even think to raise a finger of their power crazed control freak hands!

ChiChi

Bendrr

Maybe I'm just being optimistic, but I think that there will be more of a reaction than many predict.
I agree that the majority will blow it off as "persecution" and "apostate attacks". But this program has great potential to reach a large minority of the Empire.
Let's think about the present state of the Witnesses. It's been posted here time and again about zero or near-zero growth. They've lowered the hour quotas for pioneers and started accepting less than an hour of service for a month. Their next generation is for the most part Witnesses in name only, look at how many are "leading double lives".
The segment of the Empire that this program most needs to reach is the one most likely to watch. Consider the statistics Amazing provided a while back of how many pedophiles there could be in the Empire. Assuming that the actual number of molesters is even 50 or 60% of Amazing's estimate, that still gives a sizeable number of Witnesses who were/are victims or who know of or have heard of such a situation. Then we have to consider the congregation elders. Despite warnings from Brooklyn, it's pretty reasonable to expect that a large number of elders will watch the program. Again considering Amazing's statistics, there's going to be some who have dealt with molestation cases or know about them.
We can rest assured that not all discussion of the Dateline program will be limited to blowing it off. The real question is what will be the internal reaction from Brooklyn? We can probably expect to see anyone who talks about the issue to be treated as apostates. Without a doubt there will be quite a few Watchtower Study articles about apostasy and they're gonna be pretty harsh stuff. Not unlikely to expect a Special Talk or two.
The public will definitely react. Look for literature placements [sales] to drop noticeably. More than likely, field service hours will go down as well. Dubs should expect some Service Meeting parts designed to train them to deal with this issue at the door.
It may not have the effect of dealing a death-blow, but there will be a noticeable effect nonetheless.

Mike.

...

Lady Lee

OK Let's say the borg do change their policy that says from now on report all allegations of abuse... great.

Will it be followed or will it be like so many of their policies - double standards - one message for the world and another for the r&f

PLUS - what about all those who have abused previously? Are they going to go through their files and report all PAST allegations? Will they go to the victims and tell them "It's OK now for you to go to the police?"

Will they go to each one of those accused perverts and tell them to turn themselves in?

Will they tell the r&f who to watch out for? who to protect their children from?

a little too late is right on

Aspire to inspire before you expire

lv4fer

OK so maybe there won't be a mass exodus, but even if only a few see the light and get out it would be worth it. Also think of all the non-JW people that will watch, they will think twice about studying with them. It will hurt the list of possible converts.

"The reward for conformity was that everyone liked you except yourself."

Rita Mae Brown

Guest 77

Why now? Did they ever do it before? If so, when? They know they have been caught with their pants down.

Guest 77

BugParadise

lv4fer-->OK so maybe there won't be a mass exodus, but even if only a few see the light and get out it would be worth it. Also think of all the non-JW people that will watch, they will think twice about studying with them. It will hurt the list of possible converts<<

I agree with that and it is important to consider. The many non-JW's that will be watching this will be more informed about the people who are coming to their doors and will remember this when considering a study. It should make them think twice about opening the door.

~Bug

"God loves everyone, but probably prefers 'fruits of the spirit' over 'religious nuts'! "

Farkel

Good comments and observations from all of you.

Andyman,

: I know what is happening in this and I know that the brothers are not at fault, not the elders and certainly not the GB."

Obviously, that dub is a clueless idiot.

His statement is so braindead, it pains me to comment about it.

1) He "knows what is happening."

How in the hell does he "know" what is happening? He probably wasn't even aware of the DateLine investigation until recently.

2) "The brothers are not at fault."

If there was NO child abuse EVER in WatchtowerWorld(tm), then his statement would be correct. But there is and was child-abuse in WatchtowerWorld(tm). That means "brothers" ARE at fault. Who does he think committed that abuse, good-tooth fairies?

3) "the elders are not at fault."

Another classic. Since it has been proved time and again in court that the "brothers" who committed the child-rape were protected by elders and, in many cases the children they raped were the ones disfellowshiped, what kind of orifice is he talking through?

4) "Certainly not the GB"

Wrong. This cover-up goes right to the TOP. DO's do nothing without the society's sanction. CO's do nothing without the society's sanction. Elders do nothing without the society's sanction. Congregational pedophiles therefore get away scot-free because of the society's sanction.

Furthermore, there is some excellent evidence yet-to-be-revealed that at least one member of the GB not only knew about the cover-ups, but personally ordered them.

Farkel

Eric

Metatron,

My likely response to the "dead issue" excuse:

Excellent! The malcontents, apostates and those witnesses who the Watchtower currently have under the scrutiny of judicial hearings are the ones who have pushed this issue out from the shadows and have forced this new policy (BOE letters to follow) into life.

If this issue is in fact dead, and the new policy is an improvement in the safekeeping of JW children, then JW's have the malcontents and apostates to thank for it. As an apostate who has endeavoured to keep this issue in the view of the public media, it has been a pleasure to force the hand of your Brooklyn headquarters to do the right thing, even if it is years too late. Heck, you didn't expect the elders to do anything did you?

Eric

bluesapphire

How many news stories have we read in the last week or so that has the WT declining or can't be reached for comment.

Yes but according to an elder in our area, the "brothers have tried and tried to contact Dateline to give our side of the story but Dateline REFUSES to talk to us....the media is biased..."

That's the party-line that elders are giving to the publishers in the know who are asking questions.

So when they actually watch the show and see that Watchtower was represented, then they'll hopefully see through this bunch of horse shit they're being fed.

Post Dateline Defense

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